Home Inspection Confidential

What Home Inspectors do is not rocket science. We are trained to look for defects in a methodical way and we have an extensive list of what we are looking for, but that doesn’t mean YOU, the buyer, can’t be looking for issues on your first, second and third visit to the property you will eventually have me inspect.  You could save yourself some money if you cross off a house before I even see it.

Water

This gutter is obviously not helping direct water away from the house.

A large percentage of home problems are related to water going where it shouldn’t. Start outside, looking at the house. What does the roof look like, and how old is it? What do the gutters, downspouts and splash blocks look like and where does the water go when it reaches the ground?  Any erosion, moss, stains or other ‘clues’ evident?
Once inside, check for stains on ceilings or walls on the top floor (possible signs of a leaky roof).  Are there any stains or patches underneath bathrooms on the other floors? What does it look like underneath the sinks? When you go into the basement, are there any odors, dampness, rust stains or discolored cardboard boxes on the floor? Does the furnace have any rust stains?

Gas

Evidence of a previous gas fire. Amazingly, a prior Inspector failed to spot this during his inspection.

Gas is easy: everything should work and there should be NO ODOR!  If you smell gas
when walking into a home, walk right back out. You might get a brief whiff if you are standing next to a stove or fireplace as it starts to light, but NEVER when first entering a home or even a room.  If you smell gas and you are not standing close to the appliance, there is a dangerous problem. Leave the house immediately and call 911.

Electricity

An outlet with scorch marks can be a red flag for potential electrical system issues.

Repeat after me: “Extension cords, wire nuts and black tape are generally BAD” A $7 electrical outlet tester will tell you a LOT. Is the outlet working? Is it loose in the wall? Does it hold an inserted plug firmly? Has it been painted over? Do all the right lights light up?
Older houses may have a mix of two-wire (ungrounded) and three-wire (grounded) outlets. If it seems like there is a random distribution of grounded and ungrounded outlets, the grounded outlets may not actually be grounded to anything, which constitutes a safety hazard.
A quick look at the electrical panels may also tell some stories.  Fuses are not necessarily a red flag; they are just old and obsolete, and you could be looking at (expensive) upgrades to bring them up to current standards. Rusted panels, or Federal Pacific, Zinsco and Bulldog Pushmatic panels all need to be replaced as they are documented safety hazards, and this is an expensive repair. Messy wiring with lots of loose wires everywhere probably needs some TLC from an electrician.

Heating and Cooling

This furnace had not been maintained and was crusted with layers of dust and corrosion.

It should be working and be REASONABLY current. System efficiencies have gone up a LOT in the last few years, so a 17 year old system will cost you extra each month until you replace it.  Any system more than 17 years old is a candidate for replacement; between 10 and 17 years old and you might want to consider upgrading if you’re planning on staying in the house for five or more years. A system between five and 10 years old just needs to be maintained, and anything under five years old is nice to see.
HOWEVER!!!  If the fuel bills are reasonable, then replacing a SAFE and WORKING 20 year old furnace with a new $9,000 one doesn’t make sense as the payback is probably longer than you will be in the house. Then again, I don’t see many 20-year-old furnaces that are safe, efficient, and in good working condition.

Windows and Doors

Even a tiny gap like the one in this door can add up to huge increases in your heating and cooling bill.

If they work and are draft-free, don’t even think about replacing them. If they have storm windows, all the better. An old TIGHT window is much better and will last much longer than a new, poorly installed, cheap, smaller new vinyl replacement window (not that I’m opinionated at all). DRAFTS are what it is all about, rather than the ‘R’ or ‘U’ factor of the window. A small draft will totally wipe out any savings from a super-duper argon filled low-E triple pane custom vinyl window. Sealing or tightening existing windows is far more cost effective in most cases (Psst… Energy auditors are supposed to tell you about DIY opportunities FIRST before mentioning any upgrades or replacements…I’ve been through the training!).  And if you can see daylight around any outside doors, uhh…no. Weather stripping is MUCH cheaper than a replacement door.

I’ve just shared some secrets with you. If I get to an inspection site before the client does, these are the things I will look at while I am finishing my coffee. I haven’t started the inspection yet, but this “First Pass” has told me where I need to spend more (or less) of my time and given me clues as to what issues I should be looking for.