Home Inspection Checklist: The Major Points of a Home Inspection

A lot of the homes in the Bay Area are older and have roofs that are up to 20 to 30 years old. An old roof, if solidly done at installation can hold for quite some time. The home inspector will evaluate each aspect of the roof to tell you where current or potential issues are and try to give you a sense of the remaining life of the roof. This is one of the most important aspects of the Home Inspection as many issues can arise from a leaky roof.

For older homes, this is high on the checklist and with good reason. Older homes can have significant issues on the exterior surfaces may show signs from micro-cracking to severe cracking, flaking paint, siding and trim separations and more. Ensuring that the home is not only aesthetically pleasing but also watertight and safe is something that a trained home inspector will be able to gauge and inform you about.

The structure of the home is of high importance and will always be on any home inspector’s checklist. Some structures in the San Francisco Bay Area are more than one hundred years old, and that means that the structures must be carefully inspected. The home inspector will check that the foundation is secure and that windows and doors are straight, cracking at interior walls in the rooms can be a big sign that something is amiss so they will be noted as well.

A professional home inspector will check all electrical panels. That switches work correctly, that panels close securely, that all wires are properly insulated, and that there are grounded safety measures implemented throughout the home but particularly near areas of water. For the safety of you and your loved ones, this is an area you want to be checked off.

Anything to do with plumbing is a significant part of a home inspector’s checklist. A professional home inspector will ensure that drains are draining, showers are running, and that the tub and toilets are secured. Pipes and water heaters will also be checked by the home inspector to ensure that there are no future leaks you have to worry about. The plumbing section of your home is high on the checklist.

Most home in the Bay Area do not have air conditioning systems install but most have a furnace of some sort. A lot of these furnaces suffer from lack of maintenance which can lead to fire hazards. Our home inspectors will evaluate the primary systems along with the ducting that is visible and provide you with an analysis of the overall health so that you can plan potential upgrades to the property moving forward.

A quality home inspection will cover the entire interior of the property. A home inspector will check that all the appliances are functioning properly, that all doors and windows are functional, that all sinks, showers and drainage systems are functioning and checks for signs of moisture damage or cracking related to roof, exterior or foundation issues.