4 Commonly Missed Home Inspection Items

A home inspection is designed to identify faults in a property, allowing you to renegotiate the price or even reconsider your decision. This is an important part of the purchase process. However, it is important to note that even the best home inspector may not notice every issue with a property.

Obviously, a company that uses advanced techniques, such as dye penetrant testing, will spot more issues than one that simply walks around with a clipboard. In short, choose your company wisely and be aware of the most commonly missed issues:

1. Roof Leaks

A home inspector will usually look at the roof from the ground and the upper floor windows. This will help them to identify any major issues, such as missing tiles or a sagging roof. However, it won’t be possible for them to see everything. In particular, it is difficult to spot a leaking roof without inspecting the roof from the inside.

As a leaking roof can be a serious issue and a risk to the structural integrity of your home, it is worth a look in the loft before you commit.

2. Covered Items

When the home inspector does their job the property belongs to the seller and there is no guarantee you are buying. That means the home inspector can’t damage anything. In reality, this means they don’t inspect covered surfaces.

For example, if the owner has carpet and it is hiding rotten wood, the inspector is unlikely to see it as they can’t move the carpet.

Take a look around the home to see what issues could be there but can’t be checked for.

3. Defective Appliances

Home inspectors should turn on the heating and cooling systems, allowing them to run through a cycle to confirm they work. While this does confirm they work it doesn’t guarantee there are no defects.

Unfortunately, the only way to know about any defects is to use the system properly and note any issues. The fact that it works is the best you can do when purchasing the property.

4. Water Penetration

Water penetration can happen for many reasons, such as a leaking roof. It can also be a result of the house sitting at a gradient, potentially due to soil settlement or something more serious. This prevents the gutters from draining properly and allows the water to spill over and onto the house walls.

Walls that are constantly soaked will allow water in and this can lead to an array of further issues. You’ll need to look at the walls to see if they appear damp, especially the day after it has been raining.

It can be hard for the inspector to stop issues relating to grading as the grading problem can be hidden by bushes and other growth around the house.

Final Thoughts

Having a home inspection before purchasing is a great idea. It highlights the most common issues and will help you to know what you are letting yourself in for.

In general, the greater the number of issues spotted the more likely there will be hidden issues.

However, you should note there is no guarantee that every issue will be identified.