4036 Sasha Court, Mississauga, Ontario

Transcription

1 National Home Inspection Ltd Woodbine Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4C 4C2 TEL: (416) Sasha Court, Mississauga, Ontario 1

2 National Home Inspection Ltd Woodbine Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4C 4C2 TEL: (416) October 18, 2018 SUMMARY INSPECTION REPORT PROPERTY: 4036 Sasha Court, Mississauga, Ontario Inspector: Richard Gaughan It is recommended that the Detailed Inspection Report following this Summary report be read thoroughly. OVERALL CONDITION: Generally good. The house was built in 1981 and is in good structural condition. No foundation seepage was detected. The roof shingles are <7 years old and in good shape. The exterior brickwork is sound. The rear chimney structure is intact. Windows are a mix of original aluminum and upgraded vinyl framed windows. The roof overhang is capped with aluminum. The garage is in good condition. The house is equipped with a 100-amp electrical service. Wiring is modern copper wire throughout. No major wiring defects were detected. The hi-efficiency furnace was installed in The air conditioner is 20 years old and will require eventual upgrade. The supply plumbing is copper pipe. Water pressure is good. The waste plumbing is largely plastic pipe. Clay drains are present below the basement floor and under the front lawn. Water flows freely through all accessible drains. The en-suite bathroom has been renovated and has had electric radiant floor heating installed below the floor tiles. The interior drywall finishes are in good condition. The natural-gas burning fireplace is operable. The exterior walls are insulated with fiberglass. Upgraded insulation levels are present in the attic. The roof plywood sheathing boards appear to have been upgraded when the roof was last resurfaced. If there are any further questions with regards to the report or inspection, please call. NATIONAL HOME INSPECTION LTD. RICHARD J. GAUGHAN B.A. Sc. MECHANICAL ENGINEERING REGISTERED HOME INSPECTOR (R.H.I.) SINCE

3 National Home Inspection Ltd Woodbine Avenue Toronto, Ontario M4C 4C2 TEL: (416) October 18, 2018 INSPECTION REPORT PROPERTY: 4036 Sasha Court, Mississauga, Ontario Inspector: Richard Gaughan Client: Kathy Essery INTRODUCTION The following report is for use by the above client only. Recommendations by the inspector are located below each paragraph heading and have been identified as one of the following: P: priority repair/safety concern within the next 1 year. M: monitor. G: general recommendation/maintenance. - ESTIMATED AGE OF HOUSE: BUILDING TYPE: two storey detached - FRONT OF HOUSE FACES: east - UTILITIES STATUS: all on - SOIL CONDITIONS: wet - WEATHER: overcast - HOUSE OCCUPIED: yes - WATER SOURCE: public - SEWAGE DISPOSAL: public 3

4 STRUCTURE 1.01 Foundation: The foundation walls are constructed of poured concrete. From a structural standpoint, the foundations appear to be in good condition. The structural components in the basement (ie. foundation and flooring system) could not be properly examined due to the finished nature of the basement. M: a hairline crack is present in the south foundation wall. The crack it is not serious and is due to normal shrinkage in the concrete. These cracks are typically found in poured concrete foundations. Water stains are present around the crack. No active seepage was noted Water penetration: No water seepage was detected in the accessible areas of the basement. Most water problems are a result of non functioning eavestroughs, downspouts, or poor surface drainage. Ensure that the above do not allow water to pond beside the foundation Exterior walls: The exterior walls are structurally supported by a wood framed structure. The brickwork on all sides of the house is a veneer and it is not a structural support for the house Interior framing: All visible joists are sound and properly spaced. The joists in the basement are composed of 2" by 8" lumber. The steel I-beams in the basement provide adequate intermediate support for the floors and walls above. 4

5 1.06 Termites: No termite activity or damage was noted in wood members visible in the basement or those adjacent to the house. The immediate area in which the home is located does not have a history of termite activity Roof framing: The visible roof framing in the attic is intact with no evidence of structural problems. The attic was viewed from the hatch only. The visible sheathing boards in the roof framing are intact (sheathing boards appear to have been upgraded). GENERAL EXTERIOR 2.01 Surface drainage: The land should show a positive slope away from the house on all sides. This ensures good surface drainage and reduces the possibility of moisture problems in the basement. 2.03A Asphalt roofing shingles: Typically, this type of roofing material will last 20 years. The asphalt shingles on all sides are in good condition and were likely installed less than seven years ago. There is one layer of asphalt shingles present on all sides. 2.07A Brick Chimneys: The brick chimney at the southwest corner contains one flue and it services the fireplace. The brickwork, cap and flashings with regards to the chimney are intact. The fireplace flue is equipped with a continuous metal liner which is beneficial to prevent deterioration of the chimney and ensure a proper draft in the flue. 2.07B Metal chimneys: The metal flue at the rear services the water heater. The visible sections of the metal flue are intact Eavestroughs: Aluminum eavestroughs are present on all sides. The downspouts discharge into the sewer system and onto the surrounding land. G: the discharge from the eavestroughing system should ideally be directed onto the surrounding land. The downspouts should ideally be disconnected from the clay connections at grade and redirected onto the surrounding land, well away from the foundation so as to minimize the risk of basement seepage. 2.09A Masonry walls: The exterior walls on all sides are composed of brick masonry. The brickwork was found to be in good condition. 5

6 G: minor brick damage exists at the base of the front porch wall below the living room window. Patch with cement. 2.10A Exterior trim: The exterior window frames have been covered in aluminum trim in most locations to minimize deterioration and reduce maintenance. 2.10B Soffits & Fascia: The roof overhang on all sides (otherwise known as the eaves) is finished in aluminum. The eavestroughs are anchored to the fascia board. The underside of the eave is known as the soffit. The eaves are intact. G: a section of aluminum soffit on the north side of the garage roof overhang is bent upwards and could allow wildlife entry into the eaves. The gap should be eliminated. 6

7 2.11B Concrete porch: The front porch is in good structural condition Garage: The attached wood framed garage is functional. The roof shingles are watertight. The overhead garage door has been upgraded and is equipped with an automatic door opener. The reverse brake feature on the opener was tested and found to be functional. This is designed to prevent the door from closing and damaging your car or causing bodily injury. Proper fire protection is provided by the masonry wall finish. ELECTRICAL 3.01 Electrical service & panel: The home is equipped with an underground 120/240-volt, 100- amp service. The main distribution panel is located at the northeast corner of the basement. The size of the service is considered adequate for the electrical requirements of the house. The main distribution panel is rated at 125-amps. The panel rating is adequate for the existing service size. The electrical service is grounded to the supply plumbing Distribution wiring: The visible distribution wiring in the house is composed of copper wire. The wiring is modern grounded cable that is equipped with a grounding wire. This wiring allows for the use of three pronged outlets. There are two active 240-volt circuits and they are protected by circuit breakers. A list of the appliances and the breaker ratings is shown below. - dryer 30-amps - air conditioner 30-amps The above appliances have their circuits safely protected. The remaining breakers service the 120-volt circuits. These supply electricity to the outlets and light fixtures throughout the house. Each circuit should be protected by a 15-amp breaker. None of the 115-volt circuits are overfused Supply of outlets: The location of outlets in each room was verified. Overall, the supply of outlets was found to be adequate throughout the house. The kitchen is equipped with an adequate supply of outlets. 7

8 3.04 Operation of outlets & fixtures: Most of the outlets in the house were tested for continuity and grounding. The fixtures and switches were also checked for safe and proper operation. All outlets and light fixtures tested were found to be operable. G: ideally install a GFCI device on the kitchen counter outlets located within arms reach of the sink to minimize the risk of shock. P: all washroom outlets should be provided with a ground fault circuit interrupter (G.FI.) device to provide the required level of safety from electrical shock in this area of the house. Replacement of the outlets in all washrooms is recommended. (Approximate Cost: $150 to $200) 3.05 Exterior wiring: Grounded wire and exterior rated components are important safety features of the wiring system. All exterior outlets should be equipped with a ground fault circuit interrupter. P: the ground fault interrupter (G.F.I.) device on the exterior outlet at the rear is inoperable and should be replaced. (Approximate Cost: $50 to $75) Smoke Detectors: The house has been fitted with electrically connected and battery operated smoke detectors. The units should be changed every seven years. They were not tested. HEATING/COOLING 4.01M Type of system: The house is heated by a hi-efficiency, gas-fired forced air furnace. The exhaust is vented through a compliant plastic pipe on the north side of the house. The furnace was installed in The heat exchanger typically lasts years. The furnace was found to be operable. Having it inspected and cleaned annually will help maintain a high level of heating efficiency. The blower and its motor are operable. The fan limit control was found to be operable. The high level limit control was not tested. The PVC plastic exhaust flue pipe that vents the furnace to the exterior is intact. It should be inspected annually for moisture seepage at the joints. 8

9 4.02A Heat distribution: Supply air registers and return-air grates were inspected for operation and location. Supply-air registers are present and functional in all rooms. The location of return-air registers is sufficient. Radiant floor, electric heating elements have been installed in the ensuite washroom beneath the floor tiles. It is controlled by a wall mounted thermostat and was found to be operable. 4.03A Humidifier: These are used in colder weather to maintain a comfortable relative humidity throughout the house. A cascading type humidifier is located in the plenum above the furnace. 4.03B Air filter: A passive air filter should be kept in place beside the air-handler assembly in the furnace. It should be inspected at least every two months and replaced if dirty. 4.03D Central air conditioning: The air-cooled central air conditioning system was not tested due to cold weather conditions. It is an older system and was installed twenty years ago. The entire cooling system should be serviced annually to maximize its life. The unit has cooling capacity of approximately two tonnes. This appear adequate for this size of house. The condensate drain line is connected to the floor drain. M: due to its advanced age, replacement of the air conditioning system can be expected within the next 2-3 years. (Approximate Cost: $3,000 to $3,500) PLUMBING 5.01 Supply plumbing: The visible water distribution pipes throughout the house are made of copper. The main water shutoff valve is located on the north basement wall. The incoming water main is a modern 3/4 inch copper line. This diameter pipe typically provides good water flow to the upper levels of the house Flow rate: The flow rate on the top floor was observed when both the toilet was flushed and the shower or tub faucet was open. Pressure was deemed to be good on the upper level Waste piping: The waste drainage plumbing is made primarily of A.B.S. plastic. The clay drainage pipes beneath the basement floor and under the front lawn could not be examined and 9

10 their condition is not known. Water flow through all sinks and toilets is fine. A floor drain is present at the NW corner. The waste plumbing appears to be properly vented through the roof to the exterior. Due to the lack of access, it was not possible to determine whether all branch waste lines are connected and functional. The gas-fired hot water heater appears to be leased from a third party provider. Its capacity of 151 litres should be adequate for the number of bathrooms and kitchens in the house Plumbing fixtures: All faucets, toilets and shower diverters were tested to ensure that they were in working condition. The fixtures throughout the house are for the most part functional. The jacuzzi motor is operable. The bathtub tiles in the second floor washroom are intact. The tiled shower stall in the ensuite washroom is intact. G: the shower diverter (controls water flow to the shower head) in the second floor bathtub is seized and should be replaced (spigot only). The shower head in the en-suite shower stall may need to be de-calcified to allow for proper water flow. (Approximate Cost to replace spigot: $50 to $100) P: due to the age of the toilet in the middle second floor washroom, it should be replaced with more efficient unit. The toilet is slow to fill up and flushes poorly. INSULATION 6.01A Attic: There are about twelve inches of glass fiber insulation present in the attic. This amount of insulation corresponds to a thermal resistance value of R-32+. This is enough to minimize heat loss through the ceiling Venting: Adequate attic ventilation appears to have been provided and this should help keep the house cooler in the summer and alleviate condensation problems in the winter Exterior walls: The framed exterior walls are insulated with approximately three and one half inches of fiberglass insulation. This corresponds to a thermal resistance value of about R-12 and should provide adequate protection against heat loss. 10

11 G: insulation is recommended on the unfinished basement walls to reduce heating costs. (further investigation req'd to determine accurate cost) 6.06 Weatherstripping: Storm and thermalpane windows are present throughout the house. GENERAL INTERIOR 7.01 Walls & Ceilings: The walls and ceilings are finished in drywall and are in good condition Flooring: The flooring systems show no obvious structural defects. They felt secure throughout and are functional. The staircases in the house are sound. The door jambs are square throughout the house, allowing good closure of interior doors. The hardware on doors is functional Windows: The following is a list of window types and any noted deficiencies. The windows and related hardware were found to be intact and are functional. The windows in several locations are provided with thermalpane glass. + upgraded vinyl framed casement windows (front of house). + original horizontal double slider windows mounted in an aluminum frame. G: you may want to upgrade the original aluminum windows in future to reduce heating costs. 7.04F Fireplaces: A natural gas prefabricated fireplace has been installed in the family room. The fireplace was operated and found to be functioning properly. Annual servicing and cleaning is advisable to ensure safe operation Ventilation: Moisture produced from cooking, showering and normal body perspiration, often result in unhealthy humidity levels in the house. Externally vented exhaust fans are recommended in each bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen exhaust fan is operable. The exhaust is vented to the interior. Ideally, the exhaust should vent to the exterior. The bathroom exhaust fans are operable and appear to be properly vented to the exterior. The dryer on the main floor is properly vented to the exterior. The central vacuum system was tested and is operable. 11

12 SUMMARY The inspector s assessment of the overall condition of the building is based on a similar home of similar age and construction. The quality and quantity of upgrades, as well as anticipated repairs or upgrades as discussed in the report are factored into our assessment. OVERALL CONDITION: Generally good. No major defects. The following key areas will likely require attention within the next five years or less: - AIR CONDITIONER If there are any further questions with regards to the report or inspection, please call. 12