Site grade and Slope: All houses settle over the years. Normal settlement is not a concern, but heavy clay or very sandy soil can erode to a detrimental extent. In addition, if the home has the potential for water infiltration in the lower levels, in most cases it is due to reversed, back-sloped areas near the foundation. Rather than trying to seal basements against water, it is best to keep water draining well away from the house.

Patios, Decks, Garages, Driveways: The earth beneath these areas needs to have been prepared for the bearing weight. Unfortunately, it’s common to see non-professional work result in long-term deterioration. In particular, decks must be resting on proper freeze-proof footings and securely attached to the home in a manner that prevents water infiltration.

Doors, and Windows: These “moving parts” of a home are often neglected. At times, builders or homeowners try to cut costs by installing lower-cost units. However, in all but the most severe cases, the solutions are straightforward and easy to understand.

Roofing, Roof Structure, Chimneys: Along with the foundation, the roof is arguably the most important part of an inspection. A good roof keeps the entire structure safe and dry. A poor roof will cause hidden damage and a world of woes. Due to manufacturing defects and poor attention to installation details, even new roofs can leak. The latest trends to stylized roofs with multiple gables and valleys look great…but these roofs lend themselves to long-term wear and tear, ice dams and water infiltration.

Foundation, Structure, Siding: Along with the roof, the foundation is critical to a safe, long-lasting home. Happily, major defects are rare. Minor cracks usually do not indicate major problems; rather, these small cracks are often due to mortar shrinkage at joints, or to normal, age-appropriate settlement. When major problems show up, however, it can be a major expense to fix them. Not impossible, just costly.

Siding – the covering that helps to keep the house attractive and dry – is usually not a major concern. There are some new siding systems, however, that have caused real problems. These include some poorly installed synthetic stucco materials. These systems were never meant to allow water to infiltrate, but once wind-driven rain finds a way into the walls the lack of a designed weep screed for the water to escape will result in major deterioration.

Plumbing Supply and Waste System: These systems have been built under strict guidelines for at least a century, but older systems are now beginning to fail. A few older homes still have the now-banned lead pipe water main supply systems; these must be replaced (although some experts disagree; they think that a reverse-osmosis water purifier will suffice). Additionally, do-it-yourselfers often take ill-advised shortcuts that result in serious health concerns.

Electrical Systems, Circuits, Wiring, Over-Current Protection Devices and Service Panels: Home fires and electrocution in areas of tough electrical code enforcement are rare; when they do occur, they are a tragedy. That’s why modern standards are a moving target of ever-improving requirements. The issue here is not what you can get away with, but rather what will keep you and your family safe. Unfortunately, many do-it-yourselfers undertake electrical remodeling that is just plain unsafe. Most often, the repairs are not over-burdensome in cost…and they’re worth the peace of mind gained.

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning: Every year, homeowners spend more money than necessary to heat and cool their homes. That’s bad. Far, far worse, though, are the instances of homeowners who lose family members to carbon monoxide poisoning. In both cases, a complete work up and visual check of the heating plants, filters, and supply systems is a simple, effective, low-cost solution.

Unfinished Spaces – Basements and Crawlspaces: Easily overlooked, these spaces need more attention than one might expect. In these areas, you can see the bones of the house…the structure that holds it all together. Here you see telltale signs of quality or of shortcuts easily (and ill-advisedly) taken.

Attics And Storage Spaces: No one actually enjoys snooping in these areas, but taking the time to climb, crawl, slide and bump through them will tell of hidden or overlooked defects and deterioration. More often, though, the tour is good news – and that’s worth knowing, too.