What Exactly Could Come About If You Assume On A Home Inspection

When inspecting a home one huge error a home inspector could make is presuming an item is in adequate condition though they never in fact inspected it or visually observed it. If you can't view anything you are supposed to inspect make certain you sufficiently document the fact that the item in question was not viewed, inspected and the reason why.

About a year ago I performed a home inspection for a young couple and the house I inspected was 8 years old and had a concrete block basement. During the inspection no significant issues were visible, which for an 8 year old home you would hope this was the case.

I had adhered to the inspection report room by room, page by page and was finished with the living area and attic and was now heading down to the basement. The basement was unfinished therefore I thought "excellent, the walls will be visible and I will be capable to observe if there was any sort of cracking or movement taking place". When I looked at the east, west, and south walls and there weren't any sort of apparent problems, though once I arrived at the north wall it was completely covered with the homeowner's storage and personal effects.

As opposed to speculating the north wall was in good shape like the other walls, I documented the fact the wall was not visible and not assessed because of being obstructed / covered up by the seller's property. In addition, I verbally explained to my customer the fact that I couldn't inspect the wall considering that it wasn't viewable. They totally understood. I did suggest they perform a final walk-through before they close on the property in order to be sure there weren't any type of problems with the wall. I let them know if my schedule permitted I would be glad to accompany them on the walk-though if it would make them feel better.

After filling everything out in the report I summarized the main points of the inspection, thanked them for their business and left to go on my next inspection. Interestingly, about a month later I got a phone call from the customer explaining they were at the house and were doing their final walk though. They were in the basement and the north wall that had earlier been covered with storage

was now visible. They had informed me that there was a large step crack on the north wall and were not planning to close before it was inspected. I went back into the basement and evaluated the crack in question. The wall had an actual shear crack and was somewhat bowing in. I made the recommendation that they contact a structural engineer for additional assessment because of the nature of the crack and the apparent movement. After following up with my client they did get a second opinion from a structural engineer and he recommended that they brace the wall. They went back to the homeowner and requested the homeowner pay for the repair, which the seller agreed.

This is a wonderful example of the reason why a home inspector ought to never assume anything is in adequate shape if it was not visible simply because the rest of the home did not show any big flaws. Had I not properly reported the wall as not being visible, not evaluated and the reason, the repair would have most likely come out of my wallet. DO NOT EVER ASSUME in this business that something is adequate if you can not see it. http://www.revistaalas.com

Inspecting metal roofs may be a little different compared to inspecting the common shingled roof. As a home inspector, it is important to know the differences and procedures for the various types of roofs you will come across as different styles of roofs have different materials that the inspector ought to be familiar with. Each material has common trouble areas that should be evaluated.

The very first thing to do when inspecting a metal roof, if safe to do so, is to walk the complete roof to check for drainage troubles, moisture problems, discoloration, leaks, patch breakdown, panel corrosion, flashing problems, loose fasteners, and deflected panels. (Before you walk the roof, though, we suggest you do some research and explore assorted manufactures websites. They will have details on exactly how to walk the different forms of roofs.).

Among one of the most frequent leakage areas in a seam fastened metal roofing system is caused by deteriorated panel seams, perimeters, and flashings. As panels expand and contract due to the temperature differences, the sealant used between the panels may become brittle. Assuming that you are located in a windy location, panel fasteners may be loose or missing, and in some windy situations, the fastener holes can be stretched out from the panels, creating gaps that are larger than the sealing washers.

Another issue that you should be looking for is the integrity of the fasteners. In some cases fasteners are tightened down a bit too much and that may cause them to rust. Panel fasteners usually have sealing washers that use neoprene, which can break down gradually because of expansion and contracting or from exposure to ultraviolet rays. When walking the metal roof, it is a wise idea to touch the sealant to see if it is still soft and pliable, that fasteners are tight, and washers are in good condition.

Since the majority of metal roofs are typically sloped, they drain to a gutter system that can be exposed or concealed. You should inspect gutters, drains and downspouts to be sure that they are free of debris or blockages such as sticks and leaves.

You can never be sure what materials you will be presented with at the homes you inspect, therefore it is crucial to know the procedures and trouble areas associated with inspecting all sorts of roofs so you are not caught off guard.

Will Hodges is the owner of Hodges Inspection. They are a premier provider of property inspection services in Louisville, Kentucky. They go places where many other home inspectors won't. Contact them right now to get your professional property inspection scheduled Home inspection iowa or give them a calll at 214-306-9744.For more content on home inspections, also take a look at atlanta home inspection.