Reasons to Inspect an Attic Before You Buy a Home

One of the most important things to do when you accept the offer for your dream house is to inspect it. Hiring a home inspector before placing a down payment will save you from unnecessary litigation, regret, and repair. It is typical of a realtor to deliberately hide some issues with the house or possibly have limited knowledge of the building. 

 

Research shows that over 20% of the real estate transactions failed because the inspector found one or two problems about the building in question. While inspecting the house, inform your inspector to check the attic carefully to determine its condition. This is because the Attic has an essential and direct role to play in the comfort of any building.

Here are the top six reasons why you need to inspect the attic before making any payment.

 

 

Previous Fire Damage

One of the few things that realtors try to hide about an old house is previous fire damage. Most of the time, they refurbish and paint the attic to conceal the signs of fire like scorched or sooty wood. It then becomes hard for an ordinary except a professional inspector to discover the signs. In addition to this, the house might have suffered fire damage if the rafter does not have the color of natural wood.

 

 

Poor Ventilation

Proper air flow through the attic is essential for the comfort and wellbeing of the occupants in a house. As a result of this, it is crucial for the attic space to aid airflow and give moisture room to escape. Apart from this, poor ventilation can damage the roof cover during the hot season. Mold and other attic issues will also be prevalent.

 

 

Animal Infestation

If you are buying an unoccupied house, the first thing to do is to check for animal infestation. Most of the time, bats, cockroaches, rodents and raccoons occupied the attics of such building. As a result, they destroy the wood slats of the building with their teeth, feces, and urine.  The fact that the animals are capable of destroying the wood slats does not make them harmful to humans. However, it is not ideal to live with them.

 

 

 

Signs of Mold and Moisture

Without the help of an inspector, you might discover the signs of leaks and moisture in the attic. This is why you need to hire a professional inspector who will use special tools to identify mold, leaks, and humidity in the attic. The essence of checking for decay is to be sure that the excess moisture has not destroyed the wall and foundation of the building.

 

 

Poor Insulation

If you are buying a house that is built in the 90’s or years earlier, it is vital to consider the insulation of the house. House built during this period do not meet the modern standard of insulation as most jurisdiction requires over a foot of insulation. However, it is reasonable to see about three inches R-value or no R-value in a 90’s building. For your comfort, it is advisable to work on the attic in case it is a 90s house. You can also ask your home inspector to check if the batt of the house is facing the right direction.

 

 

Chimney Access

An ordinary person cannot inspect the interior part of the Chimney from the attic. However, an expert will be able to determine the size and structure of the chimney to be sure of its reliability. Apart from this, the inspectors will check for cracks and any damage around the fireplace.  Its height and location also have many things to do with the air flow of the house.

 

Buying a house is expensive. It would, however, not be cool if you buy a home that is faulty because you could not do the necessary inspection. It is advisable to check the building for problems before making any form of payment to the seller or realtor.

The post Reasons to Inspect an Attic Before You Buy a Home appeared first on National Cash Offer.

source https://nationalcashoffer.com/reasons-to-inspect-an-attic-before-you-buy-a-home/