The 15 most common problems reported in home inspections

When you’re buying or selling a home and the purchase agreement is freshly signed and you’re officially in escrow, things move fast. But it all comes to a head for one seminal event that could make or break a real estate transaction - the home inspection. In fact, home inspections (along with the appraisal and seller disclosures) are like a big flashing yellow right in every deal, with the buyer not feeling comfortable to move forward (by removing contingencies) until a full home inspection report is on hand – and usually the seller addressing any major fixes that need to be done.

Just how important are home inspections to buyers? An annual American Society of Home Inspectors reveals that 88 percent of respondents say home inspections increase their confidence about the condition of the property, 72 percent of U.S. homeowners said that a home inspection helped them avoid potential problems when they bought their home, and 64 percent of homeowners said they saved a lot of money as a result of their home inspection.

But home inspections don’t have to be nerve-wracking or a stumbling block to a home sale closing as planned. To avoid any unwanted surprises, pricy renegotiations, or even deals falling through, home sellers would be wise to do their own pre-inspection, by themselves, with the help of their handyman, or even by hiring a home inspectors themselves before listing the home, especially for luxury and high-end homes.

With a little planning and diligence, a clean home inspection report will encourage the happy buyer to proceed with a smooth transaction. In order for sellers to know just what to look for and proactively fix, here are the top maintenance issues found in home inspections:

1.    Electrical

Home inspectors make sure all outlets, GFCIs, and switches work properly, as well as check electrical breakers and fuse boxes. Some common problems include old wiring, wiring connections not put in a junction box, a lack of GFCIs in kitchens and bathrooms, outlets with reversed polarity (hot and neutral wires are mixed) and two electrical circuits wired through a single breaker.

2.    Water and plumbing

Smaller leaks around toilets, under sinks, and dripping faucets are actually pretty common and easily fixed, but bigger water damage issues can lead to mold and major structural damage, so home inspectors will look for telltale signs like discoloration on ceilings, rot, and cleanouts and drains that don’t work properly. Older homes may present a problem because galvanized water lines rust from the inside, closing the passageway which water can move through and reducing water pressure. Replacing all your water lines with new copper piping can be a huge expense – but necessary at some point.

3.    HVAC systems

Heat and air systems require regular maintenance and are costly to replace, so home inspectors will test both heating and cooling systems (no matter what the season!) thoroughly. Homeowners should be replacing their filters periodically and getting their HVAC system tuned up once or twice a year to keep the unit in good working order and prolong its life. Inspectors will also check the flow of ducting and making sure AC units outdoors are clean of debris and obstructions like high grass. Older homes or those in colder climates may have a furnace or boiler that also needs TLC.

4.    Smoke and CO detectors

This isn’t just nit picking, these detectors really save lives. In fact, studies show that fire-related fatalities are twice as high in households where no smoke detector is present or it’s inoperative. Regulations and safety codes for smoke detectors vary from state to state, but according to section 310.9.1 of the California Building Code, all residences must have smoke detectors installed.

Likewise, carbon monoxide poisoning shouldn’t be taken lightly, considering that more than 10,000 are poisoned by carbon monoxide and need medical treatment each year, and around 500 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning in the U.S. every year. California is now one of the 26 states in the U.S. that now mandates carbon monoxide detectors in private dwellings (and even schools) so it’s important you are in compliance not just to “pass” the home inspection but for the health and safety of your family.

Additionally, radon gas in the home is a growing health concern and testing is becoming more common.

5.    Windows

Home inspectors will check to make sure all windows open and close freely and aren’t painted shut, bent or warped, impeded by window ACs if they are the only egress in the room, and generally that they are up to standards of the home. Windowpanes should be free of cracks or splintering, and most people don’t realize that the dreaded fogging or trapping of moisture between double paned windows as the vacuum seal is breached will be an item the home inspector needs to flag.

In older homes with original windows, sash cords are often broken or missing, inhibiting the window from staying open, or closing correctly, and will need to be fixed.  Remember that focusing on windows being in tip-top shape isn’t just for cosmetic reasons but to ensure safe exit in case of a fire or other emergency in the home. 

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Look for part two of this blog where we'll cover the rest of the 15 most common maintenance items that are flagged in home inspections.

How to handle the 10 most common home emergencies

Imagine coming home after a nice dinner at your favorite restaurant and movie only to find three inches of water covering the whole first floor of your house; or on the coldest winter night, strange noises coming from beneath the floor before the pipes burst; or even a short circuit behind the walls starting to smoke and eventually causing a fire. These are all nightmares for homeowners, but the simple truth is that the potential exists for a whole lot to go wrong no matter where you live, what kind of home you own, or even if you rent.

You’ll notice that most of these involve water (which causes flooding and MAJOR damage that requires walls, flooring, and ceilings to be torn out), and electricity (which can cause a home fire or even electrocute someone).

But the good news is that homeowners can be prepared for any home emergency by knowing what they are, why they happen, and most importantly – how to react if disaster strikes. Knowing these can literally help you prevent catastrophes, keep your family safe, and save tens of thousands of dollars in damages. Afraid that you’re not up to speed on the technical aspects of home maintenance and engineering? Don’t worry, because insurance adjusters estimate that at least 30 percent of their service calls could have been prevented or handled with a simple flip of a switch or push of a button.

1. Clogged dryer vents are fire hazards

Did you know that outside of the kitchen, most home fires start in or around the dryer? Hopefully by now you know to clean out the lint trip inside the dryer after each and every use, but homeowners often neglect to properly clean the dryer vents and inside the unit as well. Twice a year, unplug the dryer, pry off the access panel and vacuum out the inside of the dryer mechanism itself (you’ll notice a lot of lint in there!). Next, unscrew or disassemble the ducting that comes off the dryer vent and stick a vacuum in there, clean by hand, or use a vent brush. You should also find out where that vent exits the house and clean it from the outside in.

2. A toilet that won’t stop running

Ok so running toilets may not always wreak havoc on a home, but they sure are annoying – and can cost you a lot in wasted water. But it is possible for running toilets to overflow, and since water damage is so devastating, we’ll include it on the list. Running toilets are usually caused by a worn flapper that isn’t sealing properly anymore, which lets water seep into the bowl, never allowing the tank to fill up.

To remedy this, press the flapper lightly with a yardstick. If the sound of running water ceases, you know that the flapper is indeed the culprit. You could easily replace it (without calling a plumber) but first, also try running your finger along the rim of the hole where the flapper rests. Sometimes mineral deposits or debris build up there, preventing the flapper from sealing.

3. Mold in the home

Mold is one of the most dangerous health hazards around the house, with certain types of mold spores causing major medical issues or even hospitalization or death if left untreated. Unlike flooding or fires where the issue is immediately apparent, mold can fester and grow in unseen places like below carpets and floorboards or behind walls and ceilings. To check for mold, look for any browning or discoloration in the sheet rock and keep an eye out for steady leaks or areas that never seem to dry. You can usually smell a wet or overly humid room that may be a good host for mold, but you can also buy detection kits at your neighborhood hardware store. If a room is particularly damp, use a dehumidifier or set up an additional venting system to make sure mold doesn’t grow.

4. Kitchen grease fire

Kitchen fires are a fairly common occurrence, yet homeowners sometimes panic or do the absolutely wrong thing in the heat of the moment, making the situation much worse and even causing injury.

If an appliance is on fire, make sure to pull its plug out of the outlet first. Instead of pouring water on it, take out the box of baking soda from the freezer and pour it on/into the appliance.

If you notice a grease fire or blaze inside the over DON’T open the oven door! That can cause the fire to spread or even explode as it’s fed renewed oxygen. Calmly turn off the over and keep the door closed and the fire will soon burn out safely.

For grease fires on the stove, DON’T pour water on them or even blow foam on them with a fire extinguisher, as that will spread the dangerous flames. If the fire is in a pot or pan, turn off the stove or the heat source then carefully put the lid or pan on top using an oven mitt, which will extinguish the source of oxygen and quickly extinguish the flames. Never try to carry the fiery pot to the sink or outdoors.

You should have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen or a nearby supply closet. It’s a good idea to buy a few extra and practice using them in the backyard or a safe place with your entire family so they’ll feel comfortable and confident using them in case of a live fire.

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Look for part 2 of this blog where we cover the remainder of the 10 home emergencies

10 Tips to get your home ready for the winter.

We’re blessed with amazing fall weather in Northern California, but even though Indian summer blazes away, the (much-needed) rain and cold of winter are right around the corner. Homeowners would be wise to spend a little time prepping for the winter months, too, and this quick checklist of maintenance and repairs will help you keep your home safe, dry, and energy efficient until spring.

1.  Clean the gutters:

You’ll want to get up on a ladder and clean out your gutters at least once before winter – probably after the leaves fall. This will prevent leaves, twigs, acorns, and other debris from clogging up the gutters and causing rainwater to sit and not flow properly, possibly causing damage. If you get a lot of falling debris from trees, you can try capping your gutters with gutter guards.

2. Check your roof:

While you’re up on the ladder checking gutters, it’s a good idea to safely climb up onto the roof (if your roof has a steep pitch or you’re high up, you might want to leave this to the pros.) Check for missing, cracked, or damaged roof shingles and replace them. Check the flashing around your chimney, skylights, and vents. Before the cold and rains come, you’ll want to fix those yourself or have a roofer come out to take care of it.

3. Trim back landscaping:

Trim tree branches or shrubs that are getting too close to the house, roof, or electrical wires. Also, try to spot dead or weak branches that could fall once they get heavy with rain. Thoroughly rake your lawn of leaves after they all fall, and you might want to aerate your lawn and adjust your sprinklers to reflect the rainy season, if you’re still watering your lawn and haven’t already shut them off completely.

4. Check your detectors:

While you’re going over your fall/winter home checklist, it’s a great time to check those smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that are often forgotten. Replace the batteries in your smoke and CO2 detectors whether you think they need it or not, and hit the test button to make sure the units are still functioning properly.

5. Address drafty windows:

If you have an old home, a lot of heat and AC is being lost right through your windows. If you have thin single-paned glass and are losing expensive heat right through the panes, hang heavy curtains to keep the heat inside (you can get a curtain that also repels sunlight to keep your home cooler in the summer). Make sure to check the edge of the windows and reseal any dried or cracking caulk so there is a complete seal and drafts won’t come in.

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that sealing up drafts will save you to up to 30% of energy use annually.

6. Seal up doors:

If heat is leaving and cold air entering right under your door, you’re throwing good money out. Installing a storm door on the outside will help, but often isn’t needed in temperate climates like in northern California. So a simple temporary solution is a draft snake, a sandbag-like roll that you can place at the crack of doors, keeping hot air in and cold air from entering.

7. Check your furnace or heating unit:

For those of you in older homes, you may still have a furnace that should be checked by a professional once a year, preferably before the cold season. For most people who have standard heating units, make sure they are tuned up, operating properly, free of debris on the outside, and the vents and filters are all cleaned.

8. Change the direction of your ceiling fans:

Most people forget you can even do this, but with a simple flip of a switch (usually up on the side or base of the unit) you can reverse the direction of your ceiling fan’s blades. In the summer, you’ll want a counter-clockwise rotation, which produces cooling breezes, but in the winter you’ll want clockwise rotation, which will push the warm air back down into the room and not have it trapped at the ceiling.

Simply by adjusting your ceiling fans, you can cut our heating costs by up to 10% every winter, according to The Daily Green.

9. Fight the freeze:

It doesn’t happen every night, but there is always a spell where we reach freezing temperatures at night in the Sacramento and Placer County areas – sometimes down into the 20s. To make sure your pipes don’t freeze (and then burst) wrap pipes around water heaters, any outdoor pipes, or exposed pipes under crawl spaces in the cheap and effective foam sleeving they sell at any Home Depot.

Drain your garden hoses and turn off the spigots before a freeze is coming, and you might want to drain the air conditioner pipes as well. Bring potted plants that aren’t fit for freezing temps inside and cover rose bushes or other fragile flowers with tarps just for the cold nights.

You might also want to lower your water heater’s presetting down to 120 degrees in the winter, as most people keep it at the standard 140 degrees but that can waste a whole lot of energy.

10. Ready your fireplace and chimney:

For those of you lucky enough to have a fireplace, regular maintenance will not only keep it working great but safe. In older wood-burning fireplaces, creosote builds up, a highly flammable substrate that’s hard to see. You’ll want to make sure to have your fireplace cleaned regularly, the chimney checked to see if it needs repairs and is safe, and also know how to operate your flue so cold air doesn’t escape when you don’t have a fire roaring.

Your year-round home maintenance checklist.

If you’re a homeowner, then you’ll agree that it’s a whole lot of work to clean and maintain your house and yard. It might even feel like more of our time is spent mowing and painting and cleaning than with our families! But if you don’t stay on top of home maintenance, bigger problems can spring up that cost even more time and money!

The good news is that with a little organization and planning, each and every weekend doesn’t have to be consumed checking off items from your home Honey Do list. Proactively following this list will cover just about all the bases to keep your home safe, in good condition, and free of major repairs.

Monthly:

Inspect/change HVAC filters.

Pulling out the filter on your heating and air unit and giving it a good cleaning ever month will help your system work efficiently and put less stress on it.

Inspect/clean out dryer filters and vents.

In fact, a good portion of home fires start with clogged dryer vents or filters that aren’t changed. You should clean out the simply filter screen in your dryer just about every time you use it, but once a month, vacuum out inside the filter trap and behind the dryer.

Clean out kitchen sink disposal.

A good way to keep your disposal fresh is by adding a half-cup of baking soda followed by a half-cup of white vinegar, and then flushing with boiling water after 10 minutes.

Clean range hood filters.

Most kitchen fires start with grease and residue that layers on the range hood, which people often forget to clean.

Quarterly:

Test smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors.

Make sure the batteries are working and test each detector.

Test the garage door auto-reverse feature.

People forget this one, so make sure the sensors are clear and the auto reverse safety feature is functioning.

Check unused toilets/sinks/plumbing fixtures.

Turn on sinks, faucets, showerheads, and flush toilets in guest bathrooms, garages, basements, and anywhere else that isn’t used commonly. Make sure there are no leaks, which can flood or freeze and burst, causing much bigger problems down the line.

Check your fire extinguishers.

Make sure you have working fire extinguishers in easy reach in a few areas around the house, and definitely in the kitchen and garage.

Biannually:

Check pressure relief valve on water heater.

The pressure relief valve is a critical safety feature or else the water heater can build so much pressure that it literally explodes, so give it a quick test twice a year.

Deep clean.

Twice a year, clean your house thoroughly, including moving appliances and hidden surfaces.

Check/clean garage, basement, and attic.

It’s also a good idea to inspect attics, basements, and garages for leaks, evidence of pests and rodents, and any fire hazards.

Vacuum refrigerator coils.

People don’t even know you should do this, but cleaning up your fridge coils will help it work efficiently and last longer.

Annually (by season):

Spring:

Clean gutters and downspouts.

After the fall and winter, you’ll want to clean the leaves from your gutters. Shoot the hose on full blast down downspouts to clear them out

Check the exterior of your home.

Look for peeling or blistering paint, rotting wood, or windows and doors that need to be caulked.

Get your air conditioner tuned up.

Don’t wait until the middle of the summer to test your air conditioner! Turn it on in on a cooler day during the spring to make sure it’s running fine and schedule regular maintenance early in the season.

Fix window screens.

Holes in window screens will let mosquitos and other insects in when you have the windows open during the summer.

Prune and trim.

Spring is a great time to cut back over grown bushes, shrubs, vines, and tree limbs to keep them away from your structure, electric lines, and exterior heat and air registers and vents.

Summer:

Exterior lighting.

Turn on and check your landscaping lighting, replace bulbs and re-bury wiring if necessary. You can also do this with exterior light fixtures and motion sensors.

Inspect the roof.

Look for displaced shingles or tiles, evidence of leakage, and the seal around vents and chimneys. But be careful – you may want to hire a professional to get up there if your roof is steep or high up.

Clean windows.

Give your windows a great cleaning, inside and out. Windex and newspaper works great!

Inspect plumbing for leaks.

Look under sink cabinets, in basements, and in crawl spaces for evidence of water damage or leaks.

Root out insects.

Roaches, termites, wasp nests, and other invited critters can do some serious damage if left unchecked.

Deck and patio maintenance.

Power wash your moldy or dirty decks, patios, and porches and apply a new coat of paint or stain to make it look brand new. Check stairs and railing for safety.

Autumn:

Flush hot water heater to remove sediment.

You’ll be surprised what builds up in the bottom of your heater’s tank.

Clean heat/AC registers and ducts

Remove, vacuum, and clean out all of the heat and air registers and vents inside your house.

Tune up the heating system.

Just like you gave your air conditioner a checkup in the spring before it got too hot, make sure your heating system is working great and ready for the cold.

Empty outdoor water fixtures.

Shut off exterior hose bibs, hoses, and other water fixtures. Make sure they are drained empty. In climates that freeze in the winter, you may want to wrap exterior fixtures and basement and garage water pipes.

Winter:

Check your fireplace.

Before you light the first fire of the season, whether it’s a gas unit or old-fashioned wood burner, make sure there are no cracks, breaks, or creosote buildup, which can be extremely dangerous.

Caulk and grout in bathrooms, kitchen etc.

You can either caulk over existing lines or buy a specialty tool to scrape out the old grout.

Clean tiles and shower and bathroom glass.

For a natural bathroom cleaner, mix vinegar and water in equal portions and scrub everything down. Shower gunk, bath rings, and hard water stains come off great with vinegar, water, and baking soda.

Check your emergency kit.

Early winter is a great time to make sure you have an emergency kit put together and accessible, with a first aid kit, flashlights with fresh batteries, warm clothes, drinking water, a whistle, candles, matches, and other essentials.