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• Tips on Home Inspections

Tips for Home Inspections

Inspections are designed to help you understand the overall condition of a property, potentially saving you considerable time with the purchase process and hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs. Some of the inspections which may be required or recommended by your real estate professional are:

• Standard Home Inspection - The areas which may be covered include roofs, exterior surfaces, garage/carport, structure, attic, basement, crawl space, electrical, heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, fireplace/wood burning devices, appliance condition. Remember that your inspection rights are clearly stated in the Contract For Sale and vary from jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction. In some cases homes can be sold "as-is" even though an inspection may take place.
• Radon Inspection - Radon levels are detected and measured. EPA recommends that homes containing 4.0 or more Pico Curies per liter be remedied.
• Termite Inspection - A termite inspector will inspect the property for the presence of wood-destroying insects (WDI) or wood destroying organisms (WDO, i.e. fungus) and conducive conditions that exist. Inspection requirements vary by state.
• Asbestos Inspection - Lab analysis will determine if asbestos fibers are present and evaluate their condition. If friable or non -friable conditions exist, buyers should seek professional assistance.
• Lead Paint Inspection - Painted surfaces of a home can be evaluated to determine the presence of lead paint. Homes that were constructed before 1978 may contain lead-based paint.
• Pool/Hot Tub Inspection - Determines the overall condition and operability of a pool and/or hot tub's equipment. Additionally, the condition of the pool deck will be inspected for deterioration and/or other noticeable defects.
• Private Well Flow and Potability Inspection - Designed to determine whether or not a private well adequately supplies water to the house. Samples are sent to a lab for potability (drinkability) analysis.
• Stucco Siding Inspection - There are two types of stucco siding to be aware of: cement-based "traditional" stucco and synthetic stucco. An inspection of the siding's application according to manufacturer's installation specifications is recommended. Synthetic stucco siding is commonly referred to as Exterior Insulated Finish System (EIFS).
  • In considering a home with stucco exterior, we recommend an inspection be conducted to determine the condition of the siding.
  • Synthetic stucco is predominately found in the Southeast but it is present in homes in other areas of the country as well.
  • Hidden structural damage has been documented in synthetic stucco homes in 34 states
  • Moisture readings are taken to determine if the system has already experienced water intrusion.
• Underground Storage Tank (UST) Inspection - The most common methods for testing a UST, typically used to store oil for heating homes, are either the soil test or vacuum test. The soil test consists of random core samples taken around the location of the tank and submitting them for lab analysis. This will determine if any product has contaminated the soil at that particular area and to what extent. The vacuum test consists of having a technician seal off and place the tank under a vacuum. Readings are periodically taken to determine whether or not the tank is losing its vacuum. With this test immediate results are available for the buyers.
  • Since USTs are predominately made of metal, they rust and corrode over time, causing hazardous materials to contaminate soil.
  • The majority of UST problems occur in the northeastern states due to the older properties located there.

Obtaining the proper inspections for a home prior to purchase is one of the best ways to make a smart purchase decision and protect your investment. The above is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all of the types of inspections that may be necessary on a particular home, but it is meant to provide general information on some of the most common types of inspections.