Common Things You Won’t Find Out from Your Home Inspector
Getting your home inspected before you sell it or having a home inspected during the buying process can be a bit confusing. There might be some things you think your California home inspector should let you know, but they simply won’t.
With a better understanding of what a home inspector won’t tell you, it’s easier to be prepared. A home inspection will look at many things within the house, but there are some things you will need a specialized inspection for if you want those things inspected. Let’s look closer at some of the common things you won’t find out from your home inspector.
6 Things Your Home Inspector Won’t Cover
1. Landscaping
The condition of the landscape isn’t part of a home inspection. While some inspectors might note dead spots in the lawn, they won’t all look at things, such as sprinkler system issues or other landscaping issues. Some inspectors will include these items as a part of their service, so ask what is inspected while inquiring about the fee.
2. Pests
Another thing your home inspector won’t cover with you is pests. A home inspection isn’t designed to look for structural pest issues like termites, boring beetles, or fungus. They also aren’t for nuisance pests like spiders, rodents, bird, and bats. Some inspectors might note damage they see from pests if it’s easy to spot, but they won’t do a full pest inspection.
If you are worried the home might have a pest problem or you just want to make sure, a pest control company can do an inspection for you. It’s also possible to hire a termite inspector to ensure you don’t have a bigger issue.
3. Roof Leaks
While your home inspector will likely look at the roof and do an inspection of the leak, they will likely not inform you of a roof leak. However, the inspection report might note water damage found in a specific area of the home. This would be a reason to hire a roof inspector and have them do a thorough inspection of the roof.
Your general home inspector will focus more on missing or damaged shingles, holes in the roof, and more obvious damage.
4. HVAC System
It’s common for a home inspector to make sure the HVAC system is working, but that is about it. Unless you hire an inspector with extensive HVAC knowledge, they won’t do a full, in-depth inspection of this system of the home. If you believe an HVAC inspection needs to be done, you will likely need a company that specializes in heating and air conditioning to do a full examination.
5. Pool/Spa
In some cases, a brief inspection of the pool or spa will be done by a home inspector. However, if you want a thorough inspection, you may need to hire an inspector that has experience in this area. A pool/spa inspector can take a deeper look at the swimming pool or spa in the backyard to make sure everything is functioning properly.
6. Appliances
An inspector isn’t going to look closely at stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and other appliances. They may test them due to the life cycle requirement in some states, but they won’t look for hidden issues.
There are many things a good home inspector will look at, but some systems require a more specialized inspection. Along with a general home inspection, you might want to have certain areas, such as the roof or the HVAC system looked at by an experienced professional.