Bottlenecked
“I’m guessing that a beer bottle is not an approved duct-support system. This may show my age, but it looks like (from the bottle) that this was done on a weekend—the old commercial did say, ‘weekends are made for Michelob.'”
Tim Hemm
Tim Hemm Inspections
Yucaipa, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Keg Stand
“I always recommend Guinness kegs for girder support, as I assume that ‘Tastes great, less filling’ means Miller Lite kegs are not as strong.”
Robert Galster
Pillar to Post/Cape May County
Woodbine, NJ
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Fireworks Finale
“I found an illegal firework next to a flying splice (a spliced wire not in a box, which is itself a fire hazard).”
Kevin Robinson
KR Home Inspection
Pacific Grove, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire
“I guess someone was sneaking cigarettes and figured he or she would hide the butts somewhere where nobody would find them—like inside the electrical panel, where a fire could damage the whole house’s system.”
Tim Quinn
Pillar to Post – Pittsburgh
Monroeville, Pa.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Precarious Party
“Recipe for disaster: Start with a vacation rental, add 2 margaritas, a bit of dark nighttime and a hot tub on a cantilevered and rail-free deck—seemingly built without adult supervision. Expect the hospital stay to be, oh, about 2 years.”
Jason Gingery
View Point Inspections
Santa Cruz, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Sure to Blow the Roof Off
“Look around those attics. You never know what you’ll find. This WWII mortar shell was not marked ‘inert,’ so it was suspected live. The fire department was called, who called military specialists to remove it. It was found to be a dud, but the neighborhood was snarled for several hours.”
John Dirks Jr.
Arundel Home Inspection, LLC
Severna Park, Md.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Blows My Mind
“Excuse me, sir. Why do you have a box of explosives in your crawl space? And why is there a wire attached to it? Never mind, I’ll be leaving now.”
Dan Chapleski
True North Inspection Services
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Clean and Zappy
“This photo shows a live fuse box located next to a working kitchen sink. I can’t believe this was ever legal.”
Matthew Steger
WIN Home Inspection – Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, Pa.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Handyman’s Special
“The inset photo is a sticker I saw on the seller’s workshop door. It made me inspect twice as hard! The second photo speaks to his repair skills. The guy used a piece of hose instead of copper pipe on this supply line. When copper is in short supply, just cut up your garden hose!”
Mark Hatheway
Inside Out Home Inspections, LLC
East Hampton, Conn.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
That’s Jacked Up!
“That’s a bottle jack supporting the stairs.”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, R.I.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
The Band-Aid Fix
“What to do when the tile needs help? Go to the medicine cabinet for repair supplies.”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, R.I.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Stepping It Up on the Weird Factor
“I encountered these milk crate stairs leading to a deck in Santa Cruz, Calif. This coastal town is known for its bumper stickers that say ‘Keep Santa Cruz Weird.’ It seems as if some of the locals are doing their part.”
Brett Reeder
Compass Home Inspections, LLC
Campbell, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Gusher
“This photo shows water shooting out of the wall behind the shower head. This might be the best ‘action’ photo I’ve ever taken.”
Reuben Saltzman
Structure Tech Home Inspections
Maple Grove, Minn.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Jarring Discovery
“This jar was being used to keep the rain off of an exposed electrical wire entering a house through the roof.”
Scott Warga
American Construction Specialists & Investigations
Gilbert, Ariz.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Ticking Time Bomb
“I guess this guy wanted to make sure he was not late for work each morning, though putting the electrical connection in the shower may mean one day he won’t show up at all.”
Kirk Bingenheimer
B-Sure Inspections LLC
Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
More Than a Drop in the Bucket
“I guess hanging a bucket off the wall was easier and cheaper than fixing the roof.”
Tim Hemm
Tim Hemm Inspections
Yucaipa, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Quick! Hide the Meter!
“When you don’t want to pay for gas service, just hide the meter from the gas company with some artful camouflage painting.”
David Maudlin
Indy Pro Inspection Service, Inc.
Carmel, Ind.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Testing, Testing…Is This Thing On?
“This gas fireplace found in a 6-year-old home still has the pressure test gauge from the original inspection screwed onto the gas line. The gas is on and the owners have lit a fire in here. It’s lucky the house didn’t blow up.”
Darryl Rapp
Home-Probe Inc.
Atlanta, Ga.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
A Step in the Wrong Direction
“A bank appraiser stated the step to the cement pad was too high, so he wanted another step. A carpenter came and built another step. This is what was approved by the appraiser.”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, R.I.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
That’s Not What They Mean When They Say “Green Roof”
“Front of house description: An exuberant, morbid outgrowth upon every part, especially the outside structure of the home (bottom of image). Top of the house (top of image): No, that’s not the tree top, it’s up on the house top. The roof inspection was quite interesting.”
Kevin Stripling
Home Inspection Professionals
St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
