What to inspect when buying a home
The home systems will normally (not always) help identify what needs to be inspected at the home and property. Rural homes have septic and well were urban home have city water and municipal sewers. When you are carefully choosing a home there are a few things to consider. The mechanical systems and the location of the home are a few that need careful consideration.
Common Inspection Items
1. General Inspection Items
The whole home will need to be examined to make sure it is all in good working order. The basics, like the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical system and everything else that makes a house a home, will all be covered in a home inspection.
You want to know that the place will be functional when you move in, so the home inspector will go over it all. Most home inspectors will start with the outside of the building and then head inside after a thorough investigation of the exterior.
Some of the most common bigger exterior issues include:
- Wood and trim rot.
- Failing roof.
- Chimney cracking or re-pointing issues.
- Grading problems that are causing potential water penetration.
- Structural issues with a deck or porch (improper connection to the home).
- Window issues.
- Bulkhead problems.
Once inside, the basement is the most common place home inspectors will start their work. The basement is a critical area of the home is it provides a place for the largest potential issues to be discovered. In fact, probably over 80% of the major issues in a home could potentially start in the basement. If you think about it most of the major components are found there including the heating system, electrical panel, all the plumbing pipes as well as the foundation and structural support.
Some of the most common bigger interior issues include:
- A heating system past its life expectancy.
- Structural failure in the foundation.
- An air conditioning system past its life expectancy.
- Electrical issues including knob and tube in older homes, double tapped breakers, grounding issues and lack of GFCI protection.
- Window or skylight seals that have been broken.
2. Radon Testing
Radon is a radioactive material that can be distributed in the soil below and surrounding a home. If the concentration is strong enough, the radon can pose a health hazard to the inhabitants of the home. Because of the home’s enclosed structure, the radon can become trapped, and those in the home can be exposed to such a degree that they are endangered. Radon exposure happens over an extended period of time of living in the home.
A radon inspection will check on the levels of radon in the air. If radon is present and is a concern, some things can be done to remediate the home to safe levels. US EPA has set an action level of 4 pCi/L. At or above this amount of radon, the EPA suggests you take corrective measures to reduce your exposure to radon gasses.
Remediation of radon in the air is relatively easy to do. Some companies specialize in doing so (http://www.protechenvironmental.com/). Essentially a PVC pipe is run through the basement floor up and out the roof of the home. A fan is attached to the pipe that creates a vacuum and draws the radon up through the pipe and out of the house before it can ever get inside. Most radon removal specialists guarantee they will reduce the levels below 2 pCi/L by installing a radon mitigation system. The cost of removing radon runs between $800-1500 in most places.
3. Mold
Mold is a scary 4 letter word that freaks home buyers out, which is understandable. Every home inspection should include a thorough search for mold and air sample because home buyers are really concerned with it. But what most new home buyers don’t realize is that many homes wind up with mold somewhere. (Independent Mold Inspector Mark Banner at http://www.mjbmold.com/)
Anywhere moisture manages to penetrate the shell of the home becomes a prime breeding ground for mold. However, not all mold problems are equal. If mold is found, it may be a simple thing to fix and something the current owner is glad to take care of. So if mold is found – don’t freak out unless the inspector and your Realtor say you should 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 that can cause health issues and others that are very benign.
The most common mold that you should be worried about if discovered in a home inspection is known as Stachybotrys chartarum. This is a toxic mold that should be dealt with right away.
Mold removal costs can vary dramatically from company to company. I would highly recommend getting multiple bids from professional mold removal companies.
4. Pest and Insects
In older homes, it can be normal to find yourself dealing with the occasional mouse or ant problem. But a few mice or some ants in the sugar are a far cry from a true pest or insect infestation. Some homes have serious problems, problems you need to know about before you move in.
Termites, for instance, can ruin the structure of a home if left unaddressed. Orkin has some great information on how to identify termites worth checking out. The home you are buying could have a major problem with bats in an attic. If you don’t like bats, you’d want to know about such a problem. If you don’t have an inspection, you would probably never know. A great local company is http://www.michiganwildlifesolutions.com/Bat_Removal.html.
5. Lead Paint
Older homes will commonly contain lead paint. While the paint doesn’t pose a danger unless you ingest it, the lead can be stirred up with renovations, refinishing doors and trim. The current owner is still legally obligated to inform you of the presence of lead paint. If you are planning on having children in the home, you want to know about the paint issue. A lead paint inspector will verify whether lead paint is present, and will let you know either way.
Lead paint is the only federally mandated item that all sellers must disclose to a buyer.
6. Well Water and Water Testing
If the home you are interested in gets its water from a well, the home inspection will need to include a careful look at the condition of the well. The quality of the water, as well as the flow rate, are things you should be aware of before you purchase the home.
Failing to look closely at the well can put you in a bad position as a new home owner. New wells are expensive to drill, so you want to make sure that the existing well is functioning properly. The well is an inspection and water testing item that is often overlooked by many home buyers.
Not testing a well is a big no-no and could certainly come back to haunt you. Water quality is very important. Don’t assume that if you have good water pressure coming out of the faucets, you have a great well. That is not always the case!
7. Septic Systems
Septic systems must be carefully managed if they are to continue to handle the waste produced by the home. When you buy a home, you want to know that the septic system is working correctly, because fixing such a system or replacing it is costly. The EPA has a good resource for managing your septic system. In Washtenaw County, we have regulations (TIme of Sale) that requires owners to have their septic system inspected before selling to a buyer. The condition of the septic system can only be known if the septic tank and field are inspected. Septic pumping records are a helpful resource to identify the maintenance of the system (EPA publication Why Maintain your System).
8. Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
In the majority of the home I inspect the smoke detectors are expired or missing. Working detectors are required when a home is constructed, renovated or inspected for a Certificate of Occupancy transfer and are inspected by the “Building Inspector” working for the municipality. We check the date code on the detector if the home is older than 9 years. The detectors should be on each floor. The newer homes are required to have detectors in the bedrooms also.
9. Asbestos, Buried Underground Tanks and Other Hazards
(1) Asbestos
Like lead paint, asbestos was a common material used in home building for decades. The material is extremely fire retardant and was commonly used as insulation in older homes. Unfortunately, when disturbed – such as when homeowners renovate or add new insulation in the attic – the fibers in the asbestos can become airborne and be inhaled. The barbs on the fibers can become stuck in the lungs and lead to cancer many years later. Your inspection should inform you if the potential for asbestos is present.
The barbs on the fibers can become stuck in the lungs and lead to cancer many years later. Your inspection should inform you if the potential for asbestos is present. The concern with vermiculite asbestos used in construction in the 1950s through the 1980s is a relatively recent, being discovered approximately 25 years ago. The basic problem with vermiculite asbestos (tremolite and actinolite) is that it is different than the types of asbestos that has been regulated since the 1970s. Existing regulations pertain to three other types of asbestos that, if present in a concentration of >1%, are regulated as an asbestos-containing material. However, tremolite and actinolite are more dangerous forms of asbestos. Further complicating matters is the possibility suggested by some studies that the tremolite and actinolite asbestos is only an “indicator contaminant” and that the health risk is associated with or increased with several co-existing non-asbestos and quasi-asbestos minerals including winchite, reibeckite and/or richterite (“quasi-asbestiforms”).
(2) Buried Underground tanks and other hazards
Lead paint and asbestos are the most common toxic materials found in older homes, but they are not the only such materials that can be present in a home you are looking to purchase. The home inspector will be on the lookout for buried tanks, any other toxic materials that you should be concerned with before you buy the home.
Final Thoughts
The age of the home has strong influence on the the presence or absence of some of the items discussed above. Understanding the current state of the home you are buying is important. Even if you are quite confident there are no major issues; a home inspection is a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the property. A Home Inspection is a great educational experience if you hire an excellent inspector. Always do your due diligence.