MISTAKE ...     A pressurized water line     (the copper piping)  must be placed at least 30" away from the main electrical service panel,  especially with a coupling joint.  If this pipe were to get bumped hard or spring a leak the resulting mix of water spray and 240Volt electric could be deadly.  It is a code violation and potential fire and electrocution hazard.

  REMEDY: simple plumbing repair.

                    *****

MISTAKE ...   This crawl space had never been insulated, costing the homeowners extra utility expense and discomfort. The dryer vent is also discharging into the space providing moisture for molds, termites, wood rot, and carpenter ants. 

REMEDY:  install insulation and vent the dryer to the exterior .

                                       *****

MAINTENANCE ...This chimney was still sound but could be on its way out if some maintenance issues didn’t get addressed.  Moss is deteriorating the alkaline mortar due to organic acids.  The concrete washcap had been patched with a neoprene roof caulk which filled up some holes but didn't really protect the concrete . Also, the flue tile was open.  Birds like to stand on these tile in the winter because warm air (furnace gas) comes out.  They can pass out from the fumes,  fall into the chimney, and create odors and blockages, including carbon monoxide issues.  

REMEDY:  Remove moss and install a full aluminum cap with bird screen to preserve the chimney.

                                       *****

MAINTENANCE ...The shutoff under this sink had been leaking for some time and had created the perfect environment for mold.  This specimen was dark and slimy, fitting the description for Stachybotrys Chartarum,  one of the two more toxic mold species found in central Ohio. This was in an otherwise immaculate, upscsale home.

REMEDY: See our MOLD section.

                                         *****

MISTAKE ...   The furnace installer turned this condensate tube down into the floor drain.  In the winter this tube and drain can be dry for months and the water level in the trap can decrease due to evaporation.  This breaks the water seal in the drain, and the down turned tube can allow sewer gases to be distributed throughout the home via the heating system.

REMEDY:  Install a condensate trap. ( and pour a glass of water down the drain mid winter!).

                                       *****

MADNESS ...   The small white wire near the dirt is a circuit that was added to operate a yard lite.  The installer used an interior rated cable which will deteriorate from UV rays and temperature extremes.  Some wet day this deterioration will result in an electrical short with possibly dangerous consequences.

REMEDY: have a licensed electrician replace the wire with UF rated cable which is suitable for exterior  direct burial.

                                    *****