Here is another wonder you don’t see every day! The humidity was so high in one house we inspected, that mushrooms had begun to spring up on the carpet.
THE BEST HOME INSPECTION IN OTTAWA & GATINEAU
Water in the basement
This is a video clip from one house that was inspected. It was raining heavily that day and the water table was very high. The pressure of the water was actually flowing in through the point of least resistance, which in this case was the slab floor, into the basement through the old condensate drain next to the furnace.
Clearly the weeping tile around the house was in poor condition. The house needed a sump pump and pit to eject the water out from the house. Over time, such water intrusion can have a considerable impact on the foundation of a house and all the materials within the basement that would promote mould growth.
Poor workmanship
Poor workmanship is most evident here.
Problems are:
- Hose bib should be facing downwards and further away from piping.
- Cultured stone is poorly applied and loose.
- No sealing for any of the protrusions through the wall surface.
Electrical panel with fibre glass stuffed into the panel
Electrical panels are a place where cold air will infiltrate into the home . However, this was not expected . First the danger of applying the insulation into the panel , and second , moisture or dampness building up within the insulation creating potential fire . The insulation should be removed immediately.
A Dead Mouse in a Breaker Panel
Every now and then in this line of business you come across something really special. The picture above is graphic. At one home inspection I came across a dead mouse in the breaker panel. Who knows how long the carcass had been there. The panel had holes for which wires are introduced into the panel , and from there the mouse had entered . Fortunately, limited damage had occurred within the panel. This demonstrates that the electrical panel must be sealed for safety.
Substandard knob and tube wiring
will need to be upgraded for
insurance companies.
A Power of Sale
Some houses just beg for an inspection, like this one outside of Spencerville. After a decade or so of neglect, the prior owner lost this 130-year old farm house to the bank. A young couple decided to take a chance on it, but wisely put in their offer conditions for not just one inspection, but four.