A home inspection is always a great idea, especially for sellers and prospective clients. With this procedure, you’ll sleep better at night knowing your new house is in great shape. However, keep in mind that your new home could also be someone else’s former home. Before anything, you may want to consider the age of the house you intend to buy.

A house inspection will include a variety of things, such as looking into important systems, but it will be mostly visual rather than comprehensive. This is why when it comes to investing in real estate, proceed with caution. As a prospective home or property owner, perhaps you can join your inspector when doing rounds. After all, having more eyes for this procedure could be beneficial since an inspector will only be searching for a few things. Read on to learn what a home inspection doesn’t cover.

1. Insulation Issues

If your walls contain anything (or nothing), don’t expect a home inspector to rip them down. He’ll inspect the outlets, but if the insulation in your northern-facing family room wall is gone or puddled at the baseboards, prepare for the upcoming cold winter.

2. Uneven Flooring 

If your living room is carpeted, it may be tough for your youngster to see how the slope of the floor might help him develop and play around. Because the majority of constructions are not leveled, inspectors do not check for them. House prices in the current day continue to rise dramatically, so don’t expect money to govern quality workmanship. So check the flooring yourself and see if it is uneven, warped, or not leveled.

3. Septic Tanks

Unless the backyard is a sewage swamp, the inspector will investigate the pipes but ignore the septic tank. If something goes wrong, this might turn out to be an expensive and nasty waste disposal lesson. Septic tank issues are dreadful, so before buying a house without city sewer service, have the septic tank inspected by a qualified septic system contractor.

4. Creaks

Certain houses groan and creak in the style of haunted house films. So stroll around your new house and look out for creaking sounds. Here, you can determine if you want stealth footsteps or movements around your home or if you prefer hearing warning creaks of late-night criminals.

5. Heating Duct Obstructions

Unpleasant surprises abound in new houses, especially in heating ducts. The inspector may detect and smell items not on the checklist during a house inspection. Cat surprises in the attic (killed mice, a portable toilet) may add to an unpleasant stench in your home. 

6. Roofing Problems

A house’s roof will be inspected by an inspector, although he is under no obligation to climb on it and do a thorough assessment. This means that they may not see the warning signs of water leaks, birds nesting in chimneys, termites, roof rats, and other wild creatures like raccoons.

7. Pet Dander

Pets are delightful, but dander in the drapes, hair in the heating ducts, and scratches on the hardwood floor are costly when it comes time to sell. Following the registration of the existence of pets in a property, an inspector will proceed to the next item on his checklist. This simple statement does not include the cost of carpet cleaning, woodwork restoration, or lawn renewal.

8. Smoke and Soot Marks

Cigarette smoke residue and soot marks can linger for years in walls, carpets, and air conditioning ducts. Maybe your nose isn’t aware that a smoker has been scattering toxins throughout your soon-to-be home. To mask the odor, you can use Febreze, ammonia, bleach, and even baking cookies. Following the sale, the odor of stale cigarettes may spread to your unsuspecting family. Win by being proactive and simply opt for a non-smoker’s home.

Conclusion

A home inspection is considered one of the milestones for buying a new home. For many, this stage marks the beginning of a new life. However, it must be conducted thoroughly to avoid unforeseen repair costs and ignored issues. So don’t hesitate to call up a team of professionals and work with them before taking further steps! This way, you can also communicate clearly with the seller on the areas of your home that need some fixing or upgrading.

Are you looking for home inspection services in Birmingham, AL? Ally Property Inspections is a team of well-trained professionals whom you can trust to look after your home. Beyond this service, we aim to educate buyers on smart home buying by offering courses with discounts on our home inspection services! Reach out to us today to learn more.