Roof replacement or repair?
Roof replacement or repair Some older house roofs in South Africa need replacement rather than repair. A home inspection will help identify if roof replacement or roof maintenance is the best option. Much of South Africa’s housing stock is in the older suburbs, which were established before or soon after the Second World War. These […]
Bad mortar work on roof capping causes roof leaks
One of the most common problems found by HouseCheck inspectors when checking roofs with concrete tiles is badly installed ridge capping tiles. This common defect is often difficult for the layman to spot from the ground – all the more reason for cautious home buyers to invest in a professional home inspection. Unless attended to, […]
Builders sometimes cut corners with tiled roofs
HouseCheck home inspectors find that builders sometimes try to cut corners by neglecting the required mechanical fixing of sections of tiled roofs. The result can be loose tiles, which can be sucked or blown out of position, thereby posing a danger to people below and also making it fairly certain that rain water will penetrate […]
Home inspection is a good career choice
Home inspection is an exciting new career choice which is fast opening up for South Africans. This process could now be accelerated and between 2 000 and 6 000 jobs for home inspectors may be created if home inspection became mandatory in South Africa, as recommended by Berry Everitt, MD of Chas Everitt. John Graham CEO of […]
Poor drainage causes huge problems
HouseCheck home inspectors frequently encounter poor ground water management when inspecting houses. This includes bad management of rain water from the roof and also incorrect ground levels and grading of the property. Gerrie van Niekerk, Operations Director of HouseCheck points out that erf grading and drainage can have a significant negative impact on the building […]
Water-damaged safety glass
Safety glass, which is used in larger windows and in sliding doors in South African houses, can be permanently damaged by water, if the seals around the glass pane are defective. HouseCheck home inspectors often encounter this problem, which home buyers or sellers may think is simply dirt on the glass, or badly applied varnish […]
How valid is your electrical CoC?
One of the most common complaints heard by HouseCheck inspectors is that the electrical compliance certificate issued at the time of transfer “is not worth the paper it is written on”. John Graham, CEO of HouseCheck explains that after 1994 the Department of Labour introduced sweeping internal management changes, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of […]
HouseCheck uses moisture meters to diagnose damp
Moisture meters are an important tool in the HouseCheck inspector’s kit. During a recent inspection one of our inspectors observed that rain water was penetrating through the opening between the meter box and the plastered wall and had run down the conduit, causing the plug that was located on the opposite side of the wall […]
Damp damage on back of shower wall
Damp damage on the opposite side of a wall which encloses a shower is usually the result of a sealing or plumbing problem in the shower. Common areas of water ingress from the shower are a leaking pipe or drain, a problem behind the bezel (shower tap cover) or poor grouting or sealing of the […]
Moisture damaged safety glass
The safety glass glazing in the window shown has delaminated in places. This is caused by water ingress between the two laminated glass sheets. An examination of the rubber and aluminum beading of this windows showed that this area requires sealing with silicone. Because of the cost factor it was not recommended that the damaged […]