Why should I get a home inspection?

Simply said, peace of mind. A home inspection gives you an overall feel of a home. Whether you are a first-time home buyer or on your fifth or sixth home, an inspection gives you the power of knowledge and negotiation when purchasing a property. It should tell you how its been maintained throughout the years and most importantly, any needs or hazards that could impact your decision on purchasing.

What happens during an inspection?

A home inspection is a thorough visual evaluation of the home's major systems and components to help you understand the property's condition before making an important investment.

At PEAK Home Inspection, we take the time to carefully evaluate the home from top to bottom, explain what we find, and answer your questions along the way. Our goal is not to simply point out problems, but to help you understand the home and make informed decisions.

During the inspection, we typically evaluate:

• 🏠 Exterior: siding, trim, doors, windows, decks, porches, grading, drainage, and other visible components

• 🏡 Roof: roofing materials, flashing, gutters, drainage, and visible roof structures

• ⚡ Electrical: service equipment, panels, wiring, outlets, switches, and visible electrical components

• 💧 Plumbing: supply and drain lines, fixtures, water heater, and visible plumbing components

• 🔥 Heating & Cooling: furnace, air conditioning system, thermostats, vents, and accessible components

• 🧱 Foundation & Structure: foundation walls, structural components, crawlspaces, basements, and visible signs of movement or moisture

• 🌬️ Attic: insulation, ventilation, roof structure, and visible signs of moisture or damage

• 🚿 Bathrooms & Kitchen: fixtures, appliances, ventilation, cabinets, countertops, and other accessible components

• 🚪 Interior: doors, windows, walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, railings, and other visible interior features

• 🛡️ Safety: smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, handrails, guardrails, GFCI protection, and other readily observable safety concerns

What are the top 10 things to look for during the inspection?

1. The most important thing that I look for is moisture intrusion. Water is the most damaging factor in a home in the state of Michigan. Moisture can also tell a lot of things about a home. It can be evidence for a leaking roof, a damaged foundation or simply the possibility of mold.

2. Safety. We look for the possibility of hazardous situations, which includes missing handrails, missing carbon monoxide detection or the lack of smoke detectors. Nothing is more important than you and your family’s safety.

3. Basement & Foundation. The key to a healthy home is a solid foundation, although there can be flaws in almost every foundation for every property. I will discuss the difference between a shrinkage crack and bowing in your foundation. Typically, cracks bigger than a quarter inch can be evidence to a bigger problem. No matter the case, I will find and explain it in simple terms.

4. The attic. A dry attic with sufficient ventilation is key in maintaining a home. Not only does it prevent degradation of the framing and sub-framing of your roof, it prevents possible mold to keep your family safe.

5. HVAC - The furnace and AC systems can be the most expensive mechanicals in your home. I will test them fully and let you know the age of both for that piece of mind or if it simply just needs servicing.

6. The roof. Know what’s also expensive? Getting a new roof. You can 100% depend that today a roof will cost for starters, at least 5 figures. I will go on the surface (if safe of course) and traverse it to gain evidence on the age of your roof. I will most likely give you a percentage left on the age of it or if it needs to be replaced.

7. Electrical - We look for electrical defects including the service panel along with the presence of GFCI’s, aluminum wiring and the electrical panel. This can also be expensive for replacement especially for an older home.

8. Plumbing and septic or sewer. I will find the flaws in your gas and water plumbing and test your water heater giving you an age for that. Also keep in mind, Kalamazoo county does not cover the cost of your sewer pipes to the citys lateral. These can be costly to replace (5,000-10,000 at least) so I definitely recommend getting a sewer scope that can be included for $199 with your inspection.

9. Deck and Building flaws. I’ll also look for support and design flaws for the home, this can be costly to fix. Better to know ahead of time if there is anything faulty in the build beforehand, especially if you are in love with the home.

10. Pest inspection. Termites and Wood destroying organisms can wreak havoc on a home. I will tell you if the house has been treated and more importantly, if they are still there.