Most Common Issues Found in a Home Inspection

What common home issues should you expect as a home buyer? If there are specific defects that are more common in your area, be sure to take note of these first.

When Should I Get a Home Inspection?

As a potential buyer of a home or property, it is of the utmost importance that you understand the ins and outs of everything with that home, including any minor or even major defects. With the significant investment of time and money you will be looking at spending on this purchase, hiring a reputable and reliable home inspector is a drop in the bucket compared to the headache of having to deal with unforeseen or overlooked problems that could have been settled and paid for as a part of the purchase with the seller. It’s too late once the papers are signed and deeded over.

Below are five of the most common categories where we tend to see the most home issues, some of which are minor, others as major issues.

Foundational / Structural

This category of deficiency is, for obvious reasons, probably the most important aspect of an inspection. Has the house been built correctly and in a way that it won’t fall after you move in? Home Inspectors are trained to look for and find cracks, water damage, and other clues to show that a home may not be worth as much as a buyer is asking. Sometimes structural repairs can be easy, but sometimes these clues may also indicate a much larger issue.

• Water Damage

Water has a way of finding a crack and molding, expanding in such a way that over time it eats away foundational aspects of the home. Probably the least appealing process for a home inspector is climbing under the home and thoroughly examining the crawlspace, but this is essential for determining the structural integrity and assessing any kind of mold or water damage that may have or will occur in the future.

• Improper Construction / Age

If an inexperienced builder didn’t properly ensure that the home was built exactly to code or cut corners during it’s construction, or even if the home has just aged and adjusted over time, cracks can be a good clue to improper weight bearing of the home. Probably the most important question to be answered in a thorough home inspection is “Will my roof fall on top of me?”. If the answer is no, then that’s a good start!

Plumbing

Running water and properly flushing toilets are important in any home now days. Most of the time you take this for granted, but when buying a home we can make sure that even if everything seems to be functioning properly, there won’t be any immediate problems with your future home’s plumbing system.

• Corrosion

Over time the piping system leading into the home or inside the home can be prone to corroding. Some corrosion can be expected to happen sometimes but our guys are all properly trained to determine whether or not the corrosion could be a sign of a bigger issue or could lead to leaking or breakage anytime in the immediate future.

• Leaks

A lot of times a leak can go undetected for quite some time and continually eat away at foundational aspects of the home. Our team can adequately assess any leaks or potential for future leaks in your prospective investment.

Electrical

The most important aspect of the electrical portion of your home inspection is determining that there is no cause for concern as far as fire hazards or potential fire hazards. Second in terms of importance would then be overheating and in turn, overpaying your energy bill.

• Wiring

Improper wiring in the home can not only unnecessarily raise the energy costs in your home, they can also become dangerous. If aluminum wiring is used in the home, it can be prone to overheating.

• Dated Panels

Most issues associated with electrical panels will usually end up being quick and easy fixes. However, if you have an old or outdated panel it may need replacing. Certain types of panels can be prone to tripping frequently or even be cause for concern with it being a potential fire hazard.

HVAC

Heating and cooling your home safely and efficiently is a standard of living that you don’t want to have to sacrifice. If there are any issues with your HVAC system, we can safely and accurately determine what those are so you can plan your next steps and go from there.

• Gas Leaks

When a gas furnace is in the home, there can be a possibility of a major or even minor gas leak. If this is the case, we can make sure that the home is safe and will continue to remain safe in terms of safely heating your home for the foreseeable future.

• Heat Exchanger

Natural gas is a resource that many homes utilize to heat their home. We will check the color of the flame in the heat exchanger to determine if there is a proper ratio between gas and air. The exchanger can become old faulty and even cracked.

Roofing

Make sure to ensure that the first good rain after you move into your new home you won’t have water coming into the home. There are plenty of problems that can arise from a faulty roof and we’ll make sure to get you a clear picture of the condition it is in.

• Damaged / Worn Roofing

Over time a roofing system is going to deteriorate. Depending on the material that was used, you may have up to 50 years of life or more. If there has been severe storm damage, sometimes this could warrant major repairs or even replacement as well.

• Gutters / Downspouts

Your gutters and downspouts help to evenly distribute water away from your home in a way that won’t eat away at the foundation. We will check and make sure there are no issues with your prospective home’s gutters and downspouts.

In Conclusion…

There are plenty of issues and deficiencies that we will find in the many homes we have inspected, some more common than others; some more serious than others. You may not know what these are unless you hire a reputable home inspection company that will get the job done, and done right!