HOME INSPECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR HOME OWNERS AS A PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
WINTER IS GONE AND IT'S TIME TO INSPECT FOR WINTER DAMAGE.
An informative post by our own James Quarello, Connecticut Home Inspector, offers good
advice for home owners everywhere.
This article points to:
1. The necessity of regular inspections of our homes (even when it's not for sale).
2. The inevitable wear and tear of aging on our homes (not unlike ourselves).
3. The cumulative damage done to our homes by weather and normal movement of the earth.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU HAD A HOME INSPECTION?? When you purchased your present home? Never? You might be very surprised to find that, although you are a conscientious home owner and preform regular maintenance, a TRAINED EYE will find items of deferred maintenance that you probably never considered.
HOW MUCH DOES A WHOLE HOUSE INSPECTION COST? Few home owners will pay to have a home inspection on a home they already own. However, while homeowners may understand the importance of service contracts or at least regular inspections of visible systems, how many will have an inspection of their roof, inside and out?? How many home owners drain their water tank on a regular basis (you'd be surprised at the gunk that is sitting in the bottom of the tank). How many have an inspection for termites or other wood destroying insects?? Most WHOLE HOUSE INSPECTIONS are performed only when a property is for sale and there is a buyer who wants to know the true condition of the property for which they are going to invest many thousands of dollars.
MAINTENANCE IS MORE THAN JUST FIXING WHAT YOU CAN SEE. Most of us understand that a regular cleaning and inspection of the heating system is important to the life of your systems. But how many of us can identify the defects in an exhisting roofing system as shown in Mr. Quarello's excellent post?
HOME INSPECTORS WILL EXAMINE AREAS HOME OWNERS MAY NOT CONSIDER.
STRUCTURE: How many home owners understand the mechanics of construction and how natural movement may cause serious damage to the structure, foundation, roof, windows, etc., of your home??
EXTERIOR: We may walk around the house but will we really know what we are seeing?
INTERIOR: Natural movement, water intrusion are matters that can cause cracking, separating, shifting in a home. Is the insulation in your home adequate? Or, are we just complaining about the utility costs?
MECHANICALS: An inspection and maintenance on a heating or cooling system is far less expensive than replacement costs.
APPLIANCES: When was the last time you vacuumed the dust out of the cooling area of the frig?? Can you determine the performance efficiency of your appliances?
PLUMBING: Water, water, water is the most destructive force in any home. Home inspectors can locate small problems before they turn into major problems. (Shhhh, don't say the word mold.)
ELECTRICAL: How competent are we home owners to determine the efficiency AND SAFETY of electrical systems??
ADVICE TO HOME BUYERS: Get a home inspection so you can discover the many items of deferred maintenance or simple wear and tear on the property you plan to buy and own for many years.
ADVICE TO HOME OWNERS: Get a home inspection every 5 years or so to make sure there are no items of maintenance or wear and tear on the property that can usually only be found by an experienced home inspector.
INVISIBLE HAZARDS: If your home is in a "danger zone" for Radon, the tests, if you receive a high reading, are inexpensive. If you purchased new construction, you may wish to have a test done after 6 months of occupancy. See Radon maps HERE.
Courtesy, Lenn Harley, Broker, Homefinders.com, 800-711-7988. Representing home buyers in Maryland and Northern Virginia.
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51 Comments on HOME INSPECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR HOME OWNERS AS A PART OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
Susan. Do it. Do it. I had my home inspected by a contractor friend last November and it took a couple of weeks for a handyman (and me and my boys) to complete the list. WAIT, we're not finished. Winter got in the way. It's amazing how little things mount up on a dang 5 year old house.
Nicholas. You were, indeed, the 7th ReBlogger. Thanks.
Re-blogged by 8 agents
Cynthia. Good for you. I don't know why folks are so surprised when they go to sell and find that their house has been giving rent free lodging to termites. They just never looked. I have a termite guru who does inspections for home buyer and he checks my home every 3 months under contract. I have tons of mulch and that's dessert for termites.
Barbara. SPOT ON!! I know the average home owner. I also know from conversations with them that few have a clue about home maintenance.
Michelle. That's a very smart inspector although I believe that the service is worth the full price.
Karen. Indeed and that goes for some very expensive replacements like the heating/cooling systems.
Howard and Susan. GREAT IDEA!! It will reflect positively on your service too.
Charles Buell. Not to worry. I'll do it for you.
Robert. Thanks. I harp (yes I do harp) about these periodic inspections during the home buying process. My buyers know what to do.
Brian. My pleasure.
Chuck. Indeed. They either forget or don't notice. Or, that old enemy procrastination rules.
Cheryl. I have advocated a seller have a pre-listing inspection for many, many years. I certainly have had one on the 3 homes I have sold over the years that I've been selling homes.
When I think about the nightmare of deferred maintenance on homes listed for sale, I see nothing but lost value or expensive repairs following a buyer's home inspection. That old trick of "as is" doesn't help one but. Buyers want a to buy a home to live in, not repair.
Lenn - I don't think I have ever seen anyone recommend getting regular home inspections on a property that they own and are not selling. It makes a lot of sense.
Marc. HA! PERHAPS I INVENTED THE PRACTICE.
I wrote about it because I do it. I'm just about half way through a list of maintenance items to be done that I got last November. We did the big jobs in Nov./Dec. Now for the nitty-gritty, like wirebrushing and painting the iron railings on my front stoop and other things that I can do myself, AND WILL just as soon as the temperature is a reliable 5 degrees higher on a Monday or Tuesday when the trap range is closed.
I absolutly loved this post. I agree 100%.
Most homeowners wait till there is a problem (house catching on fire) Before they see they needed to have things upgraded and or repaired.
Cherie. Thanks. I agree. Most home owners wait.
Thanks for the information. How often we neglect.
Lenn, after reading the post by Jim of a roof that had structural problems that all were unaware, I had to go into the attic to make sure. This past winter was brutal. I have seen shrubs that were destroyed by the weight of the snow, and needed to make sure the structure was sound. A second set of eyes, no matter how good we feel we are is a positive.
Excellent advice as we all are prone to some level of complacency when it comes to the condition of our home. We tend to focus on the lawn and garden this time of year and neglect the the big ticket items.
Kenneth. Indeed and that mean that we probably forgot.
Ed. Don't remind me. I lost a lot in my landscaping during the brutal winter we had. I'm still not sure what survived since they aren't all in bud yet.
Bob. Sadly, That is very true - - or, we don't know what we're looking for when we look.
Never even considered it but after reading the post, it makes good sense..good host, post and I toast....
Hi Lenn, Hah! I was given credit for calling the shot. I told you. 7 or 8 reblogs, what's not Hot about that. Your post inspired something yesterday. If I get time I will write a post about it. I saw something on a roof in a subdivision and have heard that they are needing to replace all the roofs in the subdivision. Meanwhile 18 miles away I saw a tell tale sign that looked like the same thing and I took action by calling a roofing service. Sure enough, it was found in time. It is a type of fungus and by discovering it early before it actually gets under the tile, the roof can be cleaned and sealed and won't have to be replaced. Seems to me that this re-inforces these periodic home inspections to avoid trouble.
Lenn, Thanks for the link. I couldn't agree more. If homeowners relied more a professional set of eyes than their Uncle Bob's, I may end up eventually writing much shorter home inspection reports. :)
Thanks Rebloggers
Re-blogged by 10 agents
Richie. Thanks. I'll drink to that.
William. You deserve all the credit for this
.
I'm surprised more folks haven't given the concept of a maintenance inspection a thought. It's just sensible maintenance. I've done it for years. Prevention is the least expensive way to maintain your home. It's almost nice enough weather for me to tackle some of those remaining items from the list in November. Too windy today. Tomorrow I'm outdoors working on "stuff".
James. Thanks. Seems to me that a "Maintenance Inspection" would be a good product line for a home inspector.
That's a terrific list Lenn! Maybe a radon inspection should be added for homeowners who have never done one. Now if you start talking about yard maintenance, I think that list could be endless, I know mine is.
Linda. Great idea. I just added it to the list. Thanks.
Thanks Lenn, I re-blogged it too.
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