At first glance, this home looks pretty typical. Once we dug in, it had a long list of overlooked items that could cost a future buyer. None of them are dramatic on their own. Together, they’re exactly why you get an inspection.
What I found
- Pool fence gap: a gap that doesn’t meet code. That’s a child safety hazard.
- Gutters: routed straight onto the shingles instead of into downspouts, which wears out the roof sheathing over time.
- Garage door power: the opener is on a GFCI outlet that won’t reset. Once it tripped, I had to lower the door by hand.
- A hot bedroom: my thermal camera found missing attic insulation and an old swamp cooler vent that was never removed or sealed. No need for more ductwork, just insulate and seal it.
- A loose kitchen island, not attached to the floor at all.
- A sticky toilet flapper that keeps the water running.
- A kitchen vent to nowhere: it looks like a proper ducted hood, but nobody connected it to the outside, so it just blows air back into the house.
- A cracking retaining wall, likely from overwatered plants saturating the soil behind it.
The sewer scan
There were no visible cleanouts, so I scoped the line through a roof vent. The ABS pipe looked good. Around 82 to 87 feet, the line changes to clay, which appears to be where it ties into the city main. No cracks or offsets, but I still recommended hydro-jetting and finding the buried cleanouts so the line can be serviced easily in the future.
Why the sewer line belongs in your inspection
A standard home inspection looks at the drains you can see. The pipe running under the slab and out to the street is a different story, and it’s one of the most expensive things to repair. A sewer camera inspection is the only way to see it. It’s not about nitpicking. It’s about knowing what you’re walking into.
Watch the inspection
See every finding in the video above, or watch it on YouTube. 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.
