Test Your Home Inspection Knowledge With Another Round of “What’s Wrong With This Picture?”

If you’ve been following Upon Closer Inspection for awhile, you know we like to test your knowledge occasionally with a round of “What’s Wrong With This Picture?” See if you can guess the home inspection deficiency just by looking at the following photos!

What’s Going On With This Pergola Frame?

Good question. They either put it together wrong or decided they wanted a few extra inches, but either way, those metal brackets are not safe supports for the extensions.

Do You Know What’s Wrong With This Roof?

If you guessed that there should be something between the shingles and the plywood, you’re right! That layer is called underlayment, and there should be at least one layer of it. Roofers use either synthetic or felt underlayment with asphalt shingles as added insulation and protection for both the shingles and the decking.

Do You Know Why This is Dangerous?

Obviously the flue is disconnected, but do you know why that’s bad? Gas appliances like your water heater put off exhaust fumes – i.e. carbon dioxide – which is carried away from your breathing space by the flue pipe. If it’s disconnected, it’s getting into your air. In this particular closet, it’s leaking directly into a return vent. The inspector commented, “I’m not sure how the people sleeping upstairs survived.”

What Is This A Sign Of?

If you guessed termites, you’re correct! That is a termite tube, the dirt tunnels termite build to travel from the ground to your house. If you see these tubes, your need to call an exterminator, stat!

How did you do? If you enjoyed these pictures, you can try your hand at previous rounds of “What’s Wrong With This Picture” here, here, or here. And if you or someone you know needs a home inspection, you know who to call!