Inspecting a Home
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Article by: Jim O'Keefe Inspecting a House , Spting Flower Gardening Before you buy any house, , Building A Garden Fence take the time to thoroughly inspect the structure and mechanical systems. Costly repairs , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your home? can often be avoided or at least anticipated by a preliminary inspection before a purchase offer is signed. If the house , All About Septic Systems is inspected before a purchase offer is made, you will know in advance if heating equipment, rewiring, or any other costly repairs , Planning a Water Garden... or replacements will be needed. If defects are found, you do not necessarily have to reject the house. , Picking the best flowers for your home garden A purchase offer can include a contingency clause that identifies what needs to be corrected before the sale is finalized. Another option is to offer a lower purchase price based on the cost of correcting the problems. After an offer to purchase contract is signed (but before a loan is applied for or a title inspection ordered), a thorough inspection should be done. Some lenders require a mechanical and structural inspection by a qualified house , Self Watering Violet Pots inspector. Even if a lending institution does not require such an inspection, you may want one. Reserve the right to cancel or renegotiate a purchase agreement if a professional inspection reveals significant defects. If you decide to hire a professional inspector, be there when the inspection is done. Follow him or her around. Ask questions. It is important to know what is being checked, why, and the condition of each area. TOOLS · Pencil and paper to record information , When Showing Your Home to a Home Buyer on the house. , Blinds add a touch of warmth, beauty and decor to any room! · Measuring tape (25 or 50 feet) to measure the dimensions of the house , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your home? and individual rooms. , What part does Pruning play in Bonsai? (The measurements will show whether pieces of furniture , What part does Pruning play in Bonsai? will fit into specific rooms). Keep a file with the links that you visit and find valuable and you can write another article with just links to great places , How to Control Poison Ivy to visit related to that topic. You can also use these to create a links page on your site. · Stepladder, if needed, for access to an attic · Flashlight with a strong beam for inspecting the attic, basement, , Flowers Online - Be Safe With Payments and storage areas with poor lighting. · Coveralls to protect your clothing when inspecting the attic or crawl space. · Ice pick or pocket knife to test the condition of wood , Brick Patio Weed Control structure. · Hand level to check drainage of sidewalks, porches, , Growing Bonsai Trees and basement floor , Different Types of Bird Feeders and to see if the floors , Want a dream oil painting to match your wall¡¯s color? are level. · Screwdriver to remove electrical faceplates to look for evidence of insulation and the condition of the wiring. (Turn off electrical power , How to Control Poison Ivy at fuse or circuit breaker box first!) · Three-prong electrical circuit tester to test receptacles. · Binoculars for inspecting roof , The Importance of Kitchen Design in Kitchen Remodeling shingles and flashing from the ground. INSPECTION PROCEDURE Walk around the outside , The Good, the Bad and the Buggy of the house , The Importance of Kitchen Design in Kitchen Remodeling at least twice. As you walk, note specific areas that you need to inspect more carefully when inside , Blinds add a touch of warmth, beauty and decor to any room! the house. , Picking the best flowers for your home garden Look first at the foundation, drainage, and siding; the second time check windows, , Self Watering Violet Pots gutters, and the roof. , Spting Flower Gardening Once the outside , Lawn Mower Parts Overview inspection is finished, move inside , What part does Pruning play in Bonsai? the house. , Native Plant and Tree List For the Doylestown, PA Area Start in the crawl space or basement , Why Grow Organic? and work up through the house , Building A Garden Fence to the attic. Take plenty of time to look behind boxes, in dark areas, under cabinets, etc. The items listed below will help you do a thorough inspection. Use this list as a guide when inspecting any house. , Different Types of Bird Feeders The items do not include such personal preferences as interior , Tree Pruning Tips decoration (color, carpet, , Why Grow Organic? window , Sky Pencil Hollies Are Used in Easton Pa. treatment, etc.) or the presence of optional equipment (air conditioning, security , Tree Pruning Tips system, etc.) NOTE: The items are not listed in the exact order which you might follow when inspecting a house. , Three Stumbling Blocks to Growing Grapes in the Backyard Answer YES or NO to as many of the questions as apply to the house , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your home? you are inspecting: Does the slope of the lot prevent water , Advice on Buying and Using a Meat Smoker from standing next to the house? Water-saturated soil , The Flower Garden in August could indicate the lack of drain tile. , Advice on Buying and Using a Meat Smoker Is there easy and safe , Spting Flower Gardening access to the lot? Is the lot safe , Flowers Online - Be With Payments and convenient? Are there signs of septic field drainage problems? These may include odor of raw sewage, extremely soggy soil , Flowers Online - Be Safe With Payments over the drainfield, sewage discharged over the ground or in nearby ditches, broken or cracked white , Growing Bonsai Trees pipes that stick out of the ground, or an alarm , Hot Tub Safety for Children flashing or beeping in the house. , Flowers Online - Be Safe With Payments Are there enough electrical receptacles to meet your needs? Grounded receptacles have a third, round hole. Use a circuit tester to see if receptacles are wired correctly and are grounded. Does the house , Why Grow Organic? have ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection in the kitchen, , Lawn Mower Parts Overview bathroom, , Whack 'Em Back - Increasing Flowers by Pruning garage, , CONSTRUCTION LOAN BASICS and outdoor , When And How To Prune Roses circuits? Special GFCI receptacles can be identified by the "test" and "reset" buttons on the face of each outlet; GFCI breakers are labeled in the service box. If this protection is found in an older home, , Self Watering Violet Pots it indicates that the electrical system has been upgraded. Is there visible electrical wiring in the attic, basement, , Advice about the best help witrel="nofollow" h reference to sandblasting eq or garage? Note the type of wire used and its condition. As with the heating system, you may wish to have a professional check the electrical system. WATER SYSTEM AND QUALITY OF WATER Are the plumbing , Decorating with Authentic Zebra Decor.... fixtures, especially in the bathroom , Inspecting your plumbing and kitchen, , When And How To Prune Roses in good condition? Look for water , Beautifying The Garden Or Yard With A Bench damage on the bottom of sink cabinets, around the bases of toilets, and on ceilings (below upstairs plumbing , Planning a Water Garden... fixtures). Check the water , Cook Healthy Food In Minutes With Turbo Oven pressure at the faucets. Turn on all faucets and flush all toilets at the same time. How long it takes the tanks to refill under these conditions is a good indication of the water , The Good, the Bad and the Buggy pressure. Are there a shut-off valves on both hot , Poster, Print or Painting. Where Are You Going To Put It? and cold water , Brick Patio Weed Control supply lines to all sinks? Look for signs of rust and leaks in the water , Sky Pencil Hollies Are Used in Easton Pa. heater. Is there a pressure relief valve? Is there a private well? Has the water , Self ing Violet Pots been tested? Acceptable water , The Flower Garden in August quality can be a contingency in your purchase offer. You can get information , Picking the best flowers for your home garden on water , Advice on Buying and Using a Meat Smoker testing from your county cooperative extension center. For more information, , Garage door openers--Buy the best gagage door opener only see Lead in Drinking Water, , Decorating with Authentic Zebra Decor.... or Removing Mineral Deposits from Household , Picking the best flowers for your home garden Surfaces, or Radon in Water, , The Swallowtail -- A Beautiful Butterfly or Health Effects of Drinking Water , Blackjack, Card Counting, and Why the 5's are the Most Iimportant Cards in the Deck Contaminants, or Home , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your ? Drinking Water , All About Septic Systems Treatment Systems. SEWAGE DISPOSAL If there is a septic tank, is it in good condition? What is its age? Has it been pumped regularly at 3- to 5-year intervals? Are there any signs indicating faulty or inadequate capacity of drain lines, such as a slowly draining sink, or a toilet that backs up? APPLIANCES Do some appliances remain with the house? These may include a built-in oven, dishwasher, garbage disposal, free-standing range, refrigerator, washer, dryer, , Why Grow Organic? and window air , Safety with Style in the Bath conditioning unit. All should be tested for efficient and safe , What part does Pruning play in Bonsai? operation. Ask the owner for any records of service and repair. , Lawn Mower Parts Overview INSECT DAMAGE Are there signs of wood , Advice about the best help witrel="nofollow" h reference to sandblasting eq damage from insects? The most destructive insect is the termite, which eats the interior , 10 Types of Hammers...Which One Is Right For You? of studs and joists. Termites may cause much damage before they are detected. Termite inspection is required by most lenders. Has the house , Native Plant and Tree List For the Doylestown, PA Area been periodically inspected and treated for termites? Are there piles of coarse sawdust beneath the timbers? This may indicate the presence of carpenter ants. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, , Advice on Buying and Using a Meat Smoker but they do nest in it. They are most likely to attack wood , Blinds add a touch of warmth, beauty and decor to any room! that has already begun to rot. These ants may also be heard within walls , 10 Types of Hammers...Which One Is Right For You? and may even be spotted inside , All About Septic Systems the house , Advice on Buying and Using a Meat Smoker in the winter. , Hot Tub Safety for Children They are black and about 1/2-inch long. Do you see deposits of sawdust on the floor , Duvet Covers Are Easy to Make Yourself and small pencil-lead size holes in wood , Self Watering Violet Pots beams and floor , Double The Storage Space In Your Bedroom Closet joists? This may indicate the presence of the powder-post beetle. To verify, check to see if the wood , Self Watering Violet Pots crumbles when an ice pick or pocketknife is pressed into the beams, floor , Decorating with Authentic Zebra Decor.... joists, support posts, and sill plates. If there is some indication of the presence of termites, carpenter ants, or powder-post beetles, your purchase offer can be contingent on the house , Whack 'Em Back - Increasing Flowers by Pruning being free from infestation by these or other insects. You can ask the seller to pay the cost of a professional insect inspection and treatment; however, inspection is usually paid by the buyer. THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT Certain products , 10 Types of Hammers...Which One Is Right For You? or pollutants in the indoor environment , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your home? can cause health problems. Asbestos, , Self Watering Violet Pots carbon , Blinds add a touch of warmth, beauty and decor to any room! monoxide, and radon are hazards that may be present. Lead, which can be present in water , Thinking of Selling Your Home? or paint, , How to Control Poison Ivy can cause health problems in children and during pregnancy. And some people are sensitive to certain products , Garage door openers--Buy the best gagage door opener only or pollutants like formaldehyde and volatile organic , Garage door openers--Buy the best gagage door opener only compounds. You may want to test for some or all of the following contaminants. Contact your local , How To Grow African Violets health department or county cooperative extension center for guidance on testing. · Formaldehyde is often found in particle and other composition board, plywood, paneling, wallpaper, and permanent-pressed fabrics. · Asbestos , Decorating with Authentic Zebra Decor.... fibers may be found in thermal insulation, pipe and duct insulation, vinyl flooring, , CONSTRUCTION LOAN BASICS textured paint, , Want a dream oil ing to match your wall¡¯s color? exterior siding, and appliances, stoves, and furnaces. Removal of asbestos , Blackjack, Card Counting, and Why the 5's are the Most Iimportant Cards in the Deck can be expensive and should be left to a professional. · Carbon , Three Stumbling Blocks to Growing Grapes in the Backyard monoxide may be leaking from defective or improperly vented combustion appliances, such as furnaces, gas , How to Control Poison Ivy dryers, and gas , Self Watering Violet Pots heaters. These should be checked by a qualified heating system technician. Try to avoid the use of wood , Planning a Water Garden... stoves or kerosene heaters. · Radon, a colorless and odorless soil , Blinds add a touch of warmth, beauty and decor to any room! gas, can travel from the soil , Duvet Covers Are Easy to Make Yourself to the foundation and then to the inside , Native and Wetland Trees for the Northeast of a house. , When And How To Prune Roses It can have long-term health effects. If the house , Lawn Mower Parts Overview hasn't been tested for radon, you may want to ask the seller to establish an escrow account to cover costs of remediation, if necessary. · Volatile Organic , The Swallowtail -- A Beautiful Butterfly Compounds are found in flammable and other household , Have you considered Fluorescent lighting for your home? cleaning and maintenance products. , CONSTRUCTION LOAN BASICS You may want these products , Advice about the best help witrel="nofollow" h reference to sandblasting eq removed before you take possession of the house. , Native and Wetland Trees for the Northeast · Lead may be present in house paints , Whack 'Em Back - Increasing Flowers by Pruning used before 1977 and in the piping system at soldered joints. If you have small children and suspect the presence of lead, you may want to have the house , Why Grow Organic? checked. Removal of lead-based paint , Different Types of Bird Feeders can be costly. About the Author James O’Keefe is the owner of My Millionaire Friend. offering FREE articles, tips, , Painting and Decorating Tile hints, and real-world advice , CONSTRUCTION LOAN BASICS on how to , When And Prune Roses make money with your website. Visit his site or join his FREE newsletter by sending a blank email to mailto:newsletter@mymillionairefriend.com. |
  
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