Skip to main content

Warning Signs That Your New House Might Be A Money Pit


 

1. Moldy smells..Mold is everywhere, but when water leaks occur, mold can become a serious problem.  Mold can be present in crawl spaces and can cycle to dormant during dry periods and come back during high humidity and warmer months.  Sometimes sellers will surface clean an area thinking they have removed the mold, but often mold is hidden and will come back when moisture is re-introduced.

2. Burning smells…Some burning smells are harmless, but others can be electrical problems. 

3. Water stains, rust and damaged finishes. You may have plumbing, roof or basement issues that need to be addressed soon before more damage occurs.

4. Gutters missing or spilling…We live in a “temperate rainforest”. Needless to say, water control is vital to the longevity of any house in our area. Failure to keep a home high and dry can result in a host of water related problems.

5. Strange sewer smells in the yard…Septic failure can happen anytime.  You should always ask the owner when the septic tank was last pumped.  Pumping frequency varies based on system size and occupant load, but in general, no system should go more than 8 years without being pumped.

6. Sloping floors, sticky doors and loose trim.  Cracks aren’t the only sign of foundation problems and cracks can also be signs of frame movement related to frame design. 

7. Rodent droppings and insect bodies. Some insects are nuisance type and some are detrimental to the structure of the house.  Rodent activity indicated by droppings can be challenging to eliminate.

8. Wobbly or loose toilets… Wobbly or loose toilets start as loose connections. Loose connections lead to leaks.  Leaks can cause damage to subfloor and finishes, and if left unattended, can lead to significant floor rot.

9. Cracks in the foundation. This can indicate structural movement that has occurred in the past and can indicate continuing issues.

 

Call Accu-Spec today @ 865-453-9965 to schedule an inspection of your new home before you buy so we can help you “avoid the money pit”.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Time Home Buyer Home Inspection Mistakes

  We have seen first time home buyers make some critical errors in regard to the home inspection process that can cost them money and aggravation. We offer the following advice as a guide to help you avoid those mistakes.   1- Not Having a Home Inspection: Some people do this to keep from spending 100s of dollars, but end up potentially costing themselves 1000s   It makes no sense.   2-Allowing the Seller to do repairs on Home Inspection findings.   The Seller has an incentive to use the lowest bidder to do repairs; or worse, do the repairs themselves.   In this case, the warranty on the work may not transfer to the new owner after the closing happens, then you are stuck with inferior work and little recourse.   Sometimes Real Estate Agents will ask Us to inspect after the repairs are completed by a Seller.   We don't recommend this as most of the time, we end up having to throw off on the repair, costing the buyer additional money; and making the agent and seller mad in th
Post a Comment
Read more
  Is Venting A Crawl Space Needed?   Traditional crawl spaces have typically been built over a dirt floor with ventilation air from foundation perimeter vents.   Recent building science studies conducted by various institutions including the University of Tennessee challenge this old way of thinking and indicate that we need to rethink traditional methods of building related to venting a crawl space.   As a Home Inspector, Home Energy Rater and Building Scientist I have witnessed many problems that moisture in crawl spaces can cause including condensation, wood rot, mold, buckling hardwood floors, smelly moldy carpets, mold in the attic, sticking doors and windows, dust mites and wood destroying organism/insect activity. I have often thought that crawl spaces are the most neglected areas of homes, and for good reason. After all, who wants to crawl into a moist, insect and rodent filled area?   In fact, most homeowners don't go there, shut it out of their minds and never thi
Post a Comment
Read more

When looking for a home inspector in Tennessee, what qualifications should I look for?

The most important qualification to look for is the number years the individual has been a Home Inspector. Caution: Home Inspectors will claim to have many years of experience, but they include experience in a trade or experience as a contractor.  Experience in a trade or as a contractor, while it may help in one aspect of the job, this experience will not make them a better at Home Inspection in general.  The second most important qualification to look for is education and depth of knowledge about Standard Practices contained in the State Building Code. Code certifications, and the more they have the better, are the best way to determine if a Home Inspector really knows what a "latent" defect is.  These "latent" defects are defects that are not obvious to an untrained eye, but can be important to your safety, and pocketbook, when buying a home. This is the reason people hire a home inspector in the first place- to find the defects that a casual inspection doesn'
Post a Comment
Read more