No gate leading to property yards

First time ever seeing a house with no gates on either side. Back and side yards enclosed by block wall. Pool in the yard. Is this any sort of egress issue?

Trump lives there! LOL.

Each jurisdiction could have their own rules or regulations regarding setbacks on front, rear and side yards. They may include access requirements. That is more of a land development issue than a home inspection issue. I have run in to a couple properties where there was no access to the back yard except through the house. I just recommend for convenience purposes they should consider installing a gate on one side.

Consider the pool and the requirement for a safety fence around the pool. If there is no access to the backyard, is a safety fence still required? I suspect this is an adult’s home (with no children) and they like to entertain. Pool fences and entertaining do not go hand in hand! JMHO.

With a pool too some jurisdictions will require a self closing gate.

Only is there actually** is** a gate!

I have safety concerns regarding this.

Pool accidents often involve spinal injuries. Can FF/EMT’s easily negotiate the house while carrying a person on a backboard?

Can a child exit the yard if the house is on fire?

What happens if someone gets locked out in the back yard by accident and they have no option but to attempt scaling the block wall?

:-;;:-;;:-;;

your pool wont protect you from toxic smoke inhalation :scuba:

There is zero requirement for egress from a backyard. The only requirement is from the home to an open space or yard (paraphrasing). If you have that much materials stored (that will potentially cause that huge of a toxic cloud) that you can’t escape it by exiting to the backyard, you’ve got bigger issues to deal with (can you say Hoarder?).

I’m not disputing requirements for backyard egress. My concerns are relative to personal safety in the event of an emergency. Toxic smoke inhalation is a real danger around the scene of a structure fire. When PVC piping or vinyl siding is burned it releases Hydrogen Chloride. Polyurethane based materials release systemic poisons like Cyanide. Being trapped in a block wall pool enclosure may prevent a person from accessing “clean air”.

I fully understand your point of view, and I am not arguing with you at all. I am simply trying to get you to understand our positions, limitations, and responsibilities as Home Inspectors. Please explain how you intend to report/address your concerns with a home that for all intense purposes “meets code”? (This is good practice for you dealing with realtors).

<<<Interesting that everyone else up and disappeared!>>>

I believe the best approach would be to have a conversation with the buyer to ensure that they’re aware that they can only gain access to the backyard and pool through the house. Maybe it will be okay with them, maybe not depending on their perspective.

I would hate to drive my mower through a house with white carpeting to cut the front lawn!

And when you are done with that conversation, you can tell them where would be best to place their couch and tv… And of course which local grocery store has the best specials… And what color to paint their walls… And what about the meteors?.. Geez Louise Kelly, do you stay up late at night thinking about “what ifs” ? :roll:

That is a great recommendation!

Not at all. I can tell you from first hand experience that:
situation #1 resulted in delayed transport to the hospital (historic home with tight hallways and corners)
situation #2 resulted in toxic smoke inhalation (child couldn’t reach the latch on a gate)
situation #3 resulted in a broken ankle (teenager who broke curfew)

I agree with you that it warrants being mentioned.

A narrow hallway. So are you going to recommend they tear down the walls and widen the hallway?
Couldn’t reach the latch. The latch on a self closing gate is most likely going to be out of reach of a small child as well, as designed and required in many areas with pools. And of course he wouldn’t make it out of the house with a proper safety lock on the door to the pool area. Or is it a bad parent that lets the little kids play in the backyard with a pool with no supervision.
Broken ankle. Karma…

Once again, you can come up with all the scenarios you want, whether real or imaginary. It extends well past what we do as home inspectors.

You are right it does go beyond that of a home inspector.

One word… Goats.

:wink: