The Buyer and Seller Guide to Home Inspections
After scouring the internet, you must know what a home inspection Atlanta is and why you need to have one. A home inspection in Atlanta is a thorough analysis of a home’s visible physical and functioning components for those new to the concept. Home inspections play a vital role for homeowners, investors, buyers, or even someone who wants a renovation done.
Home inspections give you an insight into those issues that we usually don’t notice in our everyday lives until they become a huge problem. Unfortunately, the damage is massive and costly; problems often surface when they show visible signs in or around the house. Then, when you call an inspector to check, the damage is done.
Regular home inspections ensure that the house remains well maintained and functioning. In addition, any damage to the home is a loss to your investments. Therefore, getting home inspections done routinely keeps your family and home safe.
What Does A Home Inspector Check?
We do know an inspection entails a complete check of the interior and exterior of a house, now let us go into detail what is included in a home inspectors Atlanta checklist;
Foundation
Walls
Basement
Foundation
Doors
Windows
Crawlspaces
Kitchen
Bathrooms
All other rooms
Plumbing
Electrical Systems
HVAC
Attic
Insulation
Ventilation
Ceilings and more
A home inspector will ensure everything is working optimally in your house and note if anything beyond repair needs replacement.
Foundation
A home inspector will look for bulges, cracks, or leaks in the foundation of a house. Any bulging or leaning areas mean the foundation is uneven and needs attention. Bowed walls, nails popping out of dry walls, moisture intrusion, mold, etc., are all signs that your foundation needs work.
Ground
A Home inspector will assess the walls of a home in detail and look for signs of crack, chipping paint, bulging walls, or stains. Stains on walls can indicate deeper problems like leaking water pipes or mold growth.
Basement
Window casements, seals around the doors and windows, cracks in the floors or walls are all things an inspector will look for during a basement inspection. He will also look for signs of past flooding or damage that may have gone unnoticed because of it. For example, he will look for gaps or cracks. He will check window seals and ventilation as well.
Foundation
A damaged foundation can lead to more significant issues such as structural damage. Therefore, an inspector will check a home’s foundation for discrepancies such as crack, moisture, or uneven ceilings or roof.
Doors & Windows
When inspecting the doors and windows, an inspector will look for signs of wood damage, damaged caulking, or signs of leakage. Next, he will check the doors and windows to see if they open and close properly. Finally, he will search for signs of condensation or fogging between window panes.
Crawlspaces
An inspector in Atlanta will only inspect your crawl space if it is big enough to enter. They will enter it only if it is 24” wide and 18’ tall. Anything less than that is deemed inaccessible. They will look for mixture intrusion, wood damage, and signs of mold in your crawlspaces. He might suggest an advanced inspection since mold inspection is not a part of a standard home inspection.
Kitchen
An inspector will check the kitchen appliances such as the refrigerator, dishwasher, range, etc. He will not inspect small appliances like microwaves. He might use a moisture meter to detect how much moisture is present in areas under the sink or behind inaccessible areas like appliances. He will check the range vents, plumbing, kitchen cabinets, or electrical issues.
Bathrooms
In a bathroom, an inspector looks for leaks, water damage in the cabinets, and water pressure in the taps. In addition, he checks if the seals around your bathroom fixtures are in place and the shower cabin tempered glass for safety. Bathroom fans and vents are a part of the inspection.
Plumbing
A plumbing inspection is a complete inspection of the sinks, tubs, taps, lines, and pipes. An inspector will examine everything from the fixtures to the supply lines and drains. Sinks in bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchen, or powder rooms also undergo inspection. Valves, gutters, or anywhere there is water flowing in your house is part of a plumbing inspection.
Electrical Systems
An electrical inspection requires an inspection of the electrical wires, fuses, breakers, plugs, etc. An inspector will look for signs of degraded wiring or overheating electrical components. In addition, he will check for the adequacy of earthing and bonding and the serviceability of switches, sockets, and light fixtures.
HVAC
An inspector will check if the thermostat, furnace, heat pumps, ducts, and thermostats are all working well. He will look for gas leaks and insulation that is visible.
Attic
The first thing an inspector will look for in an attic is signs of structural damage. He will also inspect the wiring, vents, insulation, or any water damage in your attic.
Ceilings and Floors
A home inspector will look for signs of water damage on your ceiling and floors. He will also look for cracks, discoloration, which could be a sign of mold. In addition, he will check for bulging, bowing, or saggy ceilings. If an inspector finds damage or signs of water leaks from above, he may perform a roof inspection to get to the root of the problem.
Most buyers get home inspections to make sure they are making a good purchase, and lenders usually don’t finance homes without an assessment done on them. However, home inspections aren’t just for buyers and investors; they play an essential role for home sellers, who can assess the correct value for their home and avoid any unreasonable negotiations. If you need a home inspector in Atlanta, check out Champia. Champia home inspectors in Atlanta are not only highly professional but have also performed thousands of successful home inspections for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents. The best Atlanta home inspector reviews on their page vouch for their credibility and expertise.
