Everything looks prettier in the spring, and so, traditionally, home sales shift into high gear just about the same time as the daffodils start to bloom. But homebuyers should be careful not to be taken in by a pretty face in the form of a fresh coat of paint or a new azalea bush. Since no home is perfect, homebuyers would be wise to learn where and how to look beyond the cosmetics for possible signs of problems with their prospective purchase. Failure to do so before they buy could mean any number of unpleasant surprises after the move. Experts recommend hiring and accompanying a professional home inspector on a pre-purchase examination of the home’s structural and mechanical condition. While this won’t guarantee a perfect home or even that problems won’t develop sometime in the future, it will greatly reduce the risk, and it will provide a valuable education in the process.
A recent survey of its members, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) compiled a list of the most frequently found problems in homes. It is significant that within this list of ten problem categories, at least four are directly related to the damaging effects of water. Apparently, keeping water out, after a home is built, is the homeowner’s most important and continually challenging task.
It should be noted that this list represents a national average. Regional climates, building codes and the age of a home played a significant role in the ASHI findings.
1. Improper Surface Grading/Drainage
(Back to top)
This by far the most frequently found problem as reported by 35% of home inspectors surveyed. It is responsible for the most common of household maladies: water penetration of the basement or crawlspace. The most effective remedies for wet basements include regrading the ground away from the house and repairing or installing a new system of roof gutters and downspouts.
2. Improper Electrical Wiring
Back to top)
A significant number (19%) chose this item as the most common home defect, which includes such situations as insufficient electrical service to the house, inadequate overload protection, amateur and often dangerous wiring connections. Some home inspectors say that 70-80% of the electrical wiring they see is done wrong, and that most of it is attributable to do-it-yourselfers. This is a serious safety hazard, not just a cosmetic defect.
3. Roof Drainage
(Back to top)
Although reported by only 8.5% of home inspectors as the most common problem, roof leakage caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing, was considered a frequent problem. Shingle repairs can be easily and inexpensively done, but shingles near the end of their useful life may mean a major re-roofing expense.
4. Heating Systems (health and safety hazards)
Back to top)
Problems in this category include broken or malfunctioning operating controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal. These conditions represent more than simply inefficient heating; they are health and safety hazards. Heating systems should be serviced and maintained annually by a professional, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Poor Overall Maintenance
(Back to top)
Americans take better care of their cars than they do their homes. Cracked, peeling, or dirty painted surfaces, crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, broken fixtures or appliances are common issues faced by home inspectors. Although some of these problems may seem cosmetic than serious, they affect the overall lack of care which has been given to the home. Often these are clues to more serious problems or needed repairs.
6. Structurally Related Problems
(Back to top)
As a result of the problems in one or more of the other categories, many houses sustain some, although usually not serious damage to structural components such as foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, or window and door components.
7. Plumbing
(Back to top)
Though never ranked as the Number One problem, plumbing defects still ranked high among the house problems encountered and include the existence of old or incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty fixtures and waste lines. Surprisingly, some home inspectors reported finding natural gas leaks in as many as one out of three homes inspected. Amateur workmanship usually heads up most problems we see.
8. Exteriors
(Back to top)
Flaws in homes exterior, including windows, doors, and wall surfaces are responsible for the discomfort caused by water and air penetration, but they rarely have structural significance. Inadequate caulking and/or weather stripping are the most common culprits.
9. Poor Ventilation
(Back to top)
Perhaps due to overly ambitious efforts to save energy, many homeowners have “Over-sealed” their homes which can cause rotting and premature failure of both structural and non-structural elements. It can also lead to tremendous mold accumulation, which often causes allergic reactions.
10. Miscellaneous
(Back to top)
This category includes various interior components, such as sticky windows or dripping faucets, as well as a number of environmental concerns. Environmental hazards are a new and growing area of home defects and concerns such as, lead based paint (pre1978), asbestos, Urea-formaldehyde insulation, radon gas, leaking underground storage tanks, indoor air quality, MOLD to name a few. Many of these concerns require further evaluation and testing to determine the exact impact on you and your home. Repairs can be expensive in some cases.
[i]A recent survey of ASHI members (national average, not regional)
