Get a jump on what a Professional Home Inspector could find in a home. Having these five main systems pre-evaluated for problems may have you selling the home quicker.
Plumbing
-Fix leaks and clogs. The inspector will open the water in the sinks and bathtubs to see how fast the water will drain out. He’ll be looking for leaks under the sinks. Leaks are more common when the sink runs large volumes of water.
-If you had a small leak under the sink, make sure you repair the leak, clean the sink cabinet, and treat/protect all the wooden parts.
Electrical
-Make sure the breaker box is labeled and neat. Dirty and questionable boxes are clues that will provoke an inspector to dig deeper for possible problems. If the paper attached to the panel is hard to read, I recommend purchasing a new one at your local material store, such as Lowes or Home Depot.
-Walk through all the rooms and replace any plug outlet covers (average cost is 50 cents each) that are missing or cracked.
Heating & Cooling Equipment
-Change out filters
-Make sure there are no disconnected gas pipes without a cap. This is commonly seen when their once was a gas dryer and now there’s an electric dryer.
-Gas wall heaters have been deemed a fire hazard. Gas appliances can stay in place as long as the gas line is disconnected and capped.
Grading & Drainage
-Take a slow walk around the outside of the home to check for any ponding of water, especially near the foundation. Ponding of water can result in further investigation.
-Make sure water runs away from the foundation and not towards it. If the water runs toward the foundation, the inspector will view it as a clue to look deeper into possible issues in the foundation (and more).
Roof
-The inspector will be looking for missing or broken shingles.
-Cut any tree branches that are touching the home.
-Clear out debris that may be in the gutters and downspouts. This can be easily done with a broom or water hose. (Being on the roof is a fall hazard, so please use caution)
-Fix leaks and clogs. The inspector will open the water in the sinks and bathtubs to see how fast the water will drain out. He’ll be looking for leaks under the sinks. Leaks are more common when the sink runs large volumes of water.
-If you had a small leak under the sink, make sure you repair the leak, clean the sink cabinet, and treat/protect all the wooden parts.
Electrical
-Make sure the breaker box is labeled and neat. Dirty and questionable boxes are clues that will provoke an inspector to dig deeper for possible problems. If the paper attached to the panel is hard to read, I recommend purchasing a new one at your local material store, such as Lowes or Home Depot.
-Walk through all the rooms and replace any plug outlet covers (average cost is 50 cents each) that are missing or cracked.
Heating & Cooling Equipment
-Change out filters
-Make sure there are no disconnected gas pipes without a cap. This is commonly seen when their once was a gas dryer and now there’s an electric dryer.
-Gas wall heaters have been deemed a fire hazard. Gas appliances can stay in place as long as the gas line is disconnected and capped.
Grading & Drainage
-Take a slow walk around the outside of the home to check for any ponding of water, especially near the foundation. Ponding of water can result in further investigation.
-Make sure water runs away from the foundation and not towards it. If the water runs toward the foundation, the inspector will view it as a clue to look deeper into possible issues in the foundation (and more).
Roof
-The inspector will be looking for missing or broken shingles.
-Cut any tree branches that are touching the home.
-Clear out debris that may be in the gutters and downspouts. This can be easily done with a broom or water hose. (Being on the roof is a fall hazard, so please use caution)
Know this, not everything the inspector calls out has to be repaired. But getting the repairs fixed before the house is inspected can reduce the time it takes to get the house sold.
[email protected] (Alexander Huebenthal Professional Home Inspector)
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