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What Faults Will a Home Inspector Find With Your Home?
Mon 16 Nov 2009 - 15:39
What Faults Will a Home Inspector Find With Your Home?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Noel_Peebles]Noel Peebles
A Home Inspection Report is not usually expensive when compared to the cost of repairing faults identified in a report. A home buyer can avoid taking on major problems by commissioning a Home Inspectors report. After reading the findings a buyer can then decide to walk away from the sale, negotiate the price down, or require the problems be fixed prior to settlement.
A Home Inspection Report may examine a number of areas including: roofing, dampness, plumbing, foundations etc. Here are six more areas of interest:
1. Breach of Firewall
The wall between a garage and the rest of the house can be critical in slowing the spread of a fire into the main house. The door from the house to the garage should be a solid core door. This is different from internal doors in the rest of the house which are often hollow doors.
The integrity of the firewall between the garage and house can be destroyed when holes are cut in the firewall to run cables, or when a hole is cut in the solid core door to allow pets to go in and out.
2. Pool/Spa/Jacuzzi
When buying a house with a pool or spa, make sure cleaning/filtering system works properly. Test the thermostat and check for leaks or cracks.
3. Hazardous Materials
A home inspection report will normally point out findings of asbestos and lead.
4. Pests and Termites
A home inspection report will advise of termite/beetle holes in wooden supports and under house. The home inspector may also check attic vents for hornet/wasp nests. He or she may also check for rodent droppings in cupboards and under house.
5. Electrical
Before buying a house test outlets, light sockets and switches to ensure they work properly and check that they comply with regulations. The light fixtures will need to be tested too. Note: electrical wiring can be a complex subject so you may need to seek specialized professional advice if you are in any doubt as to the competence or safety of the wiring.
6. Smoke Detectors
These may not be mentioned on a home inspection report, but always have adequate smoke detectors strategically positioned throughout the house. And, check the effectiveness of smoke detectors at least twice a year. The batteries do not last forever and the smoke alarms are useless if they do not work. Most smoke alarms have a testing button so check if they are working or if the battery needs changing.
In summary, a home inspection report can be a valuable tool when buying or selling a property. However, the report will only be as good as the person doing the inspecting. Some home inspectors rush inspections when a thorough inspection would normally take an hour or more to complete. There are also home inspectors who lack the knowledge or experience to inspect a home properly, however in saying that, most home inspectors are thoroughly professional and will do a great job.
As a final note, please be aware that your home inspection report may not cover all the points mentioned in this article and it may include other factors like: septic systems, radon, land boundaries, abandoned in-ground oil tanks, asbestos, mold build-up etc. This is a guide only so always seek professional advice from a home inspector in your area.
Noel has a friend with an [http://www.inwallsafe.org/]In Wall Safe web site with helpful information on home security and [http://www.inwallsafe.org/House-Safes.html]House Safes. It is a really helpful site for home owners.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Noel_Peebles http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Faults-Will-a-Home-Inspector-Find-With-Your-Home?&id=3263455
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