Barrie Home Inspection Defect Photo Gallery

Barrie Home Inspection Defect Gallery is a collection of the most common items found during home inspections.  From old century style homes to new construction you will be amazed at what problems exist in some homes.  Compare your own home to some of the deficiencies shown and you might decide to do some maintenance or make some repairs.

Choose Your Photo Gallery from List Below

Electrical Defect Pictures

The most common electrical defect found during a home inspection is “double tap” connection on a breaker.  Typically only one electrical cable is permitted to be connected to a breaker.  Another common problem is “Reversed Polarity”, which is when the Black ( hot wire ) and White( neutral wire ) are reversed.  On a typical circuit in a home when this happens every outlet down stream of “problem outlet” will also have reversed polarity.

Exterior Defect Pictures

One Exterior defect often found is brick veneer covered with landscape material or pavers have been added to front entrance and are now covering brick.  Todays building standards require that foundation extend 6 inches above grade.  If brick is allowed to absorb moisture it will spall fnish during freezing and thawing cycles of winter.

Roofing Defect Pictures

Roof shingles only last approximately 15 years since the switch to fiberglass from asphalt.  Some home owners will try and save money by installing a second layer of shingles over the existing shingles.  This is permissible in Ontario but it is just passing cost of removal and dump fees onto the new home owner.  Typically old flashings and aluminum valleys are reused even if in poor condition.  When purchasing a home this is not an example of “Pride of Ownership” that most buyers would like to see.

Heating Defect Pictures

Furnaces usually last about  20 years. This “Rule of Thumb” is based on the fact that was the length of warranty manufactures used to give on heat exchanger.  Rust and corrosion can cause your furnace to fail at any time.  Having your furnace serviced annually can  extend the life of your furnace.

Structural Defect Pictures

The most common structural defect found  during home inspections is the home owner drilling or notching floor joists.  When installing electrical cables you are not permitted to drill a hole within 2 inches of edge of joist.  You are never permitted to notch a floor joist.  If you accidently drill through the top cord of an engineered floor joist you will require an engineer or registered designer to provide a detail drawing of repair required.

Thermal Imaging Defect Pictures

Infrared Cameras can find missing insulation.   Although not a defect, many homes built in the late eighties and nineties do not have insulation installed on lower sections of basement walls.  The insulation was only required to extend 18 inches below grade.  New homes have insulation extending right down to floor.

Insulation Defect Pictures

Missing Insulation at rim joist area of basements.  Almost all homes will have insulation and vapour barrier pulled down where gas lines, a/c lines and sump pump discharge exits the home.  Insulation should be fitted for size of opening and 6 mm poly stapled or taped over insulation.  Vapour barrier protects your insulation by stopping any moisture from moving through into rim joist insulation where it will turn into  condensation when it meets the “Dew Point”, part way through the insulation.

WETT Inspection Defect Pictures

WETT Certified Inspections are required to ensure compliance with Ontario Building Code, Fire Code and CSA B365.  Most older wood stoves do not meet the CSA B365 requirements for distance to combustible products.  ( Combustible products are defined as any item not Tested and Certified as Non-Combustible )  An un-certified wood stove requires a minimum of 48 inches clearance on all sides from any  combustible product.