Minimize Surprises

Inspecting Your Own Home First.

As professional home inspectors, we get paid to look for problems. The majority of the house problems we find could have been avoided, or at least minimized, with proper inspection and maintenance on behalf of the homeowner. Below is a short checklist of some of the most common problems we encounter. We hope you will find them useful.

Crawlspace
 No access
 Earth floor
 No moisture barrier
 No ventilation
 Freeze-vulnerable pipes
 Rot/insect damage
 Dryer vent into crawlAttic
 No access
 Stained plywood
 Condensation
 Inadequate venting
 Uneven insulation
 Exhaust fan discharge into attic space

Basement
 Water stains
 “Musty” smell
 Drain not working

Heating system
 Dirty filter
 Blocked combustion air
 Blocked ducts

Plumbing systems
 No main shutoff access
 No clean out access
 No water-heater drain

Bathrooms
 Moisture behind tiles
 Loose toilet
 Ventilation not used
 No GFCI protectionElectrical system Overfusing
 Frequent blown fuses or breakers
 “Permanent” extension cords
 Mis-wired outlets
 Open junction boxes

Roofing
 Moss accumulation
 Debris around flashings
 Missing shingles
 Plugged gutters
 Plugged drains
 General deterioration

Exterior
 Wood/soil contact
 Slope towards house
 Rot-damaged stairs
 Uneven stair risers
 Sidewalk trip-hazards

Garage
 Garage door reverse mechanism out of adjustment
 No closer on door to house