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Roof Coverings

Buyers are finding out that composition roofs 15 years old or older may not be insurable through their insurance company. This happens more times than not. There's not really a 20 or a 30-year composition shingle roof in the Gulf Coast.

There is no roof certification in Texas from a roofing contractor. Roof contractors are not licensed or regulated. The only roof certification in Texas is in first-tier coastal counties for new construction or replacement roofs through a Texas Dept. of Insurance approved windstorm engineer. If you have an alledged  roof certification from a roofing contractor then it should be suspect unless a monetary bond is posted with the certification for the replacement cost of the roof. One agent in the area has used a roof contractor to "certify" roofs that clearly need replacement. These are not worth the paper they are written on.

If you bought a home with composition shingles over the original cedar shingles then good luck as that is the only thing you will get. Plus, there has never been a roof structure braced to support the new added loads of the heavier plywood and composition shingles where the cedar shingles were taken off and plywood and composition shingles laid. All you have is a composition roof without the required structural roof bracing. There is no way you can replace a cedar shingle roof without significant roof bracing added.


Electrical

Federal Pacific electrical panel boxes (aka: FPE) with the red-tipped breakers should be replaced. These are considered a latent safety hazard. One buyer reported that their insurance company will not offer insurance until the panel is replaced. The professional inspectors will always alert you to the safety hazards. FPE panels can be a latent fire hazard. A great example is a store in my town. The FPE breakers are sparking and arcing with the power bus bar pitted out. They are forced to replace them. Any competent electrician will tell you to replace a FPE panel box.

Zinsco electric panels should be replaced. You can't find a replacement breaker and if you do it can cost as much as a panel change-out anyway.

Aluminum wiring. "Pig-tailing" is not an approved method of repair. Homes with aluminum wiring are 55 times more likely to burn according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. You cannot "pig-tail" aluminum wiring and make it safe. It should be replaced or repaired using the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission approved crimped method only. Fewer electricians are doing the crimp method due to the cost of equipment, training and liability insurance. The cost of crimping can be close to re-wiring anyway due to the liability and these guys just don't want it anymore. If you buy a home with aluminum wiring you are recommended to replace it. After Jan. 1. 2002, all electrical repairs or replacements are required to be brought up to the current National Electric Code standard. Two-story homes or homes without attic space are doubtful to re-wire without great expense.

Sub-Panels: Most inspectors (including some cities) do not know how to inspect a sub-panel. Within a sub-panel the neutral cannot be bonded to the ground as well as some other things. If these are bonded together you can have a potential shock hazard as well as a shortening of the life of electronics, appliances and other components that contain a circuit board.


HVAC

Air-conditioning units over 8 -10 years old should be suspect. Replacements after Jan. 2006 have to be to the new federal law minimum standard of a 13 SEER rating. This means you could be faced with a whole system change-out including the ducts since the whole system should comply with the 13 SEER minimum standard.


Grading & Drainage

Inadequate grading, trees and heavy shrubbery near foundations can cause foundation failures. Look for a positive slope away from the foundation in order to avoid ponding water near the foundation or soil saturation. Bad drainage is a good way to exacerbate foundation problems.

Swimming Pools

Swimming pools within 10 feet of foundations may effect the foundation as all pools leak or leach water through the gunite walls to affect the load-bearing soils. A Univ. of Missouri study show this. If you have a swimming pool within 10 feet of a foundation and you have foundation issues you can't blame the builder.

If you buy a home with a swimming pool that has a diving board then you will generally be in for a big surprise from your insurance company unless you remove the diving board.

Other:

Older homes with concrete tile, cast iron  or terra cotta main building drains these should be inspected with a video camera by a plumber and hydrostatically pressure-checked. These older main drain systems can be in the thousands of dollars to replace.

Galvanized plumbing water lines should be budgeted for replacement if they are present. This type pipe may last 20-30 years before it rusts out or becomes clogged requiring its replacement.

Buy a brick clad home. Stucco and faux rock exterior claddings can be problematic and leak ..............there's hundreds more so take the time to do your own due diligence to protect yourself.

Buying a home is a permanent purchase, you can't take it back and return it.


 

Photo Pages
coming

Here's a typical photo of 2x4's nailed through the roof by the roofer and used for footing. He's supposed to use the "under the shingle straps". Anyway, when these boards are removed the holes through the roof remain to cause water infiltration to the roof decking and attic.

Very few panels are wired properly. Improper wiring of sub-panels can decrease appliance and circuit board lives and cause a potential shock hazard were neutral is bonded to ground.

General Problems, Safety Hazards Sites/Information
 

Huge Source of Information

Tree Law : Who is responsible when your tree falls? (coming soon)

Electrical Problems

Aluminum Wiring

Federal Pacific Electrical Breakers [FPE]
Report by the US CPSC and others

Swimming Pool Safety and Regulations
Safety Barriers for Pools


Hardboard/Particleboard Siding Litigation

National Recalls by the Consumer Product Safety Commision