It's a great question but maybe more importantly, "Who are you going to look for to perform your home inspection?"
Let's start with the "What".
Home inspections are designed to thoroughly examine the property to assess the overall condition, identify problems that may be present, and to provide assistance in correcting any issues that the home may have. This includes looking at large scale systems of the home like the roof, plumbing, heating/cooling and electrical.
The roof is a big one, so we will start there. The attic will likely be investigated by the inspector, mostly to make sure that the roof is doing it's job of keeping out water and then look at the roof itself; the kind of roof on the home, and then they'll check the most common areas that cause problems, chimneys, skylights, vents, and any creases where the roofing and flashing attach to the roof.
It's hard to tell from the outside, so going in the attic and looking at the place that the exterior wall connects to the roof is necessary. Does the leak come from this spot? Not in this instance. A plumbing vent could be the culprit, and in that case, the inspector will look in the corresponding place on the exterior of the home that needs to have re-caulking done to repair that section of flashing.
Every home has problems that require periodic maintenance, and inspectors are more aware of this than anyone. If a problem such as this is found, the homeowner can simply hire a contractor to work on the roof to repair the issue, so that everyone involved is satisfied, and the roof will last much longer this way.
There are some specific places that are looked at more closely than others for inspectors, and they include:
Electrical; Is the home fitted with copper wiring? Is aluminum present or perhaps knob and tube wiring? If renovations are planned, is the panel suitable to be expanded?
The plumbing; What is the life left in the hot water tank? Do you have polybutylene piping for in-floor heating? Do you have a 2 tier system made of PVC, or concrete or clay tile as the exterior drainage system?
Heating and cooling; Is the furnace using energy wisely? Is gas leaking at all? Is your heat pump being cared for correctly?
Roofing; How much life can you expect out of the current roof and when should you budget for replacement?
Interior; Is there loose carpet that can cause a trip hazard? Are there any missing door stops? Loose or missing stairwell railings?
Structure; The original home was built and inspected for building code compliance but does the renovation, done without permit, at least meet code?
Insurance and Safety Issues; Does the home have enough functional smoke detectors? Has the home been fitted with carbon monoxide detectors? Does the home have an old or no longer needed oil storage tank system which must be located and assessed by a professional?
Home inspections are very detailed, and are necessary for a homeowner to have one completed every so often to ensure the home is safe and secure.
Let's start with the "What".
Home inspections are designed to thoroughly examine the property to assess the overall condition, identify problems that may be present, and to provide assistance in correcting any issues that the home may have. This includes looking at large scale systems of the home like the roof, plumbing, heating/cooling and electrical.
The roof is a big one, so we will start there. The attic will likely be investigated by the inspector, mostly to make sure that the roof is doing it's job of keeping out water and then look at the roof itself; the kind of roof on the home, and then they'll check the most common areas that cause problems, chimneys, skylights, vents, and any creases where the roofing and flashing attach to the roof.
It's hard to tell from the outside, so going in the attic and looking at the place that the exterior wall connects to the roof is necessary. Does the leak come from this spot? Not in this instance. A plumbing vent could be the culprit, and in that case, the inspector will look in the corresponding place on the exterior of the home that needs to have re-caulking done to repair that section of flashing.
Every home has problems that require periodic maintenance, and inspectors are more aware of this than anyone. If a problem such as this is found, the homeowner can simply hire a contractor to work on the roof to repair the issue, so that everyone involved is satisfied, and the roof will last much longer this way.
There are some specific places that are looked at more closely than others for inspectors, and they include:
Electrical; Is the home fitted with copper wiring? Is aluminum present or perhaps knob and tube wiring? If renovations are planned, is the panel suitable to be expanded?
The plumbing; What is the life left in the hot water tank? Do you have polybutylene piping for in-floor heating? Do you have a 2 tier system made of PVC, or concrete or clay tile as the exterior drainage system?
Heating and cooling; Is the furnace using energy wisely? Is gas leaking at all? Is your heat pump being cared for correctly?
Roofing; How much life can you expect out of the current roof and when should you budget for replacement?
Interior; Is there loose carpet that can cause a trip hazard? Are there any missing door stops? Loose or missing stairwell railings?
Structure; The original home was built and inspected for building code compliance but does the renovation, done without permit, at least meet code?
Insurance and Safety Issues; Does the home have enough functional smoke detectors? Has the home been fitted with carbon monoxide detectors? Does the home have an old or no longer needed oil storage tank system which must be located and assessed by a professional?
Home inspections are very detailed, and are necessary for a homeowner to have one completed every so often to ensure the home is safe and secure.
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For further details, please visit this blog, or if you're a first time home buyer visit www.squareoneinsurance.ca.
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