Because of the complexity of a home, professional home inspectors will often proceed system by system or region by region to ensure that all important items are covered. However, we feel it is also necessary to look at the overall situation and to view the entire property as a system.
We believe that much can be gained from this overview. Sometimes individual components are functioning normally but may show a weakness when viewed as a link in the overall system. Also, some features may work fine but may not be acceptable to the home insurance people. The good inspector will often point out these features as an added value or simply as a courtesy to the client.
Perhaps a few examples might help explain.
What if we look at a home and the front yard dips down toward the house? This might mean
that water from rains and melting snow could flow directly toward the basement wall. Have drains or a swale been provided to lead
water away? Is there a moisture problem in the basement... possibly near the front basement wall?
Suppose the downspouts from the roof
gutters terminate next to the foundation wall with no provision to divert the potentially thousands of gallons of water collected
per year, away from the foundation? Wet basement maybe?
Suppose new asphalt shingles have been put on the roof within the last few
years?
Good idea? Most likely.
Leaks? Probably not.
However, ... were new flashings provided around the chimney at the same time?
Ah,
maybe not. Problem?
Well ... flashings will often outlast the shingles but seldom can they outlast two life spans of a good asphalt
roof. Is this a concern? We think it could become one.
Older homes often have a 60 amp electrical entrance. Is this an electrical safety
concern? If properly installed and the electrical usage requirements are low, most likely not. What is the policy of your insurance
company? Better check as some are wary of insuring homes with 60 amp entrances, with some refusing to insure, while others may charge
higher premiums, and some may not be at all concerned .
Is the electrical system properly grounded? A mistake here could be life threatening.
Is
grounding to the metal (copper) plumbing system acceptable? Usually, as long as the metal piping is continuous underground to the
water source. We've found many instances where the metal piping is changed to plastic or is interrupted by a meter before leading
to the public water supply or the well.
Dangerous? You bet.
The newly installed wood burning stove in the living room has been carefully
placed on a brick hearth and with a brick facing on the drywall behind the stove. Is there an air space behind the brick veneer? Your
insurance agent will want to know before providing you with home insurance. Home Works Inspection Services will look for this and
many other important considerations during the home inspection and refer you to the appropriate professional should a concern be noted.
Does
the home have a heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system installed? Hopefully, it's not installed in the attached garage or placed in
the attic. Where is the condensate drain? Are the filters clean? Where does the ductwork lead and is it installed properly? Home Works
Inspection Services looks for this and much more.
