How many times did your mom or dad tell to "not judge a book by its cover"? Which as we know means don't jump to conclusions. In my job as a Connecticut home inspector, jumping to conclusions can make me look a bit foolish, but my clients can to leap to their hearts content.
On a recent inspection my clients were very eager for me to check a leaking pipe in the basement. I inspect the basement last, but was heading down there first to set up a radon test. So I asked them to show me the pipe. It was hard to miss since it was at the bottom of the stairs.
Looks like a pipe leak, doesn't it? I wasn't so sure. This waste pipe is in an attached condo. It serves several units meaning lots of water goes through this pipe. The puddle under the pipe is small, but has obviously has been larger judging by the stain. What would make a puddle wax and wane?
It was easy to get a peek under the pipe. What I saw was nothing. No drips, dribbles or leaks.
Where might water in a basement come from? The pipe is along is an exterior wall. Looking UP here is what I found, water dripping through the water sealing paint (which doesn't). I found bubbled paint along the top of the entire wall which then explained the water stain on the floor. When checking the outside of the unit I found the soil grade was negative and high at the point where the leak was found in the basement.
The puddle under the pipe turned out to be a deception, a coincidence that initially pointed the blame to the wrong culprit.
Turns out mom and dad were smarter than we thought.
James Quarello
2010 SNEC-ASHI President
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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