Things You Need To Understand About Home Inspections

Whether you're the buyer or the seller, the home inspection process of a home sale is always a stressful, tedious one. However, it doesn't need to be nearly as stressful as it often becomes. Have you ever heard someone say that they backed out of a home sale because the house "failed" the home inspection? If so, that may be part of your anxiety. In fact, the home inspection is strictly informative, not something that will be passed or failed. Here's a look at some of the things that you should know before your home inspection happens.

What Types Of Things Do Home Inspectors Look For?

Before you can really appreciate the home inspection process, you have to know what the home inspectors are responsible for. The purpose of a home inspection isn't subjective, and it isn't something that is designed to judge your house. Instead, it is solely a fact-finding process used to identify safety concerns, including structural issues, water damage concerns, signs of pest infestations, aging appliances, and problems with the roof, plumbing, and electrical systems.

How Long Will A Home Inspection Take?

The amount of time that it takes to complete a home inspection will vary widely depending on a lot of different factors. For example, the larger your home is, the longer it will take a home inspector to evaluate it all. If there are areas of the home that are difficult to access or particularly cluttered, that could lengthen the process as well.

In most cases, you can expect a home inspection to take a couple of hours. You can shorten the home inspection time by ensuring that all of the necessary elements, such as your water heater and HVAC system, crawlspaces, attic, electrical panel, and foundation, are all clear of obstructions and easy to access.

What Should You Do To Prepare For A Home Inspection?

There are some things that you can do to improve the chances of a successful home inspection. For starters, you can replace any broken or missing outlet covers. If you have any outlets that aren't working, have an electrician address them. You should also make sure that the air filters are changed in your HVAC system and you've dealt with any slow drains with a clog remover or a plumber's treatment.

These are some of the most common issues that you may find identified in a home inspection report, which can indicate deeper, more serious problems.

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