msteger

It looks like the dishwasher drain line also lacks a high loop or air gap.

I normally talk my clients out of keeping power fans in the attic as they tend to create hot spots and may pull hot air back in under the right conditions. I believe that the shingle manufactures (at least Certainteed) will void shingle warranties in many cases if the home has ridge and soffit venting AND a power fan.

I am sure SOMEONE has seen that type of roof material before because someone had to make it.

I've always started in the attic and done the roof last for that exact reason. You never know what you'll find supporting the roof. I'd rather see it before I step on it.

Weird.

I see those damn corrugated flexible drain pipes all of the time. I can't believe anyone installing one of those thinks it's a good idea.

I used to blow these up in the electronics lab while in college. To me, a blown-up electrolytic smells like popcorn. Anyone else notice this?

Looks like insufficient clearance for that breaker panel, too.

My first impression was also EPDM.

When there are fossil fuel appliances in the home, the radon remediator should perform a test to ensure that the suction from the radon fan doesn't affect the operation of the appliances.

You don't know what is going on with an underground fuel tank. Could be leaking, could be empty but deteriorating, could be nearly empty but the fuel line is clogged with sludge, etc. I would recommend consulting an HVAC or fuel oil company to check it out. Installing a new metal or fiberglass tank inside the basement and decommissioning or removing the buried tank would be my recommendation.

I always say "no" to caulking the toilet/floor joint when client's ask. If there is a small leak there, you want to be able to see it. The caulking will seal in the water until the leak gets bigger and you see the damage on the ceiling under the toilet.

No.. the trap is way too large. Height should be b/w 2~4".

All I can say is "ouch!".

Good catch. There's no way to know if any of that corrosion exists at the important connections, so report it and recommend a licensed and qualified electrician fully evaluate the panel's components to check each connection.

Tell them to pound sand. If there is a potential issue with something and you are aware of it, you should report it. Who cares what the Realtor says. They are not the one who gets sued should something happen. I would report what you did and recommend that a licensed and qualified electrician evaluate each panel. Just because the client said verbally he's aware of it, document it anyway. People seem to forget things they earlier said once in court.

Personally, I've used 'Roof Reviver' on my own shingled roof and it works very well. It's a powder product that is mixed with water and applied with a small (1~3 gallon) tank sprayer. I sprayed it on the north side of my roof (where algae likes to grow) and within about 3 months, the algae stains were gone. It takes some time as it needs to rain several times and gradually bring the product down the shingles. I recommend it when my clients ask me about the algae stains. All of my neighbors have algae on their roofs as well and several have asked me how I got rid of mine. I would tell the insurance guy (in the OP) to get educated about the staining and that is most often is only cosmetic...then, tell him to jump off a roof.

I don't even show those maps to people because all they have to see is that they are in a yellow county and then they'll assume "we have no radon here". "Luckily", being in Lancaster County, PA where our county avg is about 17.9 pCi/L (and every county around here is near as high on avg), it's not tough convincing clients get a radon test performed. I tell my clients that every home is different.. you can't really go by a map or EPA stats. Test your home. That's the only way to know.

I just inspected a 4 year old home this week that had windows 48" above the bathtub's standing surfaces and neither had any safety or tempered glass indications. I had to refer to my Code Check Complete book (thanks Doug) to recollect the 60" vertical requirement. This home also had little to no attic insulation, a main stack vent that stopped in the attic, no return ducts for the gas furnace (return air was from the utility room), etc. Lots of issues in this 4 year old home.. I'm guessing no code official ever stepped foot on the property based upon what I saw in a relatively new home. I even told the buyer that.

How about an old shirt soaked in gasoline and then lit on fire? Sorry...

I had a Rinnai installed in October and told the plumber that I was a home inspector and had the install instructions from their website. I think this caused my plumber and his tech to take some extra time to do it right. So much so, that they forgot and left a roll of 1" CSST in my basement when they left. My installation is a bit better than the one in the OP. The vent comes through my concrete block wall with a piece of PVC pipe flashing to create a water-tight seal at the vent. They used copper for about 18" out of the unit and then connected it to PEX (my house is plumbed with PEX). I confirmed the 12"clearance above grade for the exterior vent. I can't believe that a qualified reputable contractor would leave the vent pipe penetration looking like it does in the 1st photo. Low quality install, if you ask me.

Looks like it's time to have Mike Holmes in to tear stuff apart to see what's hidden.

I think Barry Stone should respond with this info: 1. That this new inspector should get properly educated in home construction and maintenance; 2. Learn what the home inspection standards are (learn the ASHI and/or NAHI standards); 3. Any time you can learn something, such as a free or inexpensive webinar, participate, or a home-related article, read it; 4. Do your best to be honest to all parties involved. Becoming a good home inspector is more than simply reading a book and asking Realtors to refer you. Becoming a good home inspector is a life-long study that is mostly done by proper education on home-related topics and through on-site inspections. I don't think Barry Stone mentions any of this in his reply, yet should have.

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks guys.. I don't have a specific example or photo, but just something I run across from time to time. Marc's definition is essentially what I have understood the term to mean: "Wet vents are pipes that serve as a vent for one fixture and a drain for another." This makes sense for a single story home... but for most 2 or 3 story homes, aren't just about all of the vents considered wet vents? A vent for the 1st level is often the drain for the 2nd level...eh? I do have the Code Check Complete book. I assume you are referring to Figs. 35 ~ 39.