Components of a Home Inspection
A professional home
inspection generally takes 2 – 3 hours for completion depending on the
size of the home. During the inspection, the inspector will inspect all
major components of the home. Items inspected include but are not
limited to:
Foundation and
Structure – The inspector will examine the structure and foundation
of the home looking for obvious signs of deterioration. These signs
include cracked foundations, foundation settlement, water penetrations,
broken trusses, warped siding, etc.
Exterior Systems –
The inspector will examine all items on the exterior of the house
including but not limited to roofing materials, roof drainage, flashing,
chimneys, eaves, siding, windows, exterior doors, property grading and
garage.
Electrical – The
inspector will determine the actual size type, and amperage of the
electrical service entering the house. Branch wiring will be inspected
to determine the correct size of wiring has been installed for each
application. An inspection of the wiring and fixtures will be completed
looking for obvious signs of defects including but not limited to burnt
wiring, open grounds, open junction boxes,
overfusing, etc.
Plumbing – During
the plumbing inspection, the inspector will ensure all visual components
of the plumbing system are in working order. These components include
supply lines, waste lines, fixtures, water heaters, natural gas and sump
pumps.
Heating, Ventilation
and Cooling Systems (HVAC) – The inspector will perform a basic
inspection of all associated heating systems. Items inspected include
furnace, distribution, controls, A/C compressor, A/C
condensor, A/C evaporator and fireplaces.
Note: Gas fireplaces are not turned on by the inspector and should be
inspected by a qualified gas fireplace technician.
Interior – All
aspects of the interior of the home not covered by the above categories
are also inspected including walls, ceilings, floors, stairs and all
individual rooms.
Attic – Providing
access is possible, the inspector will examine the attic and make notes
on roof structure, ventilation and insulation.
Types of Inspections
-
Home
-
Warranty
-
Insurance
-
Commercial
-
Thermal
Infrared
Warranty
Inspection
A 'Warranty Inspection' is
usually conducted prior to the One Year anniversary of the closing of
your new home.
This type of inspection is conducted if there are existing concerns or
areas that you do not feel confident that the builder has addressed.
If you did not have the house inspected prior to closing, this gives you
an opportunity to note any deficiencies before the warranty expiration.
Normally, it's easier to convince the Builder to make a repair or remedy
within this one year period. The Warranty Inspection Report is similar
to the New Construction report.
Applicable Building Codes are cited where appropriate.
Infrared Thermal Imaging
Inspections
Pipe under
a slab
Leak in a furnace
Overloaded
breaker
Missing insulation
Moisture in a
wall
Bluewater Home Inspection also offers Thermal
Imaging Inspections, which can be done with a home inspection or separately.
Our Infrared Thermal Imaging camera can show certain features of a house,
that is normally not accessible during a typical home inspection. The
Infrared camera detects very small differences in temperature. The
camera can then take a picture, highlighting various defects such as a lack
of insulation or a plumbing leak which would not be visible to the naked
eye.
This is a very useful tool in determining
issues about a house such as:
-
Lack of insulation
-
Plumbing leaks
-
Heating and cooling duct work leaks
-
Roof and ceiling leaks
-
Cracks or breaches in the foundation
-
Bad electrical wiring, breakers and fuses
-
Ventilation concerns
Sample
Report
For a look at a Home Inspection Report,
please click below.
Sample
Report (Click Here)
Inspection Agreement
Please click below to see our Home
Inspection Agreement.
Inspection
Agreement (Click Here)
