The Not-So-Top Ten

The following is an excerpt from Buying a Home: The Missing Manual.

Question: What problems and issues appear most frequently during a home inspection?

Be on the lookout for these problems, which, according to a survey of ASHI members, are most likely to turn up during a home inspection:

1. Improper surface grading and drainage. This problem, reported by 36 percent of home inspectors, can mean that water is damaging the foundation and getting into the house.

2. Improper and undersized electrical wiring. The second most-frequent problem shows up in the electrical system. Specific issues include insufficient electrical service to the house, aluminum wiring, inadequate overload protection, improper grounding, and dangerous amateur wiring connections. Because a faulty electric system is a safety hazard, put problems like these high on your must-fix list.

3. Older and damaged roofs. Deteriorating shingles or poorly installed flashing can result in a leaky roof.

4. Deficient and older heating systems. Heating system issues include broken or malfunctioning controls, blocked chimneys, unsafe exhaust flues, and cracked heat exchangers. As with the electrical system, a faulty heating system can pose a serious health risk.

5. Poor overall maintenance. This category reflects what happens when a homeowner doesn't take proper care of his residence: cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry and broken fixtures and appliances may signify an owner who hasn't paid much attention to maintenance.

6. Structural problems. Older homes are especially likely to have some damage to foundation walls, floor joists, rafters, or windows and doorframes. These problems are often minor—but ask.

7. Plumbing problems. Old piping material, broken fixtures, and faulty water heaters are frequent issues in this category.

8. Exterior items. Outside the home, doors, windows, and wall surfaces sometimes let the elements in. Degraded weather-stripping or poor caulking is often the culprit.

9. Poor ventilation. Without proper ventilation, moisture can accumulate inside a home and cause rot, deterioration, mold growth, and other damage.

10. Miscellaneous items. This catch-all category includes problems found in the home's interior, from lead-based paint and asbestos insulation to windows that stick rather than open smoothly.

Comments

[CJ]

Another common one, at least in the more northern latitudes, is inadequate insulation.

[MBTN]

Another one here in the Northeast US is a improperly decommissioned oil tank. Lots of people have converted from oil heat to gas heat, which means that the oil tank needs to either be removed or decommissioned properly. In many older homes that were converted 30+ years ago, the tank was just left in the ground and abandoned. Unfortunately, if there was any oil left in the tank, it could potentially leak into the soil, which could leave the new homeowner with a huge liability - fines, cleanup costs, lawsuits from neighbors for contaminating their soil, etc.

[Jessica Bosari]

Grading and drainage is an easy fix. This is how we handled it in our first home:

Dig a two-foot wide trench, 3-4 feet deep around the perimeter of home on the lowest points of elevation (or all around if you like). Lay a bed of gravel, 2" deep. Install perforated pipe (we used 8" across). This is a black pipe with ribs that has small holds in it to allow rain water to enter and travel along the pip to wherever you direct it. Therefore, the pipe should be angled towards the lower grade, but only slight angles are needed for it to work.

Pour gravel to fill the remainder of the trench. This also makes a nice look around the house and collects the drops from the eaves. In most cases, the area will not grow weeds because water does not stick around long enough. If you do get weeds, a mixture of vinegar and water or bleach and water can be sprayed on the rocks. It will drain down the pipe, not accumulating in your soil, but still getting rid of weeds. Easy fix, excellent results. Not even a musty smell in our basement!