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When you’ve found a home inspector you think you’d like to hire, put him on the spot. You’ve got a lot at stake. Interview him and give him the chance to tell you why you should choose him. Here are some questions you can ask him.
Is he or she certified by the proper state, county, or city agencies? Does he have the appropriate license and credentials for where you live? It would be a good idea if you can find out what’s required and where to go to find out about the inspector you’re...
•The Home Inspection—Knowing What to Expect
If you’re buying or selling a home, it’s essential to have the home inspected by a qualified home inspector. Your home inspector will examine the house from top to bottom, inside and out, and give you a report on the condition of the home to help you make wise decisions.
A home inspector worth his salt will do some preparation before inspecting the home you want him to check out. He’ll check with local authorities to get answers to a few key questions.
* What are the home's zoning, setback,...
•Your Home Inspector Will Check Outside Doors and Windows
When you have a home inspected, your home inspector will check both the inside and outside of the house. As for windows and doors, here’s what he’ll check for outside.
Have you ever stopped to consider how many kinds of doors there are? For example, there are hinged, single and double doors made of wood, steel, aluminum, and plastic. They may come with or without glazing. In warm climates jalousie doors may also be used. These are doors with movable glass slats or louvers. Some buildings use...
•Your Home Inspector’s Tools Are at Work For You
If you have visions of your professional home inspector poking around a house with a magnifying glass and yardstick, it’s time to update your mental image.
Your home inspector may very well own a magnifying glass and yardstick, but be assured, he’s got modern tools to put to work for you, and they may look like something out of Star Trek.
Home inspectors don’t all carry the same tools. However, if you know about some of them, you’ll have just that much more confidence in your inspector’s...
•Your Home Inspection—Who Should Be There?
Whether you’re buying or selling a home, a home inspection is a significant part of the process. Who should be there besides the home inspector when it happens?
Let’s look at an important reason why you should be present when the home is inspected. Suppose you’re buying a home. Then you find all kinds of problems afterward, and you don’t believe the home was properly inspected. First, were you there when the home was inspected? Did you read the full report and not just a summary or repair...
•Should a Home Inspection Include Radon Testing?
When you have a home inspected, either before buying or selling, issues might come up that will surprise you. Radon might be one of those. How important is it, and should your home be tested for it?
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is a radioactive gas that has been found in homes all over the United States. It comes from the natural breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air you breathe. It typically moves up through the ground to the air...
•Your Home Inspector Will Check Decks, Porches and Garage Doors
Whether you’re buying or selling a home, having it inspected by a qualified home inspector is a must. Your inspector will look over the inside and outside of the home to give you a report on its condition. Areas prone to safety issues may need special attention.
Some of the most important areas on the outside of the home are porches, decks and balconies. Because these are exposed to the elements more than most other parts of a home, your inspector will check their condition carefully. This is...
•A Home Inspection is in Your Best Interest When Buying a Home
When you’re in the market for a home, have that dream home inspected by a qualified professional home inspector. Why? Because a home inspector will give you a report on the overall condition of the home. You’ll get an in depth, unbiased perspective you can’t get from a walk through with your real estate agent.
A home inspection evaluates the overall physical condition of the home, including the structure, the overall construction, as well as the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems....
•Home Inspection Tip—Five Home Maintenance Areas That Can Snag the Sale of Your Home
The last thing you want when you’re selling your home is to discover problems that could jeopardize the sale. While a home inspection will reveal the condition of your home, you won’t have to be afraid of issues that come up if you’ve kept your home wel maintained. With good home maintenance you can avoid some of the most common imperfections and problems found by home inspectors.
Home maintenance tasks are often put off for various reasons, such as lack of time, lack of money, or simply lack...
•A Home Inspection Can Show You the “Big Picture” Outside
There’s more to having a home inspected than that which first meets the eye. A qualified home inspector will look at the “big picture” when it comes to inspecting the home you’re buying or selling. We’ll focus briefly here on just a few things your inspector will see outside.
Your inspector will take a look at the home’s architectural style and determine if anything needs to be done to maintain the home’s integrity and character. In the aftermath of storms or other natural disasters, he’ll...
•A Home Inspector Checks the Electrical System
When a home inspector looks over the home you’re either buying or selling, one of the crucial items he’ll examine is the electrical system. In other words, how’s the wiring? Are there any fire hazards the must be fixed immediately?
One of the first things to understand about a home is its requirements for amps and volts. The more amps you have in a home, the more electrical devices you can have in use at any given time. The typical standard is 100 amps, though some say 200 amps are necessary...
•Home Inspection and the Chinese Drywall Problem
If you haven’t yet been convinced how important it is to have a home inspected before you purchase it, here’s one key reason: Chinese drywall. You may have heard about it on the news, but how serious is it?
Drywall imported from China, mainly between 2001 and 2007, is at the root of the problem. However, poorly made drywall in this country can be a problem, too. Though the most significant problems have occurred in the Southeast, especially Florida, the issue has been reported in 32 states,...
•A Home Inspection Will Find Insect and Fungal Damage to Wood
Any time you have a home inspected, your inspector will look at the structures and systems that make the house what it is. Naturally, he’ll look at the wood structures, like floors, walls, doors and windows.
There are four things that can cause wood structure problems. They are: 1) Deflection and warping, 2) Fungal and insect attack, 3) Fire, and 4) Connection failure and improper alteration. In this article we’ll look at insect damage and rot.
Insect and fungal damage are commonly found...
•A Home Inspection is a Must Before Buying an Unoccupied Home
You’ve found that little place in the country you’ve been dreaming of, but it hasn’t been lived in for a while and needs some work. Or maybe you’ve found a place in town that has caught your eye, but it’s been vacant for months or years. Whatever the case may be for you, you owe it to yourself to have the home inspected by a qualified home inspector.
Homes that haven’t been occupied for a period of time can present particular problems. Often homes aren’t that well cared for even when they’re...
•Your Home Inspector Found Major Problems—Now What?
So you’re buying a home and you’ve hired a certified home inspector. Now remember it's the nature of his work that he’s going to find problems and reports to you the condition of the home. What should you do when major problems are discovered?
Remember, you’ve hired him to find things that are wrong with the house. You may be in for some big surprises, but don’t panic. Be clear-headed and determine what’s reparable and what isn’t. The goal of this article is to help you handle the situation if...
•Your Home Inspector Looks at Your Roof Inside and Out
A blind woman in a Midwestern state purchased a house, only to discover it needed major roofing repairs due to damage from previous snow and ice storms. Her home inspector hadn’t done his job well, but she shrewdly managed to get money back from him in an out of court settlement. Unfortunately, her roof required major repairs.
Any home inspector worth his salt knows how vital it is to check out the roof thoroughly. It’s an important component of any good home inspection. In fact, the inspector...
•Home Inspection Tips—Getting Reliable Radon Test Results
You can’t see or smell radon, but it could be in the home you’re buying, selling or building, and it poses a threat to your health. Therefore, it’s important to have a home inspector or other qualified professional test the home for radon levels to determine if repairs are needed that will reduce those levels.
How can you be sure to get reliable test results? First, the testing should be done on the lowest level of the home which is regularly occupied, such as a basement, play area, or area...
•Home Inspection Tips—Lowering Radon Levels
It’s possible a home inspection will reveal the existence of radon gas seeping up through the ground into the living area of the home you want to buy. Radon is known for causing lung cancer, so you don’t want it around. What can you do to decrease the seriousness of the problem? In other words, what do you do to mitigate the radon threat?
Radon resistant techniques can be simple and passive and will lower radon levels when done properly. They can lower levels of moisture and other soil gasses,...
•Your Home Inspection Checklist-Plumbing
Here’s a checklist that you can use to do your own pre-inspection on your plumbing. There's no reason not to check your house out yourself before you hire a certified home inspector.
This way you can compare notes and ask questions. He will give you a thorough report on the home's condition. Between what you found and what the inspector found you will be able to take care of what needs to be done before you put your house on the market.
For now we’ll focus on plumbing, including bathrooms,...
•Your Home Inspection Checklist—Outdoors
Are you ready to sell your home, if so you’ll need to have it inspected by a professional certified home inspector. You will get a thorough report on your home’s condition, and you’ll know what needs to be done before you put it on the market.
Before you hire a home inspector take a look at doing a pre-inspection first. All you need to do is write down anything that looks like it needs attention or is out of the ordinary.
Don't be afraid to ask questions about the list that you have written...
•Your Home Inspection Checklist-Heating, Wiring, Doors and Windows
As you're getting ready to sell your home it might do you good to do your own pre-inspection. After you do your pre-inspection then call a certified professional home inspector.
As you're doing a pre-inspection of your home write down everything that needs some attention or is out of the ordinary. You may also want to create a list of questions to ask the home inspector as he walks through the house with you.
He will give you a thorough report with pictures and you will know what needs to be...
•Your Home Inspection Checklist—Inside Your Home, Garage and Attic
When you’re ready to sell your home, you’ll need to have it inspected by a professional home inspector. He’ll give you a thorough report on your home’s condition, so you’ll know what needs to be done to get it ready for the market.
Before your inspector comes, why not do your own pre-inspection? Have a notebook in hand and write down anything you notice that’s out of the ordinary or needs attention. Make a list of questions to ask your inspector or other professional service people who may...
•A Home Inspection Can Detect a Meth House
Mortgage and credit problems have brought about home foreclosures which, in a number of cases, have devastated whole neighborhoods. All too often abandoned homes have been taken over by vagrants, drug dealers or turned into meth labs.
If you’re planning to buy a home that’s gone through foreclosure, it’s an absolute must that you have it inspected to become aware of potential problems, including physical and environmental dangers. A home inspection can determine if a home has been used as a...
•Home Inspection Tips—Moisture Problems and Crawl Spaces
Any home inspector can tell you that most crawlspaces have moisture problems. There are two different types of crawlspace setups--vented and non-vented.
Vented crawlspaces have vents that allow for cross ventilation and the home’s sub floor is insulated along with the pipes in the crawlspace to prevent freezing. There’s a vapor barrier on the ground and vents are closed in the winter time. A small heater or heat tape may also be used to help keep the pipes from freezing in addition to...
•Home Inspections—The Trouble With Termites
What do teenagers and termites have in common? They’ll both eat you out of house and home. The difference is, termites do it literally by doing serious damage to wood structures.
Termites invite themselves into your home, but you may not know it. If they go unnoticed for a long time, they can cause tremendous damage. When your home inspector conducts his inspection, a home inspection engineer should thoroughly check for evidence of termites. Your mortgage lender may ask for a clear termite...
•Home Inspection Tip—When Should the Roof Be Replaced?
Let’s suppose you’re buying a house. Your home inspector says the roof’s shingles need to be replaced. However, the seller says this isn’t necessary because the roof doesn’t leak and never has. He says he’s not replacing shingles as long as the roof still sheds water. Who’s right? What should be done?
First, there are two main techniques for evaluating a roof. One is to objectively determine the physical condition of the material of the roof. The other is to find a subjective answer to whether...
•A Home Inspection Can Find Causes of Sill Damage
When you have a home inspected, your home inspector will look carefully at the structure of your home to check for signs of damage, which may include water damage, rot, or termites.
Rotting of sills often happens after years of water leaking into wood members. Wood rot in sills next to steps and slabs is very common. Unfortunately, this is because builders will often leave out metal flashing on the sill/wall/sheathing surface before the steps or slabs are poured.
In many cases it is...
•Home Inspection Tip—Move Your Clutter!
When any self respecting housewife invites company for dinner, she cleans the house to impress her guests. If you’re selling your home and are having it inspected, as you should, you’ll need to do some house cleaning, too. That’s not so you can impress your home inspector, but so he can do his job.
Many times home inspectors can’t fully do what they’re supposed to do because certain areas of the home are inaccessible, due to clutter. When it’s time for your home inspection, you want to get...
•A Home Inspection—Again?
What? Two home inspections on the same property? Yes. If you’re selling a home, you’ll want one done, and the prospective buyer will want one done, too. If you do a pre-sale home inspection on the home you’re selling, you’ll save yourself and your prospective buyer a lot of hassles down the road.
Put yourself in the buyers shoes for a minute. These days a buyer can’t be too careful, especially with so many foreclosed homes in uncertain condition on the market. Her real estate sales offer may...
•Home Inspection Tips—Dealing With Grading and Drainage Problems
Let’s face it. Your basement is a hole in the ground, and you don’t want water getting into that hole. Grading and drainage are issues every home owner faces. Home inspectors find grading and drainage problems to be quite common.
If grading collects and holds water near a foundation wall it can cause basement flooding. That can lead to mold growth as soon as 48 hours after flooding, something you definitely don’t want. Of course, any amount of flooding can damage those valuable items you’ve...
•Your Home Inspector is Looking For Trouble…And So Should You
When you hire a home inspector, you want him to look for negatives. If he doesn’t find problems before you sell or buy a home, there will be trouble later on. You can count on it.
When someone wants to buy a home, they’re going to see things like how the house is built, how the floors and walls are covered, and what modern conveniences are included, just to name a few. The inspector looks deeper into the structural, mechanical, and electrical condition of the property.
The home inspector’s...
•Home Inspections and Mold
You’ve heard people joke about the fuzzy green stuff that used to be food in their refrigerator. Maybe you’ve teased about that kind of mold yourself. That’s usually a problem that’s easily solved. Throw the old stuff out.
It’s a different matter when it comes to mold in your home. You definitely don’t want it around. It poses significant problems when you live with it constantly. It can affect the integrity of a home’s walls and foundation. It can cause a variety of health problems. People...
•Home Inspectors Dread Crawlspace Mold, But There’s a Simple Solution
Your home inspector dreads seeing mold in your home just as much as you do. That’s because detection and prevention of mold in a home presents challenges for everyone. Mold causes various health problems and its ongoing presence could even lead to lawsuits. No one wants any of that.
When it comes to mold, your home’s crawlspace is one of the worst offenders, but there’s a simple, relatively inexpensive solution known as a moisture barrier to keep that space dry that can make a big difference....
•Is Your Home Inspector Really Working For You?
The answer to that question should be a resounding “yes,” but is it? You’ll want to be sure that it is. This calls for diligence on your part and ethics and integrity on the part of your home inspector.
Some people want to play word games with the terms “customer” and “client,” where the home inspector’s customer is actually the real estate agent, and the client is the home buyer. You have to ask if the home inspector is working with his next job in mind, or is he working with your best...
•Home Inspection Tip - Dryer Vent Safety
When a home inspector looks for fire hazards or electrical problems, he’ll probably come up with things you hadn’t thought of. You might be surprised how many things you can take care of yourself, without having to call in a professional contractor.
One such example is clothes dryer vent maintenance. Most clothes dryer vent ducts are short in length and can be cleaned and maintained by any home owner. On the other hand, there are some long ducts that run twenty feet or more in crawl spaces or...
•How a Home Inspector Deals With Difficult Realtors and Disclosure Requirements
Home inspectors and realtors are not always on the same page when it comes to proper disclosures that must be made on a house. It’s a home inspector’s duty to let his client know all that she should know about the home she’s buying or selling, and some realtors don’t fully understand that. Realtors should know it’s not home inspectors who kill deals. Rather, it’s buyers and sellers who fail to negotiate the terms of the sale.
Sometimes the home inspector has to educate realtors as well as...
•Home Inspection Tip - Get Your Mind on the Gutter
Weeds in your garden are a problem because they’re where you don’t want them. Likewise, in your home, water around your foundation and in your basement is a problem because that water is where you don’t want it to be, and it’s a far worse problem than weeds.
If you could find a major cause of water getting into your foundation, you’d want to solve the problem. That would mean you could head off more serious problems. Your house would be more livable for you and for the person who you want to...
•Home Inspector Gives Tips on Concrete Cracks and Hot Water Heater
Don't you just hate when you go outside and walk around your front steps and see cracks in the concrete and stone? One of the biggest problems is where the hand rail is mounted into the steps. This is the biggest culprit because most of the time the concrete is not filled to the top where the hand rail and steps meet.
What happens is that water gets into the holes and when it gets cold it freezes. When water freezes it expands and cracks the steps. There is a real easy way to fix this problem...
•Home Inspector Gives Tips on Water Main and Doors
If you are the slightest bit handy around the house you could save yourself thousands of dollars by taking care of the 10 most common repair problems. We’ll cover two of them here.
Let's start with the main water valve. It is very important to know where the main water valve is and where to shut it off. You never know when a major problem will happen with your water. For example, a pipe could freeze up and break in the winter. Or you just may have a pipe break because of age.
So knowing the...
•Home Inspector Gives Tips on Caulking and Hoses
There are some home maintenance items that need to be done every two to three years and every homeowner should know how to do them. One of these is caulking. Caulking itself around a shower or tub is not really that hard to do. The hardest part is actually cleaning out the old caulk and making it look like a decent job.
Use a scraper or a razor blade to scrape off the old caulk. Then wipe down the area with some kind of household cleaner. It is very important to clean the area that you just...
•Home Inspections Find Problems
The job of a home inspector is to find the problems with a home. It is that simple. The inspector does not pass or fail a home. He looks for problems, potential problems, health hazards, safety hazards and plain old annoyances. Most of the time problems are found before they become major problems.
Would you, as a buyer of a home, want to find problems before you buy the home and move in? If you wait, then it is too late. If you move into a home without getting a home inspection done then you...
•Home Inspection, Who Needs One?
Anyone who is buying a house should have a home inspection.
When you are buying a home it is likely you will start to feel the stress and you may be a little confused because of all the requirements and hoops you must go through to buy the home.
It is hard enough to decide exactly where you want to live especially if you have a family. You want to find the best location and what kind of schools are in the area.
Buying a home can be a very stressful time and the last thing that you want to...
•Home Inspection: Diagnosing the Ailments of a House
No home is perfect. Even a newly constructed residence can have flaws. It is not so much the issue of a place having flaws but the impact of the flaw. For instance how serious is the problem, does it pose a health or safety risk, and what are the costs to repair or replace the problem?
A home inspector can help protect you by performing a visual review of the dwelling to identify these issues and to help you to know the level of impact of the flaw.
Buying a home is a costly investment. It can...
•Home Inspection: In the Attic
The attic is a major interior area that is usually overlooked by both sellers and buyers. It can actually have some defects that could impact the whole house. So in any home inspection, whether you are the buyer or seller, make sure the attic is included in the evaluation. In the attic may be electrical wiring, duct work, equipment and support structures that may have damage that could jeopardize the stability and healthy condition of your home.
Attic damages may or may not be visible to the...
•A Home Inspection to Ensure the Safety of Your Electrical System
Chances are good that electronics have invaded your entire premises. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to have a home inspection done to your home if it’s been awhile since you moved in.
Think about it. You have streetlights out on the curb. It lights several meters whereby another light extends the scope of the first one becomes limited and thinly spread. Mostly likely something powers these lines to put the necessary lighting.
The task if not evident through overhead post lines it...
•Home Inspection Checks Appliances and Electrical System
You might think it unnecessary but a home inspection will protect you when buying a home. Both new residences and existing dwellings should receive an independent review. Whether the place you are considering is modest, city or suburban, a single family place or a giant mansion, this will serve to protect you and your interests.
This has much to do with your personal safety and the safety of your family. With regards to appliances and electrical systems, malfunctions in these systems can be a...
•A Home Inspection to Protect Your Children
How safe is the home you are buying? This is a question that every parent should ask themselves before they close on a property. For dad, who is commonly considered the repair man, this might be a really important question. If you don’t have the time, money or desire to do a lot of unexpected repairs after you move in, then a home inspection should be on your to-do list.
If you have children you will be raising in the house, then you know the feeling of concern and worry about their...
•Home Inspection For Sturdy Roofing
Don’t you hate it when it rains inside the house? It brings a new meaning to the saying when it rains it pours. It’s not a good situation. Of course this normally doesn’t happen but if it happens perhaps it’s time to check the state of your house with a thorough home inspection. And if you are buying a house you certainly don’t want to move into a house and find out later that there are issues with the roof.
For the unfortunate, they can probably relate to the situation where pails and buckets...
•Your Home Inspection - What Can You Expect To Be Inspected, Part 3
Not getting a home inspection of the dwelling you are buying could cost you much more than the fee for the service. Getting an inspection before you buy is a small investment compared to the purchase cost of your house. It could possibly save you thousands of dollars in repair bills that you were not expecting.
In this segment you will find details of what is included in this service regarding the heating system, central air conditioning, insulation, ventilation and kitchen appliances. Be sure...
•Home Inspection on Electrical Systems
If you want to buy a new house of residence or if you’ve lived in your dwelling for quite a while, now might be the best time to get a home inspection. This is the process by which a qualified professional will assess whether or not your house meets reasonable standards of safety.
Time is not kind for the aged and growing populace. The problem of wrinkles, crow’s feet and sagging skin begin to meddle and interfere with the social lives of many charming individuals whose youthful vibe melts...
•Home Inspection On Plumbing Systems
When choosing a new residence you are mainly looking at the look and layout of the property. Before you finalize your purchase is the time when you might benefit from the expertise and service that a home inspection offers you.
This is a procedure whereby trained professionals conduct a visual examination of your home and take note of all possible issues and fixtures that might strike them as danger prone. In the process they may uncover several other reasons why things might be in...
•Select A Good Home Inspector
In real estate, a good businessperson knows the merits of hiring a good home inspector. When you’re selling your home you should know how to highlight the strengths and how to offset the weaknesses of a property.
Sellers know that prices can stay way above the standard with the right and carefully prepared presentation of a piece of property.
Buyers, especially in a buyer’s market, have ample discretion to purchase what appears to be a beautiful building for a suitable price when the...
•Home Inspection Protects A Buyer
Let’s say that you want to buy a new house. Already you should be thinking about getting a home inspection. Maybe you are looking for a new place for permanent residence or even a vacation house for summer. Either way, you want a house that meets the standards of quality and structure so that you won’t have to worry about safety and your well being.
A dwelling is meant to encourage feelings of restfulness and solace from the stressors of the outside world. For many people especially those with...
•If You Are Selling A Home, A Home Inspection Helps Seal The Deal
You have heard the horror stories. A friend buys a home that is now literally crumbling around her. Somebody took shortcuts, and her home was not inspected before she bought it. Now she is stuck and can not do anything about it. A home inspection before the sale would have made the deal honest and prevented headaches and heartache later for this friend and concerned family members.
These days it is tempting to cut corners, usually with the idea of saving money. However, a home inspection is a...
•Your Home Inspection - What Can You Expect to Be Inspected, Part 2
Getting a home inspected before you buy is a small investment compared to the purchase cost of your house. But it could possibly save you thousands of dollars in repair bills that you were not expecting. You can plan for your other expenses but surprise repair bills can be difficult to handle. Not getting an inspection of the home you are buying could cost you much more than the fee for the service.
Your inspection will include a visual review of the structural components. The inspector will...
•Your Home Inspection - What Can You Expect to Be Inspected, Part 1
Getting a home inspected before you buy could possibly save you thousands of dollars in repair bills that you were not expecting. The cost is only about $300 to $400; maybe a little more for a much larger or older house.
This is a small investment compared to the cost of the purchase of your new residence. You can plan for your mortgage cost, utility bills and other expenses when figuring up your monthly costs. But surprise repair bills can put you in a bind. We all want to save money and...
•Home Inspector NJ - 3 Questions That Will Stop Your Dream Home From Becoming a Nightmare
You've decided on the home you're going to purchase and now you're thinking of getting the home inspected. It could be your very first house or one of many. You've heard horror stories about people buying a home, living in it for a few months, and then unexpectedly they had to spend thousands of dollars to fix something that should have been known before they bought their dream home.
Well it was a dream home; it was just a nightmare dream home.
Before they bought the home there was no...
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