What We Inspect
We perform our inspections in accordance with the Standards of Practice of the American Society of Home Inspectors. This is widely accepted as the national standard for performance. While each house is different & some items in a particular home may not be accessible for inspection, typically we perform the following:
- Yard, Sprinklers, Driveway, & Patio: The exterior of the property including grading, plantings, fencing, driveways, walks, patios & screen rooms will be visually inspected for defects. The sprinkler clock & system will be noted & operated. Yard lighting will be observed & operated if possible. Unattached buildings & sheds will be observed for overall condition but not inspected in detail unless specified, see Price list.
- Exterior Structure: The exterior of the building will be inspected for defects & general condition. Doors & windows will be observed for defects & operated for performance. Storm shutters will be noted & operated if installed. The materials used in construction will be noted in the report.
- Roof & Attic: The roof will be physically walked & attic explored for defects & general condition, unless not accessible due to slope, elevation from grade, or space limitations. Roofing, skylights, chimneys, vents, & flashing will be inspected where accessible. The attic will be inspected for condition of insulation, roof sheathing, truss framing, & observable signs of leaks, paying particular attention to “trouble spots”. The condition of the fascias, soffit, & gutters will also be noted. Attic stair cases will be observed for proper installation. The materials used in construction will be noted in the report.
- Electric: The location of the meter, main panel, & sub panels will be noted. The cover will be removed from the main panel & inspected for tampering & improper conditions. Lightning & surge protection will be noted. Household wiring will be observed for defects where visible. Exterior & interior outlets, lights, fans, vents, switches, & intercoms will be tested for operation. Outlets will be tested for grounding, polarity of wires, & GFCI protection where appropriate. Security & fire systems will be noted & inspected by Brinks Security when possible.
- Plumbing: The locations of the water meter, household shutoff, & waste clean out will be checked & noted. Pumps & components on well systems will be operated and visually inspected for defects & water flow. Filtration systems will be visually inspected for defects but cannot be checked for proper sanitation, charge, or operation (typically they back wash over night & this operation takes some time). Septic systems will be pumped & inspected if separately contracted. Exterior hose bibs will be checked for leaks. The water heater will be noted for condition & the valves & pressure relief valve will be tested. If the water temperature is less than expected the anodes will be checked. Pipes will be inspected where visible. Valves, faucets, & drains will be checked as we inspect the particular room they are located in.
- Air Conditioning: The make, model, & location of the air handler & compressor will be noted and overall condition will be observed. Filters, ducts, thermostats, condensation removal, & the coils of both units will be observed for condition. A temperature check (the difference between the air going in & coming out of the unit) will be taken to note proper differential. The coolant lines connecting both units will be checked for proper temperatures. The Running Load Amp rating of the compressor will be checked. The heating coil will be operated. All test results will be noted in the report.
- Interior Rooms: Floors, walls, ceilings, doors, hardware, shelves, stairs, fireplaces, & fixed cabinets will be checked for condition & operation. Age related defects such as old carpet, walls needing paint & worn but not damaged wood work are not considered in this inspection. Operational condition of electric outlets, switches, lights, & fans, will be noted as well as plumbing faucets, drains, & fixtures.
- Kitchen & Laundry: The make, model #, & date of manufacture (if available) of all appliances will be noted in the report. All appliances will be run through their cycles & checked for proper, safe operation. Temperatures will be recorded where applicable. Incorporated accessories on appliances (timers, lights, fans, dispensers, etc.) will be checked for operation. Cabinets & countertops will be checked for operation & condition.
- Miscellaneous Systems: Central vacuums, garage doors, wet bars, barbeques and other installed components will be checked for proper operation.
- Pool: General construction & finish will be noted. Pumps, filters, & piping will be operated & checked for defects & leaks. Pool ladders, dives, slides, lighting, & controls will be checked for proper operation & condition. Free standing Jacuzzis & hot tubs can only be checked if they are full & in operational condition. Pool heaters will be observed but can only be run if they are in operational condition (pilot lights lit, etc.). Time restraints prevent warming up pool heaters to check performance. Solar systems & “Jandy” controls require technical proficiency to thoroughly check & are only visually inspected. We cannot detect leaks in pool shells or underground pipes that are not substantial.