Inspection Equipment

I make the utmost attempt to stay up-to-date with the current inspection technologies. For example, I may use digital moisture meters and infrared thermometers & cameras as supplemental equipment during our inspections. I use the Spectora inspection software on a smartphone or a tablet to develop my inspection reports as I am performing the inspection. This allows me to add comments, photos and even videos on the spot and likely have the report ready for you the same day, perhaps even before I leave the property. Reports are provided in two formats: one is the web version, which is interactive, can be filtered and is extremely easy to navigate; the other is the TREC-mandated REI 7-6 PDF format.

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) establishes the minimum requirements for what is to be inspected. However, I believe in going well beyond these minimum standards. Below are examples of what I look for while performing an inspection on your home:

Exterior

• General Exterior
• Proper grading drainage away from house and evidence of standing water
• Landscaping, trees and flat work
• Branches or bushes touching house or roof
• Stairs & attached decks
• Proper downspout drainage
• Structure
• Ridge and fascia boards
• Sides of house appear plum
• Window and door frame out-of-square
• Condition of visible foundation
• Windows, Doors and Wood Trim
• Wood frames and trim pieces are secure, no cracks, rot or decay
• Joints are caulked
• Broken glass, screen presence and condition & broken window seals
• Exterior Surfaces
• Adequate clearance between ground siding materials
• No wood-to-earth contact
• Siding general damage, cracking, curling, loose, rot or decayed
• cracked, broken, spalling, or flaking components of masonry veneers

Roof

• Roof covering, evidence of:
• Previous repairs
• Cracking, blisters, wrinkles, curling, cupping, loss of granulation
• Broken, damaged or missing shingles
• More than two layers of roofing
• Organic growth, rot or decay
• Flashing around roof penetrations and at rake & eaves
• Decayed or stained soffits & fascia boards
• Evidence of inadequate venting

Gutters

• Decay or rust
• Properly sealed joints
• Secure attachment
• Bending or sagging
• Gutters debris build-up
• Chimneys
• Plum & properly flashed
• Damaged bricks & joints
• Chimney & rain cap present and in good condition

Interior

• Floors, walls & ceilings
• Floors, walls and ceilings appear straight and plumb and level
• Evidence of staining or moisture intrusion
• Significant cracks
• Windows and door general condition operation
• Paint, wall covering, and paneling in good condition
• Lights and switches operate properly
• Adequate number of three pronged electrical outlets in each room
• Accessible electrical outlets test properly
• Heating/Cooling source in each habitable room
• Fireplace
• Cracking or damaged masonry
• Evidence of back-drafting
• Damper operates properly
• Flue clean & properly lined

Attic

• Evidence of moisture intrusion, especially around roof penetrations
• No evidence of decay or damage to structure
• Sufficient insulation volume & proper installation

Ventilation

• Unobstructed airflow from soffits
• Adequately sized gable end louvers
• All mechanical ventilation operational
• Vents improperly terminating in attic
• Electrical connections no in junction boxes

Kitchen

• Exhaust fan operation and venting
• Ground fault circuit interrupter (“gfci”) Protection for electrical outlets
• Dishwasher:
• Proper drainage
• Evidence of previous or active leaks
• Control & component operation
• Presence of rust
• Evidence of past of active leaks
• Proper orientation of hot & cold water
• Adequate fixture & drain flow
• Corrosion and / Or deterioration on garbage disposal or waste pipes

Cabinets

• Secured to structure
• Doors and drawers operate properly
• Evidence of moisture damage
• Proper oven operation (+- 50 degrees of 350 degree setting)
• Bathrooms
• Exhaust fan operation and venting
• Adequate fixture & drain flow
• Plumbing and cabinet floor under sink in good condition

Toilet

• Proper operation & mounting
• No stains or soft flooring around base
• Caulking inside and outside of the tub and shower
• Tub or shower tiles secure, wall surface solid
• Evidence of inadequate support beneath and around tub, toilet & shower
• No stains or evidence of past leaking around base of bath or shower

Basement or Mechanical Room

• Evidence of moisture
• Exposed concrete / Masonry foundation
• Stains, flaking and efflorescence in exposed foundation
• Major cracking
• Leaning and / Or bulging
• Visible structural wood
• Sagging, damage, decay, staining
• Proper sill attachment & sealing
• Evidence of organic growth
• Insulation at rim/Band joists

Plumbing

• Piping
• Damage, evidence of leaks, no signs of stains on materials near pipes
• Drain pipes slope slightly down towards outlet to septic/Sewage system
• Water pressure < 80 psi, presence of a pressure regulator & expansion tank (When applicable)
• Water heater
• Corrosion
• Proper ventilation
• Presence of a temperature-pressure relief valve and piping
• Adequate height above garage floor (If applicable)
• Drainage provisions

Electrical

• GFCI & AFCI presence
• Exposed wiring condition
• Exposed splices (Splices not in junction boxes)
• Cable security and protection
• Damaged or improperly wired outlets
• Service panel
• Adequate capacity
• Proper connections
• Evidence of damaged fuses or breakers
• Apparent improper mismatched sizing of over-current protection and/Or wiring
• Presence of aluminum branch circuit wiring
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detector presence and testing (With test button)
• Automatic garage door opener
• General operation,
• Installation and operation of required safety systems

Crawl Space

• Adequate ventilation
• Insulation on exposed water supply, waste and vent pipes
• Insulation between crawl space and heated areas,
• Evidence of insect and / or moisture damage
• Heating/Cooling System
• Appears to operate well throughout (good air flow on forced hot air systems)
• Improper location of supply or return registers/grills
• Appropriate delta T between supply and return registers/grills
• Flues
• Seam sealing
• Proper slope
• Evidence of back drafting
• Presence of corrosion
• No combustion gas odor
• Air filter presence and general condition
• Ductwork in condition & support

Routine Departures from the TREC Standards of Practice

• Temperature-Pressure Relief (TPR) Valves
  • Due to the risk of potential damage to the device and further resulting damage to the property, these will not be functionally tested during the inspection.
• Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
  • AFCIs will not be tested while the home is occupied or furnished. Testing these AFCIs while electrical devices are plugged into them may result in damage to the device.