Home Inspection St. Cloud | Home Inspection 320-433-9489
Before purchasing a house, it’s important to hire a home inspector to evaluate the home from top to bottom including the attic. This often-overlooked storage space can provide visual cues to potential problems in the safety and structural integrity of a home. If there is damage present, the inspection can help you determine what to bring into the sale negotiations, including an estimate of repair costs.
The inspector will look at these six primary areas when analyzing the attic:
- Structural Damage- The inspector will examine the attic for structural damage. Damage to the trusses and rafters can indicate that the home has shifted, causing them to crack or break. A substandard level of wood quality, improper construction, or incorrect lumber size may have allowed these pieces to deteriorate and could cause the roof to sag and eventually leak. The inspector will look for black marks from charred or smoke-damaged wood, these are great indicators of fire damage. These damages could be covered with a fresh coat of paint also that the inspector will be able to identify.
- Moisture Intrusion- Usually water enters the shell of the home from the roof and not from the sides, the inspector will look for water stains if the roof is leaking or has leaked in the past. If there are signs of moisture intrusion this could be a sign of inadequate ventilation.
- Termite Invasion- The inspector will look for indications of termite invasion. Common indicators of termite damage are- Chew marks on wood, wiring, insulation or animal excrement. The termites or small rodents can enter your attic through the eaves or loose boards.
- Proper Insulation- An attic must be properly insulated with the required R-level of insulation material for your climate. The colder the climate, the higher R insulation number. The inspector will note whether this is up to code, as the code may have changed since the home’s original construction. The inspector will look to make sure the insulation has been installed correctly and windows and dormers are properly insulated.
- Chimney – The inspector will inspect the condition of the chimney shaft and make sure it sealed properly where it meets the attic floor and roof. The inspector will also check that the brick and mortar is solid and not cracked and crumbling.
- Storage Area- While the inspector performs the attic inspection, they will note the condition of storage areas, attic floors and look for damaged floorboards. Hiring a proper inspector will help to ensure there are no skeletons in the attic that will haunt the integrity of your future home. Give us a call today
Home Inspection St. Cloud | Home Inspection 320-433-9489