If you are planning to buy a house in Fredericksburg, VA, it is a good idea to have the premises inspected by a certified home inspector. This is a professional who will walk around the place with a clipboard and look for common flaws or problems that could be costly or make the place uncomfortable to live in.
For instance, you might be under the impression that you are investing in a well-insulated home and then find out from your inspector that there is no insulation in the attic or other rooms.
Inspectors will also check for other problems such as termites, hot spots in the walls that indicate aging wiring and black mold under your sinks. You can also walk around the home yourself and do a pre-inspection so that you can direct the home inspector towards anything that you find suspicious or dangerous about the house.
Have a Home Inspection Done Because What Lies Underneath Matters
Here are 7 things that you should make sure are inspected before you buy because surface appearances can be deceiving. It is what lies beneath that counts.
1. Look under any carpets and furniture to see if there is damage to the floor. Clever real estate staging experts will often cover up the flaws of a home with carpets.
Keep your eye out or signs of wear and tear, termite holes, pools of water and mold.
2. Does the home smell good? If it smells like mushrooms or bleach, the place might have a problem with mold.
Keep in mind too that a real estate sometimes light scented candles to mask this type of aroma.
3. Does the home have sloped floors or tiled walls? This can mean that the home is built on a shaky or shifting foundation or that it has problems with groundwater.
4. Turn on the faucets to check if the home has any issues with water pressure. No water or a lack of water pressure can indicate serious issues with the plumbing.
5. Are the walls sweating with condensed water? This can mean that there is water leaking from pipes somewhere in the home and over time this can cause flooding and the growth of mold and mildew.
6. Turn everything off and on to make sure it works. Flip every switch to make sure that every unit that comes with the house.
This includes things such as the furnace, dishwasher, washer, dryer, air conditioner, and microwave works.
7. Are the walls stained or turning brown? This can be evidence that pipes have frozen and burst inside of the walls.
Before you buy a house with plumbing that needs to be replaced, be sure to get a quote on how much it might cost, as it can be very expensive.
Unfortunately, it takes an expert to detect everything that might be wrong with a home, as some problems like radon gas and carbon dioxide problems can only be detected by instruments operated by an inspector.
