Major Home Defects Your Home Inspector Should Check
You will know if you are talking with a skillful and credible home inspector if he is able to describe to you all the defects he is going to check in the home you are interested in. This is why you also need to know the major common defects in a home to enable you to ask the right questions.
Nowadays, most home inspectors use home inspection software, and most probably all home defects are covered by the software. But equipping yourself with knowledge about home defects will help you in your decision-making when choosing the right home inspector.
The five most common major home defects are the following:
- Roof Leaks
- Water Seepage
- Electrical Hazards
- Water Heater Problems
- Gas Heater Problems
These leaks are most common in older houses, but they can also be found in newer homes due to the use of inferior roofing materials or to improper roofing installation. Some of these problems can be repaired; some need replacement. Ask your home inspector the methods he uses in checking roof leaks if it is not raining on home inspection day.
This problem is caused by defective underground structures such as drainage systems, unexpected developments in groundwater conditions or faulty exterior ground grading.
Know the precise cause of water seepage because groundwater drains are costly to design and install.
These problems include outlets without grounding, defective electrical wiring in some sections of the house and absence of ground fault circuit interrupters. Most often, the faulty electrical installations or wiring were additions done by inexperienced homeowners or unqualified electricians.
Inspection services have found that most water heaters are in violation of plumbing regulations. Some of these violations are use of inferior gas piping, incorrect installation of overflow piping and weak pipe strapping.
Most often, gas companies are delayed in implementing regular inspection of their installations. Some of the most common problems found during home inspection are non-compliance with fire safety regulations, damage to the firebox and carbon monoxide leaks.
