If you have recently had a condo inspected in view of acquiring it or putting it up for sale, the building inspector is very likely to have identified one of the following defects during his visit and referred to it in his pre-purchase or pre-sale inspection report. These are:

The 10 most frequent defects found when inspecting condos

1. Ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets missing or defective near the kitchen or bathroom sink
2. Arc fault (AFCI) or ground fault (GFCI) circuit interrupters missing in the electrical panel to protect the condo and its occupants and electrical appliances connected to the electricity supply against fires and breaks, by detecting dangerous arcs, overloads, short circuits and ground faults, and shutting off the power.
3. Polybutylene (Poly-B) drinking water supply piping: the manufacturers of this well known piping boasted in the 1980s about the advantages for plumbers and owners in comparison to copper due to their flexibility, low cost, ease of transport and installation that didn’t need too many connections. However they soon started to leak and promote rusting of equipment connected to the drinking water supply since the polybutylene and connections reacted very poorly and deteriorated quickly in contact with the chlorine contained in the water. In fact, the higher the chlorine content in the water, the higher the risk of premature deterioration of the piping as well as the risk of leakage.
4. Water hammer arrestors missing to reduce water hammer caused by quick closing of taps, valves, appliances or other devices connected to the condo’s drinking water supply, to avoid damage to it.
5. Drip tray to collect water that the relief valve may release if the water heater overflows, thereby protecting the floor, missing under the water heater or tank with discharge under the water heater where there is no floor drain
6. Improperly installed dishwasher drain – In adequate connection to the sink drain and shutoff valve missing
7. Silicone sealant missing around the kitchen sink and around the shower, bathtub and bathroom sink, to ensure they are sealed
8. Plastic dryer outlet duct
9. Carbon monoxide detector missing or non-functional
10. Entrance door from the building does not close automatically

If you are about to have a condo inspected, regardless of the context or purpose, you now know what to expect.