Chimney Crowns

Inspecting a chimney is part of the whole house inspection.   The fireplace it self is checked along with the exterior portions of it such as the crown.  An area that I often see that is in need of repair and maintenance is the crown.

The crown is the top part of the chimney and is the part that helps direct rain away from the inner portions of the chimney.  When a chimney crown is cracked water is allowed to enter and deterioration begins to occur.

In areas in which there are cycles of freezing and thawing the deterioration is quicker.  When I do my home inspections here in Ohio I always check the crown.  Even a small crack needs sealed to prevent further damage.

Plumbing in Ohio

I want to be certain not to bash all plumbers here in Ohio.  Like any sector of business there are ranges in skill and effort.  The other day I believe I met the lower end of the scale.  As I do my home inspections with my company, Habitation Investigation I see lots of things.  The image I have to show you is a good example of "non standard" repair, to put it nicely.  It is packing tape used to join the waste/drain line.

Along with fine piece of work were six other active leaks from drain and supply lines.  The sad part is that the plumber was in approx two days prior and reportedly repaired all the leaks.

Just another reason to always have the home you are looking to buy undergo a Habitation Investigation.

Home Inspector in Ohio

Not quite done with the first inspection report. It is now time to head off to do a reinspection of a home that now has the water turned on. Doing it while I am in the area. It is good to be busy!

Condensation in Shower vent duct

This is what is discovered earlier today while doing a home inspection.  The duct was long and uninsulated allowing the moist shower air to condense in the duct work.  This was caught early before any damage was done.

enjoy the link to the video, please comment on it.

Ice Dams

I thought I would show a great angle image of an ice dam.  From the angle you can easily see how the ice has created a wall/dam that will direct additional thawing ice and snow under the shingles and into the home.

If you have this problem the cause is related to low insulation levels in the attic, too little ventilation, or a combination of the two.

This image is not of a house I was inspecting, I saw this while driving to a home inspection. 

Checking attic insulation and attic ventilation is something I check while doing a whole home inspection.

My home inspection website.

Roof Inspections

Conducting home inspection in Ohio during the winter can be a challenge, especially the roofs.  Often the roofs are snow covered and simply cannot be seen.  If snow or ice covered they are dangerous to walk on. 

When I inspect a roof in the winter I do the roof last so as to increase the chance that the ice/frost has burned off.  If not safe to walk on then I check what I can and I offer to revist the home in the spring when things are safer.

If you ever need a home inspection in ohio, be sure to check out Habitation Investigation LLC
Serving central ohio, columbus, hilliard, grove city, etc

Foundation Issue found during home inspection

One of the important areas that a good home inspector will look at is the crawl space.  Crawl spaces are dark dirty and the air quality is poor.  With that being said there are ways to make entering these spaces easier.  I have what I call a dirt suit that I wear over my clothers so as to keep my regular clothes clean.  I also have a face mask I will wear to prevent breathing in lots of dust and mold spores. 

Even with this there are still areas that can not be seen due to duct work or too little space to squeeze into.  However by having these items increases the areas I can look at and the concerns I am able to find for the buyers.

http://www.homeinspectionsinohio.com/