Image presents a picture of a diagram of the points in a deck inspection to promote the question of, What Is A Home Inspection.

What Is A Home Inspection

How Do Home Inspections Benefit Homeowners

What Is A Home Inspection?

A home inspection is an unbiased evaluation of the condition of the visible and accessible items and components of a home as defined by the WA Standards of Practice. A home inspection is most often performed during a real estate transaction, but can also be performed for homeowners as part of their annual, or other periodic, scheduled home maintenance.

A home inspection will typically include an examination of the foundation and basement, the roof, attic, the heating and cooling systems, and the electrical and plumbing systems, to evaluate these specific components and to determine the general condition of the structure itself. An inspector will look for poor construction practices. Home inspectors make note of any repairs that might be required and point out any general maintenance issues. They will also make note of any fire and safety issues that need to be addressed.

A typical inspection can last anywhere from 2 to 3 hours depending on the age, condition, and size of the home. Larger homes, older homes, or homes with multiple issues always take longer than smaller, newer, well maintained properties; easily taking longer than 3 hours to inspect.

Radon Testing, Mold Testing & Sewer Scopes

A home inspection can include radon testing, mold testing, and sewer scopes. Slopeside Home Inspections regularly provides radon and mold testing. We do not offer sewer scopes, but we are are able to schedule it for you.

What Does A Home Inspection Cost?

Rates generally do not vary more than $100 between different companies. Home inspection pricing is based on the square footage and the age of the property. Slopeside Home Inspections doesn’t strive to provide the lowest price, but rather to provide the best value. A decision on a home inspection provider should not be based on price alone, as a home purchase is one of the largest financial decisions you will make in your life. Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten.

List Of Typical Home Inspection Parameters

Andrew Tewson, at Slopeside Home Inspections, can provide the ideal general home inspection services for Washington homeowners, for realtors, and for insurance companies. Andrew comprehensively evaluates the visible and readily accessible areas of residential homes. A home inspection can include:

  • Roof
  • Attic, Ventilation, & Insulation
  • Foundation, Basement, & Crawl Space
  • Exterior (doors, windows, cladding)
  • Interior (doors, windows, floors, walls, ceilings, stairs)
  • Decks
  • Fireplaces & Wood Stoves
  • Heating & Cooling Systems
  • Plumbing System
  • Electrical System
  • Built-in Kitchen Appliances
  • Infrared Thermal Imaging (as needed)

Details Of Mold Testing In Home Inspections

Mold in a home can cause numerous health problems for homeowners and their families. Removing the mold can introduce risks to one’s health and require costly structural and cosmetic repairs. The presence of mold isn’t always readily visible, and the moisture that facilitates it can go undetected. Slopeside Home Inspections is certified to test homes for mold to help ensure they are a healthy living environment.

When mold causes property damage and presents health hazards, it can spread on walls and ceilings, or on and under floors, in a widespread and visible fashion; or, it can go undetected when it crops up inside of walls, attics, closets and cabinets. It can be a progressive problem, spreading slowly, or sometimes spreading surprisingly quickly. Homeowners will want to acquire the expertise of a home inspection service which is capable of inspecting for the presence of, and damage by, mold.

Potential mold trouble spots in a home can include crawl spaces, basements, and attics, when insufficient ventilation and high humidity create the optimal environments for mold to grow. Other possible mold locations are the interior and exterior edges of windows and along window trim where condensation accumulates, as well as behind exterior wall siding where cracks allow water to enter the home, slowly, over time. Rooms with water sources, such as kitchens, bathrooms, pantries, utility rooms, or garages, are hot spots for mold if plumbing, faucets, pipes, or appliances leak and contribute to an environment that allows mold growth to become established.

If homeowners are aware of some of the signs of the presence of mold in a home, they can sometimes detect it themselves and thereby understand the importance of a home inspection documenting its presence. Mold can be detected by sight, by smell, or by our body defense mechanisms reacting in given, predictive manners.

If water stains are visible on walls, ceilings or carpeting, it is possible there is mold beneath, above, or behind those surfaces. If a stain is visible and there is no visible water leak, that could mean the leak had been repaired some time ago. Furthermore, if mold is present, it may have been growing for an extensive, unknown, period of time. It is possible that the mold has a wide footprint in hidden recesses. If strange textures are visible on these same surfaces, it may be mold, even if it is not the color one would typically associate with mold. Mold can present itself in most any color. If stains or odd textures have a strange color, it may be mold.

If you smell a musty odor, there is a chance it is due to mold growing in the area. Sometimes mold will smell like rotting wood or your nose will tell you something is afoul.

If a home buyer notices allergy symptoms, sometimes the symptoms may be due to mold in the home. These symptoms can range from nose, throat, and lung irritations to itchy skin or eyes. If hay fever symptoms exhibit themselves, outside of the hay fever season, but when inside your home, that can be a sign that mold is present.

Including mold testing with a home inspection can be helpful. Mold that spreads can make a home dangerous to live in. If mold is present, it can be costly to both remove the mold and repair the affected structures.

Radon Testing In Home Inspections For Washington Realtors, Buyers And Sellers

Radon is an odorless, tasteless, potentially deadly radioactive gas that is a known contributing cause of lung cancer. Radon gas originates from the decomposition of rock and soil deep underground. When radon escapes the surface, it’s possible for the gas to concentrate inside a home. Andrew Tewson, with Slopeside Home Inspections, is trained to properly inspect homes for radon with the tools which accurately detect its presence in a home.