Need a Four Point Home Inspection?

• Posted on HDNEditor
• in Home Improvement
• on December 2, 2021
• Comments Off on Need a Four Point Home Inspection?

As homes get older, there are things that start going wrong with them; there is no argument there.

What you can decide is how you want to find out that something is broken on your home. You can either wait until something breaks down and causes damage, or you can hire house inspectors to come and inspect your home for potential problems before they wreak havoc on your possessions and budget.

Home safety and inspection experts at The Inspectors Company share some of the key features and details about this type of inspection.

Why is a four-point inspection necessary?

In some states, the insurance companies are increasingly apprehensive towards insuring homes which are older than 25 years (although this limit differs in different locales).

As mentioned before, a lot of homes begin showing signs of wear and tear by that point, which makes the insurance companies liable for damages.

In order to protect themselves from the increasing demand for reimbursement, many of these insurance companies have started demanding this kind of inspection before they agree to insure your home.

But Do I Need It?

Even if your insurance company doesn’t require you to go through with this inspection, it is still a good idea to have it scheduled.

A four-point Inspection is specifically tailored to old homes, checking those critical points which are the most likely candidates for failure at that age.

#1. Checking the Electrical Systems

One of the first things that an inspector is going to check on your home are electrical installations. Electrical failure is potentially the most serious fallout that can happen to your home, so it is crucial that your electrical installations comply with the code.

When older homes were built, a lot of the safety regulations weren’t yet in place, meaning that your home may not actually be compliant with the current rules, even though it was built according to all the rules.

However, the more important reason why checking your electrical installations is important is the normal wear of the materials. You want to make sure that the electricity in your home is safe and that it is not a fire hazard.

#2. Heating and Air Conditioning Checkup

Most American homes are built to support a centralized HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system. Having these systems pre-installed in your home can help you save money on electrical bills in the long run.

However, just like everything else, the HVAC system can break down and fail. Having it inspected before that happens can be crucial. Even though home inspectors are not HVAC technicians, they can still give you an assessment of your system and discover any potential weak points like leaks, which may be costing you money and ultimately lead to the failure of the whole system.

#3. A Look at the Plumbing

The biggest problem with plumbing is that it is out of sight and you can’t know what is going on in it until something goes wrong.

Alternatively, you can have a house inspector check all of your pipes and plumbing and give you an accurate assessment of the state of the system, including recommending potential repairs before the problem escalates and causes major damage to your home.

#4. Final Roof Inspection

The roof of your home takes on the brunt of the elements. All the rain, wind, and snow will fall on your roof. That makes the roof one of the most critical points on your home.

Ensuring that all of the shingles on your home are intact and that there is no leak is the first step in ensuring that your home is safe from water damage as well as more dangerous structural damage in the long run.

These four points are the most likely to fail on an older house and are therefore important to check, but there are other parts of the home which may need some TLC. If you haven’t had a home inspection in a while, you might want to opt for a full house inspection as well.