Interior Inspections: What to Look For

No home inspection in the Bronx would be complete without the inspector going through the insides of the house as well as the exterior. While when most of us think of the home inspector, we think of the man on the roof in work boots looking at the chimney or the roofing material and making sure that those things we don’t normally look at or haven’t seen, are in good working order. But that’s not all that this type of home inspection would entail. Beyond the usual outside issues that might include cracked or missing siding and standing water in the yard, there are a number of issues inside the home that a good inspector will catch as well.

No home inspection in the Bronx would be complete without a thorough check of the basement. When the notes that are made about the basement interior are organized, then the inspector or the homeowner knows what they are looking for when they start their inspection in the rest of the house. Inside it’s time to look for relationships between the inside and outside such as missing flashing and stains on the underside of the roof.  A related moisture issue here.  The bathroom fan needs to vent outside the home—too often homeowners just let the exhaust vent into the attic and this can cause moisture problems over time.

Inside the attic, it will be apparent if the rafters are sagging as well. Generally this means that there have been too many layers of roofing shingles used over the years, but it’s still a good idea to check with the inspector to make sure that nothing else has gone wrong. Deformed framing may need additional support or replacement. One cautionary note about the attic. You might notice how careful your inspector is while moving around up there—that’s because he knows that walking on the rafters or on planks set between the rafters is the only safe place and that anyone can fall through the ceiling below if they venture off these safe areas.

As it is with lots of other areas in the home, water damage is one of the most common problems that the inspector will face. Dark brown stains around the chimney are more than likely caused by a cracked flue tile; this allows caustic creosote compounds to work their way through the mortar joints. As well, cracks in the chimney joints may be caused by something a little more dangerous—an undersized or shifting footing.

Remember too that both attics and basements need adequate ventilation and insulation to prevent moisture damage. Attics that lack this are generally terribly hot in the summer and this is a good way to tell if yours needs some ventilation work.  Basements that lack this are generally humid and often mold infested. 

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