Areas of the home that are looked at during the Home Inspection?
Full Inspections include evaluation of the following areas:
* Exterior - We look at the exterior covering to see if there is any defects that could cause damage to the interior of the framing of the building. Ex. Broken Vinyl Siding, Gaps in the vinyl, Stone Veneer for cracks or gaps allowing water to intrude. We look at the Wooden Lapboard to see if the is rot from water or other issues.
* Roof - We look at the roof to see how many layers are on the building. Look at the ventilation of the attic for venting under the roof. Approximate age of roof. We also look at the condition of the shingles.
* Walkways - We look at the condition of the sidewalks and patio for Trip hazzards and safety of the public using them. (When painting them rise in the sidewalks admit to you knowing there is a condition of concerns.)
* Stoops and Patios - We look at the condiitions and supports. We also look for the Handrails moving from one level to another.
* Basements and Cellars - There is a different in the Cellars and Basements. Cellars are unoccubiable space with no egress to exit safely. A Basement is a Legal Occupiable Space.
* Foundations - Foundations are the support of the buildings. This is want will hold your building in place. So we look for cracks, movement, and water issues. We will document all visible conditions.
* Crawlspace - If the Crawspace is 24 inches or greater we will try to enter it so we can inspect the underside and Foundation in this area. If it is full of debris or full of heating ducts and limited access we will do our best to get as much pictures as possible.
* Heating Systems - We will look at the Heating System and identify the type and approximate age. We will tell you if it is functioning.
* Air Conditioning System - In our area sometimes the weather and the outside temperature, we are not able to run this during an inspection. It is not recommended to run and Air Condition Uniit under the outside temperature under 65 Degrees.
* Plumbing System - The Plumbing consist of Water Supply lines and Waste lines to the sewer. The sewer is either Public or a Private System. For a Private system the only way to see the condition is to have it dug up and physically visibly inspect it. There are two issues you want to have inspected. The intake pipe and the exit pipe of the the tanks. Many times, the exit is not inspected and this can becomes an issue within 6 months to a year. The biggest issue with the Public is the pipe usually going to the Street. The section from the main connection to the house and interior of the house is the owner's responsibility. Many older homes have Cast Iron Pipes that will allow tree roots to grow inside, this is for the water supply. We have seen some of these pipes full of roots for 3 feet in length. The only way to see the interior condition of these pipes is by a camera.
* Electrical System - We will determine the size of the Electrical Service. We will test every outlet that is available and not in use of Electronics. We will determine the best of ability to see the type of electrical conduit is being used. Romex, Armor Cable, Cloth Wiring, and Knob & Tubing.
* Fireplace - We will inspect the chimney as much as possible and around the Fireplace. We will determine if it is a Wood Burning Fireplace, a Gas Log, or Decorative. Recommend on ALL wood burning Fireplace or Stove, the system gets cleaned and inspected on an annual basis by a Certified Inspector. We also recommend to have a Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector in the same room as the Solid Fuel Appliance.
* Chimney - We will look at all available areas of the chimney. But we recommend the interior of the chimney be inspected by a Certified Chimney Cleaning person.
* Door and Windows - We will determine the kind of Doors and windows. We will check for functioning. We are unable to determine the actually efficiency. We can see the layer of glass and make only.
* Interior Elements - We will determine the makeup of the walls. Example: Lathe & Plaster, Sheetrock, Wallboard.
* Indications of possible wet and damp areas. We will look at ALL areas for the possiblity of moisture and water intrusion to come into the building. We will also look at the exterior of the house to check for water flow off the roof. Is there Gutters and were does the Downspouts empty along the exterior of the building. This effects the possible source of moisture in the lowest level. We will also look at the grade of the ground along around the exterior of the house.
Specialized Services Include:
* Radon Testing - We will do Radon Testing when requested.
* Water Quality Testing - We can do Water Testing and send it to a Certified Lab for results. Depending on the test requested, it can take up to 7 days to get the results.
* Well Pump Evaluations - We can do water flow testing of the wells. We run at least 2-3 Interior Spigots for 30 minutes to and hour. We check the water flow in the beginning then every 15 minute to see if the well flows 3-5 Gallons a minute.
* Septic Dye Testing - Septic Dye Test only check to see if there is any water coming to the surface of the ground or into any ditches around the house. The Dye Test does not tell anyone if the Septic System is properly functioning or in good condition.
* Evidence of Wood Destroying Insect Inspections.- We have a past history of being a Certified Pest Applicator. We can let you know if there are evidence of any kind of wood destroying pest in or aroud the house during the inspection.
