Home Inspection Articles | House Inspection News

You can still find your dream home among foreclosed houses and other distressed homes in many areas of the country, as long as you hire professional house inspectors to make sure that the house you are buying is worth your investment.

There are foreclosure houses which are well maintained, especially in communities that are fiercely guarding their areas against deterioration from foreclosures. But there are also foreclosure properties which have deteriorated to a point that they need major repairs.

For both conditions, you need the services of professional house inspectors. For well-maintained foreclosure houses, home inspectors can make sure that what you initially see is the real condition of the property.

For abandoned homes, house inspectors can help you determine the damages and defects and help you estimate the cost of repairs. Their home inspection reports can help you decide if the repairs can be covered by future profits or price discounts from the seller or if it is better for you to walk away from the planned purchase.

Sellers can also benefit from the work of home inspectors. Owners are able to identify defects and damages that they need to repair so that they can remedy them before buyers see them. Needless to say, it is easier to sell houses that have no defects or damages.

Sellers can also estimate the level of discounts that they can give to potential buyers if they know the defects of their houses.

If you cannot get information about home inspectors or referrals from your family, neighbors or friends, you can visit the American
Society of Home Inspectors’ web site. ASHI, considered among the most respected home inspection associations in the county, has more stringent membership requirements than other house inspection associations.

On the ASHI web site, you can find qualified house inspectors in your area. The inspectors’ specialties and experiences and related information are also included.

As you choose from the listed house inspectors, check references. Do not base your choice solely on price. Fees typically go up if specialized inspections are needed, such as inspection of septic systems, termite inspection and detection of toxic building materials.

When interviewing home inspectors, ask how they do their inspections and ask for sample inspection reports.

Lastly, attend the house inspection. This is your opportunity to learn from house inspectors and to make sure that you are making a great investment.

Home Inspectors

Existing defects in homes become worse if the homes have been unoccupied for a long time so allocate time and money to hire independent house inspectors to ensure that what you are buying is worth your investment.

According to Bill Richardson, who heads the 6,000-member American Society of Home Inspectors, the most common cause of defects that house inspectors discover as they conduct home inspection is neglect or lack of maintenance.

House inspectors have found that owners do not change furnace and air conditioning filters, do not repair windows and doors and do not fix leaking plumbing fixtures.

Problems are also magnified in houses that have been foreclosed and abandoned. Some frustrated homeowners destroy parts of the house before they are evicted. Other vacant foreclosed homes are damaged by thieves, vandals, squatters, drug addicts and young people just looking for some place to move around.

Mold can also grow in a house that has been unoccupied for a long time, especially in a unit where water is leaking from pipes or dripping from faucets. Thin mold can quickly turn into black mold after only a few weeks if parts of the house are wet.

Kathleen Kuhn, head of inspection service HouseMaster, advises prospective home buyers to hire independent house inspectors to do home inspections on houses they are planning to buy. Independent home inspectors are not biased towards the seller, builder or realtor in the home purchasing process. They see to it that the buyer knows what he is paying for with his or her money and they help the buyer decides whether to walk away from the purchase or negotiate with the seller for a discount or for repair.

But HouseMaster has offered tips to prospective homebuyers for detecting defects on their own before they hire independent house inspectors for the final home inspection.

Check the electrical system. See to it that there are no electric wires hanging or hiding under carpets. Excessive use of extension cords indicates that the electric system of the house was not well planned or outdated.

Next to check is the plumbing system. When you turn faucets, the water pressure should be enough to serve your needs. Low water pressure could mean problems with the piping systems or connections to the community water system.

Check horizontal cracks in the foundation of the house because these indicate major problems that need excavation and major repairs.

Ceiling or wall stains also indicate problems in insulation or moisture control systems.

To ensure that you are buying a house worth your investment, choose from among independent house inspectors who are members of reputable home inspection associations.

Home Inspectors

Are house inspectors equipped with infrared imaging device better inspectors than those using only conventional home inspection devices?

This question probably arises when you are choosing among recommended house inspectors and you are being convinced by a particular home inspector that he is better than the rest because he uses a top-of-the-line IR imaging device that can diagnose the conditions of parts of the house that are not easily accessible.

An IR inspection device is a customized camera that takes thermal images of hidden parts of the house or parts behind surfaces.

These thermal images show spots that indicate possible problems in the structures of the house or in the components of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, ventilation and water systems.

The IR camera uses the technology of thermography, which enables people to see and gauge images of heat emitted by any material.

Among the defects that can be easily diagnosed by an IR camera are damaged insulation or lack of insulation, faulty mechanical or electrical systems, leaking roofs, constructions defects, damages from previous fires that were already repaired and presence of pests such as termites.

In electrical and mechanical systems, the IR camera can diagnose defects in heat furnace exchanges, flues, motors, wirings, circuits, pumps, refrigerants and HVAC components.

In insulation systems, the IR camera can point out damages or moisture in walls, windows, access plates and crawlspaces.

Nevertheless, no matter how efficient the features of the IR camera are, mere possession of the IR camera by home inspectors is not an assurance that your home inspection will be adequate and well-done. This is because the usefulness of the IR camera depends on the skill and training of the house inspectors and their understanding of thermography.

Experienced home inspectors trained in thermography will know when to say that a hot or cold area in the thermal image represents a problem. Sometimes, thermal images show heat coming from materials other than the parts being diagnosed.

In the home inspection and thermal imaging industry, there are thermal imaging camera operators, thermographers and house inspectors who are also good thermographers.

Because of the high cost of thermography devices, home inspectors using them would most probably increase their fees to cover the acquisition of the device.

In conclusion, not all house inspectors using the IR camera are better than those who do not use the device. There are talented inspectors that can perform better without the device. But good house inspectors who can also use the IR camera well will be able to help those seeking more thorough home inspections.

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