Top 5 Things to Fix

Here are the top five things that come up in almost every home inspection.  If you proactively take care of these items before you list your home, it can make the sale of your home go a lot smoother, but these are also things you need to do for regular home maintenance to avoid bigger problems down the road.

1. Water Water Everywhere

Water can cause major problems inside and outside of your house. The most neglected or overlooked area is the wood trim on the exterior of the home. Take a walk around the outside and look for peeling paint and rotted wood. If water penetrates the wood, it can cause more extensive problems, so it is best to fix it when you notice it. If you do have to replace some of the wood, consider using composite materials. They cost more upfront but then you will never have to replace them again.  Also make sure to check for gaps around your windows and doors and re-caulk those as needed.

Next, check the grading around the outside of your home – make sure the ground is sloping away from the house and not down towards it. Overlooking this could lead to water issues with your foundation and/or basement. Every few years, remove the mulch around the home, add more top soil near your foundation to make sure it is sloping away from the house.

Make sure to check your gutters. Cleaning these out ensures that all of the rain water is routed to where it should go, which is away from the house. Add extension hoses if you need route it further away during heavy storms or a rainy week or season.

Finally, inspect your bathrooms to see if the caulk or grout needs attention. If there are gaps in these areas and water seeps behind, you could have mold issues and tiles could start coming off the walls.  And also make sure there are no active leaks under your sinks, toilets, dishwashers, washing machines and refrigerators.

2.  Electrical Systems

The home inspector will open the electric panel to check the wiring.  So if you have done some DIY work, consider having an electrician come out and ensure that your work is up to code. Nothing will scare a buyer more than potential faulty wiring. Then make sure that all of your light switches work and that all light fixtures have working light bulbs. Don’t forget to put new bulbs in your outdoor lights and the garage light as well.  The home inspector will also check to make sure that every single outlet is  in working order.

3. HVAC System and Ducts

Change the filters on your HVAC system, including the humidifier if you have one. For your HVAC, it is best if you buy a filters with a lower MERV rating to allow air to flow through the system and change them once a month.  If you buy the heavy duty filters, your system then has to work extra hard to push the air through.

Another item that comes up are dirty air ducts and dryer vents.  Have these professionally cleaned, especially if you have pets. The dryer vent is especially important to keep clean in order to avoid a fire. I’ve seen houses that had lint coming out of the vent on the outside of the house (fire hazard), which is another reason to walk around the outside of your home a few times a year.

4. Roof

If you are able, go into your attic and check to see if there are any active leaks or signs of critters living there. Then, take a look at your roof from the outside to see if there are any missing shingles.  The home inspector does go into the attic to check for any signs of water damage and to check the insulation as well.

5. Windows

Make sure all of your windows can open.  The inspector will try to open every single window.  We see a lot with counter-balance issues (window does not stay open on it’s own) and windows that are missing screens or have holes in them.  If you have a windows with broken seals, consider having those replaced if they are under warranty.

Need Help? 

A well maintained house will definitely shine during a home inspection. But don’t worry, if you haven’t had the time to stay on top of things,  I can recommend local contractors that can help with these items.

For more tips or for a personalized consultation on what you may want to do before you list your home, contact me at julie@novahomemarket.com or fill out this quick form and I will be in touch:  Contact Julie


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