Homebuying Red Flags Home Inspections Help Identify, Part 1

When purchasing a new home for you and your family, it’s natural to first pay attention to its positive and attractive qualities. As you get further along in the process, however, and especially if you’ve decided on a particular home, ensuring you have a handle on any issues or problems present in the home is extremely important for everything from your health to your long-term finances.

At Aerolite Consulting, we’re here to help. We offer comprehensive home inspection services, checking for not only the more common issues out there but also inspections for mold, radon, asbestos and other contaminants that most home inspection companies simply aren’t equipped to investigate. In this two-part blog series, we’ll go over several potential red flags we’ll help raise for you well in advance of any purchase, allowing you to discuss these with the seller and work them out before you commit financially.

Sewer Problems

One of the bigger issues that some homebuyers may not notice on their own is a sewer problem, whether we’re talking about a blockage, a flow issue or even tree roots that have infiltrated the system from your back yard looking for a water source. In some cases, these issues may show evidence like standing water in the yard, flooding in the basement or heaved walkways near the home.

Why is this a big deal? Firstly, because fixes to these kinds of issues can be very expensive. Repairing an entire sewer line will often cost in excess of $10,000, and you do not want to be footing this bill on your own after buying the home. In addition, such issues present foul odors and possible health risks to those moving into the space.

Electrical System Issues

Particularly if the home you’re looking at was built in the 1970s or earlier, it’s vital to ensure electrical systems and components are up-to-date and not posing a danger of any kind. There are several such potential risks, from hazardous wirings to fire hazards. While you might notice certain obvious signs here, such as numerous extension cords or a lack of a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), others aren’t as visible and can only be picked up by trained professionals. Once again, the costs here for repairs can be extremely high, and you’ll want to work them out with the seller in advance.

Contamination

As we noted above, one of the areas we specialize in that are often lacking among other home inspectors is checking for certain invisible contaminants. Our environmental home inspections not only cover your major appliances and components, but also check for things like mold, radon, asbestos, lead and even methamphetamine residue. These contaminants are not only extremely unhealthy and potentially risky to anyone living in the space, but they also lower home values in a major way – spotting them may save you thousands down the line.

For more on the issues home inspections help you discover, or to learn about any of our home testing services, speak to the staff at Aerolite Consulting today.