You’ve finally found the house you want and the location is perfect, so what now? Many home buyers at this point are ready to seal the deal, but you could be overlooking some major issues.

Whether the house was built in the 1920’s or a brand new home, a home inspection is a crucial piece of the home buying puzzle.

In some instances, during the selling process, there is nobody occupying the home; which means plumbing and electrical aspects of the home just sit and if this goes on for too long you might want to consider setting aside a budget for repairs.

Aluminum Wiring

In many older homes built before the late 1970’s or mid 1980’s, you will find aluminum wiring. This type of wiring is no longer used in newer homes being built today and homeowners living in these older homes are faced with running new electrical throughout the home. A home inspector will advise you as you’re in the home buying process to consider running new electrical wiring as a safety precaution of your home.

Dated and unsafe wiring can pose threats from electric shock to house fires. Before you decide to buy, consider your due diligence period and get a home inspection.

Plumbing

As goes with the caution of electrical wiring is your plumbing. If your new home has been sitting for some time, it would be important to ask if the plumbing has been winterized. Winterizing is when a house is properly prepared for vacancy. This process allows for the plumbing to be ready for extreme temperature changes.

For example, when a home remains vacant through the winter, which it is heating season, the water sitting in pipes can be susceptible to frozen water which can damage the pipes. For an inspector to see that your home has been winterize would mean two things.

First, the house may still be winterized, meaning that it has been purged of all water and no plumbing-related inspections can be completed.

Second, the house was winterized at some point, but has since then been de-winterized. This would mean a proper plumbing inspection can be conducted, allowing you, the home buyer, and opportunity to see if there are any issues with the plumbing of your new home.

Pests

Another tip to consider if your home has been sitting for a while is to inspect for signs of pesky visitors. This can consist of termites, rodents, roaches, and more. When a home experiences a longer vacancy than expected wildlife can find its way into the home to escape the harsh weather conditions outside. If you’ve hired an inspector they’re likely to help you locate signs of infestation or other signs of life; however, regarding termites, you may want to consider hiring a company specific to this type of problem to provide you with the most accurate results.

There are many factors that contribute to the outcome of your home inspection. Whether your house be new or old it is important to consider these factors before signing into homeownership. Take advantage of your due diligence and have your home inspected by a reputable inspector.