Home Inspection Delaware » Shocking DE Inspection Discoveries

Leaking Bathroom Sink

admin — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:47:28 +0000

As a Delaware Home Inspector we find all kinds of plumbing issues. With the sink in this home we found several issues that would require a new sink to be installed into the bathroom.

When you find your dream home, make sure that you get a thorough home inspection from the Most trusted Delaware Home Inspector, Ted Hinderer of Quality Home Inspections, he serves New Castle, Kent and Sussex Counties. Schedule online or give us a Call today at 302-893-1364 for a thorough home inspection. We won’t let you buy the money pit.

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General Home Inspection
Radon
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Well Water Testing
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Foreclosed Property with Plumbing Leaks

admin — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:17:05 +0000

On this home inspection we had to make a return trip because the utilities were not on when we did the original inspection, Which will happen when the home is in foreclosure, Short Sale, HUD property and so one. Several things I picked up on when I was at this property the first time and I felt from experience they would be an issue and turned out they were, For instance there was rust on the top of the water heater and electrical lines and valves that were corroded. The most important thing you could do for yourself on any property that is being sold as is condition, Is hire a proffesional home inspector so you know what your purchasing. With out that information you could get stuck buying the money pit.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Termite Infestation and Damage

admin — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:42:35 +0000

When was the last time you checked your home for Termite activity?

For this home it has been awhile, I was inspecting the interior utility closet and found a large amount of termite damage to the 2×4 wall, top plate and bottom plate framing. Once I found this I went directly into the crawlspace and found right below this wall the main beam and floor joist were completely damaged and termites were crawling all through the wood. One of the things the seller had to do in addition to treating for the infestation and repairing the damage was to have a structural engineer evaluate the structure. In Delaware this additional inspection can cost on average 350.00 dollars and if any other items were observed needing repair they would also have to be completed and then the structural engineer would have to make a return trip to complete the inspection and certifiy that the home is safe to occupy. We always recommend to our clients to have an inspection performed yearly to avoid this kind of damage.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

Services Provided:

General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Over Head Electrical Line Improperly Installed

admin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:19:36 +0000

When inspecting this home in Dover, Delaware I came across a very disturbing item. The main Electrical line was wired directly into the underside of the meter box, This is not safe at all for you and your family. What is required for any overhead line is that it be mounted from the ground to a Min. height of 12 feet. This height requirement ensures that no human comes in contact with the power source. Other benefits by installing it this way is no water will enter the meter, panel or even the power lines. The most disturbing thing of all was that this was an investment property and the contractor not only installed the overhead line incorrectly but there were many items wrong in the main electrical panel and inside the home as well.

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
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Is your Gas Fireplace Safe?

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:41:47 +0000

As a Delaware Home Inspector I take my inspections very seriously, Your safety is my concern. The home I was inspecting was 15yrs old The new buyer found us on the internet and booked there inspection with us. I learned from there agent that the home was previously inspected, Which I never assume the other inspector performed a complete evaluation of the property. I started my inspection on the exterior of the home and found that the exterior chimney had soot and so did the areas around the chimney my first thought was a combustion problem IE not enough air or a blocked vent pipe. After closer inspection of the chimney vent pipe I found nothing that would indicate a problem or a potential problem. As I entered the home I went straight to the fireplace and found the whole front panel of glass was black this again was soot. I turned on the fireplace and could barely see the flame but what I could see was very troubling to me. The flame was orange and the pattern was distorted which I knew right away this was a gas problem.

Glass front with black soot.

Let me explain the property is supplied with propane gas and I new this fireplace should be using that fuel to burn. When I opened up the lower portion of the fire place I found no indications that the gas valve was converted from Natural Gas to Propane Gas. Let me explain all manufactures make and ship there products set up for Natural gas and when the builder, contractor or even end user purchase and install the products in the home they have to purchase a conversion kit to change the gas valve so it can burn the right fuel. Well way in the back of the fireplace under 15yrs of dirt I found a tag which said the unit was for natural gas.

Tag Under fireplace

This troubled me for two reasons, First the other Inspection company missed this item for the previous buyer, but more importantly was that the current home owner was living this way for the past 15yrs. The home owner was very lucky because this is a very dangerous situation not only from the soot but the gas valve could have cracked and caused gas to leak out into the home and if the conditions were right it could have exploded. I did notify all of the parties involved that I was turning off the fireplace and gas valve and that this should fixed right away.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Leaking Front and Rear Door

admin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:11:53 +0000

In this video I show you from the underside of the front door what happens when water enters the underside with out you ever knowing it, As this seller found out. Sometimes the damage can be Minor or other times it can be a major problem as was the case for this house.

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Is Your Vent System Safe?

admin — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:46:02 +0000

As a Delaware Home Inspector we see all kinds of things during a routine home inspection. While inspecting the heater and hot water heater I came across the vent pipe that was not properly installed. Anytime you have two appliance venting into your chimney the small diameter pipe should be above the large pipe. This is to help prevent carbon monoxide spilling back into your home if the two appliance our running at the same time. In addition if you look at the picture closely you will also see that the heater vent pipe is not properly pitched, It slopes on a downward angle. If the angle is not correct the heater will have to work twice as hard to get the carbon monoxide out of the pipe, This strain could cause the inducer motor and or pressure switch to fail. Notice the rust on the vent pipe for the heater this is caused by condensation build up, the condensation drips onto the pipe from the hot gases.

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Leaking Basement

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 20:14:04 +0000

As a Delaware Home Inspector we see many homes some require only maintenance items to be repaired and others require contractor involvement. On this house the front and rear basement walls have cracks that go all the way thru allowing water to enter the structure, In addition to that the rear entrance door was leaking and damaged. This was one of the homes that require contractor involvement because the cracks will have to be handled a certain way in order for the walls to stop leaking. The heater return air duct was a whole separate issue, The buyer asked if they (seller) could seal that up with spray foam, My reply was no that duct should be taken apart and put back together either with a transition to go around the pipe or move the heater and duct work. The reason is this if the plumbing waste pipe broke not only would you have waste water in the basement but now its in the heater and could damage the motor and controls not to mention think of the foul odor that could permeate thru the rest of the home.

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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Leaking Bathroon Sink

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:39:28 +0000

I was inspecting a condo the other day and found a bathroom sink that was leaking. When we preform inspections on the plumbing we always fill up the sinks, This is the best way to find leaks. Not every inspection company does this and this is why they get call backs for inspection items missed. You know with our firm you will get a complete inspection of the systems and components in and around your new home.

Click Link below to watch the video

Leaking Bathroom Sink

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General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
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Pressure Relief Valve Gone Wrong

admin — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:09:02 +0000

Is your boiler safe? Not in this house the pressure relief valve or TPR was reduced down from 3/4″ inch to 1/2″ inch. Pressure relief valves are preset from the factory. Let’s image a free flowing river no problems water moves as intended, Now what happens when nature or man blocks or restricts the natural flow of the water it backs up and overflows at some point. Very similar situation with a TPR valve except when that valve gets restricted the appliance ie Boiler, Water Heater, ETC could be a missle in your home. Now with the weight of the boiler that probably would not happen but the sections will crack and then water would be all over the place. If you were at work when this happened the water would flow freely until you walked thru the front door and found you had a swimming pool in your brand knew home. It is our job to find defects like this and as the most trusted Delaware Home Inspector we keep our eye on the ball. This helps you make a better informed decision about the property your are purchasing.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time!

Services Provided:

General Home Inspection
Radon
Termite
Well Water Testing
Spa

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