There are a few problems in this picture. 

Older galvanized water supply pipes can have issues.  Many home buyers around New Orleans are not aware of this or have ever heard of galvanized pipes.  These water pipes are always older and they have a lifespan.  When I see a 100 year old home with these pipes, I can expect that they are at…

Wood rot on the floor sheathing isn’t hard to spot.  Pictured you can see all the water staining around the lead to cast iron pipe coming from the toilet.  It’s extensive.  You can see different levels of floor sheathing that was installed over the years, which is an indication that some of the wood is…

The featured image shows a beam wedged in under a sill to support it. Unfortunately, it’s not proper and won’t do much at supporting the original sill.  So, I was confused as to why the supporting beam was put in at all.  There was somewhat of a long run on the main support sill, so…

Notice the plastic bubble wrap type of insulation applied to the underside of the joists in the crawl space.  This will trap humid air between the joists throughout the summer.  As air conditioning is used, it lowers the temperature of the floor to dew point and therefore dew forms on the wood.  Wet wood will…

Pictured you’ll see my screw driver stabbed into closed cell spray foam applied to the underside of the floor sheathing in a crawl space in New Orleans.  I always check to see if the foam was sprayed on correctly.  There should be at least 1.5 inches of closed cell to have a proper thermal break…

You can find lots of different numbers on the lifespan of a cast iron drainage pipe, but I can say that at 80 to 100 years of age, the pipe needs to be replaced if a couple things add up. This type of pipe is commonly rusted. But “very rusted” is something more substantial. When…

Several piers under this Metairie home were constructed with the wrong side up.  You should not see the holes placed on their side.  They should be aligned up and down to add more strength and support.  Placed on their side, these piers are structurally weak and may crack over time.  It is also best practice…

The pipe is sloping down! What could be the problem? This pipe may end up performing ok but there could be issues. Lets just ignore the codes and proper drop per foot. Home inspection, by definition is not technically exhaustive and we don’t report on code in our reports in Louisiana. It’s the law. So…

Do you see anything wrong with this picture in a New Orleans crawl space? There is no light shining through the sides. So there is no ventilation at all on the front half under the home. This can cause a buildup of mold. It is South Louisiana, right, we have high humidity. Fortunately, the back…