What a Home Inspection Does/Does Not Cover

You’ve gotten your finances in order, straightened up your credit and finally saved enough money to purchase that Southern Maryland home.  You’ve searched and searched and believe you have find the perfect property to settle down in.  Now, you need a home inspection.  This is true whether the home is 50 years old or is still waiting for the paint to dry.  But, have you wondered what exactly a home inspection does and does not cover? 

What a Home Inspection Covers
According to the American Society of Home Inspections (ASHI), a standard home inspection covers the condition of the following areas of a house:

• Heating system
• Central air conditioning system (if weather permits)
• Interior plumbing
• Electrical systems
• Roof
• Attic
• Walls
• Ceiling
• Floors
• Basement
• Windows
• Doors
• Foundation
• Visible insulation
• Any structural components (such as beams)

What a Home Inspection Does Not Cover
While it is important to know what a home inspection does cover, it is equally important to know what it does not cover.  A Southern Maryland home buyer must be aware, for example, that a home inspector is only required to inspect what is visible.  That means that, if there is any debris, snow, personal property, etc, covering an area, the inspector is not required to move it in order to inspect what is behind it.  That could mean that potential problems could be missed and the inspector cannot be held liable for it.

Also, a home inspector is not required to report on possible hazardous plants or animals on the property.  This includes reporting any wood-destroying organisms, such as mold, termites, bees, ants or wasps.

Just because an inspection finds that there may be issues that will cost a buyer time and money doesn’t mean that the Southern Maryland home you have your eyes on isn’t worth purchasing.  On the contrary, the purpose of a home inspection is to give you a better idea of what you can expect once you buy the home.  Some costs can be negotiated into your contract with the seller, such as a costly roof repair.  The home inspection will allow you to determine if it is worth your time, money and effort to fix up what needs to be done.  Remember that just about all properties for sale need repairs of some kind. 

It is extremely important that you find a Southern Maryland home inspector you can trust.  That is why the ASHI recommends that you contact a licensed home inspection professional from their list.  This will help give you the peace of mind that your home inspector is professionally trained to identify potential problems in the Southern Maryland home you are interested in purchasing.  Knowing what a home inspection does and does not cover can make the difference in whether you own a piece of the American dream or have it turn into a nightmare.  Contact me for all your Southern Maryland real estate needs.

Bonnie Augostino, your Southern Maryland real estate specialist