As I’ve been doing home inspections in Wichita, Kansas I’ve found some information that I thought I’d share.
Keeping your inspection report clean is a good thing. Below are some of the top issues “called out” on a home inspection. These are recommendations for you to do prior to having a home inspection completed on the home you are selling.
So you need to sell your home because you found the home of your dreams! It’s time for a new chapter in life and you can’t be more excited for this profound moment. So what’s next?
What do you do the get your home ready to sell?
Being a home inspector and providing home inspections in Wichita and the surrounding area, I wanted to share the top 10 items that I see on almost every inspection I complete on a home. These are easy things you can do to your home to get it ready to sell and not have these “recommendations” present themselves on an inspection report.
Here are 10 common items reported on home inspections in Wichita Kansas.
1). Grading around the home!
You want to make sure that the grading around the home flows in a positive direction (away from the home). This can be accomplished by bringing in soil and placing it next to the foundation. The soil is recommended to slope away from the foundation, with a 6-inch drop in elevation, in the first 10 feet away from the structure (5% grade).
2). Sealing and caulking around windows, doors, and where different siding materials connect!
A silicone sealant is recommended for sealing areas consisting of different building materials, vertical and horizontal trim areas. Sealing these areas is a good practice to get into for your new home as well. Keeping water from getting behind your siding is crucial for the longevity of your siding and framing behind the siding material.
3). Wall protrusions sealed and tight!
This may be tightening your spigot connection to the siding or sealing the area where your AC lines go into the home. You want to make sure there are no gaps around the systems to go from interior of the home to the exterior. Make sure that your dryer vent exhaust vent is tight against the home as well. Speaking of dryer vents!
4). Make sure your dry vent does not have a screen or is missing louvers!
Your exterior exhaust for your dryer vent should not have a screen present. This screen can block lint from escaping the vent and it is a potential fire hazard. The best type of dryer covers are the type the have the gravity flaps in place. This allows air to exit and minimal air to enter. This also helps with insect entry as well.
5). Make sure the downspouts extend away from the foundation of the home!
I find this on 90% of the home I inspect. The downspouts are not extended away from the foundation. Keeping the exit pint for rainwater close to the foundation is not a good thing. Just like mentioned earlier with grading, your want to keep water as far away from the foundation as possible. Adding downspout extensions is an easy way to eliminate potential wet basement or crawl space and it will also keep the inspection report clean!
6). Dishwasher Drain not having a “High Loop”!
A high loop prevents wastewater back-flowing from your sink to your dishwasher. If the drain hose is not elevated, there is a potential for water to run the wrong way through your drain hose and can cause standing water at the bottom of your dishwasher. This is an easy fix! This can be done with a command hook and a bread tie!
7). Smoke alarms are not present in all bedrooms!
Smoke alarms are recommended to be installed in each sleeping room, outside of each sleeping room(s), and one per level including habitable attics and basements. This is a safety item that can be eliminated from the inspection report. Most of the time I find smoke alarms in the hallway (outside of bedrooms) but, not actually in the bedroom itself. You can find these at any box store and some are battery operated as well. If you have never changed out your smoke alarms or if you know they are over 8-10 years of age, these need to be changed out for safety. More information can be found here. http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/smoke-alarms/installing-and-maintaining-smoke-alarms
8). Anti-tip bracket missing on the oven!
This is another safety item that is easy to install. An anti-tip bracket prevents the range from tipping over if weight is applied to an open oven door, such as a child stepping or sitting on the door. Ovens contain a warning label on the inside of the oven door with more information. This bracket can be purchased at home improvement stores for approximately $10.
9). GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) not installed and or upgraded to today’s standards!
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is a protection feature that allows a circuit or receptacle to “trip” or “shut off” if a differential is detected between the “hot” and “neutral” wires in a receptacle. These are the receptacles with the “test” and “reset” buttons on them.
This protection is recommended for receptacles within 6 feet of the edge of a sink, or where something plugged into a receptacle could come into contact with water, including bathrooms, kitchens, on the exterior, in garages, laundry rooms, and basements and crawl spaces. Although GFCI protection may not have been required in some or all of these areas when the home was built, their installation is highly recommended and is typically inexpensive.
10). Toilets have a loose connection to the floor!
When we inspect the toilet area of the bathrooms we give the toilet a little nudge to make sure it has a tight connection. If the toilet is loose it can hinder a proper connection between the wax ring and toilet flange, which could allow for leaking. Tightening these can be an easy fix but, making sure the connection is tight and there is no damage to the wax ring would more than likely need to be done by a licensed plumber.
Home Inspections In Wichita, Kansas
I hope this helps with a few items that you can look for at your home before it hits the market. Repairing and or updating these 10 items will keep the inspection report looking clean and make all potential buyers know that you have kept your home as safe as possible during the ownership of the home.
When you have an inspection on your new home, make sure the home inspector looks for these components as well. You will now have the knowledge to make the recommendations yourself!
If you are looking for home inspections in Wichita, Kansas, or the surrounding areas, give Profound Home Inspections a call! (316) 744-5464
We know what makes a home a safe investment. We proudly offer thorough home inspections in Wichita, KS with a detailed report to assist you in making one of the biggest investments of your life.
Our company, Profound Home Inspections, takes pride in the relationships we build with our customers and the quality of work we provide to each of our clients. Using the leading techniques in the industry, we provide whole-home inspections in Wichita, & the surrounding areas that ensure you and your family are safe in your new home.
So when you’re looking to get home inspections in Wichita or any of the surrounding areas, remember to be profound.
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Once again, when you’re looking to get home inspections in Wichita, Kansas, or any of the surrounding cities or towns, remember to BE PROFOUND.
