What are the 5 most common defects found during a Florida home inspection?

Common defects your new home is most likely to have

The number one most common defect found during home inspections:

Probably the most common defect we find during homes inspections in the Pinellas county area are rotted exterior wood trim such as fascia

boards, window trim, door jams etc.  Because of the amount of rain we receive annually,  here in Florida,  (about 59 inches per year, wood that is not properly protected by primer and paint or is not clad in aluminum or vinyl will, over time,  will develop rot.
The photo below shows the end of an exposed rafter that even though it was painted, it still rotted

The number two most common defect found during home inspections

The number two most common defect that I see during home inspections in west central Florida is roof failure.  Roofing material here in Florida takes a beating from the constant sun, heavy rains and windy condition.  Because roof replacement is a major investment, sellers

tend to hold off on the replacement and will even put the home on the market without replacing the roof.   Inspectors should, if at all possible travers the roof to do a detailed inspection.  If the roof slope is high  and to dangerous to travers, then technologies such as aerial photography using a drone can be used to get high quality, detailed photos of the roof.

The number three most common defect found during home inspections:

Electrical concerns such as ungrounded outlets, double tapped breaker, this is where 2 circuits share one breaker,  Each circuit should be

supplied by it own breaker, dangerous aluminum wiring and dangerous electrical boxes known for causing fires, such as the Zinsco and Sylvania brand  electrical boxes are just some of the electrical defects we find. See more on electrical defects.

The number four most common defect found during home inspections:

Heating and air conditioning systems that are past their useful life span.  An AC unit in Florida can last up to 20 years but a unit on the beach which is exposed to salt water air may only last 10 years.  Maintenance or lack of maintenance of the systems also effects the life span.  These systems should be check thoroughly by the home inspector.  One test (among others) that should be run is  a temperature differential test.  This measure the air going into the system and the air coming out.  The difference in those temperatures should be Approximately 12 to 16 degrees.

The number five most common defect found during home inspections:

Be very careful of homes where deferred maintenance is clearly evident; if a home has been poorly maintained there could be problems that you don’t see because they have not fully manifested them self’s yet but they are waiting just under the surface for a new home owner like you.   In Florida, with our harsh sun and heavy rains, the exterior of the homes take a beating.  If it looks unmaintained on the surface, think what could be going on below the surface.

About the writer:

Shawn DuBois

has 20 years experience as a General Contractor and Home Inspector.  He is a leader in home inspections in the Clearwater , Tampa and St. Petersburgs areas.  Shawn owns and operates Pinellas Windows and Doors,  PinellasWindowsandDoors.com and Advanced Home Inspections of Florida,  AdvancedHomeInspectionfl.com.  You can contact Shawn at 727-417-4432.