Doing Your Own Home Inspection

When looking for a home for sale in Barrie, ON you should first inspect the home’s exterior and interior completely. One thing that can be quite Real Estate Sign - Barrie Home inspector confusing for a prospective purchaser is hiring a home inspector, many people shy away from a Realtor’s referral and tend to find their own home inspector. Home inspection professionals require of training which may include many building code courses and they also require a good working knowledge of the homes major systems and the experience to recognize deficiencies. Sometimes entering in the home of strangers is not always comfortable for the buyers or the seller, this is why most Realtor’s will request the sellers vacate the home during the inspection. The home inspectors should be well-versed with the hundreds of building requirements of the home to inspect along with local codes like plumbing, electrical, building and structural and decks etc.

Buyers should be follow the home inspection professional during the home inspection ( this is not possible during the pandemic ) which usually is an important part of successful home buying process. Participating in your home inspection is a valuable chance to learn about your homes systems and how they work.  It also gives the buyer an opportunity to ask questions about any of the homes structure, systems  or finishes that he or she is unsure about.

Home inspection Guidelines

Some buyers feel comfortable enough with their knowledge and experience to do their own home inspection.  While this is typically not recommended we are providing a guideline to help those individuals do the best job possible.

 1.  Roofing Inspection : Improper installation or aging can both require the replacement of shingles or roofing material.  A typical asphalt shingled roof can be expected to last approximately 18 to 20 years.  Newer fiberglass based shingles have a life span of about 15 years.  The south side of the roof will usually start to show signs of deterioration prior to rest of roof.

2.  Moisture Stains or Leakage from the ceiling: Check out whether it is ceiling strain or not. The leakage can be current or old and this is also a common issue. The home inspector will check all stained areas with a moistureThermal Imaging Inspections meter or thermal imaging camera to ensure leak has been repaired and is still not active.  Beware of leaks where there has been no remediation done, this can lead to un-seen mould being present in patched area.  Under the right conditions mould can start growing is as little as 72 hours if moisture problems are not quickly resolved. 

Thermal Imaging will detect any hidden moisture in ceilings and walls, this service is typically included with your Home Inspection.  The picture on the right clearly shows the hidden moisture in the ceiling.  Infrared Cameras require a minimum of 20 degrees in differential temperature between the outside and inside air temperatures.

Coupled with a high quality moisture meter,  detecting hidden moisture is pretty straight forward task.  The cost of a professional home inspection is one of the best deals you will get when buying a home.  The Home Inspection is also the only service that comes with a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

3.  Electrical Inspection: The home inspector will test polarity of outlets, inspect wiring, open panels, check connections and look for proper installation of cabling.  If there are many electrical deficiencies this would indicate that there was no electrical inspection done on work and no permit taken out.  When electrical deficiencies in a basement are visible, then you have to wonder if the same type of workmanship was carried out in those now hidden areas.  When you purchase a home that was renovated without a Building Permit, you then assume responsibilty for the work that was done.  Even if you find out shortly after buying the home that no building permit was taken out your only recourse would be to hire a lawyer to try and recoup monies spent on bring your home up to required standards.

4.  Exterior Water Drainage: A major culprit for contributing to wet or damp basements is improper drainage around your homes foundation.  Water from downspouts and rain maybe pooling and draining down your foundation wall.  Identifying this type of problem is easy when you know what to look for.  Most basement water problems are typically caused by either Poor Landscaping or Improper Downspout Drainage.  Ideally the slope away from your home should be a minimum of 2-3 inches for every 6 feet.  Many times I have seen sump pumps discharging into sideyard  where water just pools on ground and will eventually find its way back into sump pit. 

5.  Rotted Exterior Wood: Once wood reaches 20% moisture content it starts to decay.  Improper clearance from the ground can be a major factor in moisture damage to wood.  Failure to maintain paint and stain finish on exterior wood can lead to expensive repairs.  Even Pressure Treated Wood will have a shortened life expectancy if in constant contact with moisture.  In Ontario wood that is not treated is not allowed to be in contact with soil

6.  Additions and changes: Buying a property that has had renovations or additons with no building permit can create future problems for home owners if municiapal inspectors investigate or are made aware of a building without a permit.  That totally enclosed porch on the back of your home may have a multitude of deficiences that do not meet the local Building Department requirements. Rotted-Rim-Joist-behind-Deck

I know a Realtor who bought an older house in the county which was in the perfect location for her.  A couple of years after owning the home a lot of problems started becoming apparent.  There were numerous structural and insulation issues that most were the result of the previous owner failing to get the required Building Permits.  The sellers had diligently kept records of all the work that they did over the years, except that no permits taken out or inspections done on renovations.  When the buyers removed the large deck due to rotted wood they found the homes front plate ( rim joist ) was totally rotted and would require replacement.  The wood front plate had been patched previously which indicated previous repairs, but the underlying problem on missing flashing was never corrected.

 WETT Inspection Barrie7.  Fireplaces Inspections : Most insurance companies now require a WETT Inspection on any wood burning appliance in your home.   Click for WETT Inspection in Barrie

The requirements for Fireplaces have changed a lot over the years, new codes are more stringent than years ago.  Unfortunately your wood burning appliance is not Grandfather Protected from having to comply with any new Ontario Building Code Requirements, so you are at the mercy of your Insurance Company.  

A Couple of Common Changes that may affect an older home are:

1.  Fireplace hearth extension are now required to be 16 inches in front of opening.

2.  Older Galvanized Chimneys typically used on Factory Built Fireplaces are not longer approved.

3.  Since early 90’s Combustion Air is required for fireplaces

8.  Plumbing Inspections: Things related to plumbing like dripping faucets, loose toilets, leaking or slow drains are some defects that can be expensive and time consuming to have repaired. A slow leak on a toilet may not be visible is toilet is caulked to floor, trapping water against flooring.  Replacing floor can be very expensive.

 

9.   Hot Water Tanks: There is a requirement since 2008 replace ABS vent pipe that has failed or shows signs of cracking on older hot water tanks and furnace vents with 636 PVC vent piping.  All new installations are done using 636 PVC piping.  This maybe a difficult job if basement if finished and vent pipe is enclosed in ceiling.

 

10.  Mould and Asbestos: These are said to be the biggest and common killers of any real estate transactions. A professional home inspect will note the presence of suspected mould and or asbestos but it will be up to the buyer or seller, depending on what the Realtor negotiates, to have suspected areas tested by a certified professional.

 

  What Exactly is a Home Inspection?

A qualified home inspector assesses the condition of the property, including its heating and cooling systems, plumbing, electrical work, water, and sewage, as well as some fire and safety issues. In addition, the home inspector willBarrie Certified Master Inspector look for evidence of insect, water, or fire damage or any other issue that may affect the value of the property.

 Buying a house is said to be one of the biggest investments a family will make. So, having a home inspection by a qualified home inspector is very important.  But before selecting a home inspector, make sure he or she is knowledgeable and experienced. Check out their credentials and their previous experience before hiring one. The Barrie Home Inspector is a Certified Master Inspector, Member of Ontario Building Officials Association, Certified Building Code Inspector with over 8,000 inspections and offers a 100% Money Back Guarantee on all inspections.