Questionable structural supports, scary wiring, explosives in the attic, and more sketchy building practices found by the home inspectors in The ASHI Reporter.
"I'm guessing that a beer bottle is not an approved duct-support system. This may show my age, but it looks like (from the bottle) that this was done on a weekend—the old commercial did say, 'weekends are made for Michelob.'"
Tim Hemm
Tim Hemm Inspections
Yucaipa, Calif.
"I always recommend Guinness kegs for girder support, as I assume that 'Tastes great, less filling' means Miller Lite kegs are not as strong."
Robert Galster
Pillar to Post/Cape May County
Woodbine, NJ
"I found an illegal firework next to a flying splice (a spliced wire not in a box, which is itself a fire hazard)."
Kevin Robinson
KR Home Inspection
Pacific Grove, Calif.
"I guess someone was sneaking cigarettes and figured he or she would hide the butts somewhere where nobody would find them—like inside the electrical panel, where a fire could damage the whole house's system."
Tim Quinn
Pillar to Post – Pittsburgh
Monroeville, Pa.
"Recipe for disaster: Start with a vacation rental, add 2 margaritas, a bit of dark nighttime and a hot tub on a cantilevered and rail-free deck—seemingly built without adult supervision. Expect the hospital stay to be, oh, about 2 years."
Jason Gingery
View Point Inspections
Santa Cruz, Calif.
"Look around those attics. You never know what you'll find. This WWII mortar shell was not marked 'inert,' so it was suspected live. The fire department was called, who called military specialists to remove it. It was found to be a dud, but the neighborhood was snarled for several hours."
John Dirks Jr.
Arundel Home Inspection, LLC
Severna Park, Md.
"Excuse me, sir. Why do you have a box of explosives in your crawl space? And why is there a wire attached to it? Never mind, I'll be leaving now."
Dan Chapleski
True North Inspection Services
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho