THIS IS AN ACTUAL REPORT SUBMITTED AFTER AN INSPECTION OF AN UNDISCLOSED PROPERTY.

The purpose of the investigation was to observe, qualify, and record various defects, cracks, and misalignment occurring in the structure pursuant to an analysis of the cause.

Items have been documented that may need to be corrected, changed, or are possibly out of code, or items that should be brought up to minimum standards set forth by the construction industry.

A.     DESCRIPTION

      House is a one story four sided brick veneer home with an addition that is sided with double six type vinyl siding. A small portion of the exterior on the extreme right back of house is stone veneer. There is an approximately 3’ walled patio in front. There is no garage or carport. The roof is of three tab shingles. There is also a finished basement. The house sits approximately level with the street and the front yard is fairly level. Starting at the front edge of the house, the yard begins a rather sharp slope to the rear of the property. There is one notable tree in the front yard that should it fall could strike the house and cause damage.

B.     EXTERIOR

1.      Shingles on roof show signs of poor ventilation in attic.

2.      There are more than two sets of shingles on roof of main portion of house. Addition portion of house has only one roof.

3.      Brick veneer and brick wall around front patio do not have weep holes as required. (Brickwork predates code requiring this.) This could lead to moisture damage between brick veneer and structure.

4.      A/C condenser is out of level. This could void any warranties on this unit.

5.      Tree from right side neighbors yard is leaning precariously over fence and into yard approximately 15 feet. This could cause damage to fence and present a safety hazard if the tree should fall.

6.      Gable on right side of house is missing a louver. Also, the molding attaching this gable to soffit on rear elevation of roof is missing in addition to molding on front of same soffit on the rear elevation.

7.      Stair stringers on deck are making contact with ground. They are not rated for ground contact.

8.      Deck is incorrectly nailed to 2x2 ledger.

9.      Deck is built on framed walls that create an enclosure such as a storage room. This room appears to retain a good deal of moisture, as there is a fair quantity of white mold forming on deck joists.

10.  Left side of house has masonry fireplace that is covered with real stucco.

11.  Vegetation is growing in direct contact with back of house. This can lead to termite and other insect infestation. No evidence of such infestation was observed at the time of inspection. 

C.     INTERIOR

1.      Living room front hall and two bedrooms off this hall all have Berber carpeting.

2.      Kitchen and sunroom areas have commercial indoor/outdoor carpet.

3.      Kitchen has G.E. side-by-side refrigerator w/icemaker, A Kenmore freestanding range and a Kenmore dishwasher. (Was not able to inspect dishwasher for operation as it has digital controls.) Range hood is a front vent type Made by Nutone.

4.      P-Trap for kitchen sink is not located in the under sink cabinet. It is located under the floor level.

5.      Master bath located adjacent to the kitchen also has P-trap below floor level.

6.      Outlet located directly behind toilet in same master bath is not GFCI protected.

7.      Bathtub in hall bathroom does not have sealed fixtures. This can allow water to seep behind wall and cause damage.

8.      Left rear master bath has pedestal sink. It also has closet that requires globe over exposed light fixture, as this is a fire hazard.

9.      There is cracking and bowing in the ceiling plaster in the area leading from front room to the dining area.

10.  Hallway has louvered attic fan.

11.  Spiral staircase running from dining area has large gap that a small child could easily fall through.

12.  Basement living area has a masonry fireplace.

13.  Large walk-in closet in basement area has non-GFCI electrical strip within the 6’ safety area, however it does not have power running to it at time of inspection.

14.  There is evidence of water damage on ceiling in basement area adjacent to sliding glass doors. Tested for moisture and found it to be currently wet.

15.  GFCI outlet in basement hallway is incorrectly wired with open ground. It does not switch off when tested.

16.  Lower level of house does not have a smoke detector. This is required as lower level contains a bedroom.

D.     ATTIC

1.      Attic insulation is not R-30 as required. (This house predates R-30 requirement and is currently R-19.)

2.      Roof is stick built type.

3.      Attic fan mentioned in section C-10 does not have fire switch. This presents a fire hazard.

4.      Junction box running to same fan does not have cover. Electrical wire running to this box and to the fan is not in protective conduit.

E.      ELECTRICAL

1.      Home has 200-amp electrical service.

2.      Panel box contains only one AFCI breaker however, when tested, none of the four bedrooms required to have AFCI protection show any result of power being disconnected to them either to outlets or lighting. This constitutes a fire hazard.

3.      Enclosed area under the sunroom has two junction boxes that have no covers and have exposed live wires. This is a safety hazard.

F.      HEATING/AIR

1.      Furnace does not have any identifying label as to what make or model it is.

2.      Gas line to furnace does not have drip leg. This can lead to carbon- monoxide leakage into living area.

3.      There is no disconnecting switch on electrical line leading to furnace.

G.     HOT WATER HEATER

1.      Water heater is a Hotpoint 40 Gallon model.

2.      H&P valve is not connected to drain pipe leading to exterior of house as required.

This report is not technically exhaustive nor is it likely to contain every potential problem with this house. Some problems can be hidden, but most leave signs of their presence. Our inspection is thorough, but time and financial constraints limit the extent of analysis.

Our goal is to identify defects within the home. We define defects as any items or portions of the property that are not in good working order and repair (normal wear and tear accepted), or are in a condition, which represents a significant risk of injury or damage to persons or property.

The listing does not contain every possible defect. Most items can be repaired in a number of ways. It is assumed all repairs will be done in a professional manner.

ATLANTA HOME INSPECTION REPORT

REPORT SUBMITTED

WILLIAM DOUGLASS
HOME INSPECTOR

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William Douglass