Pre-pour foundation inspections are crucial for ensuring structural integrity and compliance with engineering plans and building codes by allowing inspectors to verify key elements before the concrete is poured and potentially conceals defects. One of the fundamental aspects of these inspections is the verification against the engineering drawings. I emphasizes that having the drawings on-site is essential to determine if the collected dimensions are correct. Without these drawings, I am merely collecting measurements without context. In this specific inspection, the builder provided the drawings, although they were in poor condition. The inspection involves checking the dimensions of various structural components. For instance, I examine the beams, which run across the house and along the perimeter in both directions, creating pad sections. I specifically check the depth and width of these beams at the bottom. In this case, the drawing specified a bottom width of 10 inches, which the inspector verified, but noted that 12 inches is more typical. The inspector also measures the width at the top of the beam where two pads come together. Additionally, the height of the post-tension cables (tendons) from the bottom of the beam is checked. The spacing of these cables is also noted, which is usually around 2 to 2.5 inches in this case where two cables are present in a beam. To ensure the overall layout conforms to the plans, I use a 100-foot tape measure to determine the length and width of the property/house and to confirm that everything is squared up. Measurements are taken at three points to identify any variations in the forms. Furthermore, the location of each tendon and beam is measured from a reference point (the front of the house in this case) and compared to the specifications on the drawing provided by the structural engineer. The consistency of the beam depth around the entire perimeter of the house is also verified. Compliance with building codes is also addressed during these inspections including the National Electrical Code (NEC). I discuss a concrete encased electrode used for grounding. I reference the National Electrical Code's requirement of 25 ohms of resistance between the ground plane in the main panel and earth ground. The NEC states that if this resistance cannot be achieved, a second grounding rod must be installed which would include a concrete encased electrode in the concrete. However, there is an exception in the code regarding vapor barriers placed between the soil and concrete, which, according to the NEC, prevents the electrode from being in direct contact with the soil. I consistently write this up at inspections, but electricians and builders often disagree with their interpretation. The presence and proper installation of a vapor barrier is also checked for compliance and structural integrity. I check to ensure it is taped and sealed to prevent groundwater from seeping into the foundation. I identified the use of an unapproved tape (Kingspan) for sealing, as the manufacturer's recommendations states it should not be used in contact with moisture. While duct tape was also used and not explicitly prohibited by its manufacturers, I feel it not the best tape for this purpose. Finally, I also look for issues that could compromise the foundation's integrity, such as trash within the forms that needs be removed before the pour. I also note the importance of proper drainage, observing a drainage channel was present at the front of the home but suspect the beams were not adequately sloped to direct water towards it. I observed the straightness of the beams, which is important for the structural integrity of the home. In summary, pre-pour foundation inspections ensure structural integrity and compliance by meticulously comparing the constructed forms and incorporated elements against the engineering drawings and relevant building codes. This includes verifying dimensions, the placement of structural components like beams and tendons, the proper installation of vapor barriers, ensuring adequate drainage provisions, and identifying any potential issues like debris that could negatively impact the foundation's integrity. For greater details on this inspection, please watch the YouTube video or you can listen to the PodCast. By Eric Christie, Boxer Inspections LLC

When it comes to home inspections, the roof is one of the most critical areas to evaluate. A thorough roof inspection can reveal potential issues that, if left unresolved, might lead to costly repairs or damage to other parts of the home. Here’s an in-depth look at some of the issues home inspectors typically assess during a roof inspection and some tips for addressing common problems.

A home inspection before winter is crucial for multiple reasons. Preparing your home for the cold and potentially harsh conditions of winter can help you avoid costly repairs and ensure the safety and comfort of your family. Here are some key reasons why a home inspection before winter is important and should be part of a yearly consideration: Identify and Address Potential Issues: All homes need maintenance over time, just like cars and just like humans! A thorough home inspection can uncover any existing or potential issues that could worsen during the winter months. This may include issues with the roof, insulation, heating systems, plumbing, and electrical systems. Identifying problems early allows you to address them before they become major headaches.

Recently, during a new construction inspection, Boxer Inspections encountered and reported as deficient a contaminated dishwasher. In this case, the dishwasher had dark spots on both the upper and lower dish racks. It was concluded the most likely cause was fungal growth. No samples were sent to a lab for analysis to verify. Therefore, there was not any confirmation as to what it was. I believe that even if samples were taken and sent to a lab, the result would have been the same – Replace the Dishwasher!  The Professional Home Inspector at Boxer Inspections is going to look for items like this. How many times have you toured a home and looked inside the dishwasher? Well, you might now, after seeing this, right?!

Decades ago, the electrical system in homes used fuses to protect the electrical circuits and equipment from and electrical short or overload. An electrical short or overload occurs when there is a direct pathway to ground in an electrical circuit. When this occurs, large amounts of electrical current will flow in the circuit including the wiring, connections, and the electrical fixture. High current flow causes heat to increase in the circuit. Wires, switches, outlets, connections, etc will heat up. When these components pass high current, they will also begin to heat up. As they heat up, resistance in the wire or component increases. The resistance limits the amount of current that can flow. The result of all this behavior is that current will reduce as the resistance increases, but the heat generated will increase. When components get hot enough, they can ignite combustible material nearby. Due to this, an electrical short can cause a fire or can electrocute someone. To protect electrical circuits a device needs to be installed between the electrical source and what is known as the load. The load is the electrical device, switch, outlet, wiring, etc. The device limits the amount of current that can flow. These devices will fail or open the circuit to stop the current flow. In modern homes, circuit breakers are used to protect equipment and components. When the current passing through a circuit breaker exceeds a specified value, the circuit breaker will trip. This action opens the circuit, stops the flow of current, and helps to protect occupants and the home. In older homes, the electrical protection devices used were fuses or fusible links. These types of protection devices will melt an internal wire which creates an open circuit. The open circuit stops the flow of current thus protecting the circuit. The home shown in the video has the outside AC condenser with the fuses replaced with copper tubing. This removed the protection from the circuit. In this particular case, the main electrical panel had been updated with a newer panel at some point in the past. The protection for electrical circuits changes from fuses to breakers in the panel. The correct update would have been to removed the old fuse protection AC disconnect and install a modern disconnect that has a removable plate. This removable plate will disconnect electrical power from the outside AC unit to allow service personnel to work on the unit. During inspections, unusual installations like this are often found . When dealing with electrical items and electrical equipment, doing it safely should always be the #1 consideration. However, the requirement or need to reduce the costs for the work, often forces corners to be cut In this video, I looked in the AC condenser disconnect and the fuses had been replaced by copper pipe. This is very dangerous if there is not current protection in the main electrical panel. If the fuse is smaller than required by the condenser manufacturer, you can get nuisance trips where the start up current burns the fuse. Techs would put these pipes in to prevent the fuse from burning through. Very dangerous. On the bright side here, a correctly sized breaker was installed in the main panel protecting the condenser. #boxerinspections #residentialhomeinspection #electricalsafety

In video provided at the bottom of this article, I was inspecting a 90+ years old. The home was equipped with gas appliances including a gas water heater. Any time there are gas appliances in the home, it is vital a carbon monoxide detector (CO) be installed in the home and that the appliances be regularly inspected for proper operation. The location for the CO detector should be near the gas appliances. Ideally, that would be near the kitchen with a gas stove and attic for a gas water heater or gas furnace.

Checking Roof Details to Ensure the Covering is Water Tight