Not THAT Kind of Green Roof
“While you’re out there mowing the lawn, don’t forget to mow the roof.”
Richard Madore
Pillar to Post Home Inspection
Newington, Conn.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Kiddie Stickers
“I saw this freshly poured concrete slab, with the rebar still sticking out, at an inspection recently. I can’t believe the lack of thought some people use when letting their children play. Just imagine what would happen if the child fell.”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, R.I.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Wired Up!
“Breaker box in a cable jungle. Access, access … I don’t need no freaking access!”
Greg H. Mathias
CatmanDo Real Estate Services, Inc.
Lewisburg, Pa.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Bad Wrap
“Most people insulate the pipes above a water heater to save energy. But why not cut to the chase and just insulate the electrical conduit delivering the energy?”
Stan Audette
AAD Inspection Corp.
Boise, Idaho
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Cats in the Belfry
“I had limited access to this beam, as the homeowner had installed a security system.”
Mario Lucciola
All Spec Building Inspections
St. Catharinas, Ontario
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
“W” is for What the Heck?
“I learned from this undersink arrangement that you need ribbed drain lines to truly perfect the infamous ‘W trap,’ even though the right side of this W is a little twisted up and out of its usefulness as a trap.”
Steve Rottenberg
Alert Inspection Service, Inc.
Sarasota, FL
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
The New Duct Tape
“These are Zip Ties being used as replacements for garage door bolts. There were nine bolts missing on this door, all replaced with Zip Ties.”
Mike Stewart
National Property Inspection
Oakley, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Senseless
“Tired of spider webs and other items like cars and small children crossing the safety sensors that will stop your garage door from closing? Just install the sensors 2 feet apart up by the roof trusses and you’ll have no more issues.”
Paul King
Inspector Paul, Inc.
Fort Mill, S.C.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Ammunition for a Failed Inspection
“This is an ammo box used as a junction box. I didn’t check to see if there were any live rounds in the box.”
Nate Stitzlein
Crow Home Inspection
Baltimore, Ohio
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Minor Design Flaw
“Interesting placement of an exhaust fan.”
Joe Lengel
Advantage Home Services, Inc.
Garrettsville, Ohio
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
This Mold House
“Here’s a lesson: Don’t turn off the power in the unoccupied, unattended home you have for sale to save the cost of the ‘meter reader.’ You never know when the water table might rise due to heavy rains and you need the use of your sump pump.”
Calvin Bolt
Calvin Bolt Inspections & Testing
Warsaw, Ind.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
March Madness
“I found this interesting use of a basketball as a flue hole stopper during an inspection last March. Thought it was appropriate for the time of year and the NCAA basketball tournament.”
Nate Stitzlein
Crow Home Inspection
Baltimore, Ohio
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Mini Water Heater
“This light bulb was found in a pendant fixture with no globe. The filament had failed, but current was passing through the water, making it warm.
“A faint arcing noise was present. When removed, there was no opening in the base of the bulb and no water leaked out. Hard to explain!”
Steve Anderson
Anderson AmeriSpec
Germantown, Tenn.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Wrapper’s Delight
“This appears to be a new pipe fitting that connects galvanized to copper pipe, which would normally cause corrosion due to electrolysis. The surprising thing is that it was not leaking.”
Bjorn Rygg
Pillar to Post Home Inspections
Langley, B.C.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
A Little to the Right…
“This is what happens when you remove a building from the row. The right wall of the left building visibly leans and is being ‘supported’ with mere 2xs propped between both buildings.”
Matthew Wynne
Aberdeen Building Consulting
Long Island, N.Y.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Bird Sanctuary
“I found this bird’s nest in the attic of a 5-year-old home. The bird apparently discovered a loose dryer vent and worked hard to develop both an inner and outer nest. Who says it’s a single-family home!”
Bob Walstead
Nationwide Property Services
Colo. Springs, Colo.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Morning Jolt
“This short piece of exposed extension cord is somehow connected to a dimmer switch. The cord was energized whether the switch is on or off, demonstrated here by the light on my tester. It’s a shocking situation that might get you powered up first thing in the morning.”
Timothy Hemm
Tim Hemm Inspection
Yucaipa, Calif.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Sparkling Flower Shoots
“Here’s some live, 220 cable capped off with aging wire nuts and electrical tape instead of connected to a lantern or junction box. I like to call it an ‘e-flower.'”
Bruce Zhang, RHI
Summerview House & Building Service, Ltd.
Markham, Ontario
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
What’s Wrong Here?
“Or more simply, what isn’t wrong here? Let’s start with the missing trap on the right drain, which is supposed to serve both the dishwasher and the right sink. Or the dishwasher drain line that’s going to get a flood of backwash every time the sink empties. Or maybe the power connection for the dishwasher on the bottom left, which is tied off with electrical tape and no junction box. Just for a start, that is.”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, R.I.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Vent? More Like a Drain!
“I found this flush-cut plumbing vent one day on a roof and said, ‘There has to be the potential for a leak somewhere in there!’ Rain shedding down the shingles would just pour right in.”
Randy Birzer
Birzer Home Inspection, LLC
Eugene, Oregon
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
A Three-Hour Tour…A Three Hour Tour
“This mouse I found in a sump pump didn’t think ahead. He brought his raft, but not enough food.”
Mike Prestidge
Fox Valley Home Inspections, Inc.
St. Charles, Ill.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
When the Wind Blows…
“I came across this tree tied down to the electrical main at a recent inspection, which makes me wonder which of the two is going to stay in place during the next big storm. My guess is if the wind begins to blow, the AC won’t!”
Mike Lauby
Sunland Home Inspection
Phoenix, Ariz.
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
