|
|
 |
||
|
|||
|
Top
10 Most Common Home Concerns
Improper Surface Grading and Drainage This is the most common problem found by home inspectors. It is responsible for many household aggravations, including water penetration into the basement or crawlspace. All basements will eventually leak. To improve drainage, you may have to install a new system of roof gutters and downspouts or have the lot re-graded to better channel water away from the house.
These significantly and potentially hazardous defects include insufficient or out of date electrical systems, inadequate overload protection, and amateur wiring connections. You may have to replace the entire electrical system, or at least part of it to bring the home up to code or to make it safe. This is a frequent problem generally caused by old or damaged roof tiles/roofing materials or improper flashing and drainage. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to repair shingles and small amounts of flashing, but it the roof is old, you face a much larger expense to replace the whole thing. An older heating system or one that has been poorly maintained can be a serious health and safety hazard. You may have to repair or replace the old furnace, which is a major expense, but new furnaces are more energy-efficient, which will probably save you money down the line. Other defect items in this category include, broken or malfunctioning controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal. This is
common problem with all homeowners. Signs
of poor maintenance include cracked, peeling or dirty painted surfaces,
crumbling masonry, makeshift wiring or plumbing, and broken fixtures and
appliances. You can easily
repaint a wall, replace a fixture or repair a brick wall, but makeshift
electrical or plumbing situations are serious and potentially dangerous
problems. Replace any such wires or pipes.
As a result of problems in one or more of the other categories, damage is sustained by such structural components as foundation walls, floor joists, rafters and window and door headers. Such damage is usually caused by water seepage into foundation, floor joists, rafters or window and door headers. First you need to fix the cause of the problem, then repair or replace any damaged pieces. Minor structural damage means the house is not likely to fall down, but you should deal with the problem before it becomes more serious. Plumbing
defects are not the number one problem, but they still rank high.
The most common plumbing defects include the existence of old or
incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty fixtures and waste
lines. These may require replacing a fixture or replacing the
plumbing itself. Flaws in this category rarely have structural significance, but may pose discomfort to the occupants due to water and air penetration. This is most commonly caused by inadequate caulking and/or weather-stripping around windows, doors, and wall surfaces. In
an effort to save energy, many homeowners have "over sealed"
their homes, resulting in too much moisture that wreaks havoc on interior
walls and structural elements. Significant moisture can lead to
rotting and failure of both the structural and non-structural
elements. It can also exacerbate allergic reactions. Install
ventilation fans in every bathroom if there are no windows, and regularly
open all the windows in your home. To repair damage caused by poor
ventilation, you may have to replace drywall and other inexpensive pieces. Environmental problems are a new and growing area of home defects. They include lead-based paint, asbestos, formaldehyde, contaminated drinking water, radon and leaking underground oil tanks, and mold. You usually need to arrange a special inspection to determine environmental problems.
|
|||
