How To Perform Home Inspections

By Beryl Dalton


Having saved for a few years in order to purchase your own house, it is only right that you have an assessment done before paying for the residence. The home inspections are the only known way that can be used to reveal defects that are already present in a house. If such defects are not dealt with, it will mean that you as the new owner could end up spending thousands of dollars on repairs a few months after moving in.

To make sure that nothing gets left out in your assessment, it will be best to make sure you divide the assessment into categories. In the first category, you can have the exterior aspect. That means that the interior side will take up the second category.

Begin the exterior assessment by inspecting the chimney, the roof and the gutters. The chimney needs to be straight with no bricks or mortars missing. As for the gutters, what you need to do is make sure they are still firmly attached to the sides.

Examine the siding of this house. With a siding, you will need to pay attention to whether there are sections that are either missing or are discolored. All walls must be straight, with no bulging, or bowing being noted in anywhere. Where the exterior has been constructed out of bricks or stones, check for those that could be missing.

A house foundation has to be examined at all times. The foundation is an important part of the residence and you will need to make sure that it has not started shifting. Shifting is often caused by soil movements and this will lead to cracks appearing along the length of the wall.

A door inspection will need to be performed when you are entering the residence. With the door, all you need to do is check for rotting and stripping. Stripping comes around due to exposure to harsh weather elements while rotting is as a result of exposure to too much water.

The best way to begin inspecting the interior side is by trying out all available windows. Move them from side to side to ensure that they can open and close. In addition, test the available locks to find out whether they lock into their latches as they are supposed to.

Walk through the property as you check out the different sections of the existing carpet. A carpet that has become worn out is easy to tell. It will have some patches in sections that are over used. In addition to wear and tear, you should also be on the look out for the presence of any odors.

Do not forget to examine the ceiling. With the ceiling, the main thing to check for is whether it has stained in any areas. Staining is often brought about by leaks taking place. Leaks are common in properties that have roofs with holes.

Complete your assessment by visiting the kitchen to confirm that everything is working as it should. Always take note of the appliances that are present in the kitchen and what their age is. It is possible to anticipate problems with an appliance by checking out the year it was manufactured and also checking for its service record.




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