Understanding A Home Inspection

Mechanical includes electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling, and some kitchen appliances, per new Kansas state law. All of these mechanical items should function as intended. If they do not, the defects will be noted on the report, and further professional evaluation or repair is suggested. All kitchen, living, bath, basement, and garage areas will be visualy inspected. HVAC systems will be checked, weather permitting. Inspections of in-ground sprinkler systems, swimming pools, hot tubs, audio-visual equipment and wiring, phone lines, water softeners, security systems, gas grills, solar panels, water tanks/wells/septic, etc. have hidden lines/wiring, and cannot be checked by the inspector. Professional scope of sewer lines is suggested, especially if the home is older than 20 years of age. Air conditioning units cannot be properly checked if the outside air temperature is less than 65 degrees. See the standards of practice at the link below for more information/limitations of a home inspection.

Structural areas checeked include roof, foundation, and all structural components such as doors, windows, stairs, floors, ceilings, walls, all attic concerns, fireplace, chimney, exterior siding, walls, all masonry areas, insulation, deck, landscaping, etc. All visual/accessible areas will be inspected. Some areas of the home may not be accessible due to dirt covering, fixed walls, stored items, fixed panels, floor coverings, etc. Every effort will be made to visually inspect all areas of the home where possible. Visual inspections of fireplace chimney flue areas will be limited; suggest professional chimney cleaning and scope, especially if the chimney is older than 20 years of age. Interior cosmetic items, such as window shades, paint, wallpaper, furniture, carpet, decorations, etc. are not part of the inspection process. See the standards of practice of a home inspection at the link below.

An inspection agreement may be presented to the buyer at, or before the inspecton begins. The inspector will generally start at the kitchen area, then proceed through the main floor, and on to other areas of the home. We encourage all customers to follow the inspector around, ask questions at any time, or take notes. Feel free to be a part of the inspection of your new home by opening doors, working light switches, opening cabinets, etc. The inspector may invite you to see the attic, crawl space, garage, electrical panel, operate windows, locate the main incoming water cut-off, etc. If an defect is seen, he will show you why it needs attention, and how to address it. Some areas of the home may/probably will be inaccessible. People live uniquely in their homes. You can work with the inspector to locate areas/items within the home that you are not comfortable with. See SOP at web sites below.

A full whole house inspection by Metro-Spec takes approximately two and a half to three hours. The size of the home, number of issues and outbuildings all determine the length of the inspection. Radon testing and termite inspections are a seperate tests, and can be performed by this company.

Most all inspection reports are printed on site. Longer inspection reports can be e-mailed by next day or dropped at the buyer's agent office next day. As a professional home inspector, I not only inspect, but teach the prospective buyer how to care for their home. I encourage  buyers to read all of the inspection reports and folder information.These pages will help you understand what you are buying, what the inspection entails, and can help maintain your home properly. The inspector does not make recommendations to anyone advising them to buy or not to buy the property. The reports can be helpful in writing the "unacceptable conditions report" for the seller.

Other Standards of Practice of home inspections are found at this link. It is a list of what most all home inspectors can, and cannot inspect due to limitations as stated. These Standards of Practice should be read and understood before a home inspection begins.

Environmental inspections/testing for mold, lead paint, water quality, asbestos, wells, chemical, septic, ponds, swimming pools, sewers, soil, indoor air, etc. are not performed by this company and are not part of the report. Nevertheless, inasmuch as health is a truly personal responsibility, we recommend that you have the indoor air quality tested as a prudent investment in enviromental hygiene, and particularly if you or any member of your family suffers from allergies or asthma.

You will receive a report describing the visual conditions of:    

Attic	Ceilings
Insulation	Floors
Ventiliation	Walls
Roof & Flashings	Doors & Windows
Gutters	Chimney
Basement	Fireplace
Crawlspace	Major Appliances
Foundation	Electrical System
Grading	Water Heater
Retaining Walls	Plumbing System
Siding & Trim	Air Conditioning
Driveways & Walks	Heating

Full home inspections of brand new homes is also suggested. This company has performed many inspections of brand new homes, and have noted several issues that have been missed, or in need of finishing and repair. It can be frustrating to a new home buyer to move into a brand new home, and find things that need repair that day. Moving into any home is stressfull enough, let alone finding issues in a home the day of move in. Electrical outlets that have no power, appliances not connected, drain and water line leaks are just some of the issues that have been found during brand new home inspections.

Top 10 Issues Found at Most Home Inspections   

1. Terracing; negative ground slope toward foundations; poor water drainage away from home foundation; lack of dirt at foundation for proper water drainage.
2. Guttering and downspouts; gutters clogged with debris; improper gutter positioning resulting in standing water in gutters; loose gutter spikes; gutter rust; improper set   and/or lack of ground splash blocks; missing gutter downspout elbows; missing guttering.
3. Roof age/damage; brittle composition shingles; missing shingles; exposed backing; splits and holes noted at wood shingle roofs; missing and damage wood shingles; separated wood shingle ridge row caps.
4. Plumbing; leaking faucets; faucet back leaks when faucets are on; leaking water lines and p-traps; seeping water cut-off valves; lack of caulking at shower and tub areas.
5. Stuck windows; panels that will not open; missing window locks; broken/cracked window panes; lack of exterior window trim caulking; exterior window trim rot; sill rot.
6. Improper electrical panel wiring; double-lugging; double-pig tails; over-rated fuses; improper grounding of panel; missing electrical/switch cover plates; broken electrical outlets; broken switches. No ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets at accessible water areas; kitchen sinks, bath sinks, garage, exterior areas.
7. Masonry cracks; foundation, driveways, walkways, patios, chimney, fireplace, hearth.
8. Siding; improper caulking; trim and siding peeling paint; soft siding bottom edges.
9. Deck; not lag-bolted to home; lack of metal joist hangers; exposed nails; loose railings and boards; missing railings; lack of deck stain; age.
10. Dense vegetation in contact with home and roof; trees, ivy and bushes need trimmed.