6 Things To Keep In Mind During A House Inspections

House Inspections

House Inspections are mandatory for every family should make it a priority to create an environment where each individual can grow as well as thrive in. A lot of serious hazards keep lurking in as well as around the house. However, the good news is that most of the concerns can be addressed easily.

There are five major points that should be kept in mind during house inspections:

1. Roofing:

Depending on the age, wear or improper installation, the roofing material faces challenges. It is not that all roofs need to be replaced; rather they need some kind of maintenance or repair. On normal occasions, one cannot see during house inspections if a roof is leaking unless the same is inspected on a rainy day.

There are many house owners who do a patchwork which serves the purpose for the time being. However, it is always best to consult a specialist and not a handyman. It is also possible that ceiling stains occur owing to an earlier plumbing leak in attic.

2. Water intrusion:

During house inspections, one must keep in mind that water intrusion can cause immense harm. Water can get into basements and crawlspaces causing damage to the house. Simple correction can be done pertaining to exterior grounds or adding of roof gutters.

Major improvements in drainage are the only practical solutions. However, this requires an expensive groundwater system like French drains which are designed by geotechnical engineers.

A surface water drainage system is essential to protecting your home from potential water damage caused by heavy rainfall or melting snow. It helps prevent flooding, protects the foundation, prevents mold growth, and increases the home’s value. If you are concerned about water damage in your home, consider consulting with a professional to determine the best interior waterproofing solutions for your specific situation.

3. Electrical safety hazards:

This is seen to be very common in older houses and an important point to check during house inspections. Typical examples are lack of shock protection devices, ungrounded outlets and improper wiring conditions of the electrical panels or somewhere in the building.

There could be an error that had happened at the time of construction or wires that were altered or added by laymen who are not qualified electricians.

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4. Rotten wood:

There are many places where the wood stays wet for very long periods. This happens in exterior trims, decks and around tubs and showers wherein fungus infection happens resulting in dry rot. If this is left totally unchecked, then the damage can be very extensive.

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Many houses have mushrooms sprawling out from these rotten wood surfaces. In such homes with window air conditioners leaking, the wood panel around it gets affected. The water that drips on the rotten wood causes severe damage. One should look out for such damages during house inspections.

5. Firewall violations:

A special construction that separates a garage from a house is very necessary. The violations are very common in this sphere. This may happen owing to faulty construction, alteration of the garage interior or owing to any kind of damage. This is designed in a unique way so as to prevent a fire from spreading to electrical appliances around.

6. Plumbing defects:

Dripping faucets, leaking drains, overheated pipes are very common. If not taken care of at the first stage, water leakage can cause major harm to the buildings. There is nothing as bad as a building that is suffering from damp. The dampness start affecting the walls of the bedrooms and causes paint to peel off on the surface as well making the walls look very ugly.

The harm caused internally to the building is even more dangerous. Owing to leakage that occurs from plumbing defects, it is found that a lot of wild plants taking roots in the body of the building. Often in homes that have been not maintained or unkempt for very long, these plants grow into sprawling trees that find a way into every brick and mortar.

Also, while doing the inspection, it’s essential to check the foundation problems too. For example, if a sinking garage slab isn’t attached to the perimeter foundation, it will be moving independently from the rest of the garage.

On the other hand, if a sinking garage slab is attached to the perimeter foundation, there’s a chance the entire garage is experiencing settlement.

The signs might be a sloped garage floor, large cracks in the garage floor, or a visibly out-of-level garage header. So contact a foundation repair professional for an inspection.

Not all homeowners have a proper understanding of the foundation setting. Depending on the range of the foundation settling, it can cause several structural issues. When the soil around the home’s foundation starts to expand and swell – it creates pressure on the foundation wall – the result could be foundation cracks. Foundation setting is common in older homes, so it’s essential to know the signs of foundation settling before inspecting older houses.

So, while going for house inspections one should keep in mind the above features and ensure that the house does not suffer from any of the above flaws.

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