Home Defects Your Home Inspector Could Miss
January 7th, 2009
Oftentimes, major home defects are the focus of home inspectors and homebuyers, especially in cases where the home inspection report is needed immediately. Homebuyers will soon regret that there are other defects that should have been checked.
Nowadays, most home inspectors use laptops with home inspection software and other modern inspection tools to perform their work. Nevertheless, it is still to your advantage if you are knowledgeable about most, if not all, possible home defects.
Some other defects that could be missed during home inspection are the following:
- Decaying Wood
This condition is usually found in wooden parts which are exposed to the elements and in places where the wood is constantly wet. These are wood near plumbing fixtures, showers, tubs, roof eaves, decks and outdoor living spaces.According to wood experts, the conditions that causes wood decay and rot are moisture, oxygen, good temperature and wood nutrients.
- Fireplace and chimney problems
The causes of these problems include failure to periodically clean the chimney, absence of spark arrestors, use of inferior wood-burning stoves, failure to put adequate clearance or barrier between hot metals and combustible materials and defective installation of other fireplace fixtures. - Garage firewall violations
The building code requires a fire-resistant firewall to separate the garage attached to a house. This requirement has been in place since 1927. - Building extension and remodeling violations
Many home inspectors have discovered a high number of remodeling and extension projects done without building permits. Most likely, these projects took shortcuts and used substandard materials. - Water leaks
These are indicated by the presence of stains on ceilings, basement floors, attics and near baseboards. - Termites
A common sign of termite infestation is the presence of dark blisters in wood flooring. You can also tap wood in various parts. If the tapped wood sounds hollow, termites could already have eaten a big portion of the insides of the wood.
