The number one goal for a HomePro Inspections home inspector is to provide a home inspection that is as thorough and complete as possible. Our inspectors cover all aspects of your home, from the roof to the foundation, including the structure's plumbing, heating, cooling, electrical systems, and interior.
We understand that buying a home is a serious commitment. Your home inspection is designed to provide a comprehensive snapshot of the house’s general condition on the inspection date.
We conduct our home inspections in accordance with a standard of practice that outlines what we must inspect, what we must document, and what falls outside the purview of a general home inspection.
There can be physical limitations when inspecting a house.
Depending on the home or the season, there may be limitations that prevent us from thoroughly inspecting every aspect of it.
Roofs
We try to walk on every roof we can. However, there are some limitations. Every home is unique, and a home inspector must decide whether it is safe to walk on a roof. Sometimes, a ladder cannot reach the roof, or the pitch is too steep.
A steeply pitched roof
Before getting onto a roof, we must also consider wind, rain, frost, and snow conditions.
In addition to weather conditions, one should avoid walking on certain materials. These include clay or concrete tiles, stone-coated metal roofing materials, and wooden shakes. These materials can be slippery and, in some cases, easily damaged.
If we cannot physically walk a roof, your home inspector will give it his best visual assessment using binoculars from the ground or the eaves.
Crawlspaces and Attics
Crawl spaces and attics, like roofs, can vary from home to home. Depending on the home's vintage, you never know what may be above or below the living space.
Crawl spaces in older homes can be so narrow that physical access is impossible. Your home inspector will use a flashlight to observe as much of a tight crawl space as possible from the point of access.
Restricted crawl space
As for attics, we typically only fully enter them if they have safe-to-walk-on flooring. In this part of the country, many attics have up to 20 inches of fluffy white fiberglass insulation, which is difficult and dangerous to walk through. It is typical for the home inspector to observe the attic space visually from its access point.
Personal belongings and obstructions can create inspection challenges.
Occasionally, personal belongings can limit a home inspector's ability to assess the property. While most homes have storage areas, it can be challenging for a home inspector to fully assess certain areas without assistance. Stored items can completely obstruct areas, such as walls or floors in garages, utility rooms, and storage areas.
I did a pre-listing inspection several years ago. The tuck-under garage had boxes stacked from floor to ceiling on three walls. A buyer’s inspection showed a large step crack in the back wall, which was below grade on the outside and completely obstructed from the inside. The inspection report noted the obstruction and included photos that revealed no access to the garage walls.
Excessive clutter can create problems as well. During some inspections, we’ve had to deal with situations where there was so much clutter that only narrow paths ran from one room to another.
In addition to physical constraints, seasonal factors can also influence a home inspection.
Nobody should be surprised that this part of the country can experience heavy snowfall, which can restrict the scope of a home's inspection. When snow obstructs our ability to fully inspect a house, we must disclose what we cannot physically inspect.
Heavy snow covers the external components of a home
Even though arriving at a home with 12 to 18 inches of snow on top of everything can be frustrating for both the home inspector and the prospective home buyer, we must disclose that we cannot properly evaluate the roof, deck, patio, driveway, sidewalks, and grounds.
Air conditioning systems require a degree of caution.
Air conditioning systems require special attention when the weather turns cold. Operating an air conditioning unit in cold temperatures may damage it and lead to costly repairs. Once the outdoor temperature has dropped below 65°F, we cannot test air conditioning systems. We can look at them physically but cannot correctly assess their functionality.
There are other limitations that can affect a standard home inspection.
Some homes have items such as solar panels, built-in grills, pools, hot tubs, saunas, and, yes, sometimes the occasional elevator.
Our home inspectors may comment on these items, but we will commonly refer them to a specialist.
Summary
Your home inspector has a wealth of knowledge about many aspects of your home. We are generalists and only have in-depth expertise on some things. Our standard of practice clearly defines what we do and do not inspect.
Our job is to identify defects and recommend repairs as necessary. If we cannot fully assess some aspect of a home, we must document that limitation.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN, area. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942, by email, or use our online “Schedule Now” feature to