Home Inspection Knox Ct Denver CO

The roof covering material has developed an “alligatored” look due to aging.   A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The roof covering is bulged or bubbled in some areas, which may make it more susceptible to damage.

Recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The roof covering material was damaged/deteriorated in some areas.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The roof covering the head exposed nails in one or more areas. Recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate to seal the nail head openings or make general repairs or replacements as necessary.

Wall flashing was missing kick-out or diverter flashing, which is needed where a wall extends past a roof edge.  This may allow moisture intrusion of the exterior walls. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

Gutters were full of debris or granules in areas and need to be cleaned. The debris in gutters can clog drainage, or be sign gutters are sloped improperly – Either of which may cause problems by overflowing to introduce excessive amounts of moisture to the soil beneath the foundation. Excessive moisture in the soil supporting the foundation can affect its ability to support the weight of the structure above and may cause foundation damage from soil movement.

Debris in gutters can also conceal rust, deterioration, or leaks that are not visible until cleaned.

A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary and according to current standards.

The insulation is missing.

Recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate and repair or replace as needed.

The driveway showed signs of heaving and/or settling in areas. Heaving is often caused by soil that has expanded in volume due to increased moisture content, or by wet soil which has expanded as it became frozen. Settlement is when the soil below a concrete slab is loose, or it can no longer support the weight causing it to sink or crack. This condition could potentially cause a trip hazard.

A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary and according to current standards.

Large trees near the house have branches that overhang the property. Falling branches due to conditions such as wood decay, high winds, or heavy snow loads may cause injury, death, or damage. Significant weakening of large branches by conditions such as core decay may not be visible by persons without special training. Consider having these trees evaluated by a qualified arborist. Evaluating trees lies beyond the scope of the general property inspection.

Recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The roof covering material was damaged/deteriorated in some areas.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

An exterior entry door had an opening that was too wide leaving a gap or daylight around the door.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The garage had one or more outlets without GFCI (or ground fault circuit interrupter) protection.

GFCI protection is required for all 15- and 20-amp receptacles in a garage, including outlets for refrigerators, sprinkler systems, garage door openers, and washing machines – some items may not be protected on purpose due to the potential for them to go unnoticed and cause damage. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The window had peeling paint.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The walls had signs of a previous repair.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The drain pipe at the sink had an “S” trap. Water filling the downstream vertical portion of the “S” trap will cause siphoning and loss of trap seals. Trap seals must be maintained to prevent sewer gases from entering the dwelling. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The food waste disposer was noisy when on. The noise was likely a sign of damage.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The cabinet was missing door/drawer hardware.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

An outlet did not provide Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection. Although GFCI protection of circuits may not have been required at the time in which this home was built, safe building practices have improved with the passage of time and building standards have changed to reflect current understanding. The inspector recommends updating the existing electrical circuits to include GFCI protection. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

Some windows had damaged or missing screens.  A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

No ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection was provided for the bathroom electrical outlets. Although GFCI protection of bathroom circuits may not have been required at the time of in which this property was built, as general knowledge of safe building practices has improved with the passage of time building standards have changed to reflect current understanding. The inspector recommends updating the existing bathroom electrical circuits to provide GFCI protection. This can be achieved by:

1. Replacing the current standard outlets with GFCI outlets.

2.  Replacing the first circuit outlet located closest to the main electrical service panel with the GFCI outlet

3.  Replacing the breaker currently protecting the electrical circuit that contains these outlets with the GFCI breaker.

A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

One or more electrical outlet(s) were wired incorrectly with the hot and neutral wires being reversed. While the outlet still provides power to electronic equipment, a shock hazard has been created as there is still electricity running through the hot wire when the switch is off. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary according to current standards.

Solid conductor aluminum branch-circuit wiring was present. This is an electrical hazard. A qualified contractor should evaluate the electrical system and repair or replace it as necessary.

The aluminum wire appears to be installed on branch electrical circuits in the subject premises. This single-strand, branch circuit aluminum wires were used widely in houses during the mid-1960s and 1970s. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, problems due to expansion can cause overheating at connections between the wire and devices (switches and outlets) or at splices, which has resulted in fires. For further information on aluminum, wiring contacts the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission via the Internet at http://www.cpsc.gov.

For more details, visit InterNACHI’s Free Inspection Library.

The combustion air supply for this appliance was not present. A qualified contractor should evaluate and make necessary corrections according to current standards.

The fresh air supply is recommended by manufacturers for the efficient operation of fuel-burning appliances. Years ago, the air could come from inside or outside the building, however, more recent standards prefer for combustion air to come from the outside only.

The temperature pressure relief valve was missing a pipe at the time of inspection. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The water temperature was higher than the acceptable range of 120-130 degrees. We recommend adjusting the water heater thermostat.

Gas leakage was detected at one or more gas line connections or burners. This is a safety hazard and immediate repair by a qualified plumbing contractor is recommended. The gas supply piping included a shutoff valve in the vicinity of the heating system for service personnel and emergency use. The valve was not operated as part of the inspection. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair or replace as necessary.

The HVAC system air filter was very dirty or clogged. This condition reflects a lack of regular maintenance of the HVAC system. Clogged filters can restrict airflow and increase internal temperatures. A clean air filter will help increase the efficiency and prolong the life expectancy of the heating and cooling system. Due to the damage that can be caused by dirty or clogged coils, recommend replacing the filter, as well as cleaning, servicing, and evaluating the HVAC system by a qualified HVAC professional and repair or replace as necessary.

The blower motor, wheel, and/or cabinet appeared to be dirty at the time of inspection. Blower fans/wheels are subjected to constant dirt, dust, and lint and can become overly dirty when not cleaned on a regular basis and even faster if the air filters are not changed regularly.

A qualified contractor should evaluate, clean, and service as necessary, and certify the unit is in good working order.

The crawlspace entrance had a damaged or missing hatch cover. A proper hatch is important to keep pests out and small children safe from accidents. Recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate and repair or replace as needed.

A common maintenance task for brick masonry is the repair of mortar joints. The longevity of mortar joints will vary with the exposure conditions and the mortar materials used, but a life span of more than 25 years is typical. The longevity of brick, however, may well exceed 100 years. Consequently, occasional repair of the mortar joints is expected over the life of the brick masonry. It is our observation that the most common reason for repointing brick masonry is to improve water penetration resistance. Repointing deteriorated mortar joints is one of the most effective and permanent ways of decreasing water entry into brickwork. This is because the most common means of water entry into a brick masonry wall is through de-bonded, cracked, or deteriorated mortar joints. A qualified contractor should evaluate and repair all areas as necessary.

There is no insulation on the crawlspace exterior walls or floor system. Heat loss can occur more on this property than on one that is properly insulated. A qualified contractor should evaluate and install as necessary.