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The Inspection ® A professional home inspection will provide information to assist you in making a confident, informed decision Our trained inspector will inspect your prospective home from top to bottom. We can save you money by eliminating costly surprises. Our professional home inspection is an intelligent step in home buying. We Check The Following: ( per ASHI Standards of Practice ) ROOF: Shingles, flashings, gutters and down spouts, chimneys, skylights, rafters, ceiling joists, sub roof, attic insulation and ventilation. EXTERIOR: Siding, windows, doors, sidewalks, driveways, patios, porches, wood decks, drainage of property. INTERIOR: Walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, fireplaces, air vents. FOUNDATION AND BASEMENT: Foundation walls, settling, water penetration, floors, floor joists, support posts, support beams, subflooring. PLUMBING: Operational check of sinks, faucets, bathtubs, showers, toilets, water heater, drain lines, water lines, vent stack, water pressure. ELECTRICAL: Main wiring and main service panel, receptacle and switches throughout the house, copper or aluminum wiring, adequacy of wiring, grounding of system. HEATING: Type of furnace, age, size. Operational check of pilot, burners, heat exchanger, blower fan, flue pipes, humidifier, thermostat, humidistat, air cleaner, gas lines. COOLING: Type of unit, age, size. Operational check of compressor motor (weather permitting), condenser coil, fan motor. KITCHEN APPLIANCES: Operational check of built-in stove, dishwasher, disposal, trash compactor, hot water dispenser. We encourage the buyers to attend the inspection and accompany us throughout the job. The major difference between our inspections and the rest of the pack, is that your inspection will be a Home Seminar. Educating you on all aspects of your new home. We only do one inspection per day. This leave us free to spend as much time is required to have all your questions answered. (The inspectors also encourage homeowners who have hired them to accompany them on the inspections.) Property inspectors' reports may run as long as 22 pages, which might cause clients to have problems understanding all the technical aspects. If an inspector points out the negative and positive aspects of a home to the client, the client will have an easier time understanding the report when he reads it. The inspector begins with the exterior of the house. He examines the roof and checks the shingles, metal flashings, chimney(s), gutters, and any over hanging tree branches. He pays special attention to the south side of the house because it receives more sunlight than the rest, causing faster deterioration. He then checks the area around the house, which includes the drainage system, driveways, and the condition of the siding and foundation. Next, he inspects the interior of the house. Every room, hallway and closet are thoroughly examined. The home inspector checks for sticking in the windows and doors, and for visible cracks in the walls and ceilings. They also check the fireplace's dampers and firebox, and the amount of soot in the chimney. When the exterior and interior structural inspection is completed, the inspector verifies the electrical panel capacity. The inspector then makes a random check of switches and determines the overload protection by fuses or breakers. In addition, he identifies the wiring conductor as copper or aluminum and whether electrical sockets are two-prong or the newer three-prong grounded sockets. The electrical inspection is very important because the most common problems are electrical deficiencies caused by homeowners making wiring changes without knowing what they are doing. After the inspection is completed, the inspector prepares a report, detailing the findings of the inspection. Return to Home Page © copyright 2001 R. E. Drennan Home Inspection