Home Inspections are a critical part of your due diligence before you purchase ANY home, whether it be existing or even new construction. As a Buyer, it is your right and obligation to conduct a thorough inspection of the property prior to acceptance and closing. The SC State Contracts for real estate contain this provision and it is strongly recommended that you elect to have a qualified home inspector perform a thorough inspection as soon as you have a ratified contract. The following is important information that you should review regarding your home inspection: If you have any questions regarding home inspections, please feel free to contact us at 843-343-7640 or email at teamdehaven@century21properties.com The Building Inspection
Be sure that you are using a home inspector who follows the guidelines of the nationally recognized Standards of Practice of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). ASHI Standards exceed the inspection requirements published by the state of South Carolina. The purpose of the inspection is to identify major functional and structural deficiencies that may affect your decision to purchase. Although some minor or cosmetic problems may be mentioned, a home inspection report does not attempt to list them all. An inspector's job is to thoroughly examine the home and educate you with regard to its condition. You are strongly encouraged to attend the inspection along with your Buyer's Agent and accompany the inspector during his examination of the building. The inspector's findings are best communicated in a face to face manner, and the information you will receive will be of great value to you. The written report is a summary of that information.
It is very important for you to understand what your inspector is doing for you, and what the limitations are in the inspection and analysis. The inspection is of readily accessible areas of the building and is limited to visual observations only. The inspector may not move furniture, lift carpeting, or dismantle any items or equipment.
An inspection is intended to assist in evaluation of the overall condition of the building. The inspection is based on the observation of the visible and apparent condition of the home and its components at the time of inspection.
The results of the inspection are not intended to make any representation regarding latent or concealed defects that may exist, and no warranty or guarantee of any kind is expressed or implied.
Your home inspector is a generalist who is knowledgeable with regard to proper residential construction and maintenance practices. He is not an expert on every aspect of or component in a home. In the report, you may be advised to seek further evaluation by specialists to fully ascertain defects or concerns identified in this report.
Problems with the Building The home inspection report is not a guarantee or warranty; an inspector cannot eliminate all your risk in purchasing a home. There are warranty programs available to insure you against failure of some of the major systems of the house. Consult with your Buyer's Agent for additional information on home warranty plans.
Home buyers, after settling and occupying the home, sometimes overlook important information, recommendations and warnings contained in their home inspection report. This can cause failure or other damage that could have been prevented if the inspector's advice and recommendations had been followed. So, it's critical to READ YOUR ENTIRE REPORT! It's not uncommon for most reports to be between 20 and 30 pages long.
After occupancy, homes may have some defects that are not identified in the inspection report. If a problem arises that you feel the inspectors report did not give you sufficient warning of, call the inspector. A phone consultation may be helpful to you in deciding what corrective measures to take, and the inspector may be able to advise you in assessing proposals offered by contractors for remedying the problem.
Please consult your inspector before you engage a contractor to examine or correct a possible defect. Unless prior consultation occurs, most home inspection companies cannot assist you further.
Structural Defects Cracks, buckling, bowing, sagging and other forms of displacement may indicate a major structural defect. Some cracks are indicative of minor shrinkage or settlement; others indicate structural defects. Often, observations over a period of time are required to if movement is still occurring, or if it has stopped. In other cases, soil borings, excavation along foundation walls, and other invasive techniques may be required to evaluate a structural concern. A structural engineer or contractor usually performs these actions; they are not typically completed during a one time evaluation by a home inspector. It is not unusual for an engineer or contractor to be brought in for further evaluation in cases where visible evidence suggests the presence of a structural defect.
Crawl Space Moisture
Crawl space moisture concerns are frequently noted in houses and the conditions that cause it are usually capable of
determination by an experienced building consultant. Moisture concerns should be taken seriously; significant damage to the structure can occur due to rot and insects attracted to damp wood. See page 12 for additional remarks concerning mold and fungi growth.
Reducing dampness, whether slight or extensive, can usually be accomplished by one or more of the following actions: installing gutters; realigning gutters and extending downspouts to discharge some distance from the house; regrading in the vicinity of the house so that the slope goes away from the house rather than toward it; adding a sump pump; adding a vapor barrier; relocating air conditioning ductwork; upgrading air conditioning ductwork insulation; adding fill inside low areas of the crawl space to displace water; or sealing the crawl space and installing a dehumidifier under the house.
In most soils, the recommended slope away from the house is a 5 inch drop over a 5 foot distance (one inch per foot). Expensive solutions to dampness problems are frequently offered, and it is possible to spend many thousands of dollars for such unsatisfactory solutions and elaborate drain systems.
Independent experts may recommend solutions that prevent water from entering the area around or under the building, and their solutions can be as simple as purchasing a splash block for $5 and placing it under a downspout outlet, or the purchasing of a load of fill dirt for building up the grade around the house. Completely sealed crawl spaces equipped with a dehumidifier typically cost $8000 and up.
Cross ventilation of the crawl space is required by most building standards and installation of a plastic vapor barrier over a dirt floor is strongly recommended precaution, even if visual signs of a moisture problem do not exist.
If you have a moisture problem that persists in spite of efforts you have made in following the instructions of your inspector, contact your inspector for further consultation and advice.
Inaccessible Areas
If there is an inaccessible basement or crawl space, there is a possibility that past or present termite activity and/or rot exists in
this area. Since no visual inspection can be made, it is not possible to make a determination of this damage if it exists.
Wood Destroying Insects
Determining the presence or absence of wood destroying insects is beyond the scope of this inspection. We recommend you contact a qualified exterminator should you desire more information or a possible examination of the building and/or a warranty. Heat Pumps Heat pumps operate at maximum efficiency when serviced at least once a year. Adequate air flow is more critical than with other forced air systems; it is important that the filter be kept clean. It is not advisable to shut off supply grilles to rooms except as required to balance heat and cooling. Heat pumps cannot be checked on the heat cycle if the outside temperature is over 65 degrees F. The total heating or cooling capacity of a heat pump system varies with outside temperature conditions.
Gas and Oil Furnaces
The heat exchanger in a gas or oil furnace is partially hidden from view; it cannot be fully examined and its condition determined
without being disassembled. Since this is not possible during a visual inspection, it is recommended that a service contract be
placed on the unit and a service call made prior to settlement to check the condition of a heat exchanger.
Air Conditioning Compressor / Condensing Unit
The major components of an air conditioning condensing unit are the compressor and the condensing coil. Condensing coils, located in the airstream, generally last longer. The estimated age of a condensing unit is taken from the equipment nameplate. Sometimes the compressor, which is not visible, may have been replaced since the original installation. Air conditioners cannot be checked if the outside temperature is below 65 degrees F.
Air Filter Air filters should be changed or cleaned every 30 days to provide proper air circulation throughout the house and help protect
the heating and cooling system.
Humidifier Since it is not possible during a visual inspection to determine whether the humidifier is operating properly, it is recommended
that it be serviced at the same time as the furnace, and be cleaned regularly.
Window Units
Window heat and air units are generally not permanently installed and not operated during an inspection. Spaces conditioned by window units are not usually included in the floor area calculations for the house.
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