Less Common Home Inspections for You to Consider

As a buyer, there’s nothing worse than moving into your new home, only to realize that there are previously undiscovered (and likely costly) issues that need to be addressed. As a seller, it would be awful to have an interested buyer pull an offer due to something that surfaced during or after the regular, standard inspection.

The more you know about a home you are selling or buying, the better! Here are a few items we recommend you take special note of during a home inspection, regardless of which side of the deal you’re on.

Pests

It may be (painfully) obvious if you have a rodent problem, but termites are sneaky pests that are usually undetectable until serious damage has occurred. A pest inspector will get into areas of your home a normal home inspector usually does not, and can detect subtle signs of termite presence.

Asbestos

An asbestos inspection is particularly important for homes built before 1975. In older homes, asbestos can be found in thermal insulation or even window caulk. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it deteriorates and begins to crumble, so removing it before this happens is crucial.

Lead

Lead, like asbestos, is a scary health risk. Lead was banned from paint in 1978, but that doesn’t mean it may not be found in your home – for example, underneath newer coats of paint, or wallpaper. Any presence of lead in a home can be a major turn-off for families with children.

Mold

Mold can cause serious health risks, and can be a real threat to home buyers. A mold inspector will survey for water damage, both past and present, and conduct random testing of various spores throughout different areas of your home.

All of these issues can be really scary, especially if they get out of hand. Having a related inspection completed before you purchase a property can help ensure that the remediation is implemented before the purchase, or that the problem is reflected in the purchase price.