10 Common Issues Found on Home Inspections and What To Do

When you’ve been in the home inspection business as long as we have, you become familiar with common problems. While we’re used to seeing these typical inspection issues, if you’re in the process of buying or selling a home, it can be a shock. Most issues that turn up on home inspections aren’t deal-breakers though.

Here are 10 of the most common issues, and what you can do about them.

Cracked Grout in the Showers

It’s not just unattractive; cracked grout can lead to loose tiles. Even worse, water can seep in through the cracks and cause damage to the wall behind it. Here’s a video to walk you through the steps of fixing cracked grout.

Hairline Stucco Cracks

Although it’s a very durable finish, it’s not unusual for there to be fine cracks in stucco. If they’re not fixed they can lead to bigger problems down the road, as they allow water in. Here is a tutorial on how to fix hairline cracks.

Stucco Needs Painting

Whether you need to cover the patches in your stucco, or you just need to freshen the color, you may need paint stucco. It’s not that hard, but it is different from painting you may be used to. Here’s some information on how to do it.

GFCI Receptacles Won’t Trip

The outlet could be faulty, or it could be wired incorrectly. This isn’t something you want to ignore, because GFCI receptacles protect you from a fatal shock in case there’s an accident. It’s an easy fix for an electrician.

Garage Door Safety Reverse Doesn’t Work

This is a safety issue because it protects people and pets from getting trapped under the garage door. The good news is that as long as the garage door opener isn’t so old that it doesn’t have this feature, it can probably be fixed by a simple adjustment.

Poor Grading

If the soil around your house isn’t sloped properly, it can allow water to collect around your foundation. This can cause damage to the foundation or even flooding in the basement. It’s definitely worth your time to take care of the drainage around your house. This video shows you how.

Outdated Plumbing

If the plumbing is old, it can cause all kinds of problems. If the pipes are deteriorating or substandard, replacing them will get expensive. However, for more simple problems, you can take care many of these issues on your own. Here’s a great roundup of plumbing tasks that you can learn to do.

Problems With the Air Conditioning

Heating and air conditioning are a huge part of your energy bill. If your air conditioner isn’t working as well as it could, here are some minor repairs you can perform to make it more efficient.

Faulty Wiring

A good inspection will let you know if you have serious electrical issues, such as aluminum wiring. Some electrical problems can be a fire hazard, so you’ll want to take care of it right away. A qualified electrician can make your home safe from wiring hazards.

Poor Ventilation

Modern homes are much more energy efficient, keeping heated or cooled air from escaping. This a great thing for your energy use, but can have negative effects on the air in your home. Without the leaky windows and walls of older homes, moisture in the air can build up inside, leading to mold and mildew. Add in unhealthy fumes from things like cigarette smoke or chemical off-gassing from new carpet or furniture, and the air you breathe can get pretty dirty. Here are some options for improving your home’s ventilation, so you can breathe easier.

A thorough home inspection is vital to let you know what problems a house has, and how extensive they are. Before you know if an issue is something you can tackle yourself, or if it will require an extensive and expensive repair, you need to know exactly what the problem is. At Inside & Out Property Inspectors, our skilled home inspectors are dedicated to getting you the information you need. For a home inspection you can feel confident about, contact us.