Depending on the age, location, and condition of the home you're considering, you may need additional inspections.
Radon testing, termite inspection, mold inspection, and foundation inspection
are among the most common specialized types of home inspections. Arbitrators are hired to decide a dispute or resolve differences, especially one who is formally empowered to examine the facts and determine the matter. While landlords can hire a home inspector to assist them in the arbitration, this is beyond the scope of a home inspection.Arbitrators are usually hired to arbitrate a specific matter or dispute. An asbestos inspection is performed to inspect a building for the presence, location, and amount of asbestos-containing material (ACM) or suspected ACM. ACM is defined as a material that contains more than 1 percent asbestos. However, it is the responsibility of the abatement contractor to confirm the actual volume and location of the ACMs.
Because asbestos inspection is an environmental inspection governed by EPA regulations and requires laboratory testing, it is beyond the scope of a home inspection. Roof inspections are important as roofs withstand living and dead loads (people, objects, snow, material) and lateral loads. There are 40 million residential terraces in the United States. According to the North American Roofing and Railing Association (NADRA), nearly 50 percent of these roofs are between 20 and 40 years old and have a typical life expectancy of 20 years.
A significant percentage of roofs are missing key components, are poorly constructed, lack proper maintenance and have significant safety issues. Unlike a typical home inspection, which is a non-invasive visual snapshot of the state of the home at the time of the inspection, a disaster inspection focuses on damage. Disaster inspectors inspect homes where people have applied for FEMA disaster assistance. While traditional home inspections provide information about the condition of a home, usually related to the sale of real estate, disaster inspections offer homeowners an opportunity to understand the full weight of the damage their property has suffered from storms, fires and natural disasters.
Home energy audits are also known as home energy assessment. Energy auditing helps homeowners understand the overall picture of home energy use. Auditing usually helps determine how much energy a home consumes, where it loses energy, and helps prioritize repairs to make the home more efficient. Unlike home inspections, energy audits usually include a comprehensive evaluation of a home's energy consumption, in which the home's energy assessment can use equipment such as fan-powered doors and infrared cameras, which are tools that most home inspectors don't use.
During the red-hot days of the housing market pandemic, some buyers gave up on inspections to make their offers more attractive, but skipping this important step is not recommended. Inspections provide you with an unbiased expert evaluation of the property and help you make an informed decision about the purchase. A contingency of home inspection in your purchase offer will protect you in the event that the inspection discovers a “decisive” problem. A lead inspection is a surface-by-surface investigation to determine if there is lead-based paint, including determining its location.
First, they look for opportunities to increase safety or security, including potential fire or liability risks. The air conditioning system and other components of mechanical systems are also evaluated for energy efficiency, in addition to the windows. Wind mitigation inspections typically include the inspection of elements that can consist of anything from window and door impact protection, roof configuration, proper nailing of the roof covering, improved attachment of the reinforcement to the wall and the secondary water resistant roof barrier, to how the roof is sealed to prevent water from entering. Scott Home Inspection, a division of Scott Home Services LLC., offers integrity-based home inspections, energy assessment services, and rental inspections to help Colorado families live in safe, healthy, and comfortable homes.
Agents and purchasers must ensure that the septic tank itself and the rest of the septic system are also properly inspected by a qualified septic technician. Homebuyers can use ASHI's Find An Inspector search to view profiles of ASHI members and their specialties listed under Additional Services. If you are a seller preparing your home for an inspection, some steps you should take to prepare include turning on all utilities, cleaning items that may obstruct the inspector's access to the home, and removing pets from the house. While you can't expect the seller to correct all of the defects in the home, you can use information from an inspection report to demonstrate additional expenses you would incur because of necessary repairs.
Prospective buyers may also require an inspection of plumbing system including sewer lines using camera service. Gradual inspections of new construction generally include inspecting foundations and inspecting frames after installing all mechanical electrical and plumbing systems but before installation of insulation drywall and cladding (wall cladding). A sewer system is another important service that is suggested especially for single-family homes and townhomes where landlord is responsible for condition of line that goes from house to city's main sewer line or HOA.
