Seasonal & Annual Inspections

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Myth:

Many people believe a home or building inspection is only relevant or necessary at the time of a real estate transaction(buying or selling your home). However, this is simply not true!

Truth:

Over the years, time, weather, daily wear, and remodeling or repairs completed can eventually have an effect on or cause important systems to fail unexpectedly. Often times, these conditions can develop suddenly and are hard to detect. Seasonal or annual inspections are a smart and proactive approach that can help alleviate this fear through early detection and preventative maintenance repairs, which will protect the value and integrity of your investment.

Recommendation:

Hire an inspector to perform a seasonal or annual property inspection, to remain informed on the current condition of your home or commercial building, even if the property was inspected at the time of purchase.

Remember: You can’t expect what you don’t inspect

Here is a short checklist of some of the things we include in our Seasonal/Annual property inspections:

Exterior Inspections of you home &/or property.

• Settling cracks in concrete or asphalt sidewalks, driveways, and patios could cause unevenness and trip hazards
• Deck repairs such as loose steps or handrails, rotted wood decking, and flaking paint
• Moss/Algae buildup on siding, windows, or doors
• Evidence of rodent tunneling in grounds, bird nests, or wasp/mud dauber nests on siding/soffit/downspout extensions, on light fixtures, and under decks
• Exterior Shell: Cracked caulking, loose or missing brick mortar, loose flashings, gaps in siding, construction gaps all can lead to water entry
• Debris in gutters, leaking downspouts, improperly sloped or sagging gutters
• Safety reverse sensors on garage door
• Overgrown trees/vegetation
• Leaning fences or retaining walls
• Overall lot drainage and grade(Everyone knows I am big on this one)
• Sagging overhead wires(electric main, if overhead)
• Spigots and exterior gfci outlets

Interior Inspections of your home &/or property.

• Sloping floors, settling cracks in drywall, moisture stains in ceilings or walls
• Smoke/CO detectors as needed
• Loose handrails, bunched carpeting, uneven flooring
• Failed/fogged/cracked window glass
• Cracked/Loose outlets or switches
• Plumbing leaks(under sinks, behind toilets, behind washing machines)
• Water pressure/speed of drains
• Clogged dryer vents
• Mold under sub floors in crawl spaces and basements
• Flaking Paint may contain Lead
• Test all appliances(Furnace, A/C, water heater, dishwasher, disposal, sump pump)
• Fireplace(cracked firebrick panels, soot buildup in flue, missing screens, doors, loose mantel
• Furnace Inspection/service by HVAC technician
• GFCI outlets resetting/tripping in Kitchen, Bathrooms, and Laundry room
• Debris/dirt in HVAC ductwork

Attic Inspections.

• Mold in roof sheathing
• Rodent or Wood Destroying Insect entry/nesting
• Lack of or damp Insulation
• Damaged Framing/Structure integrity
• Electrical Hazards(loose/spliced wires, open junction boxes)

Well Water.

Test for:

• bacteria
• lead
• nitrates/nitrites

Septic Tank Systems.

Hire a licensed Septic contractor(new law in La Porte county for all real estate transactions) to pump and visually inspect inside of septic tank and drain field

Radon Testing:

The EPA recommends testing your house for Radon every two years as levels can fluctuate.