Best of 2019! A Home Inspector’s Year in Review
HOME INSPECTION FINDS OF 2019
I can’t believe it’s been another year already. Here are my top 10 home inspection finds and other fun pics voted on by you, based on Instagram Likes. If you aren’t already following me, you can do so here. I post daily pics of the craziness that I find on the job.
What can I say. This is just bad. The best part is that the bulb socket is covered by new vinyl soffit. If you EVER need to get to the wiring, you have to remove the soffit.
9. WAVY WOOD FLOORS
Wood floors have to acclimate to the humidity in the room before they are installed. If you don’t let things settle in before you nail it down, it will grow against the grain as it soaks in water vapor from the air. If each board in a room grows a 1/16″ that can add over an inch of width to the total floor area. When there isn’t enough room for things to move outward, they buckle up from the botched install.
8. NEW DRIVEWAY IS DOOMED
A good concrete job has a gravel base that has been compacted, and wire is added across the area to hold everything together once the concrete is poured. This pic demonstrates the opposite of that. Lazy new construction contractors did neither of these things, and this driveway will crack, settle, and fail within a few years.
7. ATTIC INSULATION
I wrote an article teaching you how to fix your poorly insulated attics. It is a lot of work to do it correctly. Is the juice worth the squeeze? My utility bills are down every month, and my home is just more comfortable all around. Yes, I wish had done it the day I moved in.
DIY Guide to Attic Insulation
6. INGROUND POOLS SHOULD BE ENJOYED….OUTSIDE
This has to rank up in the top 10 crazy things I’ve ever seen. A whole room addition was built over an old inground pool. Just watch the video.
4. BOOTLEG AND FALSE GROUNDS ARE DANGEROUS
Mr. Flipper making his yearly appearance on the Top Ten List with this gem. Jumping the neutral wire and ground wire at the back of a receptacle is a trick that stupid people pull to try and fool stupid home inspectors into thinking that the home actually has a modern grounded electrical system.
3. LEAKING BASEMENTS ARE FAR MORE COMMON THAT YOU THINK
All basement can leak. All of them. There is no such thing as a waterproof basement. If you as the homeowner don’t do your job in making sure water doesn’t pool up around the foundation of the home, it will leak in. This home had a massive leak and LOTS of water under the carpet. The strange part is that I almost didn’t catch it, as it gave no signs of water whatsoever. Key word: almost. Even I get lucky every now and then.
2. WATER DAMAGE SOMETIMES TAKES EXTRA TIME TO FIND
Thermal Imagers are a game changer in the inspection world. I’ve been using thermography for nearly 10 years now, and after 3 camera upgrades I’m finally able to find things like this. The shower above this area was leaking down into the wall cavity in the basement. Cheaper cameras without great resolution wouldn’t be able to pick up on this, but luckily I found it…and saved my client over $12,000 in repairs.
1. CONDOM DRAIN CAP
This kitchen sink drain assembly was capped off by a condom. You can’t make this stuff up.
Ben Hendricks
Hi, I’m Ben, and I inspect houses. I grew up with a hammer in my hand, and have been a professional home inspector for 15 years. My blog is here for info about home inspections around the Louisville, Kentucky area, and just about anything construction-related.