Homes are assets, and like any other asset you want to be sure that you’re investing your money in a stable and safe asset that will deliver value for money. It doesn’t matter if you’re someone who owns a house and wants to sell it off or someone looking to buy a house, you’ll want to know if your investment yields the maximum value or not. This is where a home inspection comes in.
A home inspection can be a delicate matter. In some cases homeowners are expected to carry out a home inspection when they’re trying to sell a house. Or, you might find yourself on the opposite side and are really interested in buying a house. Even in this case you’ll want to carry out a thorough home inspection before you can commit on the purchase.
But, people are often confused about what really constitutes a home inspection. home inspection checklist? Who carries it out? Is it really worth it? Questions like these are sure to dominate the thoughts of most people.
The inspection is supposed to be carried out by a trained home inspector. The inspector will uncover any potential issues in the house. If you are a homeowner, he will make it easier for you to do the necessary repairs, or if you are interested in buying the house, he will ask the owner to do the repairs for you.
Here’s everything else you need to know about a home inspection:
Finding the Right Home Inspection Professional
The responsibility of arranging the home inspection is not up to the homeowner but the party that is interested in buying the house.
Hence, it is important that when you contact a homeowner, you make it an important condition that the final transaction of ownership depends on an inspection. An even better option would be to arrange a home inspection before you make the bid in the first place.
You can find a lot of good and honorable home inspectors online. Try to talk to other friends and family members who’ve used their services to get an idea about home inspections.
Before you hire an inspector, ask them a few questions in order to gauge their expertise, and hire the best person available for the job.
Areas Your Home Inspection Should Cover
The Inspection should basically cover the following aspects:
- Electrical system
- Plumbing System
- Heating and Cooling System
- Roofing
- Basement
- Crawl Space
- Foundations
- Insulation
It is also the inspector’s job to find out whether the house is infected with pests, asbestos, or mold. The inspection needs to be thorough in order to figure out any problem that might be potentially hazardous.
What Happens if They Find Issues During the Inspection
Rarely, if ever, will a home end up with a 100% clean bill of health. Inspectors are paid to be thorough. They can almost always find a few things that need attention.
Common problem areas identified by inspectors are in the crawl space and the proper amounts of insulation.
Since a crawl space is so critical to the air and health in a home it is best that you take steps to ensure your crawl space is clean and safe prior to the inspection. There are are several things to look at in your crawl space, here are a few to consider:
- Remove all debris, rotted wood and small rodent carcasses from the crawl space
- Make sure structural beams have not been damaged by water and severe moisture conditions
- Install a new or remove an existing vapor barrier
- Check for mold and mildew. Remove mold if any is present
- Seal air penetration points and holes
- Check for the proper levels of insulation
- If necessary, fog area with odor neutralizer to reduce potential for re-infestation
- If needed, repair or replace air ducting
An inspector will also check to see if there is a proper amount insulation in your attic.
Studies have shown that attic insulation is the single most cost effective factor in saving energy and lowering their utility bills.
You can determine if you may need more insulation by looking across your attic. If you see that the insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation.
If an inspector finds that your attic does not have the required R-level of insulation material for your climate it will best to upgrade ASAP. You may qualify for a insulation rebate to help offset the cost.
If your home inspection finds more problems than you’re comfortable dealing with, then feel free to call Crawl Pros at 866-673-9626.
Crawl Pros are experts in handling crawl space, attic insulation, mold and water mediation issues. We provide free estimates and stand by to support your home inspection projects.