Mold and wood decay

This is what happens when deck and waterproofing maintenance is ignored. Upon inspecting this deck, it turned out the damage was much greater than expected. Because of not paying attention to early signs of water proofing failure, this deck continued to leak over a good period of time, leading to not only mold, but structural failure. I was able to stick my hand through the garage beam that supports the second floor and the deck above. The only thing holding the framing together was the stucco. The owner was very lucky to only get away with paying out thousands of dollars for the repair. If this had waited any longer, there could have been more serious problems. Did you know there are stricter codes to build decks than for the subfloors inside your house? It's because local authorities know that is where the party is. You put 30 people on a deck, your talking over 2 tons of weight! Have an inspector check your deck out.

Wire sizes and breakers

There have been times I have inspected the service panel and the wire gauge is too small for the size of the breaker. Usually, it is when someone has added a breaker to the panel because he/she wanted a wire added to their home for some reason or another and thought 'I don't need an electrician to do this' without knowing their are designated breakers for all sizes of wire. When this happens, you could have a potential fire hazard. When buying a home, be sure your electric service panel and the wires and breakers inside are in good, safe working order.

Check your vents and screens

If a mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime, think what kind of animal could fit through here! I love animals, but they need to stay in the wild, not under your house. I've seen wires chewed on (fire hazard), ducts filled with rodent nests (definite health hazard), and various bones from who knows what decided to eat what. I have not encountered any large animals yet, while in crawlspaces, and hopefully never will. If you love your house like I do and want to make your home inspector happy, please check all your crawlspace vents and screens. Thank you!!!!

Check your gas meter

Just because SDG&E comes by your meter periodically to read and (hopefully) be sure it's in good working order, it may not be safe. If there is a rotten smell around the pipes, it could be a leak. Also, look for excess corrosion. The pipe near these meters were so bad (probably from the sprinklers hitting them continuously), the walls of the pipes were almost eaten through.

Insulate your ducts

Are your air ducts insulated properly? If not, your energy bills could be going though the roof, literally. It is wise to have your attic inspected. Not just for efficiency, but safety as well.

Chimney spark arrestors

Here in San Diego, we have been through 2 major fires within the last decade and I still run into this all the time...a chimney with no spark arrestor. This particular house was inspected in a rural community and it gets bone dry in the summer. Stay safe and keep your community safe. Be sure a spark arrestor is in place.

Attic ladders

Pull Down Ladders.

So you're going to put a pull down ladder in your garage attic...Is the garage connected to your house? Does the ceiling/ladder need to be fire rated? Be sure to ask yourself these questions before you start. There are fire codes in place to keep your home safe if a fire should start in your garage (which is where most fires start). Be sure your home is safe!