Common Defects Found During Home Inspections

8 November 2021
 Categories: Business, Blog


If you are selling your home or updating your home insurance, you likely are facing the need for a home inspection. You may be wondering if there are ways to prepare for the inspection. You may also be wondering what areas can cause the most concern. An ideal place to start is with the areas of your home that tend to have the most common defects during the inspection. Here are a few of those defects and what to know about each of them. 

Water Damage and Wood Rot

Water damage is near the top of the list for common defects during home inspections. Water damage and wood rot can be from various issues. For example, you may have had a leaky appliance like a washing machine. The leak may have been slow, but over time, the water damaged the floor or softened areas of the walls. The water damage may also leave a stain behind that makes it evident to the naked eye where water leaks and damage occurred. You will need to have the wood replaced and stained areas repaired. 

Insulation Issues

Insulation is vital for the comfort of a home throughout the year. Insulation helps keep your home at a suitable temperature and keeps your HVAC from overworking in extreme conditions. For example, if your insulation is poor, you may experience extremely hot and uncomfortable summers. You may also find that faulty insulation is causing energy loss and higher energy bills. This can deal with roofing insulation, windows, and the insulation between walls. 

Guttering Issues

The guttering of your home can be a common area that needs repair and shows up on the home inspection. If gutters are old or rusted, they can begin to sag. They can also pull on the roofing and cause wood rot as well as wood damage. Gutters that are not cleaned out on a routine basis can become full of leaves and other debris. This can lead to poor drainage, sagging in the guttering, and water damage. You can have old guttering removed and new guttering installed prior to the inspection. 

Once you and your contractor have made changes or upgrades to common defect areas, it is then time for your inspection. Contact your local home inspection service. They will arrive at a scheduled time to do a walkthrough of the home. They can let you know then if there are further issues and how long you have to make those changes or repairs.


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