Camouflaged!
“I wonder if the seller thought, ‘Maybe the no one will notice that the plumbing cleanout has been completely covered in stucco and painted over.'”
David Grudzinski
Advantage Home Inspections
Cranston, RI
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Get Me Outta Here!
“The Realtor told me he thought there was some rot damage at the beam. This is the situation I encountered when I got into the crawlspace—could go at any minute.”
Bob Galster
Pillar to Post
Cape May, NJ
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Home to Roost
“Every now and then, you’ve got to limit a crawl space inspection because of chickens.”
Paul King
Inspector Paul, Inc
Fort Mill, SC
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
That’s One Solid Door
“What do we do with the old door? Recycle it as a post to hold up a scary beam.”
James Brock
Boston Home Inspectors
Boston, MA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Splish, Splash I Was Taking a…Zap!
“These electrical disconnect boxes sit directly under a working faucet—a recipe for electrocution.”
James Brock
Boston Home Inspectors
Boston, MA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Structural Glazing?
“The support for this second-floor deck is screwed to the mullion between two out-swinging casement windows. I was told not to open the windows.”
James Brock
Boston Home Inspectors
Boston, MA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
All Was Quiet, Not a Mouse in the House
“This $750,000 home had been vacant for 6 to 8 months, but we found no mouse droppings. After the inspection I checked the basement to make sure the house was locked up and found out why.”
Ken Harrington
Pillar to Post
Delaware, OH
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
That’s a Humidifier, Right?
“The exhaust fan from the full bath below has been piped into the HVAC system’s return duct.”
Henry Blau
U.S. Inspect
Richmond, VA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
No Such Thing as Too Many Adapters
“Here we see a light socket, fitted with a socket adapter (normally used to create a socket with side-plug combo). Instead of just plugging into the side, the socket now holds a second socket adaptor, into which is plugged a three-prong connector (the green wire should be grounded) that will finally hold the three-pronged plug.”
Brian Cogley
Cogley Property Inspections, LLC
Oakland, CA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
‘I left my bump hat in the truck, OUCH!’
Underside of a 20-year-old, three-tabbed-asphalt roof. Looks like the guy who put it on was a framer in a previous life, because those are framing nails, not roofing nails.
Thomas R Battoe, ACI
HomePro Mid FL, Performance Inspections
Orlando, FL
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Homeowner Engineering at Its Best
“The chimney was leaking into the cleanout in the basement. Instead of addressing the symptom, the homeowner used a plastic paint tray, sealed it to the wall on a perfect angle to allow the water to drain into a funnel, which then drained into the condensate line.”
Michael Buckley, ACI
US Inspect
Mt. Laurel, NJ
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Let’s Just Leave the Garage Out of the Inspection All Together
“The boat was safer outside in the elements.”
Stephen Tyler
STAT Home Inspections
Garnerville, NY
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Oh, You Want Shingle Color Samples?
“Follow me to the roof!”
Joseph J. Randazzo,
Craftsman Home Inspection Service, Inc.
Broomall, PA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Pipe Dreams
“A homeowner attempt at connecting a bath vent fan exhuast: Cut into the cast iron plumbing vent, install a Y-shaped PVC cleanout upside down, attach the vent fan’s duct, making up for the difference in size with lots and lots of duct tape.”
Randy Via Charles L. Gleich & Associates
Columbus, OH
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Clothes Warmer
“This was a rehabbed home. They really wanted a fireplace, even if it meant the back side was in a bedroom closet.”
Lou Prinzi, ACI/RPI
First Choice Building Inspections, Inc
Jacksonville, FL
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
For When Your Home is Moving at 60 MPH
“This is an AC unit for the roof of an RV, being used to cool an attic.”
Larry Swanson
Advantage Inspection Services
Phoenix, AZ
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Maybe One of These Can Become a Medicine Cabinet?
“We spent a long time trying to find the main electrical panel, before the agent looked behind the bathroom mirror in the finished basement. The electrician saw this and said it was pre-existing, therefore ‘ok.’ He estimated $5,000 to move it.”
Brent Booker
Dovetail Home Inspection
Charlton, MA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Screwy
“‘Hey, the main breaker’s handle is broken off. What should I do?’
‘Aw, screw it.'”
Jim Katen
Associated Master Inspectors
Gaston, OR
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Rigged Up
“This homeowner got all fancy when hooking up this basement urinal: hung from the ceiling by ropes, plumbed with a hose, and drained into another hose hook up. Most guys just use the sink…”
Ken Meyer, ACI
Portico Home Inspection LLC
Portland, OR
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Oil Change With Every Junction Box
“This is a plastic oil bottle cut off to act as a cover to a junction box. Hope the inside is clean.”
Richard Spencer
Home Sweet Home Inspections, LLC
Missoula, MT
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Missed It by This Much
“Duct tape application #8373: transition when the range hood doesn’t line up with the ductwork.”
Jim Estrada
Property Inspector, LLC
Seattle, WA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Sealed Tight
“Duct tape application # 8374: sump pump cover.”
Randy Via Charles L.
Gleich & Associates
Columbus, OH
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
No Matches Required
“This is a brand new single-wall water heater vented through plywood, touching vinyl, and beneath a vinyl soffit. I think more than just the water will be hot.”
Jeremy S. Provan, ACI
Pro Cantage Home Inspections
Buckeystown, MD
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Pillars
“Truck tires, bagged cement, garden container, piled concrete blocks, and scrap wood. Does this qualify as standard deck supports?”
Erik Alstad
HomeWorkz
Santa Fe, NM
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Fernished Home
“I thought there might be a problem with the roof on this home.”
Steve Hadduck, ACI
Integrity Home Inspections
Portland, OR
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
We Are Going to Need More Wires
“This house from 1950 was wired like this (not a homeowner job).”
Larry Transue
Integrity Inspection Service
Easton, PA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Not the Only Thing That’s Nuts!
“If you don’t have an outlet receptacle box, I guess a coffee can will do. After all, you are only wiring this light with a zip cord.”
Daniel Dunham, ACI
Englewood Home Inspections
Rotonda West, FL
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Caked
“World’s dirtiest furnace vent!”
Randy Via
Charles L. Gleich & Associates
Columbus, OH
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Don’t Let the Beam Stand in Your Way
“In a garage with a low ceiling, the homeowner cut a huge hole in a main support I-beam so that he could install a garage door opener!”
Dick Baumbusch
Legacy Home Inspections
Denver, CO
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Rock Solid Support
A plumber and a Sawzall can be a bad combination. This plumber cut completely through this floor joist. Then he supported the cut end with a column he fashioned out of rocks, blocks, and a piece of plastic piping.
Randy West
Professional Building Consultants
Prescott, AZ
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
Shockingly Not Safe
“These homeowners wanted to make sure if there were any problems with the wiring, the aluminum tape would help. Unfortunately aluminum is a wonderful conductor of electricity, making this a terrible shock risk.”
Michael Harrison
If Walls Could Talk Home Inspection
Roswell, GA
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter
This looks tasty…ZAAAAAP!
“The cat will be happy to learn that curiosity doesn’t just target his species.”
Bob Bowling
Buyers Protection Group
Livonia, MI
Courtesy of The ASHI Reporter