Home Inspection

Tips for Preparing for a Home Inspection

When it comes to home inspections, what you don't know CAN hurt you.

Almost all sales contracts will call for an inspection of the property by a home inspector. The expense of the real estate home inspection is generally bourne by the purchaser. Home inspectors can be any licensed contractor or Home Inspection company. The trade group for Home Inspection Services is the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI).

Home Inspection Information Can Save You Money

Regardless of who performs the real estate home inspection and delivers the home inspection information, you will want to be prepared in advance for any defects that may need correcting. We recommend that you have your own home inspection performed by an ASHI home inspector prior to putting your home on the market, or at the very least, prior to accepting a written contract. The reason is that, before obligating yourself to a sales price, you want to be aware of any defects that may end up costing more to repair than you anticipate. You will want to weigh these figures into the calculation of what price you want to net on your home.

In many cases, you may make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you're looking for. And knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones. The following home inspection tip sheet reveals some of the most common problems found during home inspections.

Home Inspection Tip Sheet

1. Rotting Wood or Siding
Depending on your area and climate, wood rot can be a very common problem. Even with brick homes, joists and beams can deteriorate over time. This can occur in many places (door or window frames, trim, siding, decks and fences). The building inspector will sometimes probe the wood to see if this is present - especially when wood has been freshly painted.

2. Roofing Problems
Water leakage through the roof can occur for a variety of reasons such as physical deterioration of the asphalt shingles (e.g. curling or splitting), or mechanical damage from a wind storm.
When gutters leak and downspouts allow water to run down and through the exterior walls, this external problem becomes a major internal one.

3. Wiring & Electrical
Your home should have a minimum of 100 amps service, and this should be clearly marked. Wire should be copper or aluminum. Home inspectors will look at octopus plugs as indicative of
inadequate circuits and a potential fire hazard. A fire hazard is created when more amperage is drawn on the circuit than was intended. 15 amp circuits are the most common in a typical home, with larger service for large appliances such as stoves and dryers. It can cost several hundred dollars to replace your fuse panel with a circuit panel.

4. Poor Heating & Cooling Systems
Insufficient insulation, and an inadequate or a poorly functioning heating system, are the most common causes of poor heating. While an adequately clean furnace, without rust on the heat exchanger, usually has life left in it, an inspector will asking and checking to see if your furnace is over its typical life span of 15-25 yrs. For a forced air gas system, a heat exchanger will come under particular scrutiny since one that is cracked can emit deadly carbon monoxide into the home. These heat exchangers must be replaced if damaged - they cannot be repaired.

5. Damp or Wet Basement
An inspector will check your walls for efflorescence, a powdery white mineral deposit, a few inches off the floor, and will look to see if you feel secure enough to store things right on your basement floor. A mildew odor is almost impossible to eliminate, and an inspector will certainly be conscious of it. Depending on the size of your home and other contributing factors, it could cost you $200-$1,500 to seal a crack in or around your basement foundation; adding a sump pump and pit could run you around $750 - $1,500; and complete waterproofing could amount to as much as $5,000-$15,000.

6. Attic Spaces
Problems with ventilation, insulation and vapor barriers can cause water, moisture, mold and mildew to form in the attic. This can lead to premature wear of the roof, structure and building materials. The cost to fix this damage could easily run over $2,500.

7. Defective Plumbing
Defective plumbing can manifest itself in two different ways: leaking, and clogging. A visual inspection can detect leaking, and an inspector will gauge water pressure by turning on all faucets in the highest bathroom and then flushing the toilet. If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates that the pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when first turned on at the faucet, this is a good indication that the pipes are rusting, which can result in severe water quality problems.

8. Masonry Work
Rebricking can be costly, but, left unattended, these repairs can cause problems with water and moisture penetration into the home which in turn could lead to a chimney being clogged by fallen bricks or even a chimney which falls onto the roof. It can be costly to rebuild a chimney or to have it repointed.

9. Structural/Foundation Problems
An inspector will certainly investigate the underlying footing and foundation of your home as structural integrity is fundamental to your home.