No house is perfect. Even the best built and best maintained homes will always have a few items in less than perfect condition. Below are some of the items we commonly find during our preliminary moisture intrusion inspections:

Roofing The most common roofing defect is a missing kickout flashing at the base of roof/wall intersections. Water often easily breaches the cladding at the edge of the fascia.  The vertical stains under a roof/wall intersection indicate that water is streaming down the wall, where it can saturate the cladding or enter at any vulnerable area below.  Since wood-framed chimney chases often intersect a roofline, it is common to find damage below these points.

Ceiling stains Ceiling stains can be caused by past leaks, current leaks, plumbing leaks, condensation, or ice dams.  Ceiling stains are very common. It can be difficult to tell visually whether the stains are from leaks still present, or were caused by leaks which have since been repaired.  In some cases, the ceiling stain can appear several feet away from the area of leakage or water entry.  There are diagnostic instruments for detecting moisture and temperature that can determine if the stained area has an elevated moisture level.

Rotted wood Caused by being wet for extended periods of time, most commonly found in the sheathing and framing of the walls.  There can be serious moisture intrusion, and rotted wood within a wall that does not provide any visual indication at either the interior or exterior.

Deteriorated doors, windows or sashes - It is not unusual to find windows or sashes that need to be replaced within the first ten years.  The popular home designs of the 1990s created complex roof layouts that tend to funnel water into valleys and/or along roof lines and discharge it from the roof in large streams.  Often times, there is a window or door that is directly in line with this discharge or is subject to splashback as the discharge pours onto a patio, sidewalk, or deck.  Another issue is related to original installation.  The performance and life of the unit can be adversely affected by installation techniques.  There also documented design and/or manufacturing issues that are under warranty from this time period. 

Heat recovery ventilators We find that many home owners do not understand the operation or purpose of their heat recovery ventilator.  In some instances, they are not aware that they require maintenance (i.e. - filter replacement or cleaning).  It is not unusual to find clogged filters or exterior grilles that need to be cleaned.   In rare cases, we have found improper installation.     

Construction deficiencies and Building Code Violations Many homes constructed during the 1990s have construction deficiecies and building code violations that make these homes prone to moisture intrusion, structual deterioration, and mold.  The deficiencies and code violations are often not reported in a home inspection since they require invasive testing which is beyond the scope of most home inspections.  They commonly involve installation, flashing, and caulking of doors, windows, decks, and roof/wall intersections and application of weather resistive barriers.  This problem is often targeted at stucco homes but is not specific to stucco.  It has been identified with all types of cladding including stucco, brick, stone, hardboard siding, panel siding, cedar, steel, and vinyl.