One of the things I like best about being a home inspector is the endless variety of construction issues I encounter every day. Some problems are violations of building codes on new houses, some are the result of do-it-yourselfers lacking in knowledge, and others are the failure of materials to perform as intended. The following is a list of some of the conditions I encounter most frequently. Do you have any of these on your home?

Over boring of wall studs: Since you can see more of the wall studs before insulation and drywall is installed this is a problem encountered most frequently when inspecting a house under construction. Simply stated, the maximum size hole that can be drilled in any wall stud is 60 percent of the stud width for non-weight bearing walls and 40 percent for bearing walls. For example, the actual width of a 2x4 stud is 3.5 inches. Therefore the maximum size hole would be 60 percent of 3.5, just slightly more than 2 inches.

Handrails on deck stairs: This section of the building code is too long to present here but this issue can be covered with a simple statement. "A 2x4 on top of the handrail for any stairway is larger than allowable by the code." Check out your deck or even front steps. I'll bet your rail is too large.

Altered trusses: This is a condition that I find on both new and older houses. If your floor or roof/ceiling are constructed with factory-built trusses, these trusses cannot be cut or altered in any way. That's right; you cannot cut them to install an attic stairway or whole house fan.

Blistered shingles: This problem is a result of a defect in the manufacture of asphalt composition roofing shingles. If you look closely at your roof and there are numerous small bumps (approximately one quarter inch across), you have blistered shingles. If your roofing is old, it is probably not worth the trouble to seek recourse from the shingle warranty. However, if your shingles are five years old or less you may be owed some money from the manufacturer. Be prepared: the shingle manufacturers will require pictures and samples of defective shingles before they will honor the warranty.

Flexible drain pipes: This problem is usually the result of an unknowing do-it-yourselfer. The pipes I am referring to are those flexible drain pipes that allow you to make turns in the pipe without using elbows. Often these pipes are used as a simple way to create a trap. (U shaped pipe under sinks, tubs, etc.) The plumbing code, however, requires that traps be self-scouring (shaped so the speed of water running through them will clear the drain) and have no ledges that will obstruct the flow of water through the trap. Check under your sinks for this condition.

Open ground electrical receptacles: The wiring of electrical receptacles without a ground is almost always the result of installing a new receptacle with three holes onto an older electrical cable that only has two wires in it. This condition can create a serious problem because people assume that they have a grounded receptacle when they actually do not. You can check for this problem on your own house by plugging a simple plug tester into all of your receptacles. Plug testers can be purchased from any hardware or home improvement store for between $10 and $20.

Clogged dryer vents: According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission there are approximately 15,000 fires a year resulting from clogged clothes dryer vents. Building code requires that dryer vent exhaust ducts be constructed of rigid metal and be smooth on the interior with no screws extending into the interior of the duct. Flexible pipes can be used in the transition from the dryer to the exhaust duct, however, the length of the transition pipes is limited to 8 feet and they cannot be concealed within construction.

Do you have a home repair question? Send e-mail to Ask the Inspector at homestyle@ajc.com.