Home Inspection Report Decoder: What Your Inspection Findings Mean
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Your home inspection report arrives long, full of inspector shorthand, and on a deadline: if your purchase contract has an inspection contingency, you have a limited window to decide what to do about what it found. This decoder explains each common finding in plain English, rates how worried you should be, and tells you who to call. Paste text from your report below to see which findings it mentions, most serious first.
How We Rate Findings
Each finding page opens with one of four ratings. They're our editorial call based on the official sources each page cites, not a code ruling or a diagnosis of your house. Your inspector and a licensed pro who sees the problem in person have the final word.
- Safety issue A fire, electric shock, carbon monoxide, scalding, explosion, fall, or entrapment hazard that an official source such as the CPSC, NFPA, or the manufacturer describes as one. Have a qualified pro correct it before you rely on it.
- Repair soon It's causing damage or likely will, such as water getting into walls, rot, or structural movement, but it isn't an immediate danger to people.
- Monitor Common and often not urgent, but worth evaluating and watching. Call a pro if it changes or gets worse.
- Minor Cosmetic or routine maintenance.
When a finding can be either minor or serious, such as a foundation crack, the page rates the typical case and lists the signs that move it up a level.
Every Finding We've Decoded
Grouped by part of the house, most serious first. We add findings every week.
Electrical
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum Wiring | Safety issue | A fire risk at the connections, per the CPSC. Have a licensed electrician evaluate it and use a CPSC-approved repair: copper rewiring, COPALUM, or, if unavailable, AlumiConn. |
| Double-Tapped Breaker | Safety issue | A fire risk unless the breaker is listed for two wires. Have a licensed electrician check its rating and correct the connection; never open the panel yourself. |
| Missing GFCI | Safety issue | A shock hazard near water, even if the house met the rules when it was built. Have a licensed electrician add GFCI protection, then test it monthly. |
| Open Junction Box | Safety issue | A shock and fire risk wherever live wiring is exposed. Replace missing outlet and switch plates; have a licensed electrician cover boxes and enclose open splices. |
| Reversed Polarity | Safety issue | A shock risk: the outlet still works, but lamp sockets and switched-off appliances on it can stay live. Have a licensed electrician find and correct the miswiring. |
| Ungrounded Outlets | Safety issue | A shock risk when a three-prong outlet has no ground. Old two-prong outlets aren't automatically a code violation but have limits. Have a licensed electrician choose the fix. |
Plumbing
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Polybutylene Pipes | Repair soon | Not every system fails, but leaks can come without warning and internal deterioration can't be seen in an inspection. Ask your insurer before closing and plan to replace it. |
| Galvanized Pipes | Monitor | Aging pipe that rusts inside and can hold lead from upstream sources. Get your water tested through your utility, have a plumber assess it, and budget for replacement. |
| S-Trap | Monitor | It can siphon its water seal dry and let sewer gas in. Plan to have a plumber replace it with a vented P-trap; act sooner if you smell sewer gas. |
Water heater
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Relief Valve Pipe | Safety issue | Explosion and scald hazard: a capped or blocked line can keep the valve from relieving pressure; a missing or short one can spray scalding water. Call a licensed plumber. |
Roof and exterior
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Kick-Out Flashing | Repair soon | Roof runoff can soak the wall below and rot it out of sight. Have a roofer add the flashing and check the wall underneath for hidden damage. |
Drainage and foundation
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Downspout Drainage | Repair soon | Roof water dumped at the foundation can wet the basement and the soil under it. Extend each downspout at least 5 feet onto ground that slopes away. |
| Negative Grading | Repair soon | Soil sloping toward the house feeds water to the foundation and basement. Regrade so it slopes away; small areas are a reasonable DIY job. |
| Efflorescence | Monitor | The salt is harmless to your health, but it shows water moving through the wall. Fix outside drainage and watch it; active leaks or wet walls make it repair-soon. |
| Foundation Cracks | Monitor | Hairline vertical cracks are usually shrinkage. Horizontal, bowing, displaced, growing, or quarter-inch-wide cracks need a licensed structural engineer; a visibly failing wall is urgent. |
Ventilation
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Foil Dryer Vent | Safety issue | A recognized dryer fire hazard. Replace foil or plastic duct with metal, fix crushed or overlong runs, and clean the vent. The duct swap is usually a small job. |
| Bath Fan Into Attic | Repair soon | Shower moisture is going into the attic, where it can cause mold and damage roof wood. Have a contractor duct the fan outdoors; it's usually a straightforward repair. |
Safety
| Finding | Rating | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Garage Door Reverse | Safety issue | An entrapment hazard the CPSC warns can kill a child. Disengage the opener until it's adjusted, repaired, or replaced, and test it every month after. |
| Garage Fire Door | Safety issue | A weak spot in the fire and car-exhaust barrier between the garage and your home. Keep the door shut, and have a contractor install a compliant, self-closing door. |
| Missing Handrail | Safety issue | A fall hazard on stairs, landings, or decks. Have a carpenter or contractor install or secure a graspable handrail or a sturdy guard before relying on it. |
How to Read Your Inspection Report
Know what an inspection is and isn't. Under the InterNACHI Standards of Practice, which many inspectors follow, a home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of the house. It is not technically exhaustive, it won't find concealed defects, and the inspector isn't required to determine whether anything complies with codes. So a finding is a reason to have the right specialist look closer, not a final verdict, and a clean report doesn't mean nothing is wrong behind the walls.
Sort it by seriousness, not by page order. Inspectors report what InterNACHI calls material defects: issues that may have a significant, adverse impact on the property's value or that pose an unreasonable risk to people. Read the safety items first, then anything letting water in, then everything else. The same standards note that a system near or past the end of its normal life isn't, by itself, a material defect, so an old water heater or roof may appear as a note rather than a defect even though you'll want to budget for it.
Get specialists in early. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau advises scheduling the inspection as soon as possible so there's time for any additional inspections. When a report says "recommend evaluation by a licensed electrician" or "structural engineer," book that evaluation right away; a written estimate from the right pro is far more useful than a guess.
Decide what to ask for. The CFPB notes that if repairs are needed, you may want to negotiate with the seller about who makes or pays for them, that the seller may or may not agree depending on your contract and local market, and that if your contract is contingent on a satisfactory inspection, you can cancel without penalty if you're not satisfied with the results. Your real estate agent can tell you what's typical where you're buying. Some loan programs and lenders can also require major repairs, like a new roof, before closing.
Keep the report. After you move in, it doubles as your first maintenance list. Our first 30 days in a new home guide and maintenance budget guide show how to turn it into a plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a material defect on a home inspection?
InterNACHI's Standards of Practice define it as a specific issue with a system or component that may have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property, or that poses an unreasonable risk to people. Being near or past the end of its normal life doesn't, by itself, make something a material defect.
Is a home inspection the same as a code inspection?
No. Under InterNACHI's standards, the inspector isn't required to determine compliance with codes or regulations. A home inspection describes the condition of what the inspector can see and reach; local code requirements vary, and a licensed tradesperson or your local building department can tell you what applies to your house.
Should I ask the seller to fix everything on the report?
Usually not. Focus on safety issues and material defects, get estimates from the right pros, and talk with your agent about whether to ask for repairs or a credit. The CFPB notes the seller may or may not agree, depending on your contract and local market conditions.
Does the scanner keep a copy of my report?
No. The matching runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you paste is uploaded, saved, or sent anywhere; we count only how many findings matched, not what your report says.
Sources
- International Association of Certified Home Inspectors — InterNACHI Home Inspection Standards of Practice (non-invasive, visual examination; definition of a material defect; end of useful life is not by itself a material defect; not technically exhaustive; concealed defects; no code compliance determination).
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — schedule a home inspection (schedule early to leave time for additional inspections; inspection differs from an appraisal; negotiating repairs; cancelling under an inspection contingency; lenders may require major repairs before closing).
Last reviewed October 2, 2026. General information, not professional, legal, or real estate advice — your inspector and licensed pros evaluate your house, and your agent or attorney can advise on your contract.