Use Age to Help Inspect a House

The ASHI Reporter is pleased to reprint the introduction to a series of articles that was published in the newsletter during the 1980s and 90s as Clackie’s Corner, a column written by recently deceased ASHI Charter Member Claxton Walker. The entire “Using Age to Help Inspect a House” series is available as an online bonus at www.ashireporter.org. We hope you enjoy remembering or becoming acquainted with a slice of ASHI’s professional heritage.

By Claxton Walker

INTRODUCTION

Houses, like people, develop different problems as they age. Knowing this, the wise buyer and his hired building inspector concentrate a bit more on certain areas.

In a new house, some items may have been missed in the final rush of construction. Some of the surprising ones include bath and kitchen fans that run but don’t vent as planned or where planned, untightened sink traps, and maladjusted door and window hardware. Less surprising are floor ducts with building trash in them, furnaces filters that have not been changed since the drywall was sanded, paint-stuck windows, and unpatched damage to walls from the last-minute rush to complete construction.

Check fundamentals
Of course, all fundamentals should be checked:

• Are the roof shingles all in place?
• Gutters sloped properly to adequate downspouts?
• Splash blocks to lead the roof water away?
• Soil at house walls sloped to carry surface water rapidly away?
• Ditto patios and slabs?
• Are walls plumb and rooflines level?
• Siding and trim undamaged?
• Foundation walls uncracked?
• Paint uniform?
• Are interior walls, ceilings, and floors in good shape?
• Does basement or crawlspace look dry?
• Fixtures all operate properly?
• Ditto heating, cooling, plumbing and electric systems?
• Are wells and septic systems functioning properly?

The list seems almost endless; it takes a trained home inspector about two to four hours to check through the average house, new or old.

Five-year-old house “time tested”
The five-year-old house has been “time tested” to a degree. The backfill around the house will have settled and may need building up.

• Patios, steps and walks may have settled unevenly.
• Exterior paint may be thin and caulking dried and shrunk.
• Untoward movement of foundations, walls, etc., should now be noticeable in the form of cracks outside and in.
• Poor work on exterior concrete and brick may now show as spalling or cracks.
• Major mechanical systems (heating, cooling, plumbing and electric) should still be in fine condition (assuming proper maintenance), but some of the cheaper appliances, such as garbage disposers, dishwashers, and laundry machines, may be ready to give trouble.

Fifteen-year-old house–budget for some replacements
In the fifteen-year-old house, original appliances are quite worn and it would be wise to budget for replacement or major repair soon.

Check out the heating and cooling systems carefully. The domestic water heater has probably already been replaced.

Twenty-five brings signs of middle-age
By twenty-five most roofs are in trouble or have already been replaced.

Some sagging, wrinkling and early signs of middle-age settlement may now be evident in the house.

In this age group (and the one above) we may find that the lighting and wall-receptacle wiring is aluminum; this could be a serious problem and requires the expert evaluation of your building inspector or a licensed electrician. (Don’t become anxious if the heavy circuits, such as the incoming service, the air conditioner, the electric stove or dryer are wired in aluminum; most of them are, and have not been considered dangerous.)

Fifty and beyond more signs of middle-age

• At fifty and beyond we may run into galvanized steel water piping.
• If original or generally quite old, plan on a hefty plumbing bill to replace them in one fell swoop or section by section over some years. Copper piping lasts much longer (except in a few places where well water is on the acid side).
• It is also now time to look for sandy mortar in brick joints especially if exposed to moisture as is exterior brickwork or brickwork on or near the ground.
• Middle-age sage and settlement is more noticeable now.
• Heating and electrical systems may be outdated or inadequate by today’s standards, and air conditioning, if any, has been retrofitted and should be checked carefully for performance.

Century-old house could contain surprises
As we get to 100 years, and beyond, we can run into many surprises, some quite interesting and challenging, and worthy of a separate article. Neglect may have taken a heavy toll. Aging can be beautiful, but only if great care has been taken, over the years.

NEW HOUSES

New houses are potentially the most difficult to analyze of all houses unless you were allowed progressive inspection. Problems have not yet manifested themselves and there has been no test of time. Much of the analysis is reduced to prediction. This house has never been occupied so the installation errors or omissions have not been found or corrected. As the inspector you have no symptoms to evaluate which give away the problem spots. It takes a good knowledge of codes and normal practices to judge the true integrity of the product. All fundamentals must be checked but typicall problems include those listed here.

Grounds
Prime lots are disappearing. More and more houses are built on marginal lots with inherent problems, such as over old creek or on fill, or poor percolation.

• Has the drainage swale system been developed adequately?
• Do you have slope immediately around the house adequate to shed water and toallow for backfill settlement?
• Has the ground been stabilized by plantings? (grass)
• Has all construction debris been removed, particularly at the lot edge? Make sure no debris is buried in the topsoil.
• Have the walks, driveways and patios been completed, cleaned and do they drain away from the house? Check the compaction of the backfill around stoops, patios and utility trenches.
• What damage has been done to existing trees? Make sure tree bases were not buried to accommodate grading needs.
  Has adequate room for growth been allowed for shrubs?

Structure
Remember building codes are developed to set minimum safe standards. Just because a house is not collapsing or falling apart does not mean it has been built to what your standards may be. Typical problems you should check for follow.

• Has the foundation wall been damaged during the backfill process? Now that backfill, grading and downspouting are complete, there should be no more penetration of water. Check particularly where water lines or other utility trenches meet the house. Unfortunately, walls may be damp from previous rains prior to grading, gutters and splash blocks.
• Are the foundation straps secured, joist hangers nailed, lally columns bolted?
• Have floor joists been damaged by plumbers, electricians, or heating contractors?
• Do bearing points line up from the basement on up? A common omission is solid blocking under door jacks at large openings such as between the dining and living rooms.
• Any trusses damaged during construction?
• Floor squeaks?
• Cracks in the basement slab should be noted and recorded for future movement.

Envelope – water shedding
You are mainly looking for completeness, but also the difficulties that may occur with the design.

• Is the guttering properly secured and sloped to catch all the roof water?
• Are there enough properly located downspouts to drain all the water without overflow?
• Are splashblocks in place and/or drains, if needed?
• Is painting and caulking complete? Typically missed areas are cornice boards, windows, doors and lintels.
• Are windows and doors flashed? Is siding secure and clean? (or brick)
• Are utility entrance holes filled?

Roof check will probably have to be done from the inside. Check around skylights and chimneys particularly.

All windows and doors should be checked for proper operation.

• How much attention to drip edging has been given? This detail is a good measure of the attention to detail that separates good from average construction.

Electric
Electric problems are usually minimal in new construction. Codes usually keep up with new demands and products. There aren’t as many variations allowed as there are in other trades. Typical problems you should look for are as follows:

• Is grounding of system complete and inclusive of plumbing?

Check all switches, lights and receptacles to be sure all function.

• Is the wiring complete at the panel?
• Have fixtures been damaged during construction?

Attic, basement or special request wiring may be incomplete.

• Is everything marked on the panel?

Look on the elctric panel for final inspection stickers for plumbing, electric and building.

Plumbing and baths
Plumbing problems tend to be minimal in new houses also. Problems to check for follow.

• Loose, unstrapped pipes particularly PVC drains that eventually sag when hot water flows through.
• Loose or unstrapped faucets at showers and tubs.
• Run all water and look for leaks and listen for hammer that may indicate loose pipes in the wall.
• Check all joints for leaks, particularly sink traps.
• Loose accessories.

Heating and cooling
Capacities – not uncommon for systems, especially heat pumps, to be undersized. Ducts often disconnected or left full of  construction debris. Accessories such as humidifiers, electric air cleaners and condensate pumps are often not in.

• Is the filter still dirty from construction?
• Is the a/c unit raised above grade and level?
• Are gas connections blue tagged?
• Is the thermostat location proper?

Also check insulation on ducts in unheated areas and for complete ducting of bath and kitchen fans.

Attics
The primary concern is proper ventilation and insulation. Insulation often clogs areas of ventilation.

• Make sure recessed lights are not covered by insulation.
• Insulation should be R-30 or 9” of fiberglass (depending on geographical location).
• Check here for damaged trusses.
• Check here for roof problems–roofing materials rarely leak on new houses—leaks occur at flashings. Check these areas carefully.

Finish
You are checking a new house, therefore you can have the privilege of being somewhat “picky,” but do not expect perfection. People often react to imperfections in drywall finish and paint. Don’t expect master craftsmanship in tract houses. Some imperfection must be tolerated even in the best houses. You should be more concerned with the following:

• Properly operating doors and windows.
• Good tile work and no damage to plumbing fixtures, mirrors, etc.
• Floors that do not squeak excessively.
• Check to be sure all walls are plumbs and floors are level. There are limits to the imperfections you must accept. Don’t wait until wallpaper is installed to discover how out of plumb the walls are.
• If cracking has appeared, make sure it is normal settlement or shrinkage, not weakness in bearing lines.
• Check all appliances. They often have never been tested.

Expect anything in a new house. You never know what cooperation existed between management and the subcontractors or between the subcontractors. On large projects, superintendents don’t have the time to oversee every detail and code enforcement officials are so overworked that they often rely on the reputation of the people involved.

On custom homes, the smaller builders, struggling to compete, often find themselves having to cut corners to stay within their estimates. You will normally find less major problems in tract houses for the simple reason that the house has been built several times before and inherent problems have been discovered and eliminated.

Custom homes tend to be more complicated and experimental which can lead to a host of problems from underestimating, plan glitches, product availability and overestimated abilities.

3-TO 7-YEAR OLD HOUSES

These can be prime years for a house because the initial problems—from construction—have usually been worked out, and yet none of the major components of the house should be demanding expense if they’ve been maintained. Some of the latent problems have now at least surfaced and there is a chance to analyze them. As you proceed through this age grouping, and all others, keep the previous age groupings in mind also. Many people don’t realize they have a problem so the problem doesn’t get fixed.

Typical problems for houses in this age group are described as follows.

Site

• Some sinking of the ground will have occurred at utility trenches and around the foundation. Misaligned splash blocks or overflowing gutters have created sinkholes around the house that may need to be filled. New topsoil will have to be brought in to fill these spots. It’s usually still a small job, but very important. Look carefully for basement water problems.
• Trees and shrubs that were planted too close to the house or walks initially will now need transplanting.
  Loose fill under walks and patios will have allowed settlement. It is particularly important to look for reverse sloping patios and for cavities underneath patios and front stoops.
• Front stops that were not on proper footings have pulled away from the house. Any concrete work that was laid on fill will be sinking.

Envelope

• Roofs should show no deterioration. If curling is developing (particularly just above the eaves) there is a lack of ventilation.

Other problems to look for are:

• Gutter nails— that originally missed the rafter ends—are pulling loose.
• Paint has probably faded and the caulking is cracked. First-time paint jobs tend not to last more than four or five years.
• Cheaper grade sidings have split and cupped.
• Where flashings were installed in a manner making them dependent on roof mastic, you should expect to have leaks beginning to develop as mastics dry out. This is particularly true around chimneys, skylights and plumbing boots.
• Economy grade trims, such as plywood panels on bay windows, rake and fascia boards with no drip edge, will be showing the beginning stages of rot.

Structure
If the house was built on poor ground, or footings and foundation walls had significant latent defects, it usually will be apparent by now. A readable history, however, may not have been established. Normal compression and shrinkage cracking, related to the framing, should be minimal by now.

• Continued cracking may be an indication of undersized framing, or misaligned or unsupported bearing points.
• Remember to check the alignment of doors on the upper floors to get a reading of the interior structural strength.

Electric
There should be no obsolescence. Your main concern should be nonprofessional wiring added to unfinished basements. You may also find “do-it-yourself” work in the attic or garage. Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) may be in failure.

Plumbing
There should be no significant plumbing problems yet. Bathrooms may need to be re-caulked, and there may be minor problems at faucets and drains. Toilets that weren’t mounted well during construction may have worked loose. Again, look out for the “do-it-yourselfer” in the basement.

Heating and cooling
Heating and cooling systems should be in their prime years as long as maintenance has been proper. People often believe that new is also maintenance free, particularly with heat pumps and air conditioning. After four years, it is almost a certainty that Freon systems have needed charging. A heat pump left low on Freon may fail in just five to ten years. Check filters, humidifiers, electric air cleaners, and the fan unit to try and determine the owner’s attention to maintenance.

Attic and interior finish
The only attic problem you should anticipate at this time (beyond the problems associated with a new house) is damage done to the insulation and ventilation by the homeowner in the process of creating storage, adding antennas, etc. People often mistakenly cover vents in the name of energy conservation.

• FRT plywood, if failure is to occur, will probably show signs of delamination, crushing, etc., by now.
• Damage to ceiling joists is often done by putting in pull-down stairs.
• The interior finish has usually been improved with upgrades such as wallpaper and custom coloring. This is a real plus as long as the décor suits the potential homebuyer. If not, don’t underestimate the cost of change. Re-wallpapering, carpeting and painting can be very costly even though it may be fun.

It is very common for the settling process to have caused doors to jam, or not to latch, and windows to be stuck.
Large cracks in the drywall are probably an indicator of undersized joist or other built-in weaknesses that should be traced through.
Your number one worry should be amateur finish work, particularly in the basement. This defect can take many forms, such as peeling wallpaper, improper electric, poorly built or ill-conceived decks, porches or other additions.

8- TO 15- YEAR OLD HOUSES

During these years, typical problems will be much the same as those found during the previous period, only now with more serious manifestations. Also, it’s time for the first round of expensive appliance repairs.

Site

• Backfilled areas may now have sunk up to 8” or more and wet basement problems start to develop, particularly at patios and stoops.
• Plantings may have outgrown their space and may be too large to transplant.
• Poorly built retaining walls are now beginning to show significant deterioration.
• Sidewalks and patios that were not built on compacted soil may now new removal and replacement.

Envelope
Lower grade roof materials, particularly those associated with flat or low-pitch roofs will wear out before 15 years.

• Look for damaged downspout ends and splash blocks that do not slope and direct water away from the house.
• Paint and caulk may now be in any condition and windows may be painted shut.
• In the places where good drip edge practices were ignored, rot will be developing along areas such as cornice lines, window sills and door and window trims.

Structure
The house now has enough history to get a good indication of its stability. Serious soil conditions will have manifested themselves and typically show up as failures in the basement walls. Marginal soil conditions may take longer to affect the foundation and trouble may only be triggered by losing control of the drainage patterns outside.

Weaknesses in the framing structure begin to have real aesthetic impact. Some sagging around stairs and bathroom walls is normal in houses built within the last 20 years. But if the house was built with proper attention to supporting the heavy points, there should not be any excessive cracking.

Electric
There should be no obsolescence other than fixtures outside.

• The same “do-it-yourselfer” warnings apply. There is a possibility of aluminum wiring, but this is generally characteristic of slightly older houses.
• The GFCI circuitry may be very limited or defective.

Plumbing
Two key items come due for replacement during this period.

1. Well pumps last about 10-12 years on the average depending on the type and the amount of grit in the water.
2. Water heater elements usually go after about eight years and tanks rust out after approximately 12-14 years.

• Deterioration of copper piping may be noticed on houses with wells and unbalanced ph.
• Improperly maintained bathroom tiles may now be loose from the wall with the associated damage elsewhere.
• Check the sump pump.

Heating and cooling

• Heat pumps will only last about 8-12 years, more with good maintenance, much less without.
• A/c units tent to last a little longer because they don’t run all year but are very suspect after 14 years. It is possible to replace just the compressor to make it last eight more years.
• Poorly maintained gas furnaces may wear out now. Humidifiers and electric air cleaners may be in any condition.

Attics and interior finish

• Style changes may necessitate changing walling and carpets will be worn out in this time frame.
• Kitchen appliances will start needing repairs. The dishwasher will be worn out, or hopefully, replaced.
• Disposals and laundry equipment will either be replaced or functionally obsolete.

15- TO 25- YEAR OLD HOUSES

This is a critical time period because there are many key components that must be replaced. All of the problems of previous ages from three years on up need to be checked, but the key items are:

• Common asphalt roofs rarely last longer than 20 years. Check closely for patching or other water signs.
• Gas furnaces have an average life of 18-20 years.
• A/c units that had compressors replaced 8-10 years ago are now due for complete replacement. This may also include the evaporator coil inside.
• The second dishwasher will be due for replacement as well as most of the other major kitchen appliances.
• The second well pump will be due for repair and acidic well water will be causing significant problems for copper pipe.
• Septic systems that have not been maintained will have failing leaching fields.
• Hardboard siding (masonite) will have delaminated or softened to where replacement will be needed. Aluminum siding will have lost its color and homeowners are now faced with a faded look, painting aluminum siding or replacing it.
• Galvanized gutters will be rusting badly on the inside and through in spots.

Aluminum wire requires special evaluation
Houses built between 1966 and 1976 may have had aluminum wire in the branch circuits. This needs special evaluation.

Problems or second prime?
Houses that  are 15-25 years old are very likely to have all or a combination of any of these problems. If not careful, the non-suspecting homebuyer can be hit with astring of large replacement expenses.

If cautious, the buyer can get a house with all or most of these items recently replaced. Houses 23-30 years old often are enjoying a second prime age with all the key components freshly installed.

Always try to determine—by  asking the occupants questions or observations of furniture wear, number of bikes, toys, etc.—what the occupancy of the house has been.

Look for extreme use and abuse of appliances. Fire, water and children—not in that order—are the main causes of house demise! A townhouse with a working couple, as compared to a four-bedroom two-and-a-half bath house with children and pets, have had many times the wear on appliances, air conditioners, etc.

HOUSES 30-YEARS-OLD AND UP

Up to this point, houses have been fairly predictable because of the standardization of building techniques and the predictable life expectancies of major components.

Statistics will prove the observations that the items discussed so far will occur around the time stated. But these are statistics based on normal use and maintenance. Sometimes things last longer or break down faster than expected.

Because of the variables in the statistics, the specific conditions of the shorter-lived items may be in any condition. It is still helpful to know, and use, the life expectancy of certain longer-lived components, and many other types of problems are predictable as well.

A knowledge of life expectancies is helpful, but you are now also being faced with increasing problems with functional obsolescence. Our tastes and perceived needs have changed drastically, and many houses have floors plans not suited to these changes.

Closet sizes, bath sizes, kitchen storage space, window sizes and styles, etc., may not be up to modern standards. But don’t let outdated floor plans or systems discourage you. They can be modernized.

In general, older houses have a structurally superior core and have a purer architectural style as well. A renovated older house will generally provide a superior home in the long run than any new house.

The electric capacity of houses built prior to World War II is probably not adequate for modern usage and a service upgrade may be needed. Houses built more than 40 years ago aren’t going to have the electrical distribution systems now considered standard. Houses built just 25-30 years ago aren’t going to have all the modern kitchen or bath circuitry.

Houses built prior to 1939 usually were plumbed with galvanized water piping. In 40 years, you will start seeing its deteriorations; in 50 years, substantial portions (horizontal pipes) will have been replaced or they will be leaking or the water volume will be drastically reduced.

Most pre-war houses were heated with hot water. Hot water heating that may be in good condition cannot have a/c added to them. It will cost many thousands of dollars to add central a/c. Retrofitted a/c systems often have distribution inadequacies and should be checked carefully. Boilers older than about 40 years are likely to be so inefficient that replacement may be warranted. Boiler systems older than 30 years may bery likely have been insulated with asbestos.

Forced air heating systems older than 30 years may have relied on low velocity, high volume duct systems which make air conditioning and add-ons difficult.

Important points of dererioration and obsolescence after 30 years include:

• Slate roofs – 40-100 years
• Metal roofs – 40+ years
• Asbestos cement roofs – 50 years
• Copper gutters – 30-50 years
• Brick and mortar joints start decaying naturally after 50 years.

After 75 years, some repair is a certainty. Deterioration will begin at the lowest and highest points around a building.

• Structural deterioration of the interior framework may be getting substantial due to rot, insects or structural creep.
• Windows older than 1960 will needs storms at least, or replacement if not repairable.
• Galvanized pipe – 40-60 years.
• Older wood floors may be sanded so many times that they can’t take additional sanding after about 50 years.
• Solid masonry houses built prior to the mid-30s were probably not furred out. The plaster is directly on the brick. Therefore, the house is cold and the plaster is easily subject to decay from exterior moisture.
• 1940 and 1950 saw the installment of metal casement windows. These are inferior windows, functionally and aesthetically, and usually warrant replacement
• Look for rotted porch posts, particularly under flat porticos and the side screen porches.
• Garages may be too small for modern big cars.
• Chimney caps will deteriorate after 30 years. You must check the condition of the liners and for the existence of liners.
• Cornice and eaves deteriorate from lack of gutter maintenance and from no drip edges.
• Underground roof water drains and areaway drains are subject to clogging and deterioration.
• Roof sag and wall spread is typical in wood frame houses.
• Masonry houses will spread at the middle joist line and may need star bolting.
• Houses built on steep grades will show signs of sliding.
• Sewer and water mains, which are largely uninspectable, may be in any condition.
• Roofs, particularly flat roofs with multiple layers, may have structural problems with extra weight.