Looking for Defects: Things You Miss Out on but Home Inspectors Don't

Nothing is perfect—not even the most perfect home.

It's a common fallacy that a property that looks perfect is probably good to buy. Unbeknownst to you, though, there might be underlying issues that require extensive repairs. A home inspection can bring several of these unknown issues to light and arm you in advance.

With a house inspection report in hand, you can make easier and quicker decisions down the line—especially if your house is on sale. Getting all the relevant repairs and renovations done before putting up a listing works in your favor. It garners greater trust between you and prospective buyers, creates transparency, and ensures better quotes from buyers.

Countless problems with HVAC systems often go unnoticed when laypeople inspect houses. Issues such as internal wear and tear, furnace noises, dirty filters, ignition problems, dirty condensers, thermostat malfunctions, and more—nothing is left out in a house inspection report.

Not only are HVAC systems essential to quality living, but they are also a major contributor to your utility bills. Malfunctioning HVAC systems are generally to blame for hikes in your utility bills, which can make a serious dent in your pocket.

A house inspector is particularly concerned with plumbing issues such as:

• Slow draining sinks
• Leaky faucets
• Weak water flow from taps, poor water pressure
• Clogged drains
• Jammed or clogged garbage disposals

All of the problems can indicate more serious underlying problems, such as clogged or leaky pipes, which become major plumbing nuisances.

Home inspectors can find minor defects—even hairline cracks that are almost invisible to the naked eye—and deduce whether or not the property in question needs foundational repairs.

A settling or sinking foundation is a deadly structural issue that can bring down a house if not repaired in time. Other structural problems that home inspectors are keen to note are unhinged doors, gaps between window frames and walls, etc.

Don't fret too much about the time home inspectors take to conduct a thorough examination of your property. They will take a few hours, but it's an investment on your part. The longer they spend, the better they can assess the property—and the more accurate your house inspection report.

A home inspection report will give you all the information you need about getting things fixed in your house—but wouldn't it be great if you could have a number to go with it? A repair cost estimate can tell you, accurately, what you need to spend on these repairs.