Roofs

 Roof defects are huge on townhouses.  Many times, nobody knows about the defect yet, or in some cases, someone knew about a problem and made several unsuccessful attempts to repair it.

Tree branches should never touch roofs; they cause problems ranging from roof damage to allowing pests and vermin to gain easy access to crawlspaces, walls and vents.  This is like leaving your door wide open for anyone to walk in.

Decks & Patios

Home inspectors find more problems with decks than with any other component of a home. With townhouses, decks are often the sole responsibility of the homeowner; if you see a bunch of different decks in various states of repair, it’s usually a dead giveaway that the deck is the owner’s responsibility, not the association.

When all the decks look identical, it’s pretty safe to say that the decks are the responsibility of the association, but it’s still important to know that your deck was properly constructed and safe for use. An extremely common defect that I find on decks is improper nails used at the joist hangers; it doesn’t matter if it’s a townhouse or not. An improperly attached deck is the number one cause of deck collapses.

During your inspection, we will look for any missing nails, joist hangers, and anything that may look out of place. Don’t be the victim of an injury due to a poorly maintained deck.

Exterior Maintenance

On townhouses, exterior maintenance is obviously the responsibility of the townhouse association, but again, is the association aware of the big projects that are going to cost a lot of money?  If not, this means an assessment for the owners.

From inspecting rot and mold on wood retaining walls and fences to rusted and damaged metal railways and gates, allow Ingraffia Home Inspections to help assess and determine who should be responsible for these types of repairs.

In conclusion, the best thing you can do when living in a Townhome association is to be informed of your rights and know where your responsibilities lie for exterior repairs and maintenance.  Also remember that an Association may not know about these needed repairs unless someone tells them. Avoid the costly repairs that you may be on the hook for and inform the proper personnel to bring immediate attention to the issues before someone can get hurt.

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This article was written by an author named Josh on the InspectingPhoenix.com website.  You may see the original article by clicking here, or you may read the article below.

“Smoke detectors are a vital safety feature that should be installed in every home; they save lives and protect property.   Not only is it important to have enough properly located smoke detectors but they should also be properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.  A poorly maintained smoke detector can lead to nuisance alarms or an inoperable unit.

During the course of our home inspections we inspect the smoke detectors for proper operation. It is all too common to find missing or inoperative smoke detectors in people’s homes.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards recommend:

• A smoke detector on every level of the home
• A smoke detector outside each sleeping area
• A smoke detector inside each bedroom
• Locate smoke detectors on ceiling at least 4 inches from the wall
• Locate smoke detectors high on a wall between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling
• Interconnected smoke detectors that all sound when one alarms
• Use combination Ionization and Photoelectric smoke detectors

There are some areas that are not ideal to locate smoke detectors, avoiding these locations can reduce nuisance alarms and ensure your smoke detectors stay in proper working order longer.  Below are some basic guidelines to use for proper placement of the smoke detectors:

• Try to locate smoke detectors at least 20 feet from appliances such as furnaces and ovens
• Locate alarms at least 10 feet from high humidity areas such as a shower
• Locate smoke detectors at least 3 feet from heating and air conditioning vents

Maintenance of your smoke detectors is very important to insure proper operation.  Below are some general maintenance guidelines.  Manufacturer’s instructions should always be followed.

• Replace batteries annually or when the smoke detectors start chirping
• Vacuum the smoke detector regularly using the soft brush attachment to prevent dirt buildup in the detection chamber.  This will prevent nuisance alarms due to false indications.

Troubleshooting smoke detectors can require a little bit of trial and error, especially in interconnected systems.  Following these steps should help in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

Chirping – Smoke detector emits a high pitch chirp about once a minute:

• Low battery – Smoke detectors typically chirp to indicate a low battery.  In an interconnected system only the smoke detector with the low battery should chirp.
• Battery drawer open - If the battery drawer is not fully closed the batter will not make contact with the terminals.  Ensure the battery drawer is fully closed.
• Battery pull tab not removed – New smoke detectors are shipped with a plastic pull tab between the battery and battery terminals to prevent operation.  If this is left in place the smoke detector does not sense the battery and assumes it is dead.  Remove the tab.

Nuisance Alarms – These are just a few of the things that can cause nuisance alarms.  Unplugging a smoke detector due to nuisance alarms is dangerous and provides no protection in case of a fire.\

• Dust or dirt – If there is dust or dirt in the sensor chamber the smoke detector can sense this as smoke.  You should vacuum the smoke detector with the soft brush attachment.
• Grease or cooking vapors – If the smoke detector is located in an area with cooking vapors, grease, combustion gasses or other contaminants the sensor chamber can develop a greasy film.  This greasy film can cause the alarm to sound.  Due to the difficulty of cleaning this film and the risk of damage to the smoke detector, I recommend you replace the smoke detector.
• Power interruption – In a hardwired smoke detector the alarm will sound briefly if the power is interrupted and then restored.  Power interruptions can be caused by loose wire connections.  Ensure that the wires are properly and securely connected.  Use caution when working with hard wired smoke detectors as they are connected to the homes electrical system.  Always ensure that the circuit breaker for the smoke detectors is off when working on this system.  Call a qualified electrician if you do not feel comfortable working with electricity.
• Interconnected Alarm – In an interconnected alarm system if one smoke detector goes off all others will alarm making it difficult to diagnose.  Every manufacturer is different but most have a way of indicating which smoke detector is initiating the alarm.   Look at the lights on the detectors, usually the one initiating the alarm will have a flashing light during the alarm to let you know it is the one that sounded the alarm.
• Location – Ensure the smoke detector is not located near furnaces, ovens, showers or supply air vents.  You may need to relocate a smoke detector if it is not in an ideal location.
• Replacement – Smoke detectors are fairly cheap.  If you try everything else and cannot get the detector to stop going off try replacing the unit.

This is just a general guideline to help you with smoke detector location and troubleshooting, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and the NFPA guidelines when working with smoke detectors.”

 Whenever you are working with outdoor electricity, you must ensure that the wiring is properly covered. Using electrical tape to cover the wiring with caps to connect the lines is not a smart, or even legal way to connect an exterior plug. Even the receptacle itself is not the right grade.

Note: when installing outdoor plug outlets, be sure they are GFI rated and are properly covered with a lid when not in use. Any exposure to water may cause significant damage to your electrical system and may even cause a fire.

Look closely. Can you spot what’s wrong in this picture? Look closer. That’s it! Why on earth would there be an electrical outlet IN THE SHOWER? Other than being extremely dangerous, this is prohibited by building codes.

The best way to resolve this issue would be to re-route the outlet to outside of the shower stall, possibly on a neighboring wall that the wires currently share.

Having exposed LIVE electrical wiring is very dangerous to all occupants. Having a LIVE electrical wire next to your gas meter can be deadly. The slightest leak combined with an electrical surge can be devastating and can be an ututer disaster.

If at any time you see live, uncovered electrical wires, call a licensed and certified electrician immediately.

Ingraffia Home Inspections is dedicated to ensuring that your future home is completely safe and free from quick fixes that may cost you thousands of dollars in repairs later down the line. Call us today at (714) 371-8422 and let our home inspectors in Westminster save you from the local handyman who may be your worst nightmare.

While most people choose to go with an inspection company that offers the lowest price, they may not always be getting the best deal. You’ve heard the slogan “You get what you pay for”, and the same goes for home inspection companies that offer a bid substantially lower than other companies.  Unfortunately, many crucial items may be missed, including foundation cracks, mold and mildew, or even stress cracks in the home’s frame.

When IHI arrives at your home, we will look over the condition of your home’s foundation, structure and overall property, such as any pools, spas, and other mechanical equipment you may have.  You can get a better idea of all of the services we offer and our pricing by visiting our Items Inspected page of our website, as well as our pricing page.

Ingraffia Home Inspections is very competitively priced in today’s market, and will ensure that we will find all of the areas of your home that need attention.  So whether you are looking to purchase a home and want a pre-purchase inspection, or you are looking for a new home purchase inspection, we can help. Our staff is ready for your call to (714) 371-8422 and we want your home inspection in Lake Forest to be successful.

Don’t risk buying a house that isn’t fit to even live in. You never know what could be wrong with the house until you get a detail inspection and report. There may be a lot of costly damage you need to repair before you even move into the house and if you don’t have the funds to cover the costs you may just be purchasing a money pit. That’s why it’s important you always have a home inspection done; so you can cover your investment by doing your due diligence.

Make the right move by letting our team help walk you through your potential buy and explain in details everything that is good and bad about the property. We even have special tools that can assist with thermal imaging too. We stay up to date on all building codes and violations, so you can be sure you are getting what you pay for. Trust in us to be honest and reliable. You won’t find a better value for your money and we do our best to provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

Now you know where to get a home inspection in San Clemente, CA. All you have to do is give Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422 a ring for all the help you will need. Our home inspector is NACHI’s Certified and on your side ready to work for you. Call now to schedule your next home inspection with us.

Get all the facts in regards to the property before you sign on the dotted line. There may be plumbing issues or you may need to install all new electrical components. Also you want to make sure the roof is in good working condition and has no holes or other flaws. Out of all the home inspectors in the area no one comes close to providing the value that we do. Our home inspectors are ready to take your call when you need home inspections, building inspections, HVAC inspections, thermal imaging and more. No other home ion company will work as hard as we do to make sure you are happy.

We are licensed, insured and bonded for our customer’s safety and well-being. This way no matter what you know you will be protected from harm and financial burdens. Remember we have thousands of home inspections under our belt in the San Juan Capistrano area and we always keep up to date on the latest trends in the industry. Give us a chance to earn your business and we promise not to steer you wrong.

Make the right choice when deciding to get a home inspection in San Juan Capistrano, CA and just call up Ingraffia Home Inspections at (714) 371-8422. We are NACHI Certified and ready to take the lead on your next project or home purchase. Don’t miss your chance to work with one of the most respected companies out there when it comes to home inspecting in your local area, call now.

Knowing first-hand how a proper home inspection should take place is vital to ensuring that the home you are about to invest in is safe. From checking the foundation, down to inspecting the rafters in the ceiling, our real estate inspectors will check every nook, cranny and angle of the home.

There are several key characteristics that you should look for upon your initial walk through of the potential sale.  Pay close attention to window sills, checking for any current or pre-existing moisture spots. This could be a sign that there may be some integrity issues surrounding that window. Though it may not be too noticeable, there could be huge underlying consequences.

With the use of thermal imaging, Ingraffia Home Inspections will check for any areas that may be releasing the energy that you are pumping into your home via HVAC, AC or heating system. If leaks are found, it is best to have the seller fix these items using a contractor of YOUR choice, or negotiate the repairs in the final asking price of the home. You never want to assume that repair costs will be minimal based on a basic visual inspection.

For the past 8 years, Ingraffia Home Inspections has been a staple in Orange County and throughout all of Southern California. Contact us today at (714) 371-8422 today to schedule your pre-sale home inspection in Laguna Beach, CA

Many imagine that a house inspection is known as a process wherein every inch of the house is examined. No! It really is nothing like that. It is in fact a non-invasive approach in reviewing the state of the property. In truth, the review is limited. Then again, the individual conducting this or the home inspector is qualified to get all assignments completed as it should be. He also has tools to assist them evaluate the house. As soon as the review is finished, he prepares his meticulous report, comprising his evaluations, the possible complications that may occur in the house and his suggestions on what has to be done with the problem areas.

Why is there a necessity for a residential home inspection?

There are many reasons why you need a home inspection in Orange County. In reality, this really is certainly one of the most important areas of home purchasing process. At this point, the physical structures of the property as well as its indispensable systems are checked. The property is checked from its foundation to its roof. This is certainly also fundamental for sellers because he is demanded to release information about the property. The inspection will facilitate him in doing that. Also, it can even help him estimate his property accordingly.

This can be also needed since it protects a number of areas. This hand you a thorough perception of your exterior and interior. Among the exterior parts that will be inspected are the roof, grading, walls, foundations and structures like the carport and garage. The interior parts that will be checked consist of the several systems such as plumbing, water-heating system, heating system and electrical system. The different appliances and quarters are going to be checked as well.

Benefits for the buyer:

Clients will obviously gain from this procedure. This will offer them information on the true state of the property. This is essential because they can employ this in bargaining the value of the property. They can either ask the seller to renovate the house or to cut back the purchase price of the property. This can also enable you to assess if the home is high-priced or not. Furthermore, this will give you the ability to take into consideration your options. The condition of the property will give you the choice to proceed or cancel the transaction. Just be sure that your contract doesn’t confine you to definitely cancel the transaction.

Often clients always wonder if they should spend the money on a home inspection in Laguna Niguel, CA for a newly built home. After all, shouldn’t a brand new home be perfect? We have two words for those clients: Construction Oversight.

Construction oversights are when in the process of building a home components are inadvertently left out. A quality home inspection, like one you will receive from Ingraffia Home Inspections when you call (714) 371-8422, will help you locate these oversights so the contractor can take care of them before the close of the real estate sale.

Common oversights that are typically found include incomplete electrical systems, incomplete plumbing, gutters that are incorrectly installed, missing roofing components, fireplaces that are incomplete and many others. The reasons construction oversights occur vary from accidental omissions to just plain bad construction practices. The building of a new home is a complex grid of many subcontractors. Each subcontractor is dependent on everyone doing their jobs in a given time frame. When there are delays the scheduling of the subcontractors quickly becomes a nightmare. Subcontractors may be working on many homes at one time and without careful coordination inadvertent oversights occur. An experienced Laguna Niguel home inspector will find these problems and help reduce the headaches of the buyer before they purchase the home.

Hiring an experienced home inspection company in Laguna Niguel to complete a diligent inspection of your newly constructed home is a wise decision. Be informed about your new home and make a successful transition based on the truth and knowledge you have received from our thorough inspection service. Ingraffia Home Inspections would like to invite you to call us today at (714) 371-8422.