Top 10 Most Common Home Defects Presented by National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Chicago Chapter

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Here are examples of the top ten most common defects found during home inspections. While common. Most of these defects can be easily, and inexpensively, fixed. If left unattended to, these conditions can only get worse and lead to much more expensive repairs, and in some cases, structural failure or fire. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation: Drainage The house’s foundation should not be covered and be visible for at least 6” for brick walls and at least 8” for siding and stucco walls. Gutter downspouts should lead away from the foundation at least 6 feet, 10 feet is better. Covering the foundation can lead to water infiltration, insect intrusion, rot, mold and structural failure. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation True Story: Brand New 4,400 SF House With A BIG Hidden Problem Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation Nice brick planter at the front covers the foundations weep wicks with 3” of soil. The result? Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation Rotted Rim Joist and Sill Plate in 4 Months! $36,000 fix! Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Foundation Result – If Not Fixed. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical Defects A house’s electrical system can cause the most dangerous problems if it is not properly and professionally installed and maintained. Always have any electrical work done by a licensed and insured electrical contractor. Electricians in Illinois are not licensed by the state. Some are ‘licensed’ by a municipality, requiring only minimum liability insurance. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical Panels – Location, Inaccessible Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical Panels – Owner Repairs Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical Panels – Double Tapping Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical Panels – Double Tapping Main Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Professional / Homeowner Wiring Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Electrical – Animal Problems Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Roof Roofing problems are common, and the most easily dealt with. Make sure that all roofing work is done professionally and properly. Roofers in Illinois are required to be state licensed and insured, but most are not. Contractor E & O insurance guarantees the quality of the work. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Roof Drainage New House Builder Saved $20.00. Buyer Lost Roof in 2 Years! All upper downspouts must drain to lower gutters. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Roof Drainage 12,000 SF House. Downspout draining directly onto cedar shake roof. Note the shake curling. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Roof Leaks Quick Fix for Leaky Roof Owner tries quick repair with elaborate siphon system. Wound up ruining the bedroom ceiling because the bucket filled and broke through. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Roof Deck Rot Due To Moisture Lower gable attic, roof decking old, but serviceable Upper gable attic, roof decking rotted and soft. Upper attic had un-vented bathroom exhaust fan. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Heating Heating systems are most commonly plagued by the lack of the proper amount of combustion air. Make sure that the furnace has an adequate source of combustion air. The rule is 10 cubic feet of air for each cubic foot of gas burned. Without exterior venting, a 100,000 BTU furnace requires a room 25 X 25 X 8 at a minimum! Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air Yellowing flame means carbon monoxide is being produced. Beware of furnaces installed in closets that do not have an exterior air intake vent flue. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air Failed heat exchanger caused by insufficient combustion air. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air Brand new high efficiency furnace. Improperly installed. Note missing combustion air vent on left. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Improper Maintenance and Repair Always have all house repair done by professional, licensed and insured contractors. Make sure that you are fully informed when you make any do-it-yourself repairs Most times, money you think that you are saving, up front, is eaten up later. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Improper Maintenance – Owner Repair Leaky sink drain? What to do? The Old Diaper Trick. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Improper Maintenance – Bad Plumbing Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Professional Repairs No grounding. Wires not enclosed, not waterproof. Sink electrified! Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects HVAC –Owner “Innovations” New and “improved”, supercharged water heater. The only smart thing about this setup is the fire extinguisher. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Structural damage is probably the most expensive type of damage to repair. If not done properly, your house can collapse. Structural problems, though rare, are usually very expensive to repair. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Floor joist cut to allow for heating duct. Structural integrity of the floor in danger. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Welding torch hole cut in steel beam in garage to facilitate the garage door opener. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage 1875 Apartment building. Central foundation at the middle is failing. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Old pier with washed away footing and CMU blocks set on their sides. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Diagonal crack with multiple plane. Uneven settling, commonly seen in clay soil conditions. A real structural problem. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Structural Damage Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Plumbing Problems Plumbing problems are most commonly caused by inadequate maintenance or owner repairs. Plumbers, in Illinois, are required to be state licensed and insured, but many are not. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Plumbing Problems – Water Heater Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Plumbing Problems – Improper Fixture Use Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Water and Air Infiltration Water infiltration is, often, the most easily avoided house problem. Remember, to a house, water is the enemy. Water in wood = ROT, regardless of the age of the wood. A brand new 2 x 4 can completely rot in 4 months if its moisture content is greater than 38%. Kiln dried wood has a moisture content < 4%. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Water and Air Infiltration Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Water and Air Infiltration Thermal imaging to display ceiling water infiltration. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Water and Air Infiltration Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Along guarding against water infiltration, proper ventilation is the best way to make sure that water is kept out. Crawlspaces and attics must be ventilated in order to avoid wood rot and mold. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Clothes dryer vented to Attic 6 month old house Rotten roof decking Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Bathroom Exhaust Fan Vented to Attic Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Weird things found in attics and crawlspaces Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation Weird things found in attics and crawlspaces Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Top 10 Home Defects Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation The deadly “Assassin Kitty”! Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Inspected Construction Defects Just because your house passed a governmental code inspection, that is no guarantee that it is free of defects. Code inspectors are overworked and building codes are merely minimal requirements. Even brand new houses can have substantial and expensive defects and safety hazards! Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Inspected Construction Defects Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Inspected Construction Defects Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Non-Inspected Construction Defects Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Installation Defects Hair dryer installed near bathroom basin, against manufacturer’s instructions. Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Old / Defected Electrical Equipment Zinsco Federal Pacific Equipment Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors

Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors Top 10 Home Defects Thank you for your time. Questions? Copyright 2005 National Association of Certified Home Inspectors