home inspection report: Home Inspection Nightmares. Garbage Disposal Wiring Gone Wrong
- 11/29/09 02:15 AM
Home inspection Nightmares. Here we have a common household garbage disposal. Take a look at these pictures. As a home inspector in Southern California we have seen it all. There are a lot of was to install a garbage disposal correctly. It always surprises me just how creative people can be when it comes to doing it wrong. This one is missing the cord connector and ground. Along with it access cover.
Here we have the cord cut and spliced together under the sink.
Here the cord goes into the wall and up to the switch. … (3 comments)
In this picture below you will see that the Badger disposal was wired with Romex. This type of wire in intended to be installed in walls where not it is not subject to physical damage. The wire enters the disposal without the proper wire connector. This will cause chafing and damage to the wire insulation.
Below we have the power supply to the switch for the disposal. Note … (5 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspection. PEX PIPE It's Not Plumbing. It's PEXING!
- 11/04/09 11:59 AM
Well it's here to stay PEX pipe for residential construction. love it or not, it has impacted the construction industry in a big way. But is everyone out there trained on proper installation? We found several installation errors in this home we inspected for the buyer today. The days when "plumb"ing meant something is gone. Now anyone can run the spaghetti any way they want to.
David Home Inspection Services 626-629-8499 We Proudly Serve The Areas Of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California
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home inspection report: Electrical, Wires And Nuts" Los Angeles Home Inspection Blog.
- 10/27/09 04:00 AM
You have got to be NUTS to do this kind of wiring in a home where your kids sleep at night. Take a look at these two pictures from a home inspection I did in Lakewood. Here someone installed two lights in the garage. To get to the power they cut into some accessible Romex and wire nutted it together. The owner had his two small children sleeping in a bedroom next to the garage. Also note the outlet missing it's cover in the same picture.
David Home Inspection Services 626-629-8499 We Proudly Serve The Areas Of San … (0 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspection" Water Leak From The Gas Line? WHAT!
- 10/26/09 04:20 AM
My Customer asked me. Do We Have A Water leak At The Gas line? Take a look at this picture. No it is past stains from an old leaky water heater. My client was happy we were able to determine the water heater was a newer unit installed within the last 6 months. A moisture meter was used to insure the area was dry. A section below the water heater was removed by the previous owner which made it much easier to also look for any mold. Thankfully none was found.
David Home Inspection Services 626-629-8499 We … (2 comments)
One thing you don't see everyday. Carpet in the bathroom. This is why. The carpet makes it hard to properly seat the toilet to it's flange. Take a look at the wall behind the toilet, see the water damage? That is from the leak around the bowl wax and flange. This toilet wobbled like a Webel Wabbal
David Home Inspection Services 626-629-8499 We Proudly Serve The Areas Of San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California … (6 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspector, Can You Spot The Plumbing Vents?
- 10/14/09 04:41 AM
I inspected a home yesterday in West Covina that had 3 layers of roofing installed on it. Take a look at these pictures. As a home inspector in Southern California I find homes with three Layers of roofing all the time. When you get this many layers on a roof system many things can go wrong. One of the first thing is weight. The Second is moisture trapped in between layers and covered waste vents. Here is an example of plumbing vents completely covered. The plumbing vents in a home allow waste gas to exit and allows air in as water … (0 comments)
home inspection report: Home Inspector Turns Up Christmas Light Fire Dangers
- 10/08/09 08:05 AM
As a home inspector we see many things that some people may not look twice at. Here we have a 120V duplex outlet located outside on a patio. For years this outlet was used to power the homes Christmas lights. First off it is recommended that all outlets located in outdoor locations be GFCI protected. The damage that is visible here is from ARC fault. A dangerous condition that can cause fires. It is estimated that ARC fault fires account for as much as 22% of all in home electrical fires. AFCI breakers are available for most of today's electrical panels. … (7 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspector Comments on Accountability And Doing The Right Thing.
- 09/28/09 08:27 AM
Accountability And Doing The Right Thing. This is empowering As a home inspector in the Los Angeles market for the past 11 years I have seen a heard a lot of things that make me question a persons character. Personally I feel it's very important to be accountable to myself first. You owe it to yourself to take full responsibility for all that you say and do in your life. There is no greater reward then having total control over your entire decision making capabilities. This power guarantees the full benefit of knowing that you have chartered your own destiny for … (0 comments)
The GFCI duplex outlet is used in such areas as kitchens, baths, garages and outdoor location. The National Electrical Code (NEC) is a fantastic reference for the proper location and operation of such devices. This safety device is a life safety device. It was designed to protect from electrical shock in wet locations. During a home inspection your home … (1 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspector What is in that toilet?
- 09/15/09 06:11 AM
Los Angeles Home Inspector Illustrates The Gravity Flush Toilet The gravity flush toilet design is found in most homes. With a simple design and relatively few moving parts, repairs are usually fairly cut and dry. The lack of any mechanical parts (like those found in pressure-assisted toilets) makes the repairs fairly inexpensive as well. The toilet works on principals of gravity, hence the name. Water housed in a tank above the bowl is released into the bowl, causing water to push through the trap, thus emptying the bowl of its contents. When the handle is pushed down the lever arm pulls … (3 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Home Inspector Illustrates Gable and Cathedral Roof Framing.
- 09/15/09 06:05 AM
Los Angeles Home Inspector Illustrates Gable and Cathedral Roof Framing. Balloon framing of gable walls is common in new home construction. It is usually done when there is a cathedral or vaulted ceiling in the room. I would not recommend this framing method to a rookie carpenter or the average DIY person. A basic knowledge of conventional roof framing is required to lay out and complete this task. The standard wall height, roof pitch, rafter size, and stand of the common rafter must all be known before beginning the layout procedure. Armed with this information an experienced carpenter can complete the … (0 comments)
California Home Inspectors and Realtor's from time to time will find out the water heater has been relocated into a garage. As a home inspector for 11 years here in California this relocation usually leads to a laundry list of life safety issues for the potential home buyer. I felt it important to write this article on local installation requirements for a standard hot water heater. Here in Los Angeles County we have many requirements to meet. Height must be 18" to the center of the burner door. Seismic braces … (0 comments)
home inspection report: Realtors. Los Angeles Home Inspector Describes The Differences In Common Home Outlets. What you should know.
- 09/15/09 04:24 AM
Los Angeles Home Inspector Describes The Differences In The Common Outlet. A two prong duplex outlet. This receptacle is commonly used in older homes that were wired with a two wire system. This outlet does not have a ground wire. A big mistake that Do It Yourselfer's make is they replace this type of outlet with the more modern and common three prong outlet shown below. The three prong duplex outlet is one of the most common recepticals one will find in a modern home. The outlet slots are polarized so the plug can only go in one way. It is … (0 comments)
home inspection report: What Does 20 Year Three Tab Refer To?
- 09/10/09 12:37 PM
What Does 20 Year Three Tab Refer To? Below you will find a great illustration of a 20 year three tab asphalt shingle. You will also find the fastener location and a self-sealing strip. If the roof is installed in the cold winter months the self-sealing strip may not get hot enough to bond. If heavy winds occur the shingles may be damaged. Install you shingles in the summer so you don't find your shingles standing at attention.
David Home Inspection Services 626-629-8499 We Proudly Serve The Areas Of West Covina, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside County California … (2 comments)
home inspection report: The Renaissance Doors And Windows Co In Mision Viejo Ca
- 09/10/09 06:42 AM
The Renaissance Doors And Windows Co In Mision Viejo. This company provides services all over the South Land of Southern Callifornia. We just had a custom made set of doors for our home. The cost $9,275. So I was exspecting a lot. And I got a lot. I would recommend this company to anyone in need of high end door systems. Below you will find all the services provided. Design Services and advice by expertly trained designers. They supply drawings of all products and details. Field Engineering by experienced employees. Manufacturing of clad and wood products locally. Finishing (paint or stain) … (2 comments)
home inspection report: Vinyl Windows. What Buyers Want?
- 09/10/09 06:28 AM
Vinyl Windows. What Buyers Want? It's easy to see why vinyl replacement windows have become one of the most popular home improvements in Southern California. They reduce noise and energy use while increasing your property value and enhancing the appearance of your home. They can be installed quickly without major construction headaches and the price is relatively affordable. Vinyl windows can add to your home's resale value. Unattractive windows can be a deal-killer for even the most beautiful home. It almost stopped us from buying our home in West Covina Ca. Figures vary, but some studies show that new vinyl windows … (0 comments)
home inspection report: Los Angeles Expert Home Inspector How Did That Get In My Sewer!
- 09/10/09 05:54 AM
Expert Home Inspector Explains Invisible Tree Dangers! Trees And Your Home:First keep them small...I recently did a home inspection in Newport Beach Ca. This was a high profile home with 5 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths. The home was well kept and clean throughout. When I pulled in front of the home I was able to see a beautiful pine tree to the rear of the home. Upon further inspection it was evident that this tree was causing major damage to the homes roof system. The home had two layers of roofing. The first layer was a heavy wood shake roof … (0 comments)
home inspection report: Information On The Federal Pacific Electrical Panel
- 09/10/09 05:49 AM
Information On The Federal Pacific Electrical Panel Danger of Fire or Electrocution: Federal Pacific electrical panels are something we see a lot of in Southern California home inspections. The main defect of this type of panel are the circuit breakers. Although buss bars have also been known to fail. Stab-Lok breakers fail to trip during short circuit and or overload conditions. Note Stab-Lok has a failure rate that exceeds UL test. They fail at a rate 99 time higher than breakers of like equipment manufactures. Test show that the rate of failure is close to 82%. UL Tested other major brands … (2 comments)
home inspection report: 17 Steps To A Better Home Inspection Report In California.
- 09/10/09 05:41 AM
17 Steps To A Better Home Inspection Report In California. At David Home Inspection Service we use a state of the art electronic home inspection program that allows us to group deficiencies by city and neighborhood. After 11+ years and 5300 home inspections we are able to see trends in building defects and deficiencies. I wanted to give you the top 17 fixes to a better home inspection. Take a look around your home and make repairs as need. Remember you only get one chance at your first inspection. If you plan on listing your home for sale, this repair list … (0 comments)
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Home inspection Nightmares. Here we have a common household garbage disposal. Take a look at these pictures. As a home inspector in Southern California we have seen it all. There are a lot of was to install a garbage disposal correctly.
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