When the roof shingles were replaced, the upper vent pipe section for the wood burning stove was removed. If the stove had been used, the attic might have caught on fire.

ALL of the HVAC air registers in every room of this house, and all the metal ducts, had 120 volts on every metal surface. It appeared that a duct section was in contact with a CEIL HEAT cable. (A vibration collar was preventing the proper electrical bonding of the ductwork.)

The insulation on the electrical service entrance wires was severely deteriorated, and the power was starting to arc onto the support cable. This had the potential to destroy both the support cable and the utility transformer.

Exposed connections or damaged insulation on the electrical service-entrance connectors are very common, and can be very deadly. (The power company will re-insulate these connections if they are asked to do so.)

Disconnected ductwork in the attic or the crawlspace is a very common discovery. It certainly does no good for your allergies or your utility bills.

Exterior gas-pack furnaces seem to be the most vulnerable to burning "dirty", or emitting high carbon monoxide at the exhaust. If the heat exchanger is leaking, the CO could enter the home.

Air-conditioning and heat pump systems are very vulnerable to proper freon level, orifice size, equipment matching, air flow at the coils, etc. Temperature differentials give insight if further evaluation is needed.

When there is a combination of high moisture and poor ventilation in a crawlspace, the WMC (wood moisture content) can progressively rot the floor structure. The WMC in this crawlspace was between 25% to 30%.

If large animals can get inside the crawlspace of a house, the damage they cause can be extensive. A family of opossums can do severe damage.

Water leakage under a commode is a very common discovery, which can sometimes be expensive to repair. A radio frequency moisture meter detected the heavy moisture that was present under the floor in this bathroom. (See the hidden damage in the next item.)

Long term water leakage at the base of the commode had heavily damaged the sub-floor in this bathroom. A large sectioin of the sub-floor had to be replaced along with the finished floor surface. (See the cause in the previous item.)

Severe water damage was found in the sub-floor and sheetrock of the living room, but the water source could not be found. With the help of a neighbor, it was finally discovered that a gutter was sending water backwards across the roof soffit, down the front of the house, and into a gap in the vinyl siding.

Damaged or missing steel flue-dampers inside the smoke chamber of the fireplace is a common discovery. This can draw an enormous amount of heat out of the house during the winter time.

Opps! The plumber missed this one. The water from the shower-tub, in this 4 year old house, had been running into the crawlspace the entire time.

When the dishwasher was running, several of the electrical receptacles in the house showed 137 volts while others 107 volts, but they returned to 120 volts when the dishwasher was off. It turned out that a circuit with a "shared neutral" was involved.

One of the water lines for the clothes washer was leaking into the wall cavity, and this is what it looked like inside the crawlspace. This required the replacement of the sub-floor.

The lack of a handrail may seem like a minor item, however, falls are the number one source of injury inside the home. A firm properly located handrail is a valuable asset.

If the attic insulation has not been installed to the full thickness, it can have a substantial impact on the utility bills.

Almost every house has had some mice in the attic insulation, but if this becomes an infestation, there can be substantial reduction of the R-value.

Sometimes the roofers cover over the slot for the ridgevent, which can trap excessive heat and moisture inside the attic space. This can reduce the life of the shingles, increases cooling costs, and create moisture problems.

Located inside the attic space, above a factory made metal fireplace, the installation of a fire-block is the responsibility of the fireplace installer. This is a fairly common oversight.

The lack of shingle overhang at the edge of the roof, had allowed water to seep into the roof deck and cause substantial damage. Good detailing of the shingle instalation can add years to the life of the roof.

A very common discovery is the improper flow of air at the supply registers, which can reduce efficiency, or cause large temperature imbalances. This can be due to disconnected ducts, poor duct sizing, or fan speed setting.

Standing water inside a crawlspace can come into a house from the yard grading, underground water flow, or property location, and the effects on the house can range from minor to catastrophic.

This particular squirrel cage fan, located inside the HVAC air-handler, was so packed with animal hair (from the owners' dogs), that it was amazing that it still rotated.

Finding open sewer vents inside the attic space, is a fairly common discovery. This increases the potential for sewer gas to buildup inside the house, which is both a health hazard and a fire hazard.

There is a common siding material, generally called composite board siding, which has been involved in a large class action suit due to premature failure. If water damaged, it can substantially devalue a house.

It is surprising to see the number of homes, both old and new, that do not have an electrical bonding wire run to the metal water line system. This can substantially reduce electrical safety.

The high humidity of over 60% inside this finished basement was a strong indicator of water infiltration problems, with the increased potential for mold growth.

This large room addition had not been insulated inside the attic space, which would substantially increase the heat gain and heat loss inside the house.

A common discovery inside bathrooms, is the leakage of water lines behind the ceramic tile, both up near the shower head and down near the valves.

A very common discovery inside attic spaces, are large open 8 ft high cavities that are un-insulated. This will increase the heat gain and heat loss inside the house.