A horizontal crack is the most serious crack type because it indicates lateral pressure — the soil outside is pushing the wall inward. This is structural, not cosmetic. Vertical cracks are usually settling and often manageable. Stair-step cracks in brick or block follow mortar joints and indicate differential settling. Horizontal cracks require a structural engineer's evaluation and typically run $4,000–$15,000 to repair depending on the remediation method (carbon fiber straps vs. full wall replacement).

Sometimes, yes. Small hairline cracks under 1/8" that are stable, dry, and not accompanied by other symptoms (sticking doors, sloping floors, gaps at ceiling lines) are often benign settling. But "just settling" is also the most common deflection sellers use when they don't want to address a real problem. I document every crack with photos, measurements, and a moisture reading. If the crack is wider at the top than the bottom, the foundation is still moving. That's not settled — that's active.

Pier-and-beam foundations are elevated on wooden or concrete piers with a crawlspace beneath. They're common in older Texas homes and give you access to plumbing and structure — which is both an advantage (easier repairs) and a liability (more exposure to moisture, wood rot, and pest intrusion). Slab foundations are poured concrete directly on the ground. Slab problems are often more expensive to repair because you're cutting through the floor to reach anything beneath it. Neither is inherently worse — both require a thorough inspection.

Very common, very fixable, and very important. Negative drainage means the ground around the foundation slopes toward the house instead of away from it. Over time, this directs water against the foundation during every rain event. The repair is usually re-grading the soil — a landscaper or foundation company can do it for $500–$2,000. Left alone for years, it contributes to hydrostatic pressure, foundation cracks, and crawlspace moisture. It's the kind of thing that costs $600 to fix now or $12,000 to fix after it's done its damage.

Yes, and this is where having a detailed inspection report pays off directly. When I document the crack type, dimensions, location, and severity with photos and a written assessment, you have a negotiating document. You can request a seller credit, a price reduction, or require the seller to complete repairs before closing using a licensed foundation contractor. Some buyers ask for a structural engineer's report at seller's expense before proceeding. The report is your leverage.

I walk the roof when slope and condition permit. I'm looking at shingle condition (granule loss, curling, cracking, missing tabs), flashing around chimneys, skylights, and roof-wall intersections, pipe boot seals, ridge cap condition, and ventilation (ridge vents, soffit vents, powered attic ventilators). I also inspect the attic from inside — looking for daylight penetration, moisture staining on sheathing, and improper ventilation that accelerates shingle deterioration. A roof can look acceptable from the street and still have 3 years of life left.

Not necessarily. I verify installation quality, not just age. Common issues on replaced roofs include: improper flashing installation, re-roofing over existing layers (some jurisdictions limit this to two layers), mismatched shingle types, and poor ventilation that will shorten the new roof's lifespan. I've inspected homes with "new" roofs that had active leaks because the flashing was installed wrong. A 2019 roof with bad flashing is already leaking into your attic — you just haven't found the stain yet.

Flashing is the metal (usually galvanized steel or aluminum) that seals roof penetrations and transitions — where the roof meets a chimney, dormer, wall, or vent stack. It's the most common point of water infiltration because it requires proper installation technique, not just material cost. Roofers who cut corners skip step flashing in favor of caulk. Caulk lasts 5–7 years. Once it cracks, water enters the wall cavity and you have rot and mold before you see a stain on the ceiling. I check every flashing point with binoculars and from the attic interior.

Attic ventilation is a balanced system — air enters through soffit vents at the eaves and exits through ridge or gable vents at the peak. When this balance is off (blocked soffits, wrong vent types mixed together, powered fans creating negative pressure), moisture accumulates in the attic. That moisture causes sheathing to delaminate, rafters to rot, and insulation to lose its R-value. It also drives up cooling costs because a 150°F attic in August radiates heat into your living space. Fixing ventilation is relatively inexpensive — $400–$1,500 — but ignoring it degrades the entire roof system.

A double-tap is when two wires are connected to a single breaker terminal that's only rated for one. It's one of the most common findings I document. The problem is that the breaker can't reliably protect both circuits — if one circuit draws too much current, the breaker may not trip when it should. This is a fire hazard. The fix is usually simple: add a tandem breaker or a sub-panel circuit. Cost: $100–$300. But it needs to be done by a licensed electrician, and it needs to be done.

You shouldn't walk away, but you should negotiate. Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) Stab-Lok panels and Zinsco/Sylvania panels have documented histories of breaker failure — they may not trip during an overload, which means the wiring overheats and the house burns. These aren't recalled (the companies are defunct), but they're widely considered a safety liability. Replacement runs $1,500–$3,500 depending on service size. I recommend requesting a credit or requiring replacement before closing. Insurance companies are increasingly refusing to write policies on homes with these panels.

A three-prong outlet has a hot, a neutral, and a ground wire. Grounded outlets provide a safe path for fault current to dissipate without traveling through you. Homes built before 1962 were often wired with two-conductor cable — no ground wire. Sellers sometimes install three-prong outlets on two-wire circuits, which looks correct but provides no actual ground protection. I test every outlet with a receptacle tester. Ungrounded outlets aren't a code violation in existing construction, but they're a hazard for electronics and a liability for modern appliances.

GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets are required in any location where water and electricity could intersect: bathrooms, kitchens within 6 feet of a sink, garages, exterior outlets, crawlspaces, and unfinished basements. They're designed to trip in 1/40th of a second when they detect a ground fault — fast enough to prevent electrocution. Missing GFCIs are one of the most common deficiencies I document, and they're also one of the cheapest to fix: $15–$25 per outlet in materials, an hour of labor. No reason not to have them.

Polybutylene (PB) pipe — gray plastic piping used from the 1970s through the mid-1990s — has a history of premature failure. The pipe reacts with chlorine in municipal water supplies over time, becoming brittle and prone to cracking, often at fittings. There was a class action settlement in the 1990s but the window has long closed. If a home has PB pipe, you're looking at eventual replacement — either proactively now ($4,000–$10,000 depending on home size) or reactively after a burst pipe floods your living room. I flag every PB system I find.

A water heater's useful life is 8–12 years for a tank unit. When I flag end-of-life, I'm usually seeing a unit over 10 years old, often with rust at the anode rod, sediment buildup visible at the drain valve, or a pressure relief valve that's been weeping. A failed water heater can release 40–80 gallons onto your floor in minutes. The cost to replace is $900–$1,800 installed. I flag it not to alarm you but because it's a predictable, near-term expense you should budget for — ideally using a seller credit at closing.

A sewer scope is a camera inspection of the sewer lateral — the underground pipe that runs from your house to the municipal main or septic system. I can't see this pipe in a standard inspection. Sewer lines fail from root intrusion (common with older cast iron or clay tile), offset joints from soil movement, and corrosion. A sewer scope costs $150–$250 as an add-on and takes 30 minutes. I recommend it on every home over 20 years old, on any home with large trees in the front yard, and on any home with a history of slow drains. A sewer line replacement runs $4,000–$15,000 and is not optional.

Galvanized steel pipe was standard in homes built before 1960. It corrodes from the inside out — the interior of the pipe builds up scale and rust over decades, restricting water pressure and eventually failing. You can see evidence at fixtures: brownish water when you first turn on a tap, low pressure at upper floors, orange staining in tubs. Replacement is a significant undertaking — a full repipe in a 2,000 sq ft home runs $4,000–$8,000. If a home has galvanized supply, budget for it and use it as a negotiating point.

I check the manufacturer's date code on the data plate — it's usually stamped on the unit and encoded in the serial number. Furnaces last 15–20 years. Air conditioners last 12–17 years. Heat pumps last 10–15 years. Beyond age, I'm looking at: whether the system is heating and cooling to within 18–22°F of supply air temperature (a functional test), signs of refrigerant leaks (oil staining at line connections), heat exchanger condition (cracks can allow combustion gases into the living space), and ductwork condition. A unit that's 14 years old in August in Texas is not a unit you want to inherit without a credit.

This is one of the most serious findings in any inspection. The heat exchanger is the metal component in a gas furnace that separates combustion gases (including carbon monoxide) from the air distributed through your home. A crack allows CO and other combustion byproducts to enter the air supply. This is a carbon monoxide poisoning risk. A cracked heat exchanger typically means furnace replacement — repair is rarely cost-effective and not always possible. I document heat exchanger findings with photos and recommend immediate HVAC contractor evaluation. This is non-negotiable.

I run the AC and measure supply air temperature versus return air temperature. A properly functioning system should produce air 18–22°F cooler than the air it takes in. If the differential is less than 15°F, the system is underperforming. Common causes: low refrigerant (leak somewhere in the system), dirty evaporator coil, oversized or undersized equipment, or a failing compressor. I flag this as "further evaluation by HVAC contractor recommended" — which translates to: budget $200–$500 for a service call and refrigerant recharge, or $6,000–$12,000 if the compressor or refrigerant coil needs replacement.

Frequently overlooked, always important. I'm checking for disconnected ducts in the attic or crawlspace (common after pest control or renovation work), flex duct that's kinked or collapsed, duct leakage at connections, and evidence of mold in the duct system. A disconnected duct in the attic means you're conditioning your attic instead of your bedroom. Duct sealing and repair runs $500–$2,500 depending on scope. Full duct replacement in an older home can run $3,000–$7,000. I photograph every duct deficiency I find.