Go look in your attic only if it's safe. If not, don't. The rafter braces should be nailed with 5 nails In Houston, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Stafford, Seabrok, LaPorte, Baytown, Brazoria, Galveston and Chambers counties because those areas have adopted a 110 mph wind speed of higher. Actually, two or three nails don't cut it anywhere. [ref: TREC 535.228(g)(2)(B); IRC R301.1.3; Appendix I Fastening Schedule - Rafter Brace to Rafter (Face-nailed) - 5 nails; Texas Dept. of Insurance]

Take the Challenge........page 2

If these defects were not caught by your inspector then please don't compare my inspection or fee to what you didn't get. I don't use or invent a pre-determined checklist inspection which limits the inspection to only those items on it. Look below, that inspection you may have got doesn't look so good after all does it? You probably hired an inspector thinking they are all the same. Nope, there is a difference between a home inspector and construction inspector. Take the Challenge. Below are just a few examples of basic items that should have been inspected for. (There's plenty more too.)

• References to (TREC) sections are the state law requirement of your inspector to inspect
  for and report.

• References to (IRC) sections are the minimum statewide building codes for construction and repairs.
   
• Reference to (TRCC) sections are for homes initially enrolled into the TRCC beginning on June 1, 2005 until TRCC quit taking complaints on August 31, 2009 and for the 10-year structural warranty.

These braces support the roof structure. If they don't have enough nails then you could have structural movement.The photo shows only 2 nails.

Attic acces. If you don't have a safe solid floor from the top opening of the attic ladder to all mechanical equipment (furnace, air-conditioner coil, water heater, duct booster fan, etc. then it is not safe for service personnel or yourself. You could be injured or be sued by a service contractor. Be aware that some 3rd party warranty companies are voiding the warranty on the equipment and appliances in the attic due to unsafe access. [ref: TREC 535.227(a)(1)(A); TREC 535.230(a)(2)(F); TREC 535.230(b)(2)(C); TREC 535.231(c)(3)(I); IRC M1305.1.3.]

Appliances in attics require a unobstructed solid floorwalkway to each at least 24 inches wide with a 30 inch solid floor depth platform in front of each appliance for service personnel. The floor cannot have any gaps or obstructions.

Gapped or mis-cut rafters are from a lack of quality control and supervision. Rafters are structural support members. The mis-cuts shown below are all too typical. [ref: IRC R802.3; TREC 535.228(g)(2)(B)]

Light switches not grounded. Look below. See the dark green ground screw on this switch? Where's the ground wire connection? Every home built after 1998 should have grounded switches. Any home with replacement switches should be grounded switches. Any switch designed and UL listed to be grounded should be grounded. [ref: National Electric Code 110.3(B); National Electric Code 380-9 (b); TREC 535.229(c)(3)(G)]
 

Electrical grounding is your friend. Switches replaced by unlicensed "bubba" in a remodel, replacement or renovation including storm damage? Any remodel is highly suspect.

No metal facecovers should ever be installed on non-grouded switches.

The piles of this beach home have splits and cracks. The chemical wood treatment gets less and less towards the center of the pile. The cracks and splits should be caulked to keep out moisture within the wood piles so they won't rot out from the interior. Any wide and deep crack should be structurally evaluated to see if the pile is structurally sound. Piles can also be wrapped in trim or siding. Being a Galveston BOI I know the damaging effect of water, salt and heat on building materials including nails and bolts.

Every furnace/heater has a door panel in order to get to the blower. These doors should be taped sealed as they can suck in tons of attic air around the door panel into the household air. If you have a lot of dust in your home, poor indoor air quality, high utility bills or need more efficient operation these door panels should be tape sealed.

If the furnace blower door is not tape sealed it can also suck in carbon monoxide or gas leaks into the household air. Your inspector should know that. If not, call me today.

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Limited Offer - One can always call for free advise on a code or property question but for a limited time only if you are within our immediate service area you can get a free 30 minute onsite evaluation if you had your home previously inspected within the last two years and are wondering about what you got or are having problems. No pressure. No sales. If at a later date you need information, an inspection, a second opinion I'm hoping you will call me. *Some limitations apply. (No stucco, no aluminum wiring)