And, in keeping with InterNACHI’s commitment to Continuing Education, this course is open and free to all members, and can be taken again and again, without limit.
Students are free to pose questions and comments here and join in the conversation with other students. The thread will be monitored by the course instructor.
The attached picture is of a well maintained DB board (RSA) with no protruding wires. The switches are all the labeled on the diagram inside the door on the right enabling anyone to re-set or disable any of the switches.
The pre-cast perimeter wall has posts 5’ apart. The driveway gate is a heavy gauge galvanized gate and the top guide and the locks are on Pre-cast posts. With the movement of the gate the posts’ foundation have become loose resulting in them being strapped to adjoining posts with metal strapping.
the electric plugs’s covers are rusted and need to be replaced
the wiring running out of the plug must be replaced with the correct type of wiring, mounted and closed in tubing as this pose a fire hazard and possible electrocution.
it is vital to have multiple fire exstinguishers as a minimum requirement. make sure that the correct type and size is present and are placed at the correct areas. these exstinguishers must be checked on a regular basis and serviced as least once per year
The home n the attached photo is for sale very close to me - I saw the for sale sign and looked it up on the internet. The price is high and I contacted the Estate Agent offering him my services. The estate Agency seems to think my services will slow down his sale but I think not.
The home in the attached photo is for sale very close to my own home. I contacted the estate agent offering him my services, especially as I can see some glaring faults. The estate agent seems to think I will slow down his sale, but I think not.
Home inspectors do their best to inspect the roof system within the inspection time allotted.
Inspectors inspect the roof covering, drainage systems, the flashings, the skylights, chimneys and roof penetrations. Home inspectors are not required to inspect antennae, interiors of flues or chimneys or other related accessories.
This inspection report does not comprise an exhaustive investigation of every installation detail of the roof system according to the manufactures specifications or construction codes.
It is often impossible to detect a roof leak except as it is occurring, or unless specific water tests are conducted - such tests are beyond the scope of an inspection. We recommend that buyers should ask the sellers to disclose information about the roof.
Where deemed necessary clients should consider hiring roofing professionals to inspect the roof further before closing the sale of the property.
Fibre Cement Slates:
As fibre-cement slates weather over the years the slates tend to start absorbing some moisture, which may eventually lead to curling at the corners and compromised waterproofing. Painting will delay this process.
Asbestos Cement Roof Sheeting:
Fibre cement roof sheeting and slates on South African buildings built prior to 1980 probably contain asbestos. Asbestos roofing becomes a health hazard when the sheeting deteriorates and asbestos fibres invade the environment. Regular painting can prevent this happening.
Many property owners are unaware that they have a legal obligation in terms of the Asbestos Regulations to conduct Asbestos Surveys on their properties on a regular basis, not exceeding two yearly intervals, and to maintain their asbestos in a good, safe condition.
Concrete is a composite construction material composed primarily of aggregate, cement and water.
The aggregate is generally a coarse aggregate (gravel or crushed rocks) along with a finer aggregate (sand).
The cement (usually Portland cement) acts as a binder for the aggregate.
Various chemical admixtures can also be added to the concrete to achieve various properties
such as waterproofing or color for decorative effect.
Water is then added to the mixture of cement, sand and rock. This enables the concrete to be shaped (typically poured) and then solidified and hardened into rock-hard strength through a
chemical process known as hydration.
In hydration the water reacts with the cement which bonds the other components together, eventually creating a strong stone-like material. Concrete has relatively high compressive strength, but much lower tensile strength. This means concrete can carry weights (compression) if supported, but will break apart if subject to stress when the concrete is unsupported.
For this reason concrete is usually reinforced with materials that are strong in tension (usual steel). On South African building sites steel reinforcing bars (known as rebar) and steel welded mesh are commonly used to increase the tensile strength of concrete foundations,
beams and slabs.
Description of defect: Barge/fascia board loose on roof side.
Explanation & Risk: Barge/fascia board only appears to be nailed at the front end point of the rafter causing the barge/fascia board to pull apart from the H-strip/joint strip that holds the two boards together. The risk of board to completely moving away from H-strip/joint strip and causes the board to fall to the ground, that will brake and cause further possible damages.
Recommendations: Rafter to be replaced as the cause of the defect can be the result of a rotten timber. If the rafter is still in good condition addition nails to be nailed in on both sides of the H-strip/Joint strip to ensure that the barge/fascia board not to pull apart again.
Steps to take ensure better waterproofing of basements.
Installation and maintaining of gutters and down pipes of the house. The outlet of the cutters needs to 10feet (3meters) away from the house foundation to prevent water pooling around the house foundation.
installing paving or cement slabs around the house which will direct the flow of water away from the house and prevent pooling around the house.
Houses constructed on a slope to direct all running water from the higher areas around the house by use of swales.
Waterproofing the basement. All cracks and holes on basement walls to be filled with a epoxy/Latex cement mixture
Applying sodium silicate to the walls that is free from any dirty oil grease or paint.
After applying all these steps to ensure better waterproofing of the basement the walls can be painted.
Staircase
The Staircase on the day of the Inspection was found to have no safety Hazards. All tiles on flooring is fixed properly to the floor with the correct spacing on the individual steps, and a hand rail is installed correctly.
Trusses cannot be altered in any way without the approval of a structural engineer.Trusses are designed to bear loads at very specific points. Typical roof trusses should not touch any interior walls and should bear only on the exterior walls.
A Home Inspection is not a technically exhaustive but a visual inspection of a home, designed to identify defects and any safety issues. The identification of potentially major defects that could be very costly to repair, is paramount to give the buyer the peace of mind as to the condition of the home they are purchasing.
Marketing for Home Inspectors is crucial, as it is in any successful business! From the “Silent Sales person” (the business Vehicle with signage promoting the business there-on), to the website, the business cards, the brochures, the face-to-face contact with a potential buyer or seller or the estate agencies themselves!!! MARKETING needs an organized, professional approach and the success or failure thereof, needs to be monitored, analysed and adjusted, to focus on whatever means is successful.
In the photo pattern cracking or craze cracking appears as a network of random shallow cracks on the concrete wall.
Pattern cracking can be caused by excessive water mix or environmental conditions such as, extreme temperatures, direct sunlight,wind,etc. This tipe of cracking is more a cosmetic issue and not a structural issue.
The white chalky powder that appears on the surface of a concrete or brick wall is called efflorescence. Efflorescence (which means “to flower out” in French) is the migration of a salt to the surface of a porous material, where it forms a coating and is visible after the evaporation of the water in which it was transported. Efflorescence is a common problem in concrete and masonry block. Sometimes it is just a cosmetic issue, or it can be evidence of moisture intrusion that could lead to major structural issues.
A number of methods can be used for gathering information and compiling it into a report. What an inspector eventually uses will depend on where they work, their budget, and their ability to deal with electronic devices and computer software that require some patience and discipline to learn.
Functional damage is that which:
a. Impairs the ability of a system or component to function as it was designed, or
b. Causes a system or component to fail prematurely.
Cosmetic damage is that which:
a. Fails to meet the definition of functional damage; or
b. Which affects a system or component aesthetically only, and does not interfere with the function for which it was designed.
