Five Things You Should Pay Attention to in Your Home Inspection

Wiring and Electricity 

Faulty or outdated wiring can be a huge safety hazard, especially in older homes. Older homes typically have fewer outlets since electricity wasn’t necessarily all the rage back then. Furthermore, those outlets weren’t necessarily equipped to meet the demands of our current devices. Because of this, many people in older homes, and homes with not enough outlets, have taken to “octopus wiring,” meaning they plug a bunch of things into a single outlet with the use of extension cords and power strips. This can cause overheating, fires, and you might be electrocuted while plugging and unplugging devices. Overloading a circuit can cause permanent damage. Not only should you make sure that all of the outlets are in working order—and your home inspector should do this—but you should also get some information on the wiring itself. Current safety standards recommend that the home is rewired every 30 years, so if your home still has knob and tube wiring, you may want to consider a rewire.  

Mold 

This might just be the best few hundred dollars you’ve ever spent. Mold removal can be very expensive, especially if you’re buying a large home. In most cases, mold removal is pretty straightforward, and the mold removal specialists will tell you that most homes have some mold, and most homes will benefit from mold removal. Although it may be common to find some mold particles in every house, mold exposure can have serious health risks, especially for pregnant women and babies. Mold exposure can cause health problems that range from severe allergies to fatal illness. While all homes have some mold, older homes typically have more mold in them and would benefit more from treatment. So those who are buying an older home may want to ensure that the home they’re buying isn’t a home that is beyond treatment. 

Do Not Lick the Walls 

You probably don’t remember signing a document promising that you won’t lick the walls in your apartment due to the possibility of lead-based paint, but chances are a provision like that may be in your lease. Unfortunately, lead-based paint is still out there, alongside a bunch of other substances that can cause significant health issues. If you are buying a home, you’ll likely have the opportunity to test for asbestos, radon, and lead. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to consider these tests carefully. While homes built after 2007 are unlikely to have lead-based paint, a home built 30 years prior to that may still have lead-based paint. Asbestos testing is generally recommended when a home is built before 1980 and is especially important if you’re considering re-modelling or renovating your home. At the time of writing this, the EPA recommends all homes are tested for radon, though this may be more important in certain areas of the country where radon exposure is more common. 

What’s That Smell? 

Pay attention to the smell of your future home. Certain smells can indicate certain issues such as mold, pest infestations, gas leaks, and more. Look out for old, musty scents as they could indicate mold. The scent of sulfur, or rotten eggs, could indicate a gas leak. The production of methamphetamine can also cause a house to smell like cat urine or rotten eggs. If you are buying a house that was once used as a drug den, the seller needs to disclose that so you can ensure that it’s properly cleaned before you move in. You should also pay attention if your house smells too good. If there’s a wallflower plugged into every outlet in the home, that may be a sign that the home has a scent that the owner is trying to cover up. If you walk into a house and it’s like a perfume bomb has gone off, that may also be a sign that the owner is trying to cover up a smell.  

Pest Infestations 

Pest infestations can also be a serious health hazard. While you’re probably not going to burn the house down over some Box Elder bugs, other insect infestations—such as termite infestations— could actually make your house structurally unsafe. Not only can insect infestations make a house unsafe structurally, but they can also cause allergic reactions, allergy flare ups, and asthma attacks. Rodent infestations can also be a massive health risk as many rodents carry diseases. Furthermore, rodent leavings can transmit diseases and cause certain infections. If you’re living in a place where pest infestations are possible, you should consider having your home tested. 

When You’ve Sustained Injury 

If you’ve sustained injury due to the negligence of another person, Moxie Law Group is here for you. Contact us today to get started on your free consultation.