5 Home Inspection Deal Breakers

Home inspections are becoming necessary for everyone planning to buy or sell a house. A home may look perfect both from the inside and outside, but until an inspector produces an inspection report, you should not judge from the look of an untrained eye. The need for professional house inspection is increasing because of probable litigation due to undisclosed defects. Let’s take a look at five potential home inspection deal breakers.

MOLD

One of the problems most likely to hinder or delay a sale of a home is mold and/or conditions that have led to the growth of mold such as groundwater issues, inadequate ventilation, or long term plumbing leaks. All homes have some mold-related fungi present, but the cause and quantity of fungal growth are factors that affect the severity of the problem. Finding a bit of mold on a foundation wall or behind a bathtub isn't a serious problem, but having large areas of fungal growth in attics or basements covered in mold is serious.

Mold can be difficult to deal with because it indicates there are probably other problems related to moisture and ventilation, so it creates two issues that must be dealt with:

1) How do we remove the mold?

2) How do we prevent the mold from coming back?

Mold removal should be done by a professional to ensure the spores are contained and removed rather than being dispersed, hidden or missed. The most serious mold problems I've discovered have been at properties being sold by foreclosure specialists who don't disclose mold problems and who've tried to hide mold and moisture problems rather than correcting them.

No contractor can guarantee mold won't return once removed, and correcting the moisture and/or ventilation problems that led to the mold can be costly. The fear of mold is something that scares a lot of people, and if a homebuyer has some pre-existing concerns about a house or has a family member with allergy problems, mold problems will often kill the deal.

AN UGLY ROOF

Roofs are susceptible to countless environmental factors. Wind, rain, hail, and animals can all make your potential home’s roof look less-than-appealing when you see if for the first time.

Unfortunately, this can make a small problem seem like an enormous issue to potential homebuyers, particularly if roofing repairs are necessary. This is especially true when roofs grow mold or show signs of wear and tear.

Luckily, most ugly roofs can be fixed with ease. To get rid of mold or mildew, you simply need to give it a good scrubbing. For patchy areas or peeling shingles, keep in mind that roof repair is performed in 10-foot by 10-foot patches. In many cases, you don’t need to replace the whole roof when you opt for great roofing repair. Besides, you might be able to talk down the price of the home even though the issue is a simple fix for professional roofing installation.

BAD PLUMBING

Weak water pressure is a sign that the water flow is narrow. This usually occurs due to imperfect internal plumbing or lack of water volume from the street.

Stains under sinks and on ceilings are a sign of leaks that need repair. Check around the toilet, dishwasher, and ice maker to make sure that the floor isn’t soft from leakage.

Lastly, have your inspector verify that the house doesn’t have polybutylene (PB) pipes (used in the 1970-80s). This type of pipe can fail without warning and cause major damage.

Repair or replacement of plumbing or the water pipe to the street can cost $5,000-50,000.

FAILING GUTTERS

Unfortunately, gutters aren’t designed to last forever. Though it may look bad on the outside, the gutters shouldn’t make or break your final decision to buy a new home. Gutter maintenance is a necessity but countless homeowners simply don’t take the time to clean or perform the proper gutter repairs.

Before you choose a great gutter service for your home, check to see if the gutters are actually failing. More often than not, they might have just separated from your home’s siding. This easy gutter repair simply requires a new elbow and brace to look as good as new.

FAULTY ELECTRICAL

Poor electrical wiring can be a major hazard and a massive expense. Old or defective wiring will need to be brought up to code.

Note: A wire that goes nowhere is a sign of poor maintenance.

Home inspector should check the main electrical panel for working circuit breakers. Turn on lights and appliances to check for dimming lights that show excessive stress on the system.