Home inspections: 101
We’ve seen quite a few home inspections over the years, to say the least, and because of that, we decided to start a series we call Home Inspections: 101. Here in Baltimore, there is just about every type of home you could possibly imagine: city rowhome, country estate, split level (lots of these in Lutherville!), condo, rancher, Cape Cod, colonial, duplex…and the list goes on. We’ve seen home inspections that take about an hour to complete, and others that take an entire day. We’ve seen chimney inspections, mold inspections, termite inspections, septic inspections, well inspections, and more! And one of the biggest lessons we’ve learned in our experience is that the more you know going into a home inspection, i.e. common issues likely to come up during an inspection, the less likely you are to have problems agreeing on the solutions to those issues.
For sellers, it’s good to know what’s usually on that home inspection report so that you can address these issues ahead of time, or simply just know that they are typical.
For buyers, it’s prudent to understand that there are issues with all homes, no matter the age, and that there are issues that are guaranteed to come up in a home inspection, and that doesn’t mean the house is falling down or that you should run away in fear!
*DISCLAIMER: We are not contractors and do not claim to be. We are simply imparting some of our knowledge about the home inspection process for the purpose of educating home buyers & sellers.
What are the most common issues that come up in a home inspection?
GFCI outlets needed. All outlets within 6 feet of water need to be GFCI protected; so kitchen & baths need GFCI outlets/receptacles.
Downspouts need to be extended at least 6 feet away from the house. All water should be diverted away from the house at all times. This includes gutters and downspouts, and any other water that exits your home, like the backwash cycle of a water neutralizer or the condensation line from your HVAC.
Attic needs more insulation. How much do you need? The answer is: typically more than you currently have. Check with an expert to find out how much.
Replace rotten wood on the outside of the house. Anytime you have wood on the exterior of a house, it’s going to become rotted at some point. Think: deck boards, wood columns, wood trim, or wood siding, like board & batten.
The HVAC filter is dirty and needs to be changed. Check your filter! Then run to Home Depot, buy a new one for $20 and swap it out.
Chimney, chimney, chimney. Chances are, if you have a chimney, you are going to have some issues: the brick, the crown, the cap, the liner, etc.
Repair broken window sash cords. You know those windows that won’t stay open?It’s probably the sash cord, and it’s typically a fairly easy repair. Bonus: if you have Andersen windows, their customer service is great and they even sell repair kits.
Radon is high. Unfortunately, much of Maryland contains areas with high radon levels. What is a high radon level? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends testing all homes for radon, and fixing homes if their levels are higher than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). So keep the number 4 in mind when you are testing for radon. Chances are if you are buying a home in Baltimore County, especially in Lutherville, West Towson, Timonium, Hunt Valley and most areas north of Shawan Road, you are going to have high radon. Not to worry though, high radon is easily remediated with a radon mitigation system that ties into the sump pump of a home and discharges the radon gas out of the house.
Open junction box. Usually in the attic or basement, and a very quick fix for an electrician.
Smoke detectors are not up to date. The Maryland law changed in 2018, so click here to find out what is needed in your home, based on the year it was built.
While these are just some of the many issues that can arise during a home inspection, keep in mind that your inspector could find any number of issues, and that is okay and completely normal! No home will be perfect, so take the home inspection as an opportunity to learn more about the home you are purchasing, and the kind of things you will need to do to maintain it. And whatever you do, don’t panic!