This segment is part of a larger Virtual Live Event that we held in February 2021

The Gist:

When doing a home inspection, Edgar will be walking around the property you hope to purchase and go through a checklist to make sure no component of the property gets missed.

Depending on the location and year of the home, there are things that Edgar is more likely to find problems with. The main idea in a home inspection is to give the homeowner protection and knowledge about their new home.

Edgar’s Top 7 List:

1. Poorly Maintained Homes: First impressions are everything. If you go into the home and see it is not well maintained, you can expect problems. Things like broken appliances, burnt out lightbulbs, etc. Many of these deficiencies are minor, but still noteworthy.

2. Structural Issues: Things like floor joists not being properly aligned, door headers, stress cracks on the walls and ceilings, etc. If the owner took out a wall to open up the floorplan, they may have unknowingly messed with the structure.

3. Electrical: Ground fault protection outside near water sources, loose wiring, etc. For the most part, older homes built between 1965-1973 have aluminum wiring, which is frowned upon by insurance companies, so you may get into a snag when trying to get insured. There isn’t a lot you can do about it, but hiring a master electrician for a safety inspection may help.

4. Furnace and Heating Systems: In general, the life expectancy of a furnace is 20-25 years. If you know the furnace has already passed that, you can pretty much guarantee you’ll be looking at getting a new one soon. The furnace also must have been inspected to code when it was installed, as any liability from this would cause insurance companies to be weary of insuring you.

5. Hidden Mould / Bacterial Growth: Mould grows due to improper ventilation or from leaks, and sometimes you can’t even see it. If you see water stains or smell mustiness, there needs to be further investigation to ensure there is no mould, which can cause health issues. Mould can be behind walls, and since you can’t go tearing down the walls to check it out, an infrared camera is essential. Edgar goes through and checks everywhere where water could potentially be present.

6. Insufficient Insulation and Ventilation: In Alberta, we have weather that fluctuates a lot. With the cold weather over the winter, if the attic hatch is not property insulated or sealed into place, heat can rise to the attic and condense with the cold air to create frost under the roof sheeting. When the weather warms up, it starts draining from the ceiling in what Edgar calls “attic rain”, which can lead to water damage as well as water pouring through light fixtures.

7. Plumbing: The most common issue with plumbing comes from hot water heaters. Their lifespan is generally about 10-12 years, and if they’re past that, there is no guarantee how long they will last even if they’re still in working condition. You can expect that they will fail either in the coming days or years. Leaking pipes are another area of concern, especially under the sinks. The last common issue is Poly B plumbing, which was common in homes built between 1970-2005. Poly B got a bad name because in some areas the pipes started rupturing due to using plastic components and homeowners turning their hot water heaters up to high temperatures, but in Alberta we have generally used metal instead of those plastic parts. Nevertheless, insurance companies really don’t like Poly B plumbing, so you might have to shop around to find a company that will insure you.

Ready to Get Started? 🏡

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