Securing a new home can be so exciting; however, it is also risky. There is every tendency that a homes outer appearance can be different from the building quality, thereby deceiving you into purchasing a substandard home. But with a home inspection in Houston that’s inspected by a home inspector and with thermal home inspection services, they can help eliminate the risk of acquiring a substandard home.
Houston SEI Home inspectors are certified professionals who undertake a well-detailed examination and create comprehensive inspection reports that includes audio, video and many pictures of your potential residence and draws your attention to any peril, hidden areas of concern and also help with the anticipated lifespan of different appliances along with many, many home inspection services.
What Home Inspections in Houston Should Cover
Home inspections are mainly used to uncover any deficiency in different areas of the home. Below is what a good home inspection must reveal.
Foundations: The home inspector should check the building foundation for any crack or water seepage.
Siding: The home siding should be checked along with flashing and closely inspected for any rot.
Bricks: Bricks used in building the house should be examined to know if there is any mortar breaking or wall buckling.
Doors and Windows: The condition of the doors and windows of the building should be known. SEI Home Inspections can use thermal imaging inspections to detect any areas of leaks.
Porch and Deck: Deck or porch; the home inspector should check it for any loose railings or steps, condition of materials used to build the deck or porch and make sure the deck is within city or county code standards.
Insulation: The insulation should be checked to determine if it’s insulating correctly, checked for any water damage and walls checked for missing insulation.
Electrical: The electric system of the building should also be examined by a thermal camera.
The plumbing System: Inspector should look out for pipe leakage, rust spots and locate poor water pressure in the plumbing system of the home under inspection
The Furnace and Air Conditioning: Inspector should check heat from the home furnace and note temperature. The home inspector will thoroughly test and inspect the AC system to insure proper function.
Water Heater: The inspector will test pressure, hot water coming from water heater, note temperature of water including testing how long it takes for hot water to reach certain faucets and make sure the water heater is within current city code and standards.
Walls, Moldings, And Ceilings: Here, the inspector should look for loose piece of the walls or ceiling, and also identify drywalls that are pulling away or have been damaged by water intrusion.
Roofs: The inspector is expected to look for shingle conditions, flashing, buckled shingles, age, and check for missing shingles, nails showing and more.
Basement: The basement should be inspected to identify if there is any water leakage.
Attic: The insulation in attic should be carefully inspected by the home inspector, AC or water heater checked if located in attic, interior roof checked for buckling or damage and any damage noted.
Sidewalks and Driveways: While inspecting the driveway or sidewalk, the inspector should be looking out for split or deteriorating concrete and note landscape slope to insure rain water runs away from the home foundation.
Hiring a Home Inspection in Houston
You might be finding it difficult to find a home inspector in Houston. This is often because you are under some sort of pressure to choose an inspector from a large group of inspectors or feel obligated to go with an home inspector recommended by a home realtor. Here are some things to put into consideration before picking your home inspector:
Inspector Credentials
Going through inspectors’ credentials is one important method of choosing the right inspector for your home inspection. Ensure your inspector is licensed, certified and insured in Houston, TX.
Ask For Referrals
A quality home inspector can provide many referrals of previous home inspections they’ve done in your area.
Look at the Home Inspector’s Customer Reviews
Good reviews tell you a lot about a home inspector. Even a bad review can tell you a lot about a home inspector. How did the inspector respond to the negative review? Was the inspector professional in their response and did they try to solve the problem? A home inspector like SEI Home Inspectors who have great online home inspection reviews provide a greater customer experience and a higher level of customer satisfaction.
