HOME INSPECTIONS

A home inspection helps the client to gain a better understanding of the physical and structural condition of their house.  Generally, a home inspection takes 2-3 hours.  The inspector will give the client a pre-inspection agreement to be signed, followed by payment.  A good inspector will explain the inspection process and invite the client to accompany him/her.  You will want a home inspection for any pre-purchase or pre-sale of a house.

The following should at least be inspected visually, if not hands-on:

• Interior (non-cosmetic)
• Foundation / Basement  / Crawl Space
• Framing / Structure
• Roof / Attic
• Chimney
• Kitchen / Appliances / Laundry / Bathrooms
• Plumbing System
• Electrical System
• Heating System
• Air Conditioning System
• Garage
• Additional Services, as required or requested

Additional items such as pools, spas, barns & othrr outdoor structures, docks & sea walls, well flow, wood destroying insects, lawn sprinkler systems, fences & gates and exterior insulation & finish systems may be offered by the inspection company but may add to the fee. The inspection company may also offer environmental services such as:

• Water Testing - Basic water quality tests for levels of sodium, fluoride, pH, water hardness, nitrate-N, iron, manganese, coliform bacteria,  and E-coli bacteria.   They will also test for lead water, first draw lead (taken from the first water that is used for the day), radon water, and arsenic water.
• Radon Testing - Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas that is found all over the U.S. and comes from the natural (radioactive) breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. You can breathe or ingest it into your body.  Every house has radon; the question is, how much. The EPA's limit is 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). The only way to find out if radon is present is to test for it.  This test needs to be done after all the doors and windows have been closed for 12 hours.
• Lead Testing - Many houses built before 1978 have paint containing lead. Lead from paint, dust and soil can be dangerous. Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before birth. People can get lead in their bodies by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips containing lead. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard. Lead may also be in your water. The simplest and cheapest test that an inspector may offer is a swab test. This is a chemical test that will indicate the presence of lead by a change in color of the chemical.
• Asbestos Testing - Prior to the 1970's many types of building products and insulation materials used in homes contained asbestos. If you think asbestos may be in your home, don't panic! Usually the best thing is to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone. Generally, material in good condition will not release asbestos fibers. There is no danger unless fibers are released and inhaled into the lungs.  Some home inspectors offer the service of taking samples of suspected material and sending them to a lab for analysis. Results can take up to a week.
• Formaldehyde Testing - Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (U.F.F.I.) was used in the mid-1970's in many residential and commercial buildings as a primary or supplementary insulating material where it expanded to completely fill the space and then hardened.  Unfortunately it was found that this type of foam insulation emitted toxic formaldehyde fumes causing serious respiratory health problems. This foam should be removed by a qualified contractor.
• Carbon Monoxide Testing - Some inspectors test for the presence of carbon monoxide using an on-site electronic detector, at no extra cost. CO gas is a product of combustion and if not properly vented from a home, it can kill. The gas is invisible and odorless and can only be detected by a CO detector.
• Septic Inspection - If the house has a private septic system it should definitely be inspected by a professional septic contractor. A standard home inspection will not include this. Some inspectors will provide a limited (visual only) inspection by running a few faucets for about 20 minutes or about 180 gallons. This will surge the system with an unusual amount of water. The inspector can then look for signs of leakage or odors. Some inspectors will even put a dye into the system to aid in spotting leakage. If leakage is present, then the system is in failure. If an odor is noted but no leakage, this is a sign that the tanks may need to be pumped and further inspection is advised.

Upon completion of the inspection the inspector should give the client a summary of what was discovered and an opportunity to ask questions. The client then receives a signed written report of the findings. The report is the client's property; no other party is entitled to see it.

The inspector's job is to inform the client of the condition of the home. He can describe any problems discovered, explain how and why they occurred, and even make repair recommendations. The inspector should not recommend contractors, estimate repair costs (unless the inspector is an active contractor in the particular field), recommend whether or not the client should purchase the home, comment on its market value, or benefit in any way from the repair or sale of the home.

The inspection is limited to the condition of the house at the time of inspection and what is visually accessible. It is important to understand that an inspection is not a warranty and that it is limited. Due to industry pressures, an inspection is expected to take no more than 2-3 hours. It is impossible for an inspector to inspect every one of the thousands of components that make up a home in this 2-3 hours. He must rely on his experience to optimize the time available and focus on the most important items. No two inspectors will make exactly the same report.