There are different kinds of home inspections that can help you look at the house from every angle. For example, radon is more likely to be in places with basements than in places with a lot of swampland. It also matters a lot how old a house is. But it’s best to know all your options, so you don’t miss a step.
Here is a general overview of the different kinds of home inspection in Victoria that look at your whole house.
Checking the chimneys
Chimney local home inspection services look at how well the chimney vents, how well the mortar is holding up, and if there is a lot of creosote buildup from burning wood that could catch fire. When you try to start the fireplace on a cold day, this keeps the chimney from catching fire and letting smoke or smells in.
Before using the fireplace, you should always check the chimney. If there is a chimney in the house, a professional home inspection service will check it to make sure that there are no birds or bats living there, that there is no chance of a fire starting, and that there is no risk of very serious carbon monoxide poisoning.
Check the roof
Preventive roof care can save homeowners hundreds of dollars a year over the life of a roof. A roofing expert can check the roof and ceilings for leaks or damage, point out problem areas like mould growth that could mean rotting wood below, and even use a drone to look for places where heat is escaping.
If a roof is more than 20 to 25 years old, and has obvious signs of damage like cracks in the structure, loose shingles, or algae growth, or if a home inspection company is worried about the roof’s durability, you might want to have it inspected.
Consider asking for a roof certification, which is a report from an expert roofer that lists any roof repairs that need to be done and gives an estimate of how long the roof will last.
Lead-based paint inspection
Even though lead-based paint was banned by the federal government in 1978, some older homes and some that were built after 1978 still have it.
KidsHealth.org says that lead is a naturally occurring metal that is harmful to human health and can hurt calcium absorption, muscle movement, blood cell production, and even the kidneys and brain at high levels.
The CDC says that lead exposure is especially dangerous for children, as well as for pregnant women and their unborn babies.
During a lead-based paint inspection, the inspector will look around the house for paint that is chipped or peeling. The inspector will then use a piece of clothing to take paint samples from each room. These samples will be tested in a lab later.
A mouse, bug, or pest
A home inspections company will look at the outside and inside of your house for signs of infestation, damage, or places where pests like to hang out. This can be done by using a moisture metre to measure the amount of moisture in the air and looking for signs like mud tubes, which are tiny tunnels that subterranean termites build to get to the food, piles of wings, moist wood, bubbling, damaged wood and buckled paint, chewed wiring, and droppings, especially those from mice.
Taking a look at the electrics
Your home’s electrical system is an important part of keeping your family safe. The fourth most common cause of fires in homes is usually the lighting. A thorough electrical inspection looks for dangerous things like exposed wiring, spliced wires, electrical panels that have been changed in the wrong way, and more.
These are some of the different kinds of home inspections you have to go through in Victoria.
