Common Home Inspection Problems You Can Fix Yourself
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When you’ve done as many home inspections as the inspectors at Green Scene Home Inspections have (close to 10,000), a few common themes emerge. People tend to neglect the same kinds of things in their homes, and of course, Mother Nature affects the homes in certain areas in the same sorts of ways.
In Upon Closer Inspection, I try to present these common home inspection problems periodically so that as a homeowner, or a Realtor working with homeowners, you can be aware of issues to look out for both when you’re shopping for a home and as a homeowner.
Here are a few recent finds from the field that you can easily fix on your own:
Fluff, Fold, and Clean Your Dryer Vent
Ah, the dryer vent. Most people remember to clean the lint out of the one inside the dryer, but so many people forget all about the one that goes outside. Until it gets so stuffed full of lint that the dryer quits working, that is.
Inspector Alex makes an even more specific point in this video, however, in that this type of screened dryer vent is no longer recommended. The screen allows this exact type of build-up to occur, which is not only bad for the efficiency of the dryer but is a fire hazard as well.
You want to use a dryer vent that has a damper, rather than a screen, that opens when in use and closes to prevent critters from entering when not in use.
When It’s Time To Let Go
It’s extremely common to find homes with appliances or equipment that have a) not been well maintained or b) been kept in use past the point of safety. This water heater is an example of both. It’s rusty, has old, unsafe connections, shows signs of water leakage, and most importantly, has a disconnected flue that is leaking carbon monoxide into the home.
Accident Prone
Broken or malfunctioning garage doors are one of the most common home inspection problems found.
This type of garage door lock doesn’t do you any favors, as it’s so easy to forget and hit the automatic opener resulting in destruction like in the video. But all sorts of damage can arise from the simple wear and tear of daily use of garage doors.
Manufacturers recommend that you have a professional service your garage door annually. Nobody does that. But here’s a useful video you can add to your home maintenance checklist for maintaining your garage door yourself to extend its life and prevent damage from occurring.
Pro-Tip: if you need a guide for your home maintenance, grab your home inspection report from when you purchased your home! You already have a list of trouble spots to check, and you can follow the report as a checklist to inspect the rest of the house yourself periodically throughout the year.
