From the course Commercial Inspection Prerequisite Course:
6.5.3 Wood Decks and Balconies
I. The inspector should inspect:
A. with the unaided eye, for deck and balcony members that are noticeably out of level or out of
plumb;
B. for visible decay;
C. for paint failure and buckling;
D. for nail pullout (nail pop);
E. for fastener rust, iron stain and corrosion;
F. and verify that flashing was installed on the deck-side of the ledger board;
G. for vertical members (posts) that have exposed end grains;
H. for obvious trip hazards;
I. for non-graspable handrails;
J. railings for height less than the 36-inch minimum*;
K. guardrails and infill for openings that exceed the 4-inch maximum*;
L. open tread stairs for openings that exceed the 4⅜–inch maximum*;
M. triangular areas between guardrails and stairways for openings that exceed the 6-inch
maximum*;
N. built-up and multi-ply beam spans for butt joints;
O. for notches in the middle third of solid-sawn wood spans;
P. for large splits longer than the depth of their solid-sawn wood members;
Q. for building egresses blocked, covered or hindered by deck construction; and
R. for the possibility of wetting from gutters, downspouts or sprinklers.
From the same:
6.5.4 Basement, Foundation and Crawlspace
I. The inspector should inspect:
A. the basement;
B. the foundation;
C. the crawlspace;
D. the visible structural components;
E. and report on the location of under-floor access openings;
F. and report any present conditions or clear indications of active water penetration
observed by the inspector;
G. for wood in contact with or near soil;
H. and report any general indications of foundation movement that are observed by
the inspector, such as, but not limited to: sheetrock cracks, brick cracks, out-of-
square door frames, or floor slopes;
I. and report on any cutting, notching or boring of framing members that may
present a structural or safety concern.
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Inspected a 6-unit apartment building with a bank of electric 35 gallon hot-water tanks. No securing straps, no drip pans, TPR-valve discharge tubes were PVC with no air-space termination.
Recommended seismic securing straps, drip pans, and copper TPR-valve discharge tubes to terminate no more than 6" above the concrete floor.
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