Top ten common Defects in a house

1. Top 10 Most Common Home
Defects
Presented by
National Association of
Certified Home Inspectors

2. Top 10 Home Defects
Here are examples of the top ten most common
defects found during home inspections. While
common. Most of these defects can be easily,
and inexpensively, fixed.
If left unattended to, these conditions can only get
worse and lead to much more expensive repairs,
and in some cases, structural failure or fire.
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Certified Home Inspectors 2

3. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation: Drainage
The house’s foundation should not be covered and
be visible for at least 6” for brick walls and at
least 8” for siding and stucco walls.
Gutter downspouts should lead away from the
foundation at least 6 feet, 10 feet is better.
Covering the foundation can lead to water infiltration,
insect intrusion, rot, mold and structural failure.
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Certified Home Inspectors 3

4. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation
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Certified Home Inspectors 4

5. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation
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Certified Home Inspectors 5

6. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation
True Story:
Brand New
4,400 SF
House
With A BIG
Hidden
Problem
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Certified Home Inspectors 6

7. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation
Nice brick
planter at the
front covers the
foundations
weep wicks
with 3” of soil.
The result?
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Certified Home Inspectors 7

8. Top 10 Home Defects
1. Foundation
Rotted Rim Joist and Sill Plate in 4 Months! $36,000 fix!
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Certified Home Inspectors 8

9. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical Defects
A house’s electrical system can cause the
most dangerous problems if it is not
properly and professionally installed and
maintained.
Always have any electrical work done by a
licensed and insured electrical contractor.
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Certified Home Inspectors 9

10. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical Panels – Location, Inaccessible
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11. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical Panels – Owner Repairs
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12. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical Panels – Double Tapping
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13. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical Panels – Double Tapping Main
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Certified Home Inspectors 13

14. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Non-Professional / Homeowner Wiring
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15. Top 10 Home Defects
2. Electrical – Animal Problems
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Certified Home Inspectors 15

16. Top 10 Home Defects
3. Roof
Roofing problems are common, and the most
easily dealt with. Make sure that all
roofing work is done professionally and
properly.
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Certified Home Inspectors 16

17. Top 10 Home Defects
3. Roof Drainage
New House
Builder Saved
$20.00.
Buyer Lost
Roof in 2
Years!
All upper
downspouts
must drain to
lower gutters.
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Certified Home Inspectors 17

18. Top 10 Home Defects
3. Roof Drainage
12,000 SF
House.
Downspout
draining
directly onto
cedar shake
roof.
Note the
shake curling.
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Certified Home Inspectors 18

19. Top 10 Home Defects
3. Roof Leaks
Quick Fix for Leaky
Roof
Owner tries quick
repair with
elaborate siphon
system.
Wound up ruining
the bedroom
ceiling because the
bucket filled and
broke through.
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Certified Home Inspectors 19

20. Top 10 Home Defects
3. Roof Deck Rot Due To Moisture
Lower gable attic, roof
decking old, but
serviceable
Upper gable attic, roof
decking rotted and soft.
Upper attic had un-vented
bathroom exhaust fan.
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Certified Home Inspectors 20

21. Top 10 Home Defects
4. Heating
Heating systems are most commonly
plagued by the lack of the proper amount
of combustion air. Make sure that the
furnace has an adequate source of
combustion air. The rule is 10 cubic feet
of air for each cubic foot of gas burned.
Without exterior venting, a 100,000 BTU
furnace requires a room 25 X 25 X 8 at a
minimum!
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Certified Home Inspectors 21

22. Top 10 Home Defects
4. Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air
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Certified Home Inspectors 22

23. Top 10 Home Defects
4. Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air
Yellowing flame
means carbon
monoxide is
being produced.
Beware of
furnaces
installed in
closets that do
not have an
exterior air
intake vent flue.
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Certified Home Inspectors 23

24. Top 10 Home Defects
4. Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air
Failed heat
exchanger
caused by
insufficient
combustion
air.
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Certified Home Inspectors 24

25. Top 10 Home Defects
4. Heating - Insufficient Combustion Air
Brand new
high efficiency
furnace.
Improperly
installed.
Note missing
combustion air
vent on left.
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Certified Home Inspectors 25

26. Top 10 Home Defects
5. Improper Maintenance and Repair
Always have all house repair done by
professional, licensed and insured
contractors.
Make sure that you are fully informed when
you make any do-it-yourself repairs
Most times, money you think that you are
saving, up front, is eaten up later.
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Certified Home Inspectors 26

27. Top 10 Home Defects
5. Improper Maintenance – Owner Repair
Leaky sink
drain?
What to do?
The Old
Diaper Trick.
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Certified Home Inspectors 27

28. Top 10 Home Defects
5. Improper Maintenance – Bad Plumbing
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Certified Home Inspectors 28

29. Top 10 Home Defects
5. Non-Professional Repairs
No
grounding.
Wires not
enclosed,
not
waterproof.
Sink
electrified!
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Certified Home Inspectors 29

30. Top 10 Home Defects
5. HVAC –Owner “Innovations”
New and
“improved”,
supercharged
water heater.
The only smart
thing about this
setup is the fire
extinguisher.
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Certified Home Inspectors 30

31. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
Structural damage is probably the most
expensive type of damage to repair. If not
done properly, your house can collapse.
Structural problems, though rare, are usually
very expensive to repair.
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Certified Home Inspectors 31

32. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
Floor joist cut
to allow for
heating duct.
Structural
integrity of the
floor in
danger.
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Certified Home Inspectors 32

33. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
Welding torch
hole cut in
steel beam in
garage to
facilitate the
garage door
opener.
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Certified Home Inspectors 33

34. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
1875
Apartment
building.
Central
foundation at
the middle is
failing.
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Certified Home Inspectors 34

35. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
Old pier with
washed
away footing
and CMU
blocks set on
their sides.
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Certified Home Inspectors 35

36. Top 10 Home Defects
6. Structural Damage
Diagonal crack
with multiple
plane. Uneven
settling,
commonly seen
in clay soil
conditions.
A real structural
problem.
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Certified Home Inspectors 36

37. Top 10 Home Defects
7. Plumbing Problems
Plumbing problems are most commonly
caused by inadequate maintenance or
owner repairs.
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Certified Home Inspectors 37

38. Top 10 Home Defects
7. Plumbing Problems – Water Heater
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Certified Home Inspectors 38

39. Top 10 Home Defects
8. Water and Air Infiltration
Water infiltration is, often, the most easily
avoided house problem. Remember, to a
house, water is the enemy.
Water in wood = ROT, regardless of the age of
the wood. A brand new 2 x 4 can
completely rot in 4 months if its moisture
content is greater than 38%. Kiln dried
wood has a moisture content < 4%.
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Certified Home Inspectors 39

40. Top 10 Home Defects
8. Water and Air Infiltration
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Certified Home Inspectors 40

41. Top 10 Home Defects
8. Water and Air Infiltration
Thermal imaging to display ceiling water infiltration.
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Certified Home Inspectors 41

42. Top 10 Home Defects
8. Water and Air Infiltration
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Certified Home Inspectors 42

43. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
Along guarding against water infiltration,
proper ventilation is the best way to make
sure that water is kept out.
Crawlspaces and attics must be ventilated in
order to avoid wood rot and mold.
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Certified Home Inspectors 43

44. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
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Certified Home Inspectors 44

45. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
Clothes
dryer vented
to Attic
6 month old
house
Rotten roof
decking
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Certified Home Inspectors 45

46. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
Bathroom
Exhaust Fan
Vented to Attic
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Certified Home Inspectors 46

47. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
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Certified Home Inspectors 47

48. Top 10 Home Defects
9. Crawlspace / Attic Ventilation
Weird things found in attics and crawlspaces
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Certified Home Inspectors 48

49. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Non-Inspected Construction Defects
Just because your house passed a
governmental code inspection, that is no
guarantee that it is free of defects. Code
inspectors are overworked and building
codes are merely minimal requirements.
Even brand new houses can have substantial
and expensive defects and safety
hazards!
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Certified Home Inspectors 49

50. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Non-Inspected Construction Defects
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Certified Home Inspectors 50

51. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Non-Inspected Construction Defects
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Certified Home Inspectors 51

52. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Non-Inspected Construction Defects
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Certified Home Inspectors 52

53. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Installation Defects
Hair dryer installed near
bathroom basin, against
manufacturer’s instructions.
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Certified Home Inspectors 53

54. Top 10 Home Defects
10. Old / Defected Electrical Equipment
Zinsco
Federal Pacific Equipment
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Certified Home Inspectors 54

55. Top 10 Home Defects
Thank you for your viewing this
presentation.
Please go to www.mercedinspector.com
for information about scheduling a home
inspection.
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