Project Manager Hands Over A New Build Home Asking Why The Client Even Ordered An Inspection Then The Inspector Finds A Dryer Vent That Ends In The Attic

The project manager was waiting out front when the home inspector pulled up to a brand new house. Before the inspection even began, he said something the inspector has heard before: “I don’t even know why the client ordered a home inspection, but she’s all yours.”

Inspector checking a new build home beside a stock photo of a laundry room with a washer and dryer.

The inspector behind the TikTok account @inspector.jordan decided to find out whether the house was in as good a shape as the project manager believed. It was not, and the walk-through that followed is a lesson for anyone buying new construction.

@inspector.jordan

Two Windows That Look The Same

The first stop was the backyard, where two windows sat side by side. They looked identical. They were not. The inspector knocked on the window on the left and then on the one on the right, and the difference in sound was easy to hear. The glass on the right was solid, the inspector said, like the glass at a hockey rink. That window is impact rated.

The one on the left is not. The inspector pointed out the screws around its edge, which are there to hold fabric that protects the glass. In a high wind situation, the inspector explained, that glass is going to break, while the impact rated glass will not.

The Case Of The Missing Dryer Vent

Next the inspector turned to dryer exhausts, pointing them out one after another. But on this house, there was no dryer exhaust on one side, and none on the other side either. Maybe this house does not come with a dryer, the inspector joked. It turned out the house does.

So the inspector headed up into the attic. There was a PVC plumbing vent pipe sticking out. And then, in the inspector’s words, “tada.” There was the dryer exhaust. The vent had been run through the attic, and from a distance it sure looked like it was going through the roof. It was not. “Definitely not,” the inspector said.

One More Problem Before Leaving The Attic

The inspector was not done. Just before leaving, the inspector pointed to a bracing member that shoots across the attic, with a smaller one next to it. It sat directly above the attic access, and that is a problem. As the inspector put it, you cannot have that. There needs to be clear working space above the access opening.

The inspector wrapped up with a dry line about finding out who sealed around all the windows and giving that person something else to do.

Why A Dryer Vent Ending In The Attic Is A Big Deal

A clothes dryer pushes out hot, damp air and lint. That air is supposed to leave the house through a vent that goes outside. When it ends in an attic instead, the warm, moist air and the lint have nowhere useful to go. Moisture in an attic can lead to mold and damaged wood over time, and built up lint is a fire concern. This is why dryer vents are meant to terminate outdoors.

The same goes for any exhaust fan or vent. A pipe that stops short of the outside is not doing its job, even if it looks fine from inside the attic.

What New Home Buyers Should Do

The project manager in this story seemed sure that a new house did not need an inspection. The attic told a different story. If you are buying new construction, here are some smart steps to take.

Hire your own inspector. Do not rely on the builder’s word that everything is perfect. An independent inspector works for you.
Insist on the attic. Vent, plumbing and framing problems can hide up there, so make sure your inspector goes up there.
Check the windows. If you live where high winds are a concern, ask what kind of glass was installed and whether it is impact rated, then confirm it for every window and not just some of them.
Follow the dryer vent. Make sure it runs all the way outside. Ask the inspector to confirm it.
Get problems in writing. Ask for the inspection report and for a written list of what the builder agrees to repair before closing.
Walk it with the inspector. If you can be there, you will see the problems yourself and can ask questions while they are fresh.
Look for clear access. Attic access areas need clear working space above them so that people can get in and work safely.

Do Not Take Perfect At Face Value

When someone with a stake in the sale tells you a house is perfect, it is fair to listen politely and still check. A builder or project manager may sincerely believe the home is in great shape. An inspection is not an insult to them. It is simply a second set of trained eyes, and it is far easier to fix a vent or a window before you move in than after.

The Bottom Line

A new build is not a guarantee. Two windows that looked the same were not the same. A dryer vent that seemed to head for the roof never made it. Both were found by an inspector who showed up after the project manager questioned why anyone would order an inspection at all. If you are about to buy a new home, that inspection fee might be some of the best money you spend.

Willow and Hearth