Rex Caldwell is a certified, licensed, and well-known home inspector. He has also written a book called “Inspecting a House”. Rex frequently contributes to the website ‘ fine homebuilding ‘. He says that the seller of the house is never glad to see him, nothing personal. It’s just that he knows that the home inspector will find numerous flaws in the house which will cost him extra bucks. He is telling you about things that can be worked upon in the earlier stages itself to avoid severe hazards in the future.
Here are the ten tips from a home inspector:
1. Check The Meter Box
There is a meter box that exists mostly outside of the house. It can be in the garden. It can be in the society compound if you live in a society. The meter box is responsible for the uniformity of electricity in the house. There is other technical stuff to analyze the meter box. The common or the basic ones are usually these—check what is the amount of current flowing, whether there is a possibility of a short circuit (using a tester). These little steps can save a house from being burnt due to electrical hazards.
2. Look For A Siding Cover-up
The sides of a house need to be examined to determine any flaws. Usually, these defects are hidden by painting it new or laminating it with a fancy cover (to make the house sell quickly). Due to this, if there are issues like fungus, rust, termite attack, etc. then it can’t be seen by a normal person. And, sides of houses usually contain pipelines, wires and the chances of moisture getting accumulated there are high. So, it is better to get a licensed home inspector and make him check the condition to avoid hazards later.
3) Check The Roof From The Ground
The roof of the house is the most essential part of it. It protects the house in a major way. Do not forget to observe the lower part of the roof from where it has been planted. It should be straight. It should be sticking with the wall perfectly. No gaps, rotting should be present.
4) The Base Of The Roof
For the base of the house is the essential support, it must be strong enough. The quality of the bricks, cement used should be verified. You should look for any cracks that are of zigzag or curvy shape. The cracks tell you the strength of the footings. More the cracks, the poorer the strength.
5) Water Heater
Yes, also called Geyser. The water heater should not be taken for granted. It can lead to a serious explosion if not treated properly. Examine the material of the geyser. The wires associated with it. Where the geyser is situated. These things do matter.
6) Fire Dangers in the Garage
If you have a garage outside your house or anywhere, then let me tell you that there are fire dangers in the garage too. There are open paints, oils, petrol, diesel, greases, different types of chemicals. There are so many chances of a fire in the garage.
7) Heating or Cooling System
If you live in a cold environment then you might be having a heating system. You have to check the heat-carrying ducts weekly to ensure that there are no defects. There should be no electricity flowing in the ducts, no heat accumulation around the ducts.
8) Drain Lines
The pipelines of the kitchen and bathrooms are most used and they need more care. The sink in the kitchen should get drained in less than a minute if full. There should be no blockage. The bathroom tiles should not be chipped or warped.
9) Water Supply
The amount of water supplied to the house can be checked if there is a current-sensing device near the tank. Although, it is quite rare. In other ways, you can find it by asking the owner or the neighbors.
10) Contamination
Look for contamination in the water. The water supply connections should be checked. If they are crossing again and again then there are high chances that the water might be contaminated. Verify the quality of the pipelines too. If they’re rusted, then there are serious hazards to the water flowing inside them.
So, this is it. These were the tips given by a licensed home inspector. Don’t forget to look for these while buying a house.
