This video is a compilation of real defects I have found in Arizona homes. Some are small, some are serious and some are just funny. What they have in common is that the buyer would not have known about them without an inspection. Here they are by category.
Leaks, leaks and more leaks
Plumbing leaks were the biggest category by far:
- A shower valve leaking behind the trim plate into the wall, and another spraying out of the handle.
- Kitchen and bathroom sink leaks: a rotted sink base, a P-trap slip joint, a drain stopper connection and a faucet stem.
- A leaking air admittance valve at a kitchen sink.
- A toilet tank leaking onto the floor, and a whirlpool tub pump leaking at a joint.
- An open gap at a tub spout letting water behind the tile.
- A shower pan with no slope, so water just sat on the tile.
- Unsealed grout soaking up water.
Safety hazards
- A garbage disposal drain leaking directly onto live electrical wiring under the sink. That one is a shock and fire hazard.
- A furnace or water heater flue leaking into the attic, with water evaporating in the open flue. Flue gases belong outside.
- Black growth on the drywall inside a water heater closet.
Roof leaks and water damage
- A roof leak that stained the ceiling and cracked the drywall around a window.
- Water getting behind the stucco along a tile roofline.
- A rooftop AC condensate line leaking into the attic.
- Water and termite damage destroying eave framing.
Foundation and drainage
- Doors that swing open on their own and a vertical crack through the stem wall, both signs of foundation movement.
- Tiles tenting up off the floor in a hallway.
- Overwatering and poor grading ponding water against the foundation.
- A downspout dumping water across the front entry.
HVAC, appliances and the odd stuff
- A dirty condenser coil, a noisy condenser fan motor and AC lines vibrating inside a wall.
- Sediment popping in a water heater, a dishwasher with a failing pump, a toilet that would not flush and low water flow at faucets.
- An irrigation controller box pulled off the wall, stretching its wires.
- Indoor ceiling fan blades on a patio fan, warped by the heat.
- A light fixture so close to a cabinet door that the door nearly hit it.
Pools
Arizona pools add a whole list: leaking PVC fittings, a leaking backwash valve and filter bulkhead, a pump with a screeching bearing, a sand filter with broken laterals and low sand, low water, low chlorine output, a missing aerator nozzle, an in-floor cleaning system pulling in air and a water feature overspraying onto the deck. See what I check on a home with a pool and spa.
Find the problems before you buy
Every one of these was found during a regular home inspection. We are based in Gilbert and inspect homes across the Valley, including Mesa, Chandler, Phoenix and Scottsdale. Every home inspection includes a termite (WDO) inspection at no extra charge, plus a 1-year termite warranty through Firehouse Pest Control in Gilbert if no active termites are found. Want the full picture? Watch a full Arizona home inspection walkthrough.
Buying a home? Book your inspection online or call 623-399-0079.
Property Inspections Plus is a Gilbert, AZ home inspection company led by Certified Master Inspector Dan Pierce. We inspect homes across the East Valley, the Phoenix metro and the rest of Arizona. See all of our service areas.
