Most Common Home Inspection Findings in Alberta

Home inspections are critical for ensuring your next home will be safe, secure, and worth your investment. A home not in top shape may fall victim to a host of costly problems, leading to lost time and money in the future. Even if the problems discovered are not decision-breaking, having a complete picture of a home’s condition is critical to negotiating a fair price.

With this in mind, Inspection Works has gathered the most common problems that may be found during a home inspection.

Faulty Wiring

There may be a number of problems with the home’s wiring, from amperage mismatches, to open junction boxes, and many more problems that may be completely invisible until a problem strikes. While these are easy to fix, they require the assistance of an electrician, which may be costly.

Faulty Gutters

You might not realize there’s a problem with the gutter system until it rains, but when it does, you’ll end up with potential water damage. A proper inspection checks for clogs, bent gutters, and breakage.

Poor Drainage and Grading

Likewise, poor grading that traps water leads to leaks, especially in the basement. Soil type may also lead to excess absorption. These are both solvable problems that could lead to catastrophic water damage if not determined ahead of time.

Damp Basements

While a damp basement does have visible signs—such as water stains, and mold or mildew—sometimes these signs are difficult to detect when at beginning stages, or if a seller has attempted to remove them from surfaces. Not only may this cause damage to your possessions, but mold may pose health problems.

Roof Problems

You’re unlikely to inspect every inch of the roof during walkthroughs, but a proper inspection ensures that there are no curled or brittle shingles. This is important to prevent damage to the attic or upper level of the home.

Foundational Problems

A walkthrough might miss key foundational flaws, such as sloping floors, cracks in the foundation, or sticking windows and doors. These problems tend to snowball and cause other problems, so let an inspection catch them early!

Bad Plumbing

Slow drainage, signs of leaks, inadequate water pressure—these are all signs of bad plumbing. Some repairs may be minor, but others may be prohibitively expensive, and only reveal themselves with very minor clues, such as barely-discernible stains.

Poor Ventilation

If a ventilation fan is not working properly, or roof soffits are blocked, there may be extreme heat in upper levels and you may experience vapor condensation. In turn, this leads to health risks, foundational damage, and the persistence of mold. This is a problem that many homebuyers miss and find to be an inconvenience at first, only later realizing the damage being caused.

Schedule an Inspection

At Inspection Works, we can help! Our team of highly-qualified, expert inspectors will provide you with comprehensive inspection services at a great value. To get started, schedule your appointment now, or feel free to contact us if you have any more questions.