One of the biggest stumbling blocks in a home purchase is often the home inspection.
Buyers are all excited about finding a new home. Sellers are thrilled that they will be able to move soon.
Then the inspector comes in and spits out a laundry list of issues with the house. Some of them are minor things like dings and dents, but others like foundation or structural damage can cause the buyers to either renegotiate the purchase price or ask for the repairs to be done first.
Here’s our list of the most common home inspection issues in
Dirty HVAC. We see this noted on over 90% of inspection reports and we all know how important air conditioning is in New Orleans. This basic air conditioning noted you should take the time to have your HVAC service come out to do the necessary cleaning of the unit before your house even hits the market. It will perform better for you while you’re still living there and it should pass inspection with flying colors.
Open junction boxes with exposed wiring. There must be some kind of plot by electricians to cut corners and not use junction boxes in attics, because this issue comes up all of the time. Take the time to go up in your attic and look around before the inspector does.
No GFCI outlets in areas near water. Code requires that any outlet within 5 feet of a water source be a GFCI (ground fault current interruptor) outlet. It’s an inexpensive and easy fix and will be one less line item on the report.
No drip pans under the hot water heater. Common sense says that if your hot water heater starts leaking, especially if it’s in the attic, you’ll need a drip pan to catch the water.
Water heater and/or heating system improperly vented to exterior. When the vent for your water heater is installed, be sure that it actually vents to the outside, not the attic, where condensation can cause mold to grow. We also see lots of heater vents that are touching the wood in the attic, creating a fire hazard.
Trash under raised homes. A magnet for critters, it doesn’t take much to have someone clear out under the house.
