omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Surprise Behind Door #2!!!
- 02/26/11 03:23 AM
I inspected a 7,000+ s.f. church that was built roughly in the 1920's in North Omaha last week. This place was spectacular to explore, BUT a true challenge to inspect! As I was getting a tour by a church member, he opened up a door in the basement with storage stacked in front of it. The door led down to the sub-basement. It turned out there were actually 2 sub-basements. The 2nd one had an old mammoth Octopus furnace. This photo is of the other sub-basement. It still had the original coal furnaces. Both sub-basements had almost every square inch taken … (2 comments)
For more cool home inspection pics, check out our galleries at: www.omaha-home-inspection.com. … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Client's Dodged a Bullet
- 02/08/11 02:28 AM
Is your house sitting on the lowest elevation in the development? One house in Omaha I recently inspected was. The home was built in 2005 by a tract builder. During the home inspection, I noticed 2 vertical cracks in the basement exterior wall. These cracks weren’t typical. Most vertical cracks that form are wider at the top and gradually become smaller as you go down the wall. These are indications that one portion of the foundation has settled causing the wall to separate. Instead, these 2 cracks were wider at the bottom and narrowed as you went up. The only educated … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspections: It's Ice-Damming Season
- 01/26/11 12:09 AM
Last week, we had 6"-9" of snowfall combined with blowing winds. Some house roofs had 2'-3' of snow on them. A few days later we had 41 degree day melting the snow too fast, then at night it froze again. Since, we've had more snowfall with more warm days and cold nights. Every time the snow melts too fast, the water becomes blocked by the heavy snow/ice that's formed on the roof. When it pools, it sneaks it's way up under the shingles. If that area doesn't have an ice-dam membrane, it can end up leaking through your roof. If this … (2 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Snow in Attic
- 01/04/11 12:31 AM
During the Christmas 2009 Blizzard, the Omaha Metro was hammered with record snowfall and driving winds. It caused snow to blow in turtle vents, eaves, and any small teeny tiny hole it could. I did inspections where the pile of snow/ice below turtle vents was about 2 1/2' high and about that wide. Of course, if a homeowner wasn't fast enough to notice it and remove it from their attic, then it would melt and drip down through the ceiling leaving a nasty water stain. The photo below is from this winter 2010/2011 and a gentile reminder to climb up into … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Reasons For Concrete Cracking At Garage Floor and Driveway
- 12/10/10 01:25 AM
There are very few driveways installed properly in the Omaha Metro...and that especially includes new construction! Minimum concrete depth of a driveway is 3.5". At the approach, minimum concrete thickness is 5.5". Expansion joints need to be installed at the street (or 8' in from the street), at the garage floor, and at the sidewalks that meet the driveway. As the concrete street expands and contracts, the driveway needs these joints to absorb the movement. If the expansion joints aren't free of concrete, then cracking usually occurs at the weakest point because they can't take the absorption like intended. The photos … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: What's the point of shingling over a rotted roof deck?
- 12/03/10 02:14 PM
This South Omaha home has new vinyl siding, new vinyl windows, and a new roof. HOWEVER, the vinyl siding isn't flashed properly or finished in some areas, you can see straight through the walls because the windows aren't installed right, and the new shingles are covering a rotted AND sagging roof deck...AND the top layer of shingles is the 3rd layer. It pays to have a professional Home Inspector look farther than what's on paper by the listing agent. Make sure you're not buying a money pit and check out: www.Omaha-Home-Inspection.com.
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omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Roof Defects
- 11/29/10 01:26 AM
This roof had a whole bunch of surface cracks in the shingles throughout. Some of the cracks had developed all the way through the shingle and a few had the tabs blown off. I see this quite frequently. One of the possible causes is inadequate attic ventilation. During the hot summer months, these shingles are literally baking under the sun if the attic ventilation isn't assisting on keeping the underside of the roof deck cooled. In 2009, 49% of the houses I inspected had poor attic ventilation. This roof was supposed to last 20-25 years. It's only about 15 years old. … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Electrocution Hazard
- 11/24/10 12:32 AM
The basement in this high-end custom built home was finished by a professional. Unfortunately, that professional didn't know how to install drywall around the main panel so when you put the panel cover on, it sat flush with the breakers. Anybody can reach right in beside these breakers and touch live wires. For other electrical hazards in Omaha, check out our galleries at: www.Omaha-Home-Inspection.com.
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omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Repairing Hardboard Panel Siding
- 11/19/10 12:08 PM
Hardboard siding is basically sawdust and glue which if kept sealed properly should last a long time. The problem is most homeowners don't keep up on their paint and caulk as much as they should. Cracks form in the caulk, the Builder's painter misses some bottom edges, the sprinkler system has some heads hitting the house, the paint weathers and cracks open, and before you know it, water is being sucked in. The siding starts to swell and then rot. It's always best to get in front of the problem, then to let it become worse. If you're siding is just … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: B-vent for water heater oversized
- 11/15/10 02:49 AM
The 2 photos below are of a water heater flue pipe that is oversized. As a result, the flue gases aren't drafting properly up and out to the atmosphere. They are cooling off before they make it to the top, churning, and causing the B-vent to corrode. This could also lead to backdrafting of carbon monoxide and other flue gases into the home under the right circumstances. On a side note: notice the B-vent touching the drywall in the 1st photo and touching the wood shake in the 2nd. It needs a minimum 1" clearance to combustibles. For more home inspection … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspectors Blatantly Violating ASHI’s Code of Ethics
- 11/04/10 09:17 AM
Buyers: please read this before you hire your home inspector. Agents: please research the home inspectors before you refer them. ASHI Code of Ethics 1 & 1C 1. states: “Inspectors shall avoid conflicts of interest or activities that compromise, or appear to compromise, professional independence, objectivity, or inspection integrity.” 1.C. states: “Inspectors shall not directly or indirectly compensate realty agents, or other parties having a financial interest in closing or settlement of real estate transactions, for the referral of inspections or for inclusion on a list of recommended inspectors, preferred providers, or similar arrangements.” Omaha’s Preferred Vendor Relationships A majority of … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Street Creep
- 11/01/10 07:59 AM
Expansion joints serve an important function on concrete flatwork. On this Wahoo, NE driveway, the expansion joints were missing around the brick veneer at the garage. When the street expands and contracts, the driveway needs a place to take that absorption. If it can't, something will give. It will either be the concrete driveway, garage floor, foundation wall, or a mixture of the 3. See for yourself below. To see more photos of Street Creep, check out our website's photo galleries at www.omaha-home-inspection.com
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omaha home inspection: Curb Appeal Sinking On This Omaha Home Inspection
- 10/21/10 11:09 AM
This beautiful 3,500+ s.f. home in Omaha, Nebraska had it all! It truly was a dream home!!! One of the biggest issues found during my home inspection was the unique front that set this home apart in the neighborhood was sinking. I'll show you... The photo below shows where the weight of the overhang sits...directly onto the concrete steps. Based on the settlement, I don't believe there are any footers under this area.
The next photo is a close up of the settlement of the concrete steps.
Pay attention to the railing up against the exterior wall. Notice the … (0 comments)
omaha home inspection: "As-is" Properties and Home Inspections
- 10/19/10 02:31 AM
There is a huge misnomer out there that “as-is” properties don’t need to be inspected. The Seller or bank has placed the property on the market “as-is” claiming they will not perform any further repairs. That’s great! But what about protecting the Buyer and making sure they are fully aware of the major issues? “As-is” properties scream disrepair. They should raise huge red-flags to any buyer that there most likely are problems and the seller doesn’t want to deal with them. Most “as-is” properties on the market being sold by the homeowner or relative find the seller to be in … (7 comments)
omaha home inspection: Major Electrical Hazard With This Meter Box In Omaha
- 10/12/10 12:17 PM
I've ran across plenty of these sitations over the years, but never one this bad. The ground has settled and the underground service lines are being pulled down with it. The meter box is tilted and coming off the wall. At some point, the wires will begin to pull loose and sparks will fly!!! This underground service lines have been pulled so far that the bottom of the meter box is being yanked out. We've got plenty more extreme situations in our photo galleries on our website. Check them out at www.Omaha-Home-Inspection.com
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omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspection: Is Your Dryer Vent a Fire Hazard?
- 10/10/10 02:55 PM
Dryer vents should be a maximum 25' in length, minus 5' per 90 degree turn, minus 2.5' per 45 degree turn. The only time the dryer vent can exceed this length is if the dryer manufacturer specifies it. Some of the higher efficiency dryers can be upwards of 50', but common sense says you shouldn't push your luck. If the dryer vent is too long, the dryer may not be able to push the moist air out, thus building up with lint. They should be made of approved dryer vent material...rigid metal with interior smooth surface or the flex type (that … (1 comments)
omaha home inspection: Blistered Shingles Found by Omaha Home Inspector
- 10/04/10 07:32 AM
These photos were all taken from the same roof in Glenwood, IA. It looks like hail damage, but it's not. This is a manufacturer's defect. The manufactured batch of shingles had too much tar in the mix. When the sun beat down on them, the tar bubbled up, causing the granules to pop off. See the 3rd photo for a clear understanding of what's occurring. To learn more, please read my "Defective Shingles: A Homeowner's Nightmare" article.
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omaha home inspection: Omaha Home Inspector Finds Problems With Brick Foundations
- 10/01/10 02:28 AM
When do you know a brick foundation is shot? If a large portion of the wall has mortar deteriorated to the point that you can stick a screwdriver more than 1/4" into the joints, then it's past the point of simply being able to tuck point. If the brick wall is out of plum, this too is not a good sign. When a significant portion of the wall is deteriorated, the only solution may be to jack the house up, remove the foundation, build a new one, and set the house back down. There are other options too. If the joists … (1 comments)
omaha home inspection: Council Bluffs Home Inspection: Ice Dam Membrane Too Short On New Construction
- 09/30/10 02:48 AM
This is a house located just north of the humane society in Council Bluffs in a new development. The ice dam membrane is supposed to be installed from the eave up 2' past where the exterior wall meets the roof. They are 1 row short. Oops! The sad thing is the new homeowner will never know until a heavy snow that melts too fast causes the roof to leak in the middle of winter. Should new construction be inspected? ABSOLUTELY!!! To see more new construction mistakes, go to our New Construction Nightmares - Photo Gallery.
My blog is packed full of home inspection related articles that are useful for homeowners, Buyers, Sellers, and real estate agents. I also post interesting inspection pics regularly as I run across something on my inspections that peak my interest.
Enjoy!
I inspected a 7,000+ s.f. church that was built roughly in the 1920's in North Omaha last week. This place was spectacular to explore, BUT a true challenge to inspect! As I was getting a tour by a church member, he opened up a door in the basement with storage stacked in front of it. The door led down to the sub-basement. It turned out there were actually 2 sub-basements. The 2nd one had an old mammoth Octopus furnace. This photo is of the other sub-basement. It still had the original coal furnaces. Both sub-basements had almost every square inch taken … (2 comments)
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