A home inspection is required whether you are a homeowner looking to perform a thorough check of your house or you are a new buyer in town. You can use a DIY home inspection checklist to analyze the mechanical and structural systems in your new property.
So, is it possible to do a home inspection all by yourself? Yes, DIY home inspection lets to evaluate your house before buying. Thus, you can examine what would be the cost of annual maintenance if you purchase.
Without any delay, let’s start with the DIY home inspection checklist.
Exterior Home Inspection
The home exterior tells you a lot about the foundation of the home. Being a first-time buyer, you may not be familiar with all the hidden things on the outside of your home. Ask the neighbor or your real estate agents about everything that you find suspicious.
For inspecting the house exterior, you should check the following:
- Inspect the exterior doors for any damage and make sure they close perfectly.
- Check the external taps if they are working correctly.
- Examine peeling or cracking paints.
- Look for the cracks in bricks or stucco.
Adequate Grading and Drainage System
It’s not always possible to check the draining and plumbing system of the house without any experience. You cannot check if the pipes have any leakage without help from the plumbing service.
Below is the DIY checklist to examine the drainage system:
- With a proper grading system, you want that water should hit the drain quite far away from your prospected home. If that is not the case, the water will drain back to the house.
- If you cannot inspect the septic leakage, you can connect with professional plumbers in Chatsworth.
Roof
A solid roof can give you peace of mind for many years. The shingles may look nice, but they can cover certain items. You can inspect the roof by following the below-mentioned things:
- Inspect if the roof has any bowing.
- Inspect to find proof of potential roof penetration, such as big trees around the house.
- Check and ask the real estate agent the age of the shingles and their wear conditions. Old shingles can results in water leakage from the roof to the house.
Interior Home Inspection – Rooms
Interior home inspection requires you to check everything in detail, especially the rooms. You need to take up the mindset of a home inspector to uncover the issues. By doing so, you can find minor and significant problems in the rooms.
Follow the checklist below to inspect the rooms:
- Look if there are water stains on the wooden floors.
- Check for stains on walls or ceilings.
- Check if walls are adequately insulated.
- Each room should be appropriately ventilated for cooling and heating.
- Check if doors and windows are in proper condition.
Bathrooms
The bathroom can change your decision to purchase the house within seconds. A beautiful bathroom with adequate fittings enhances its value. So, make sure to check the following inspection checklist for the bathroom:
- Include an exhaust fan for ventilation and removing moisture.
- Shower, sink, and Bathtub should drain water properly.
- No proof of leakage or water damage underneath the sink.
- The flushing power of the toilet is strong.
- Contact the plumbing service to inspect the leaking in pipes and fixtures thoroughly.
Nevertheless, your bathroom inspection is incomplete without calling expert and experienced plumbers. You may never know what can become an issue later after buying the house.
Heating and Cooling, Mechanical Inspection
This is the most difficult area so far. The machines and physical components of your house are essential to keep the house operating appropriately.
- The furnace should disperse heat equally all over the house.
- There shouldn’t be gas odors from heating and cooling systems.
- Air filters are well-maintained and cleaned.
- Check if all the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are functioning properly.
- Check if there is any leakage in water heaters. You can look for water stains.
Plumbing
Plumbing service can be done quickly only if you have the proper knowledge. Otherwise, you can think of appointing plumbers near you to do the work for you.
- Check if all the sinks can drain efficiently.
- Inspect if the water pumps are working.
- There should be no problems with low hot water pressure.
- Inspect if there is a leak in water taps.
- Check how long the hot water tank has been installed.
Final Thoughts
Once you have done your inspection, it’s still worth calling a home inspector. However, you can also check by your inspection results the areas that need further assessment. It is worth calling and looking for plumbers in Chatsworth because any issue in the drainage system can damage the house in the long-term.
DIY Home inspection is necessary before moving to a new home to save you big money in the future.
