A home inspection is essential if you are purchasing a house. It is important to have your own inspection completed and not to rely on anything done by the mortgage company. Don’t forget, the mortgage company is only interested in the value of the property, this helps to ensure they can get their money back one way or another.

There are several things that are frequently found on a home inspection. To ensure your property is checked thoroughly and you can trust the findings it is worth looking at what processes the company uses. One of them should be magnetic particle testing. This is particularly important when identifying structural defects.

1. Electrical Issues

The electrical system is an essential part of any house. However, as the wiring ages, it becomes more brittle. It can also be attacked by pests, specifically rodents. This leads to damaged wiring which is a fire risk. 

Alongside this, additional wiring may have been undertaken that isn’t up to code. This increases the likelihood of issues and means you could be facing an expensive repair or rewire bill.

2. Plumbing Problems

Plumbing problems can often go undetected as much of the plumbing is hidden in the walls. You can usually see signs of issues when there are damp patches on the walls, floor, or even ceiling. This will allow you to trace the leak.

Leaking water costs you money, it can also damage the structure of your home. That’s why you need to have the issue dealt with promptly. Again, it can be expensive.

3. Leaking Roof

The roof, if well maintained, can last for many years. However, as soon as it starts to leak you’ll risk having wet rot in the structure of your home. This can quickly lead to further issues and actually weaken the strength and integrity of your property.

An inspection will check the tiles, the wood underneath, and look for signs of sagging or water damage. 

4. Poor Insulation

Insulation is important to help keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter. However, many older homes have an inadequate amount of insulation. That means you’ll be wasting a lot of energy and money heating or cooling the house.

To avoid this you’ll want to insulate the property properly. But, this can be an expensive option 

5. Lack of Maintenance

A house that has not been well maintained is likely to have an array of issues, some of which may not even be visible to the house inspector. While a badly maintained house doesn’t mean there is a major issue to be concerned about, it does increase the likelihood of this being the case.

Final Thoughts

A well-performed house inspection shouldn’t put you off a home. But, it should make sure you know exactly what you are letting yourself in for and whether you should renegotiate the price. 

The good thing about the inspection is that you know what needs to be fixed and doing this will add value to the property. It also gives you peace of mind when buying.