Stairwell Baluster Home Inspection
This is a house I inspected on a Sunday morning at the request of the property owner, who lives in another state. I have inspected about a half dozen homes for them. I doubt the owner has ever seen the house. In this case, we have a very unsafe and dangerous second floor. The stairwell has proper railings, but the balusters, that prevent people or pets from falling through them are very unsafe. Building codes for this is that you have one Stairwell baluster every four and half inches. This stairwell has baluster’s every eleven to twelve inches. This spacing close to a foot allows a young child to climb through and fall several feet. It also allows household pets to be subject to the same risk.
Repairs to the stairwell baluster are simple, just install more balusters. I have seen balusters made of wood, steel, decorative metal and with fancy designs. The problem we see in the video is an excellent example of why rental homes should be inspected by a Licensed Home Inspector, before a new renter moves in.
Gold Home Inspection is a Louisville Kentucky based home inspection business with considerable experience in investment property. Our website is GoldHomeInspection.com, and we can be reached at 502.356.0042.