Overall Maintenance:
Insufficient maintenance is a very common problem for a lot of homeowners. Many houses/condos have cracks, peelings, crumbling masonry, improvised electrical wiring and plumbing, broken fixtures and dirty painted surfaces that all together say a lot about the quality of maintenance of the house.

Drainage and improper ground grading:
Many houses, especially those with basements, suffer from water penetrations that occur when there is insufficient ground grading or drainage that lead to water seepage to the underground walls and leakage into the basement.

Roofs:
A leaking roof is a common problem. It usually occurs when the shingles are old and cracked or there is improper drainage. Weather conditions in Ontario dictate high maintenance standards to follow with that are usually neglected.

Heating system:
In some houses the heating system is at a very inadequate level that you would not expect to find for the cold climate in Ontario. Common defects that are often found are, malfunctioning controls, unsafe exhaust disposal and blocked ducts.

Exteriors:
Here you may find flaws in doors, windows, and wall surfaces. Significant structural damages are rarely found, but some of the defects might cause discomfort to the occupants if there are failures such as water or air penetration.

Structural failures
Here you may occasionally find severe damage to the foundation and or walls that may be a result of poor construction practices or a continuous negligence by a homeowner.

Plumbing and pips:
Plumbing defects are ranked high. In many houses, especially old ones, you may find incompatible piping materials, amateur connections and installation, lack of proper insulation and waste lines.

Ventilation:
Proper ventilation helps saving energy that may prevent condensation, moisture and mold. In Ontario, due to the cold climate and the heated home interior, poor ventilation might cause severe problems.

Internal components:
This category contains all the interior home components such as flooring, internal walls, doors etc. Usually there are no major failures to these components.
Regional climate of Toronto and Ontario, dictates unique maintenance actions to be done by homeowners in order to prevent accelerated amortization. Homebuyers should take this factor in consideration to see the overall picture when he or she decides buying a resold property. For inexperienced buyers, ONLY a professional home inspector can discover and point to the factors leading to major property failures.