When buying a home of any age, size or style, it's vital to be aware of its current status. The three main components of a HomeTech pre-purchase home inspection are safety, livability and potential high-cost repairs. Our detailed home inspection report will cover all aspects of the current state of the home, from foundation to roof, inside and out, all focused on the 3 main components. The first thing inspectors look for are insects that destroy wood, Turner says.
It can be carpenter bees, carpenter ants, gunpowder beetles and, of course, termites. Other inspectors offer a full menu of things they will test, such as radon, mold, water, etc. It is important to ask in advance what exactly you will receive for your money. Once inside, the basement is the most common place where home inspectors will begin their work.
The basement is a critical area of the house; it provides a place for larger potential problems to be discovered. In fact, probably more than 80% of the main problems in a house could start in the basement. Every home inspection will include a thorough search for mold, especially when a buyer mentions the fact that they have some respiratory problems. But what most new home buyers don't realize is that many homes end up with mold somewhere.
In any place where moisture manages to penetrate the shell of the house, it becomes a breeding ground. However, not all mold problems are created equal. If mold is found, it can be something simple to fix and something that the current owner is happy to take care of. If you find mold, don't panic unless the inspector and your real estate agent tell you to do it because of the type and severity.
What most people don't realize is that every home has mold. There are many different types of mold. Some can cause health problems and others that are very benign. You should be concerned about the most common mold, which, if discovered on a home inspection, is known as Stachybotrys chartarum.
This is a toxic mold that needs to be treated immediately. Mold removal costs can vary dramatically from company to company. I highly recommend getting multiple offers from professional mold removal companies. Here is a detailed article worth reading regarding what you need to know about mold.
Radon is a radioactive material that can be distributed in the soil under and around a home. If the concentration is strong enough, radon can pose a health hazard to the inhabitants of the house. Due to the closed structure of the house, radon can be trapped and those in the house may be exposed to such a degree that they are in danger. Exposure to radon occurs over a long period of life at home.
Remediation of radon in air is relatively easy to do. Some companies specialize in doing so. Essentially, a PVC pipe goes through the basement floor and out of the roof of the house. A fan is connected to the pipe that creates a vacuum and draws radon through the pipe and out of the house before it can enter.
You should also be aware that it is possible to have radon in your water if you are serviced by an artisanal well. Removing radon from water is much more expensive than in air. Removing radon in water can cost you between $5,000 and $6,000 on average. There are two methods of removal that are discussed in the article referred to.
When inspecting a house, radon should be added to the list of things to check. Old houses usually contain lead paint. Although the paint does not pose a hazard unless you ingest it, the current owner is legally obliged to inform you of the presence of lead paint. If you plan to have children in the home, you will want to know about the topic of painting.
The home inspector will check for lead paint and let you know in any way. Lead paint is the only federally required item that all sellers must disclose to the buyer. Each state differs from lead paint in what must be disclosed when selling a home. Real estate agents are also held to a different standard than homeowners when it comes to disclosure.
Septic systems must be carefully managed if they continue to handle household waste. When you buy a home, you want to know that the septic system is working properly, because repairing such a system or replacing it is expensive. Homebuyers Can't Get a Loan Without Approving Title V. When buying a home, you should review the Title 5 septic report very carefully.
Like lead paint, asbestos was a common material used in housing construction during. The material is extremely flame retardant and was commonly used as insulation in older houses. Lead paint and asbestos are the most common toxic materials found in older homes, but they aren't the only materials present in a home you want to buy. The home inspector will be aware of any other toxic material you are concerned about before buying the home.
Consult your real estate agent on how to negotiate inspection issues. Always remember what you are buying. Every home has defects, and the seller's job is not to provide you with 100 percent hassle-free housing. Inspections give you an expert view of the property and help you make an informed decision about buying.
The results of an inspection can help you decide whether to complete your purchase or request repairs or a repair credit. Any home inspection should include a thorough evaluation of heating and cooling systems, as well as plumbing and electrical work. It is a good idea for the buyer to attend the home inspection because it will be the perfect opportunity to ask the inspector how the various systems in the house work and learn about maintenance. There are states where real estate agents do not attend the inspection, the only person who goes is the inspector, only.
Testing heating during summer or air conditioning during winter could damage the system and provide an inaccurate reading, so home inspectors normally only check heating in winter and only check air conditioning in summer. If you are a seller and you have had your home inspected before you put it on the market, you can provide a copy of that report to potential buyers. Perhaps no other inspection measure, before buying a home, is more important and effective than interviewing neighbors. However, some buyers may not be willing to accept a home inspection report and may want to hire an inspector on their own.
By doing so, home inspectors ensure that the home is safe for the buyer and that it does not have major structural damage that needs repair. A fundamental component of the buying process, a home inspection is like a “test drive” for a new home. Even if you are quite confident, there are no major problems; a housing inspection is a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the property. To ensure that your home is safe from water damage that can cause moldy walls, make sure your inspector takes the extra precautions of wielding an infrared camera to detect water damage that exists beneath the surface of a home.
The seller may try to distract the inspector from certain areas of the house and may influence the accuracy of the inspection report. For electrical systems, the inspector shall examine the wiring, main service panels, cables, fuses and circuit breakers. . .
