Structural or Foundation Problems · Aluminum Wiring · Outdated Electrical Panels · Plumbing Problems · Floor Joists · HVAC Systems · Safety Issues · Drainage. A home inspector is likely to identify if aluminum wiring, found primarily in homes built between 1965 and 1973, is present. Today's homes are wired with copper, and aluminum wiring has been found to deteriorate faster than copper. Aluminum is prone to overheating, which could create a fire hazard. In addition, many insurance companies will not insure a home with aluminum wiring.
Therefore, inspectors can advise buyers to talk to their insurance agent. Rewiring a home can be expensive, but buyers could explore other possible solutions, such as using specialized connectors or applications, to make aluminum cabling more secure. Many homes have wooden beams in the attic or wooden beams in the floor. Home inspectors will indicate if there is rotten wood in these areas.
They will also note if the landlord has done anything with the wooden braids or joists on the floor that could jeopardize the stability of the house. Homeowners and remodelers can cut floor joists, horizontal structures between beams that help distribute the weight of the house when installing pipes. Later on, this could cause cracks in the walls, unstable or sloped floors and structural damage. Inspectors look for potential security problems in a home and will point out anything they detect, even if it's relatively minor.
These will not cause a fire or flood, but they could cause injury to a home. Inspectors will also document the presence of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Outside, home inspectors will examine not only the roof but also the house's drainage systems. They will check if water moves away from the foundation, basement, or mezzanine.
They will look for inadequate gutters or those that may be overflowing and not large enough for the roof of the house. A roof that shows signs of deferred maintenance may also indicate that the cladding, beams, and other wooden structural elements in the attic area are damaged by water. Usually, minor problems related to the roof can be quickly resolved by the buyer after closing. Even so, if serious roof problems are seen during the inspection, it may be worth asking a roofer to quote for repairs and try to negotiate credits.
The pipes themselves are the most difficult to inspect when it comes to plumbing issues, as they are likely to be underneath the house. You should ask the inspector to pay special attention to the pipes, since they are likely sinking in the house for other reasons and will only tell you about the type of pipes. If something seems suspicious, it's worth hiring plumbing specialists to check it out. Another common electrical problem in inspections is that a home does not have GCFI (ground fault circuit breaker) outlets installed in areas with water. GCFI plugs turn off when wet, which is a safety measure in the event of electrocution.
Problems with the service panel or the box are also common. Problems in heating and cooling systems are standard and may be due to systems not working as efficiently as they should, ducts are poorly installed or not properly sealed, or units are at the end of their useful life. In general, heating and cooling units have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years, depending on routine service, maintenance and other care. An HVAC technician can tune up newer systems or can help you price all new systems.
They can also help seal ducts, change air filters, and evaluate efficiency problems. Poorly sealed ducts can absorb dust and dirt in the mezzanine or attic, causing allergies in the home, sediment in the filters and energy loss. Water damage is a serious problem, as it can affect all parts of the house and, if left unchecked, cause major repairs. Water damage can be caused by roof problems, pipe leaks, or poor outdoor drainage, causing an intrusion.
Water can cause structural integrity problems, wood decay and mold growth, creating an environment that allows termites to thrive. If moisture, stagnant water or dripping are observed in the mezzanine, it may be advantageous to have a professional specialized in restoring and repairing water damage to evaluate and remedy the cause and quote the cost of the work. Water damage can be the most costly of all the major problems a home inspection may encounter, as it can cause a lot of damage. If you leave for the weekend and come home and a pipe breaks, you will most likely have to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages and repairs. A licensed, accredited local home inspector must perform the home inspection.
Your real estate agent can often direct you to look for reliable and thorough home inspectors. Most inspectors work from the top down and begin the inspection with the roof, head inside the house, and finish the inspection with the mezzanine, basement, or tile. A home inspection is an essential step in the home-buying process. But what do you do if (and when) the inspector discovers a problem with the physical structure or with a component of the house? It is very likely that if you still want the house and you are not in an extreme buyer market that gives you the advantage of asking the seller to fulfill all your requests, you will end up making some requests to the seller to solve the most important problems (or to give you a credit to offset the cost of solving them) and leave the rest of the problems unsolved or solved by yourself. Often, sellers offer to cover the cost of repairs with a credit (or a discount on the purchase price) so that the buyer can handle the repairs themselves. Both parties may prefer this solution, as the buyer will want to ensure that the repairs meet their standards and the seller will not want to delay the home sale process.
They may take pictures, write notes, and use special equipment to help detect items such as moisture, electrical problems, or poisonous materials. They will fill out a report detailing what they find and determining whether or not the property passed the home inspection. Foundation-related problems can affect the value and security of a home. At best, they can allow moisture and pests to enter the house and cause floors to warp. In the worst case scenario, foundation problems can cause walls to crumble and jeopardize the stability of the house.
Either way, foundation repair can be extremely expensive and cost thousands of dollars, which is one of the reasons it can affect the value of a home. Electrical problems can be a safety hazard and cause house fires and are therefore taken seriously. Faulty wiring, outdated systems, and the use of multiple wires with a single circuit breaker are just a few of the things related to electricity that don't pass a home inspection. Deformed or broken windows and doors can impair home inspection because they represent a safety and security issue.
They can also be a sign of more serious problems, such as problems with foundations. If your home inspection raises any of these 7 important issues, it may be time to negotiate some mandatory solutions with the seller before buying the home. A home inspector will look for any signs of structural problems and will notice even seemingly small cracks in the concrete slab or interior walls. If there's something in your home that violates your city's building codes or doesn't have the necessary permit, it can be a major home inspection and safety issue. If any of these important problems related to home inspection appear on your inspection report, you'll want to hire experts to come and evaluate the damage.
While this is not an exhaustive list, it contains the most common problems that home inspectors encounter. Some important items found by a professional home inspector will need to be repaired before the lender agrees to release the funds for the purchase and are usually related to building code violations, costly structural problems, or security issues.
