A home inspection is a
limited non-invasive objective examination of the conditions of the visible accessible
components of a home. It is the best way for a buyer to learn about the
conditions of the property they are investing in. Meeting the expectation of
home buyers required a unique combination of skill sets- construction,
engineering, and architecture. In the 1970’s The American Society of Home
Inspectors (ASHI) formed, combined all the required skills and established the
Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. These were standards and guidelines that
gave comfort to buyers about the investment they were making.
It is not mandatory to have a property inspected prior to
purchase, yet buying a home for some is the single largest investment they will
ever make so why would you not want to know exactly what you are investing in? If
you were buying a car or investing in the stock market you would research, so
why would you want to risk an investment that will house the most precious gift
life gives, your family?
A home inspector is not an appraiser, their job is to check the
structure and the major systems of the home for wear and tear as what as what
could be a future problem and provide a buyer with a better understanding of
physical condition. The major systems include the heating system, central air
conditioning system, interior plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic,
and visible insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, and doors. This also
includes the foundation, basement, and visible structure. Following the
inspection, inspector will supply a written report that describes the
conditions of the home at the time of inspection, but gives no guarantee of
future conditions, efficiency or life expectancy of systems. So what is
involved with a home
Inspection Checklist
Exterior:
ü Structural inspection
for rotten wood, termites, broken bricks, possible location for water seepage
ü Gutters are installed
properly with no rust or corrosion, leading water away from structure not
towards home where water damage could occur or mold
ü Paint looks good, no
chipping or flaking
ü Windows and doors show
no signs of leak or deterioration, open and shut with ease, no gaps or other
signs of foundation movement
ü Foundation has no
cracks or weakened areas, treat from near- by tree roots
ü Agriculture causes no
potential problems for safety, healthy vegetation
ü Decks and paths have
no rotten wood, loose railings, or wobbly bricks
Interior:
ü Flooring- stains,
slopping, sagging, or broken tiles
ü Walls have no cracks,
loose plaster, bowing, or signs of water damage
ü Ceiling have no sagging,
stains, or other signs of leaky roof
ü Doors and windows are
in good working condition, tight seal when closed, no cracks or damage to
frames or trim
Roof:
ü Roof for broken or
missing shingles, bubbles in tarpaper, loose or curling shingles, and holes
where water could get in
ü No bowing in walls or
roof, both should have straight lines
Plumbing:
ü Plumbing has no leaky
fixtures, free of cracks, caulk is
solid, staining or rotting on/under the
countertops, good water pressure
Electrical:
ü Electrical system are
all outlets are working, no water damage
ü Electrical boxes
appear to be installed per building code
ü Wiring is current and
up to date, no exposed wires
HVAC:
ü Check age and working
conditions of the heating and cooling system
ü Ensure that the
cooling/heating system is large enough for the floor space
ü Filters are clean
Appliances:
ü Appliances are in good
working condition, no repairs needed
ü
Hot water heater and plumbing, no visible signs of rust, corrosion or
leak
The most common sited issue within a home inspection is improper installation of everything from gutters to outlets, from insulation to bathroom tiles. All items that will cost the new homeowner money to repair or replace, unexpectedly if no inspection is done.
Homes built
in 1900-1950:
Knob and tube wiring
consists of fuses and fuse boxes and is considered outdated and inadequate to
cover today’s load
Homes built
1942-1958:
Orangeberg Sewer piping
was a sewer line made out of papier mache that connected the house to the main
sewer line. This piping was used as necessity during WWII, the military was
using all of the iron for war efforts. If it still functions…expect replacement
soon.
Homes built
in 1984-1990:
Defective ABS piping made
out of recycle plastic was produced by 5 manufacturers. The pipe had a tendency
of cracking within the glue joints. Extremely costly to replace
Homes built
in 1990-2000:
A NOX rod consolidated furnace
has heat exchangers that will crack and release carbon monoxide into the home
and potentially cause fires. Used widely during these years and is on a recall
list. A home inspection will detect this type of furnace.
Homes built
in 2004-2005:
Chinese
drywall- contains
corrosive sulfur compound and is detectable by the strong sulfur (rotten egg)
odor. As a result of active
hurricane season construction materials were in short supply, so builder began
importing materials from other countries, including the hazardous “Chinese
Drywall”. Amazingly the hazardous drywall wasn’t even
from China. The most infamous exporter of the harmful drywall was a
company called Knauf out of Germany. Knauf acquired the raw materials
from a gypsum mine sited in China. Even though we haven’t been able to
trace the precise cause of the contamination in the gypsum, it is believed that
poor pollution controls in China allowed the raw gypsum to be contaminated
within the mine. Since then, millions of sheets of this hazardous drywall
have been imported and installed into homes and business across America.
(it has been found in homes as early as 2001 and
as late as 2009) The cost of
remediation can be astronomical- include the complete replacement of the
following: all drywall, all electrical wiring, the air conditioning
system, all metal plumbing components, all appliances with major metallic
components, all carpeting, all wall insulation, all wood flooring, all wood
baseboards or crown molding and all metallic bathroom fixtures or components.
An inspector should also look in the attic; in the garage; and under the house, if possible.
If your home has a swimming pool ask the inspector ahead of time if he inspects the pool -- some inspectors do and some do not.
The better the checklist the better the home inspection.
