A little privacy, please
I was performing an inspection for a priest at a rectory. I was on the third floor, which was hardly ever used, and opened a closed door to find a cat in the urinal. “Holy cat, Batman!” The funny thing was the priest didn’t even know the cat. Weird.
David Sherwood
South Windsor, Conn.
Jump in, but don’t jump out
I did not inspect this home, but had to take a picture when I drove by and saw this hot tub on the second-story deck without a guard rail on the side. Watch that first step as you exit the hot tub—it’s a killer.
Dan Kopp
Valley Home Inspection
Caldwell, Idaho
Chew on this
You know you’re a redneck HVAC tech when you use a chew can for a junction box.
Lamar Rase
Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Missoula, Mont.
Flotation device
There are lots of uses for empty plastic buckets. I found this drain system support in an expensive house on the water in coastal South Carolina. One big storm and the “support” will be out the door and floating away!
Frank L. Turner
Turner Home Inspection Services
Beaufort, S.C.
Medusa’s junction box
Why even install a junction box if all the junctions are on the outside? What’s worse is that this was the handiwork of a licensed contractor, with a permit, and had been signed-off by the local municipal inspector.
Garet Denise
Cornerstone Inspection, LLC
Littleton, Colo.
In need of some support
This car jack is supporting the cast iron plumbing in a crawl space. The lower part of the jack is just about rusted out.
Brandon Dyles
Picture Perfect Inspections
Bartlett, Tenn.
Above the fray
These infrared garage door sensors—meant to stop the door from moving if they sense a car or person in the opening—may not work so well mounted on the ceiling.
Andrew Haverland
Building Inspection of Florida
Murdock, Fla.
Ice, ice, baby
No wonder the AC did not work in this home. It was frozen!
Bil Greg
BIG Home Inspections
Springfield, Va.
No hands on deck, please
This joist hanger holds up the rear deck of a townhouse that was built with pressure-treated lumber. Unfortunately, the chemicals in the wood have reacted with the metal and destroyed the stirrup. Any real weight on this joist will result in a failure. I guess that’s one way to crash a party.
Jim Rooney
Freestate Home Inspections
Annapolis, Md.
Archeological discovery
This sub-panel is live and in use on the basement ceiling in a 117-year-old house. I’ve heard of electrical systems being grandfathered, but not great-grandfathered.
Mike Leiden
Castle Inspections
Cleveland, Ohio
Direct line
When the power company told its crew to run electricity to this house, I’m sure they didn’t mean to just stick all the wires through a hole in the roof!
Richard Madore
Pillar to Post Home Inspection
Newington, Conn.
Bad connection
The white plug wire was powering a floor fan trying to dry up water on the basement floor of a local condominium. When reported to the association board, its response was: “We have an on site superintendent who has been here for years and we’ve never had a problem.”
Jim Entwisle
A-Plus Home Inspection LLC
Fairfield, Conn.
Rubbery thinking
The installer of the ground wire was smart enough to know that you shouldn’t install a galvanized ground clamp to a copper plumbing line, but not smart enough to know that if you insulate the connection with a piece of rubber inner tube you might as well not connect it at all because the plumbing lines won’t be grounded.
Dan Kopp
Valley Home Inspection
Caldwell, Idaho
Copper’s not THAT expensive
This is a water pipe connection made with a water hose. I guess the owner didn’t own a torch.
John Woods
Champia Real Estate Inspections
Marietta, Ga.
Bee careful!
When walking a roof, it’s always a good idea to peek down the plumbing vent stack. You never know what might be clogging that air flow.
Charlie Rice
Pillar to Post
Sykesville, Md.