It looks pretty on the outside. But, how well is your fireplace really working?

How much damage do icicles like these cause on your roof?

Do you have numerous icicles hanging from the roof of your home ?

What a Home Inspection Examines
Inspectors vary in experience, ability and thoroughness, but a good inspector should examine certain components of the home you want to purchase and then produce a report covering his or her findings. The typical inspection lasts two to three hours and you should be present for the inspection to get a firsthand explanation of the inspector’s findings and, if necessary, ask questions. Also, any problems the inspector uncovers will make more sense if you see them in person instead of relying solely on the snapshot photos in the report.

The inspector should note:

• whether each problem is a safety issue, major defect, or minor defect
• which items need replacement and which should be repaired or serviced
• items that are suitable for now but that should be monitored closely

A really great inspector will even tell you about routine maintenance that should be performed, which can be a great help if you are a  first-time homebuyer. (To learn more, read First-Time Homebuyer Guide.)

While it is impossible to list everything an inspector could possibly check for, the following list will give you a general idea of what to expect. (Home maintenance can cost you more than you bargained for. Read Four Overlooked Homeownership Costs to learn more.)

Exterior

• Exterior walls – The inspector will check for damaged or missing siding, cracks and whether the soil is in excessively close contact with the bottom of the house, which can invite wood-destroying insects. However, the pest inspector, not the home inspector, will check for actual damage from these insects. The inspector will let you know which problems are cosmetic and which could be more serious.
• Foundation – If the foundation is not visible, and it usually is not, the inspector will not be able to examine it directly, but they can check for secondary evidence of foundation issues, like cracks or settling.
• Grading – The inspector will let you know whether the grading slopes away from the house as it should. If it doesn’t, water could get into the house and cause damage, and you will need to either change the slope of the yard or install a drainage system. (Read about managing the expense of a yard in Save Money On Summer Bills.)
• Garage or carport – The inspector will test the garage door for proper opening and closing, check the garage framing if it is visible and determine if the garage is properly ventilated (to prevent accidental carbon monoxide poisoning). If the water heater is in the garage, the inspector will make sure it is installed high enough off the ground to minimize the risk of explosion from gasoline fumes mingling with the heater’s flame.
• Roof – The inspector will check for areas where roof damage or poor installation could allow water to enter the home, such as loose, missing or improperly secured shingles and cracked or damaged mastic around vents. He or she will also check the condition of the gutters. (The roof offers opportunities for energy-conscious homeowners. Read Building Green For Your House And Wallet to learn more.)

Interior

• Plumbing – The home inspector will check all faucets and showers, look for visible leaks, such as under sinks and test the water pressure. He or she will also identify the kind of pipes the house has, if any pipes are visible. The inspector may recommend a secondary inspection if the pipes are old to determine if or when they might need to be replaced and how much the work would cost. The inspector will also identify the location of the home’s main water shutoff valve.
• Electrical – The inspector will identify the kind of wiring the home has, test all the outlets and make sure there are functional ground fault circuit interrupters (which can protect you from electrocution, electric shock and electrical burns) installed in areas like the bathrooms, kitchen, garage and outdoors. They will also check your electrical panel for any safety issues and check your electrical outlets to make sure they do not present a fire hazard.
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) – The inspector will look at your HVAC system to estimate the age of the furnace and air conditioner, determine if they function properly and recommend repairs or maintenance. An inspector can also give you an idea of the age of the home’s ducting, whether it might have leaks, if your home has sufficient insulation to minimize your energy bills and whether there is any asbestos insulation.
• Water heater – The home inspector will identify the age of the heater and determine if it is properly installed and secured. The inspector will also let you know what kind of condition it is in and give you a general idea of how many years it has left.
• Kitchen appliances – The inspector will sometimes check kitchen appliances that come with the home to make sure they work, but these are not always part of the inspection. Be sure to ask the inspector which appliances are not included so that you can check them yourself. (Energy-efficient appliances can save you big bucks. Read Ten Ways To Save Energy And Money to learn more.)
• Laundry room – The inspector will make sure the laundry room is properly vented. A poorly maintained dryer-exhaust system can be a serious fire hazard.
• Fire safety – If the home has an attached garage, the inspector will make sure the wall has the proper fire rating and that it hasn’t been damaged in any way that would compromise its fire rating. They will also test the home’s smoke detectors. (Learn more about protecting your home from fire in Insurance Tips For Homeowners.)
• Bathrooms – The inspector will check for visible leaks, properly secured toilets, adequate ventilation and other issues. If the bathroom does not have a window and/or a ventilation fan, mold and mildew can become problems and moisture can warp wood cabinets over time.

Home Inspection Shortcomings
A home inspection can’t identify everything that might be wrong with the property – it only checks for visual cues to problems. For example, if the home’s doors do not close properly or the floors are slanted, the foundation might have a crack - but if the crack can’t be seen without pulling up all the flooring in the house, a home inspector can’t tell you for sure if it’s there.

Furthermore, most home inspectors are generalists - that is, they can tell you that the plumbing might have a problem, but then they will recommend that you hire an expert to verify the problem and give you an estimate of the cost to fix it. Of course, hiring additional inspectors will cost extra money. Home inspectors also do not check for issues like termite damage, site contamination, mold, engineering problems and other specialized issues. (Learn how to find qualified experts in The Better Business Bureau’s Tool Belt For Saving Cash.)

After the Inspection
Once you have the results of your home inspection, you have several options.

• If the problems are too significant or too expensive to fix, you can choose to walk away from the purchase, as long as the purchase contract has an inspection contingency.
• For problems large or small, you can ask the seller to fix them, reduce the purchase price, or to give you a cash credit at closing to fix the problems yourself - this is where a home inspection can pay for itself several times over. (Read 10 Tips For Getting A Fair Price On A Home.)
• If these options aren’t viable in your situation (for example, if the property is bank-owned and being sold as-is), you can get estimates to fix the problems yourself and come up with a plan for repairs in order of their importance and affordability once you own the property. (To learn more, read Do-It-Yourself Projects To Boost Home Value.)

Bottom Line
A home inspection will cost you a little bit of time and money, but in the long run you’ll be glad you did it. The inspection can reveal problems that you may be able to get the current owners to fix before you move in, saving you time and money. If you are a first-time homebuyer, an inspection can give you a crash course in home maintenance and a checklist of items that need attention to make your home as safe and sound as possible. Don’t skip this important step in the home-buying process - it’s worth every penny.

by Amy Fontinelle, (Contact Author | Biography)

Amy Fontinelle earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to writing for Investopedia, Amy also has her own personal finance website, Two Pennies Earned, which makes it easy and fun to save more, earn more and be financially secure both today and in the future. Amy is also a special contributing writer to the website Personal Finance Advice. When she’s not writing, Amy enjoys photography, traveling and trying new restaurants. To learn more about Amy, please visit her personal site.

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You wake up unusually early one winter morning to discover that your furnace stopped working during the night. What would you do next?

Many of you would call a repair man to come over and get your furnace working again. He arrives at your home an agonizing thirty minutes later. He spends five minutes examining your thermostat and furnace then walks over to the main electrical panel and resets one of the breakers and the furnace begins working again. At this time he charges you $95.00!

What if you did the following before you made that phone call?

1. Check the thermostat to see if it is in “HEAT” mode and set at the proper temperature.
2. Check the service switch located on the side or above the furnace to see if it is in the “ON” position.
3. Check the gas valve located in the pipe leading to the furnace to see if it is in the “ON” position.
4. Check the gas valve located inside the furnace to see if it is in the “ON” position.
5. Check the access panel located at the blower compartment of the furnace to see if it is secure and engaging the safety switch located behind the panel.
6. Check the fuse/breaker labled “FURNACE” located in the main electrical panel to see if it is in the “ON” position.

We take so many modern convieniences for granted that we can feel completely helpless when something stops working. If we take a few minutes to think about how a thing works we can usually minimize the level of discomfort we experience and save a considerable amount of money.

I love everything about it. Cutting up the trees, splitting the logs, stacking the wood, and building the fire. It is so rewarding for me to know that I provided comfort for my family once again with my own two hands.

When I think of a “Fireplace” I envision the traditional stone or brick fireplaces that we see everywhere this time of year. You know, the ones Santa drops down. Typically these have a large, open firebox made of steel or brick with a damper above it and an ash pit below it, a concrete or ceramic hearth in front of the opening, and a stone or brick chimney with sections of clay tile inside going up the wall outside. Some have spark screens or doors in front of the opening as well.

Here is how a fireplace works. Logs burn inside the firebox creating heat. The heat warms the room and also creates a draft that pulls the smoke from the fire up and out of the chimney. The damper above the firebox is adjustable so that the draft can be regulated. The ash pit below provides a temporary place to store leftover ashes after a fire has burned out. The hearth acts as a shield preventing any stray sparks from landing on the floor and burning it. Screens and doors prevent sparks from escaping out of the firebox as well.

When inspecting a fireplace I start inside and first look at the hearth. It should extend at least eighteen inches into the room and be made of some type of non-combustible material. Next I examine the firebox for signs of deteriorated mortar and loose bricks. I then check the operation of the damper and determine how much creosote has accumulated. Outside I examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of deteriorated mortar and loose masonry. Finally, I look down inside the chimney from above for signs of blockages, broken or misaligned tiles and creosote buildup.

CREOSOTE = Creosote is a dark brown / black tar-like substance that accumulates inside the throat and chimney of all wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves. It can ignite and cause a dangerous chimney fire. Chimney should be cleaned when creosote becomes 1/8th of an inch thick.

Note – Hardwoods, such as Oak, Maple, Birch, Walnut burn better than softwoods.

Stay warm,

Duane

If you would like more information about Fireplaces, Wood Stoves or Chimneys please feel free to contact me