Updating your home but
don't know where to start? Here are the
top 10 things home inspectors say they find wrong when doing inspections…
Want to give your house the once over to make sure all is well?
I spoke with some professional home inspectors and here are 10 things
they say they find wrong with houses most frequently during inspections…
- Attic pull down stairs improperly installed. The
most common problems here are that the stairs are not cut properly to slope
uniformly when opened, and the stairs are improperly fastened.
Check yours and make sure there isn't bowing when the stairs are
extended. Also, 16d-penny nails or
1/4" x 3" lag screws should be used to fasten the stairs at the top
(dry wall screws, deck screws, and finishing nails are NOT acceptable).
- Exterior door locks. Too
often inspectors find that deadbolts are not installed properly. A properly installed deadbolt will allow the
deadbolt to extend fully and lock in place.
If your deadbolt does not 'pop' or extend fully it is easy to tamper
with making your home an easier target.
- Insulation. Hmmm - sound familiar? There is probably not an easier way to save
money that by having a properly insulated house.
Stick your head up in your attic (be careful on those attic
stairs). If you can see the joists on
the floor of your attic, then you don't have enough insulation. It doesn't get any easier than that.
- Rodent entry and infestation. The
most common cause of these pests getting into your house are through gaps
between fascia boards and roof decking, damaged attic and crawl space vents,
and gaps and openings through foundations and exterior walls.
Depending on the size of the opening use caulk, siding, or metal sheets
to cover these gaps and keep the rodents out.
- Smoke and CO alarms.
Current code says that you should have a smoke detector in every
sleeping room and in each hallway. CO
detectors should also accompany them, plus one near any non-vented gas logs.
Can't stress this enough. One
smoke detector in the hallway is not enough protection for you and your family.
- Electrical. Here are just a few of the most
common electrical issues inspectors find on a regular basis: 3 wire receptacles
on 2 wire circuits, loose or broken receptacles, reverse polarity, double
tapped breakers, open junction boxes, no junction boxes, flying splices, AC
breaker not sized correctly - and the list goes on.
Your house should have a full electrical inspection at least every two
years. They are inexpensive and can save
you boatloads of problems, if not your life.
- Deck structures. You
spend a lot of happy time out on your deck.
Make sure it's sturdy. Is it
attached to the house correctly (bolted?), are there unsupported splices in
beams, are you missing handrails or guardrails, are your guardrails too low?
All of these situations can lead to deck failure.
- Grading and surface drainage.
If you have issues with water in your basement this is where you start
to look. Make sure your grade slopes
away from the house. Make sure your
concrete (driveways and walkways) drain at appropriate spots.
Also make sure that concrete work is not too close to the house, which
can trap water against your foundation.
- Gutters. Loose, sagging gutters can't
effectively do their job. Older gutters
can sometimes become sloped in the wrong direction.
Also check to make sure your down spouts extend at least 5 ft away from
the foundation of your home, further if your land requires it.
- Roof. I'm not even talking about hail
damage here. I'm looking for nail pops,
unsealed nail holes, torn and damaged and missing shingles.
Your roof should also be inspected on a regular basis by
professionals. You can often get them
for free, so take advantage of that.
Take care of those things this summer and your house will be in pretty
good shape!