Saint Paul Home Inspection
Many people who have not had a home inspection, yet, are often very curious about the process and what is usually uncovered. This blog will discuss, anonymously, conditions which I have uncovered while inspecting homes throughout Saint Paul, Minneapolis and the surrounding 11 county metro area.
One of the most common defects I have found is either ungrounded outlets (especially older homes) or outlets which should be GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupt). GFCI monitor the hot and neutral wires looking for a change (spike) which triggers a switch in the outlet cutting off the current through the outlet. These outlets are required within 3 feet of a water source and commonly should be located in areas such as a kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Other areas they are recommended is the garage and exterior. Many newer homes will wire in outlets in series with a GFCI (such as multiple bathrooms using one GFCI) as a cost savings.
Another common defect I see is no pressure reverse on garage doors. This safety measure is intended to save damage to property and people. The garage door should reverse direction when closing if it comes in contact with an object. Many people believe the optic sensors are enough, however, these are regularly not installed at the proper heights (some are at ground level or an inch or two above) and would be useless for most vehicles or someone standing outside the contact of the beam.
Some of the biggest issues we have uncovered during our home inspections are not that common, but do pose the greatest expense if not discovered. Structural issues tend to be the biggest expense if severe enough. Many foundations throughout Minnesota will have slight cracking (1/8 inch or less) due to either mild settling or normal shrinkage of material during the curing process. These conditions do not normally concern us unless there is lateral displacement (offset) involved (possible sign of heaving). Structure can also mean a problem with the wood framing or roofing structure. Recently we uncovered a wall on the exterior which had a inward deflection of approximately 6 inches by a second story window covering an area of approximately 6 feet by 5 feet. The fascia board along the roofs edge was dipping down about an inch almost dead center of this bowing inward. Upon further investigation, we found the interior structure was sagging toward the center of the home and there was substantial damage to beams and rafters in the attic which had attempted "repairs" done to it. Now these are unusual for the most part, but many homes have some form of defects (either very small or very big) to some degree. Having a Certified home inspector perform your inspection with the proper tools can help to uncover hidden problems before it is too late.
If you are someone you know is in need of information or would like to schedule an inspection, call us @ 612-919-3844 or visit our website @ www.7countyhomeinspection.com
Many people who have not had a home inspection, yet, are often very curious about the process and what is usually uncovered. This blog will discuss, anonymously, conditions which I have uncovered while inspecting homes throughout Saint Paul, Minneapolis and the surrounding 11 county metro area.
One of the most common defects I have found is either ungrounded outlets (especially older homes) or outlets which should be GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interupt). GFCI monitor the hot and neutral wires looking for a change (spike) which triggers a switch in the outlet cutting off the current through the outlet. These outlets are required within 3 feet of a water source and commonly should be located in areas such as a kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Other areas they are recommended is the garage and exterior. Many newer homes will wire in outlets in series with a GFCI (such as multiple bathrooms using one GFCI) as a cost savings.
Another common defect I see is no pressure reverse on garage doors. This safety measure is intended to save damage to property and people. The garage door should reverse direction when closing if it comes in contact with an object. Many people believe the optic sensors are enough, however, these are regularly not installed at the proper heights (some are at ground level or an inch or two above) and would be useless for most vehicles or someone standing outside the contact of the beam.
Some of the biggest issues we have uncovered during our home inspections are not that common, but do pose the greatest expense if not discovered. Structural issues tend to be the biggest expense if severe enough. Many foundations throughout Minnesota will have slight cracking (1/8 inch or less) due to either mild settling or normal shrinkage of material during the curing process. These conditions do not normally concern us unless there is lateral displacement (offset) involved (possible sign of heaving). Structure can also mean a problem with the wood framing or roofing structure. Recently we uncovered a wall on the exterior which had a inward deflection of approximately 6 inches by a second story window covering an area of approximately 6 feet by 5 feet. The fascia board along the roofs edge was dipping down about an inch almost dead center of this bowing inward. Upon further investigation, we found the interior structure was sagging toward the center of the home and there was substantial damage to beams and rafters in the attic which had attempted "repairs" done to it. Now these are unusual for the most part, but many homes have some form of defects (either very small or very big) to some degree. Having a Certified home inspector perform your inspection with the proper tools can help to uncover hidden problems before it is too late.
If you are someone you know is in need of information or would like to schedule an inspection, call us @ 612-919-3844 or visit our website @ www.7countyhomeinspection.com
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