During your Home Inspection, my goal is to do a proper evaluation of the health of your home. There are several factors that apply to determine what is in good, poor, or failing condition. During the process of your Home Inspection, this is why we as Home Inspectors encourage property owners to make the areas of the home accessible. Unfortunately, there are situations where we are unable to access key areas of the home to inspect due to clutter or locked areas.

Let’s discuss what common issues are often found at Home Inspections.

Roof Condition
You likely didn’t choose the home you are planning to buy because of the roof. However, this area of the home can be easily missed as homeowners typically don’t find themselves on their roofs and only notice an issue when it’s too late such as a rainstorm. Roof issues can consist of loose shingles, broken tiles, exposed nail heads, incorrect flashing, dry-rotted rubber boots around your chimney or vent pipes. One the main things that can be asked of the seller is if they have experienced roof leaks that they need to disclose, or roof repairs. This can also help you to determine how to negotiate the purchase of the property. Typically, if roof issues are found and they are minor it is not uncommon for the buyer to purchase the property and take care of the roof repairs. One additional suggestion would be to have a roofer perform a full roofing inspection which may be worthwhile to properly quote necessary repairs.
Plumbing
Your homes Plumbing system consists of water pipes, drain & sewer pipes, fixtures such as toilets, faucets, water shut off valves, gas lines, water connections to appliances, water heater among others. Depending on the age of the home, and the care the current homeowner provided to the home can mean all the difference between a Plumbing system in good and failing condition. One of the key items in a home is your Water Heater, it is typically recommended to start planning for a new one once it reaches the age of 10 years. As you can imagine, the water heater tank is built to be obsolete by the warranty expiration date due to the reason that water is very corrosive and the materials they now build them with are not as durable as they used to be. As always of course this can all depend on the care the homeowner put on it such as properly maintaining the water heater by flushing it, replacing the anode rod, and having a Plumber do a proper safety inspection of all its components. During our inspection we take a look at several items of the tank such as the age, missing safety components or the condition of the existing such as a temperature & pressure relief valve, water shut off valve, gas line connection, expansion tank, signs of leaks etc. For your Plumbing system common issues found are signs of leaks, water damage that may have gone unnoticed such as under the kitchen sink, laundry room area, ceiling, toilet running, etc. Additionally, depending on the age of the home and location, we have found times where the home is experiencing slow moving drains, history of sewer issues such as stoppages, or back ups which may be indicative of a poor sewer system. We can additionally evaluate this with a Video Inspection of the homes Sewer system.

Electrical
Homes built in the 70’s or older are often found with faulty connections, or outdated components of the electrical system. Your Electrical system can be very hazardous, we always highly recommend to consult with a licensed Electrician on any items I pointed out during your home inspection. One of the most common issues found is not having a GFCI outlet installed in areas near water. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, it’s purpose is to protect you from receiving an electric shock from faults in the electrical devices we use in our homes. The GFCI quickly breaks the electrical circuit to prevent serious harm, this is why it is especially found near water areas in the home. Other Electrical common issues found are loose connections, poor condition of electrical panels, and non working outlets.

Heating & Air Conditioning systems.
Your Heating & Air system is built of different components. Your Condenser which is most commonly known as the Air Conditioner (the box outside your home with a fan), the Furnace which is often found in attic spaces, garage or hallways, your duct system which provides the airflow needed for the equipment, and the control system to operate it all which is a thermostat. The conditioning of a Heating & Air system is similar to your Water Heater being that it has several factors which can make it be in good or poor condition. As a homeowner one of the main things you can do to properly care for it and help extend the life of the unit is by replacing the filter, and having an annual service of maintenance to it. This will help save your thousands of dollars in repairs or replacement before it’s needed. Common issues found at home inspections is the air filter was never replaced, or overall neglected which in return, it restricts the airflow to your equipment and damages it’s components. The lifespan of a Heating & Air system can range from 10-20 years depending on the service it’s had during the course of its life. When it comes to the ductwork a common issue often found is not properly sealed ductwork, missing ductwork, and no proper insulation in the attic.
Structural Issues
During your home inspection part of our process is to inspect the attic, and structural components of the home. Sometimes, during the construction process or natural disasters can put stress on the joists, walls, foundation, or perhaps it may have been improperly cut or shored up during construction. If any structural issues are noted during your home inspection, we recommend a structural engineer so that you can rest assured that the home is safe for occupancy.

Call Diamond Property Inspections at: ,,(951) 351-1855 to schedule your Inspection today in Riverside County or its surrounding areas. “We don’t cut corners, we inspect them!”