5 Reasons Why Your Home Inspection Is a Crucial Step to Home Ownership

Once a seller has accepted your offer on their house and all the various terms are agreed to, the clock starts ticking. You typically have three to five business days to perform a home inspection, review the inspection report, and make a decision about moving forward with the purchase. This step is crucial and should never be rushed, skipped, or ignored.

1. Inspect the mechanical systems.

A home inspector examines all the mechanical systems of a house to ensure that they are in peak working condition. This includes the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. These systems are essential components to the house and are costly to repair. Knowing the condition of them and when they will need to be replaced is key to your decision making.  

2. Understand your home.

When you attend your home inspection, the inspector will walk you through the home and show you each item that he or she checks, and why. They will explain how you need to care for each item in the future as well as when you can expect to replace it. The inspection covers everything from the foundation to the roof and everything in between. 

3. Check for mold and pests.

While a home inspector is not usually a certified mold expert, they will tell you if they see mold or suspect mold. Standing water anywhere in the home can lead to mold growth in as little as 24–48 hours. Mold is dangerous. You can take this information and have additional testing done by a mold remediation service. 

4. Look for radon.

Having a radon test performed on your home is not part of the standard home inspection. It is an important add-on service that the home inspector can provide, however. A radon test is a simple, overnight test that checks for radon levels in your home. Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that is naturally-occurring in the ground throughout the United States. The Environmental Protection Agency states that radon can cause lung cancer.

If the test shows that the radon levels are high, you can simply request that the seller install a radon mitigation system to abate the gas. 

5. It is inexpensive.

Depending on what part of the country you live and how many square feet you need to be inspected, a home inspection is only a few hundred dollars. The cost of an inspection is minor compared to how much money the average American spends on a house. 

A home inspection is a vital step in the home buying process. A home inspection can save you thousands of dollars in unseen repairs and it can save your life. Contact local inspection services to learn more.