Meet Uncle Fred

You probably know an Uncle Fred or he’s in your family. He’s got a wall of tools in the garage, or maybe he has his own workshop filled with tools. And he’s always happy to help. He comes over to fix the dishwasher or patches that leak by the skylight every year. He even volunteers a weekend to install electricity and lights in your storage shed so you can see in there at night. Uncle Fred is a good guy. 

Except…

The dishwasher keeps spewing water into the sink. The skylight leak isn’t really fixed because…every year it happens again. And those wires he used in the storage shed, they are leftover vehicle wires he had lying around. 

Everyone loves Uncle Fred. His good intentions give you the feelz. And you think his handy help saves you money. But, when it comes to your home, he’s not protecting the value of your lifelong investment and possibly endangering everyone who lives in the home.

The problem with Uncle Fred’s good intentions is they don’t get to the root of the problem. That dishwasher leak could cause structural damage and invite mold into the walls. The roof leak could cause moisture buildup in the ceiling and even spread to the walls, weakening the structure of your home. And those wires in the shed, they could cause an electrical fire.

Water leaks whether from appliances or the roof seep into framing structure weakening wood. If left untended, the wall is in danger of collapse. Plus critters love to use weakened walls to enter your house. Insufficient electrical wiring doesn’t have enough strength to manage the flow of electricity. One spark from an electrical surge and the shed and everything in it is destroyed in a fire.

Professional inspectors can prevent these disasters.

Experience, Professionalism, and Objectivity

If you have an ongoing problem in your home, a professional inspector will give you an honest, objective evaluation of the current state of your home. No feelz, but sound information and professional recommendations on repair and remediation for any problems.

Most homeowners rarely look at the walls in the cabinet under the sink or climb on top of the roof to inspect damage. And even if they did, without experience they wouldn’t know how to evaluate what they see. 

An inspector has training, experience, objectivity and focus on evaluating the current state of your property.

Home Inspector

A home inspector goes through your entire home checking for any suspicious findings. From basement to roof, your inspector knows what to look for. And the experience of doing this day in and day out allows them to see things most homeowners never notice. 

A home inspection covers a spectrum of systems for an overall assessment of the properties of each system.

• Structural System
• Exterior
• Roof System
• Plumbing System
• Electrical System
• Heating System
• Air Conditioning Systems
• Interior
• Insulation and Ventilation
• Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances

The home inspection report presents findings in an objective manner and includes recommendations for any problems or potential problems. Sometimes, the findings may recommend an inspection from a specialist like a pest inspector or environmental inspector. These specialist address issues outside the scope of the general home inspection.

Roof Inspector

While a home inspector may notice some roofing signals, a roof inspector focuses on rooftops and materials to ensure safety, structural integrity, and code compliance. They can isolate roofing issues and recommend materials and structural remediation to keep your home safe from weather and the elements. 

The roof inspection report outlines the details and scope of any needed repairs. The roofing inspector can provide suggestions on material selection and the overall scope of a project from removing old, deteriorated roofing materials to improving the structure that holds the roof in place.

Pest Inspector

A pest inspector is licensed to inspect buildings to determine damage or the possibiity of damage from insects, bugs, termites or dry rot. Most homeowners are unaware of the presence of damaging insects or dry rot because they are hidden underneath a house or in the walls.

Sometimes the pest report will identify areas of further investigation. Inaccessible areas that are at risk could involve ripping off tile from a shower wall or digging a trench to access under the house in a tight crawl space. 

Most homeowners don’t encounter a pest inspector until they are ready to buy or sell a home. If you see homes in your neighborhood tented for termite removal, we recommend protecting your home to make sure you have none of those unseen pests in your home.

Environmental Inspector

An environmental inspector investigates sources of pollution and confirms hazardous materials are handled, stored, and disposed of in accordance with regulations. Although these inspectors investigate a wide variety of situations, most homeowners need their expertise for identifying the scope of mold contamination in a home. A mold infestation is hazardous to the health of everyone living in the home.

Your inspector will make suggestions for removal, remediation, and repair to eliminate mold in your home. 

A Professional Inspector Knows What to Look For 

You can see that a professional inspector has training and licensing that go far beyond Uncle Fred’s tools. Your inspector not only knows what to look for but what steps to take to fix any issues with your property.

At Inspect.com we suggest a home inspection every five years to preserve the value of your home and keep your loved ones safe. In between, you can use our Inspection Checklist to check your home at least once a year. We call it Love Your Home. You’ll learn about trouble spots you can find on your own to prevent damage to your valuable home. Get it here.