Winters can be very harsh on your home. Protect your investment and perform an annual spring inspection. A few things you can do to make sure you prolong the life of you home are:
* Make sure gutters are clean and stable. This ensures proper drainage and lessens the chance they will become flying debris in high wind.
* While you're there, examine facia or soffit boards. If they are rotting or soft, they may allow rain into your attic or atop interior walls.
* Make sure downspouts are sloping away from the house and carrying water at least five feet away from foundation walls.
* Lawn sprinkler heads should not spray the walls of the house. This moisture can lead to unwanted growths, wall failure and other destructive moisture problems.
* Examine your roof carefully, looking for worn, curled or missing shingles.
* If you can't inspect your roof easily, your attic is the next best place to check for problems. Look for moisture or surface discoloration -- and do this every time you go into the attic. The earlier you find a roofing problem, the better.
* Examine window and door flashing, seals or weatherstripping. If sealants around those openings are no longer pliable and continuous, reseal and caulk them.
Proper maintenance can avoid costly repairs down the road.
Schedule your Annual spring inspection Now!
GETTING READY FOR YOUR HOME INSPECTION
1. Clean the House
This sounds so simple yet home owners often overlook this tactic. Home inspectors are people first and inspectors second. As people, they carry preconceived ideas of how well a home has been maintained. Clean homes say you care and take care of the house.
2. Be On Time Because the Inspector Will Be
Sometimes home inspectors are early. If an inspector makes an appointment with you for 9:00 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at 8:30. It's also common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared seller has been "surprised" by a stranger stomping around in the back yard.
3. Leave the Utilities Connected
The home inspector will need to turn on the stove, run the dishwasher, test the furnace and air conditioning, so leave the utilities on, especially if the house is vacant. It's impossible to check receptacles for grounding and reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Without utilities, the inspector will have to reschedule, which could delay the closing of your transaction and the removal of the buyer's home inspection contingency.
4. Provide Workspace Around Furnace and Water Heaters
Remove boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else blocking access to your furnace, air conditioner and water heater. The inspector will need three to four feet of working space to inspect these items.
5. Keep Pilot Lights Ignited
Many home inspectors will refuse to light pilot lights because they are not covered for that type of liability. If your pilot lights are not lit, then important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be inspected and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are completed.
6. Provide Access to Attic and Garage
The inspector will need to get into your basement and / or attic as well, so keep a path cleared. Move boxes away from the walls. Vacuum spider webs.
7. Leave Keys for Outbuildings & Electrical Boxes
Leave the remote controls for your garage door opener or a key if the garage is unattached to the house. Unlock the covers for your sprinkler system and electrical box. Leave a key for exterior building access.
8. Clear Away Brush from Exterior Inspection Points
Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if snow drifts are blocking the foundation but, in the winter, do provide a path around the house. In the summer, cut down dead tree branches and clear brush from the foundation. Move trash cans away from the house.
9. Provide Repair Documents
Make available to the home inspector all invoices and documents regarding remodeling projects or new items such as a roof or furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded, installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork. It will give the buyer peace of mind to know those items were reinspected.
10. Prepare to be Away for Three Hours Minimum
Often the buyer will accompany the home inspector, and buyers feel uncomfortable asking questions if the owner is present. Try to schedule a time for the inspection when you can be out of the house, and take the children with you. Crate your pets if you cannot remove them from the premises.
(about.com)
This sounds so simple yet home owners often overlook this tactic. Home inspectors are people first and inspectors second. As people, they carry preconceived ideas of how well a home has been maintained. Clean homes say you care and take care of the house.
2. Be On Time Because the Inspector Will Be
Sometimes home inspectors are early. If an inspector makes an appointment with you for 9:00 a.m., have the house ready for inspection at 8:30. It's also common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you are dressed. More than one unprepared seller has been "surprised" by a stranger stomping around in the back yard.
3. Leave the Utilities Connected
The home inspector will need to turn on the stove, run the dishwasher, test the furnace and air conditioning, so leave the utilities on, especially if the house is vacant. It's impossible to check receptacles for grounding and reverse polarity if the power is turned off. Without utilities, the inspector will have to reschedule, which could delay the closing of your transaction and the removal of the buyer's home inspection contingency.
4. Provide Workspace Around Furnace and Water Heaters
Remove boxes, bookcases, furniture and anything else blocking access to your furnace, air conditioner and water heater. The inspector will need three to four feet of working space to inspect these items.
5. Keep Pilot Lights Ignited
Many home inspectors will refuse to light pilot lights because they are not covered for that type of liability. If your pilot lights are not lit, then important items such as the water heater, gas stove or furnace will not be inspected and the buyer could delay closing until those inspections are completed.
6. Provide Access to Attic and Garage
The inspector will need to get into your basement and / or attic as well, so keep a path cleared. Move boxes away from the walls. Vacuum spider webs.
7. Leave Keys for Outbuildings & Electrical Boxes
Leave the remote controls for your garage door opener or a key if the garage is unattached to the house. Unlock the covers for your sprinkler system and electrical box. Leave a key for exterior building access.
8. Clear Away Brush from Exterior Inspection Points
Nobody expects you to shovel a tunnel around your home if snow drifts are blocking the foundation but, in the winter, do provide a path around the house. In the summer, cut down dead tree branches and clear brush from the foundation. Move trash cans away from the house.
9. Provide Repair Documents
Make available to the home inspector all invoices and documents regarding remodeling projects or new items such as a roof or furnace. If you've upgraded the electrical from ungrounded to grounded, installed a new dishwasher or repaired a leaky faucet, find the paperwork. It will give the buyer peace of mind to know those items were reinspected.
10. Prepare to be Away for Three Hours Minimum
Often the buyer will accompany the home inspector, and buyers feel uncomfortable asking questions if the owner is present. Try to schedule a time for the inspection when you can be out of the house, and take the children with you. Crate your pets if you cannot remove them from the premises.
(about.com)
WHY GET A HOME INSPECTION?
Buying a home is one of the most expensive investments you will make. A professional Home Inspection will provide you with information you will need to determine the condition of the home. An Inspection will allow you to use our findings during the decision making process. With a Home Inspection you will be able to buy with confidence.
Purchasing a Home isn't the only reason to get your home inspected. A Home Inspection can be done for you to help you see what maintenance and repairs your home might need. It will help you prioritize and budget your projects better.
Our Full Inspections include:
* roof, vents, flashing, and trim;
* gutters and downspouts;
* skylight, chimney and other roof penetrations;
* decks, stoops, porches, walkways, and railings;
* eaves, soffit and fascia;
* grading and drainage;
* basement, foundation and crawlspace;
* water penetration and foundation movement;
* heating systems;
* cooling systems;
* main water shut-off valves;
* water heating system;
* interior plumbing fixtures and faucets;
* drainage sump pumps with accessible floats;
* electrical service line and meter box;
* main disconnect and service amperage;
* electrical panels, breakers and fuses;
* grounding and bonding;
* GFCIs and AFCIs;
* fireplace damper door and hearth;
* insulation and ventilation;
* garage doors, safety sensors, and openers;
* and much more.
Purchasing a Home isn't the only reason to get your home inspected. A Home Inspection can be done for you to help you see what maintenance and repairs your home might need. It will help you prioritize and budget your projects better.
Our Full Inspections include:
* roof, vents, flashing, and trim;
* gutters and downspouts;
* skylight, chimney and other roof penetrations;
* decks, stoops, porches, walkways, and railings;
* eaves, soffit and fascia;
* grading and drainage;
* basement, foundation and crawlspace;
* water penetration and foundation movement;
* heating systems;
* cooling systems;
* main water shut-off valves;
* water heating system;
* interior plumbing fixtures and faucets;
* drainage sump pumps with accessible floats;
* electrical service line and meter box;
* main disconnect and service amperage;
* electrical panels, breakers and fuses;
* grounding and bonding;
* GFCIs and AFCIs;
* fireplace damper door and hearth;
* insulation and ventilation;
* garage doors, safety sensors, and openers;
* and much more.
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