30 Of The Most Questionable Things Found During Structural Inspections

While most of us don't care much about the structural aspects of our homes or offices, but the structural inspectors get to explore the unseen side of them – and it’s not pretty. Today, we are featuring Alpha Structural, Inc. (a leader in the engineering and construction of foundation and hillside repairs). Their Imgur account has some of the weirdest pics that were spotted during inspections. Check them out in the gallery below. More info: AlphaStructural.com | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Imgur

#1

Image source: AlphaStructural "We were called out to assess a failing deck on an ocean-front home, but the ocean had other plans."

#2

Image source: AlphaStructural "This home was flooded due to a burst pipe. All the water damage and extra pressure it applied to the slab caused a severe crack to form. You can see it runs across the entire length of the living room. You can see here the slab has a offset crack, characterized by a height difference on either side of a the crack. It can be tempting to think that cracks in concrete aren’t a cause for concern, but if they’re affecting your home’s structure, they need to be addressed. Your concrete slab is essential to your home’s structural integrity. A weak foundation can lead to the collapse of interior walls."

#3

Image source: AlphaStructural ""I'm on the edge" - Lady Gaga"

#4

Image source: AlphaStructural "Still selling for one million dollars…"

#5

Image source: AlphaStructural "This retaining wall needs some serious intervention before it fails. Oh, too late."

#6

Image source: AlphaStructural "If my pen fits then I'm concerned."

#7

Image source: AlphaStructural "If the structure is in an area accessed by the public, then spalling can be hazardous in terms of falling debris or trip hazards. If left unchecked, then spalling will accelerate and spread so that, eventually, the structure could become unstable."

#8

Image source: AlphaStructural "Santa better have insurance."

#9

Image source: AlphaStructural "9 lives just aren’t enough. For mummification to occur, the body must be exposed to certain conditions, including chemicals, low humidity or a lack of air, which prevent the tissue from decaying. Crawlspaces can in fact provide just the right mix for a body to mummify. I don't know what to do with this information."

#10

Image source: AlphaStructural "Who else is bummed they missed this party?"

#11

Image source: AlphaStructural "Moisture in your crawlspace is never a good thing as it causes wood to decay. It is also an ideal habitat for mushrooms and mold."

#12

Image source: AlphaStructural "Do you see it? Let's zoom in... Yeah, not scary at all."

#13

Image source: AlphaStructural "Is it just Los Angeles drivers or does this happen everywhere? At least the driver miraculously just hit the garage and not the rooms where people were sleeping."

#14

Image source: AlphaStructural "Jenga! Your turn."

#15

Image source: AlphaStructural "At least they placed the concrete on the dirt to avoid termites. 2 out of 10 for the effort."

#16

Image source: AlphaStructural "Interesting brickwork on that chimney you got there. Tell me you love controlled chaos without telling me you love controlled chaos."

#17

Image source: AlphaStructural "Sometimes concrete slabs crack due to improper installation procedures. They will need to be inspected by a professional to determine the cause."

#18

Image source: AlphaStructural "We always like a spacious crawlspace, but, as you can see, the foundation wall at the entrance has begun to deteriorate. There seems to be something growing from inside the wall."

#19

Image source: AlphaStructural "You don't need to be an expert to know this is bad."

#20

Image source: AlphaStructural "In nature, wood rot is the natural decomposition process turning fallen logs into nutritious soil."

#21

Image source: AlphaStructural "Oh, you think your deck is structurally sound. I dare you to stick a knife in it."

#22

Image source: AlphaStructural "Girders act as the intermediate support for the floor joists. They carry the bulk of the weight above them. They should not be twisting away from the post."

#23

Image source: AlphaStructural "Jenga but 100x bigger!"

#24

Image source: AlphaStructural "Check out this red-tagged home we had the pleasure of visiting this week. No big deal. Just a little movement down the hill."

#25

Image source: AlphaStructural "During the storm a tree fell on top of this home. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, though the homeowner was sitting on their couch when their ceiling came crashing down. You can see here how their roof is completely warped from the impact. Inside, the extent of the damage is clearly visible. P.S. the couch in question is under there somewhere."

#26

Image source: AlphaStructural "Almost every landslide can have multiple causes. Slope movement occurs when forces acting down-slope exceed the strength of the earth materials that compose the slope. These pipe and board builds were not strong enough to hold the earth behind them."

#27

Image source: AlphaStructural "If you're worried about foundation issues in your home, look out for these common indicators: -Sloping or sagging floors, -Visible cracks in ceilings, -Gaps appearing between walls and floors, -Walls beginning to lean or bow, or -Floor cracks appearing."

#28

Image source: AlphaStructural "A car rammed into the side of a bar and took out a supporting column. By the look of it, it was already on its way out."

#29

Image source: AlphaStructural "Once the retaining wall is unable to withstand the force behind it, it will come crashing down. Luckily, a retaining wall does not fail without first showing warning signs. Common signs that a wall is slowly failing can include cracking in the wall, bulging of the face of the wall, and tilting. If a retaining wall shows any of these signs, it is likely time to have the wall evaluated."

#30

Image source: AlphaStructural "For 1 million dollars, would you spend the night in this room?"