We are approaching the raining season in the Highland Lakes District. There is nothing like a good downpour to bring out physical flaws in a home.
Spring, which is fast approaching, is one of the busiest times of years for people looking to buy homes . Our recent rain storm caused quite a bit of damage to homes that needed upgrading. If you have your eye on a new home, getting that home inspected after a heavy rain is a very good idea.
Take the roof for instance. Heavy winds and rain loosened roof shingles on some residences. Other homes were affected with mud slides which caused the cement slabs under the structures to move, damaging the foundations.
Another area often not given a lot of attention to from homeowners is the crawlspace. Soil in a crawlspace might be damp after a heavy rain but should dry quickly with proper ventilation of the crawlspace area. A homeowner should never experience standing water in a crawlspace. It can indicate many things to include poor grading and drainage (both outside and/or in the crawlspace) or potential pipe leaks. Any water that does enter a crawlspace must be considered an issue and the reason discovered/corrected. It could be a simple correction, but you never know until the source is found.
Did water seep into the home in any other manner? Were doors and windows properly sealed to prevent the moisture from entering the house? These are all good reasons to get a home inspected after a rain.
A home inspector will look at other areas of the home including the air conditioning and heating units, appliances, and state of the plumbing and electrical systems.
Don’t get caught in the rain! Get a home you are interested in buying professionally inspected.
