Time for nuts and bolts. Our initial focus will the big ticket items when preparing your home for inspection. Maybe you are just thinking about selling your home or maybe it is already listed for sale. Ideally, we want to prepare our homes as much as possible before listing but it is never too late to begin the process of making sure it is in the best possible condition for inspection.
Also, I want to stress that everything in this series can be used as a guideline for the regular maintenance and upkeep of your home. Preparing for an inspection is no different than making sure your home is a safe, inviting place to live.
We want to address items that are potentially costly or tie consuming to repair as early as possible. The big three items on any buyers mind are the foundation, roof and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) so those are the first items we will address.
Preparing your roof for inspection is best left to professionals; however, there are a few steps you can take that will help you decide if you need to get a roofer. How old is the roof? If it is only a few years old and you haven’t noticed any problems, the potential for major roof covering problems is limited. A professional roof inspection isn’t a bad idea and Spot On Inspection recommends annual roof inspections. If you have seen evidence of leaks in the house or the roof is more than five years old, a professional should be consulted for a roof inspection. Spot On Inspection can help you with your roof inspection, either by coming out ourselves or recommending a roofer.
Indirectly related to your roof covering are trees. Any tree limbs should be at least ten feet away from any part of the roof covering. Tree limbs and the high winds during storm season in Houston produce significant damage every year. Tree limbs are very flexible and can easily move several feet during an average thunderstorm in Katy, Texas. Talk a walk around the exterior and examine the trees. If you have any limbs that might be a threat to the roof, call in a professional to have them cut back.
The HVAC system is another facet of home inspection preparation in Katy, Sugar Land and Houston that is best left to a professional. You should have your HVAC system serviced twice annually. When preparing for your home inspection, the HVAC needs to be in top shape. The age of the components is a primary concern for buyers, so if your HVAC is older than 10 years, replacing the entire system might make your home more attractive to buyers, especially if the other homes in your neighborhood are likely to have older HVAC installations. If your system is fairly new or replacement is not a viable option, be sure it is in top condition during the listing period and for the inspection. Consult an HVAC company for a complete servicing of the entire HVAC system.
That is enough for now. In our next installment of Preparing your home for inspection, we will get to know your foundation and how to spot signs of trouble.
© 2018 Patrick Miceli
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