Home Inspections

Step 2
The Inspection
Home Systems

General Observations | Basements | Home Systems | Kitchen and Bath | The Exterior

Electrical Service
Determine the home's electrical capacity. On new circuit breaker or fuse boxes, the amperage is usually listed: 60, 100, 125, 150 or 200 amps. Residential capacity seldom exceeds 200 amps, even if almost everything is electric. Current codes usually require a minimum electrical capacity of 100 amps and in many jurisdictions, 150 or 200 amps. When a renovation includes electrical work, most jurisdictions require that the service be increased to the minimum requirement.
A 30­ or 60­amp service box will be small, often containing only two to four circuits. A 100 amp service, which was normal residential capacity from the early 1950s to about 1965, is adequate if the home has gas appliances rather than electric. A 150-amp service should be adequate unless the home is very large.

If more than one service box exists, and the main capacity from outside runs directly into the first box, the total capacity is usually that of the first box. However, a long, narrow covered box or trough may exist into which the outside cable runs. If there is a trough, the service is almost always adequate and, depending upon the size of the line coming in, has an electrical capacity of 150 to 200 amps.

If the main electric line comes into a 60 or 100 amp box, with one or more boxes wired in series with the first, it usually means that additional circuits have been run without increasing the capacity. This may be a code violation.

• When you check the fuse box, look at the size of the individual fuses. Both fuses and circuit breakers are designed to prevent circuit overload. The difference is that the circuit breaker switches off when overloaded and needs only to be switched back on. Fuses, on the other hand, blow out and must be replaced. In most homes with 60 amps or less, the circuits are 115 volt, with a maximum capacity of 15 or, at most, 20 amps. If you see 30 amp fuses, or all 20 amp fuses, chances are the fuses have been blowing frequently and the occupants have installed heavier fuses than are recommended or safe. If this is the case, the electrical service almost certainly needs upgrading.
• If you're inspecting an older home, check whether additional outlets have been installed. If you find a new 150 or 200 amp circuit breaker box, assuming the home has been rewired, and you discover there are only three to six circuit breakers in the box, the home has no new wiring even though total capacity exists.
• Most electrical codes require outlets every 12 feet or within six feet of any doorway so that extension cords more than six feet long are not needed. Homes built before World War II, with only one outlet per room, do not meet today's codes.
• Check to be sure that ground fault interrupter (GFI) outlets exist in bathrooms, garages, accessible outside decks and swimming pools. They are required by most codes. GFIs may soon be required in kitchens as well, on either side of the sink.
• Check to make sure that proper connectors have been installed on the outlets of aluminum wiring in homes built between 1960 and 1973.
• Note the presence or absence of smoke detectors.

Heating & Air Conditioning
When you inspect the heating system of an older home, you may find a hot water boiler with radiators. You can usually tell if the boiler is original equipment, the age of the home will indicate the age of the boiler. If a boiler is more than 30 years old, you should consider replacing it because it is near the end of its normal life cycle.
Hot water heating is considered to be a very acceptable type of heating system. Homeowners usually retain hot water heating even in very old homes unless a total renovation is done. Radiators tend to last indefinitely and the pipes seldom rust. If you look at a home that has been vacant over the winter, be sure to have the entire system tested professionally because it may need to be replaced if the pipes have frozen, cracked or burst.

In newer homes, you will usually find a warm air furnace with ducts. Warm air furnaces fueled by gas, oil or electricity are the most common types of heat used in homes today. The ductwork for a forced air system can also serve an air conditioning system making it the most economical original installation for both heating and cooling.
Make sure the system has a good humidifier that works by evaporation to prevent clogging because forced air heat is very dry. If the home has a basement humidifier, its heating costs will be lower. Humidifiers are often not maintained properly. A professional home inspector should be able to report if the system needs to be serviced.
Electric heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular because their operating costs are 30 to 35 percent less than other types of electric heat. Heat pumps work by transferring heat from outdoors to inside, like an air conditioner in reverse.

You may also find supplementary heaters in a home where the main system has not been extended to an enclosed porch, addition or finished attic. Operating costs are usually lower if heat can be extended from the main system to these areas. Many old homes do not have central heat at all or have antiquated or ineffective systems. If you find them, you should note them as problem areas.

You may also want to

• Identify the type(s) of heating and air conditioning systems in the home. Once you make the decision to purchase a home, we recommend that you have a professional inspector determine the condition and adequacy of the unit.
• Check to see if the system has ducts on the outside walls with both high and low registers and more than one return grill. If a home has high ducts or returns in every room, it's a high­quality system. If the system has only low ducts and one return grill on each floor, it will still provide adequate heating and cooling.
• Check to see if there is air conditioning. Central air conditioning is considered ideal although people are returning to individual air conditioning units to save money. Air conditioners have a normal life of eight to 15 years.

Plumbing
A solid, trouble­free plumbing system is a top priority for most homebuyers and is considered to be as important as a home's heating and electrical systems. You should inquire whether a home is on public water and sewer or has a well and private disposal system.

Water Heaters
There are three different types of water heaters: gas, electric and oil-fired. Check the capacity and installation date by reading the label affixed to the water heater.
Electric hot water heaters recover more slowly than gas heaters and must hold approximately 50 percent more to be equivalent. Oil­fired hot water heaters, with a typical 30­gallon capacity, are adequate for the average size family. These units normally last longer than others, but require more maintenance.

Check the age and size of hot water heaters to see if they've been recently replaced or are of greater than average capacity.

Pipes
The main water service coming into a home may be lead, galvanized or copper piping.
Lead is a confirmed toxin. Children under seven years old are especially susceptible. Lead pipes and lead solder used before 1986, when it was prohibited by the Environmental Protection Agency, result in elevated levels of lead in tap water. This can be a hazard, particularly to young children. There are simple and relatively inexpensive tests you can use to determine if your water contains unacceptable levels of lead.
Galvanized water pipes were used in most homes built before 1935. From 1935 to 1942, galvanized pipe was used in approximately half of all homes and in about 10 percent of the homes built since World War II. These pipes will gradually rust from the inside out as the opening gets smaller. Galvanized pipes located in the basement with heavy rust buildup at the joints or piecemeal replacement with copper may have deteriorated and need replacing. Galvanized pipe may need to be replaced if it is more than 40 years old.
Copper is generally considered the best. Copper pipes have been used in quality homes since 1935 and almost exclusively since World War II. Copper pipes have different degrees of thickness but will usually last throughout the life of the home.
Plastic water piping (CPVC) is most often used in recent years for interior piping. Compared to copper piping, it's very cost­effective. However, there have been problems with polybutylene piping used for main water service coming into the home. A professional home inspector should check for the use of CPVC for main water service and interior piping.

Be sure to check the water pressure in a home with galvanized pipes. Turn on more than one faucet in the kitchen or bath to see if the pressure drops as the second faucet goes on. If the first faucet stops, the pipes need immediate replacement. If the pressure drops a little, there's rust, but you can postpone changing the pipes depending upon your budget and the degree of renovation you are willing to undergo.

Waste Plumbing
In almost all cases, the presence of a leg tub in a bathroom indicates lead waste plumbing. If lead plumbing springs a leak, it cannot be repaired and must be replaced. Many local codes require that lead plumbing be changed if a bath is remodeled.

• Check to see whether the sewer pipe leaves the basement above floor level. Most sewer pipes go into the basement floor and out to the sewer, 10 feet below in the street. A working basement bath indicates the sewer pipe is below the floor level. A special pump is required to install a basement bath if the sewer line is above floor level. If you plan to convert the basement into an apartment or living unit, the presence of sewer lines above the floor will make the conversion difficult.
• Check with local health authorities or a plumber if you are looking at a home that does not have public water and sewer and is instead, served by a well and private disposal system. Most jurisdictions require that a new well have a concrete encasement to 20 or 30 feet below ground level to prevent ground water pollution.
• Besides checking the existing private disposal system, be sure there is sufficient suitable area with proper percolation for a new system. You should also find out the availability and costs of a public water and sewer system.

General Observations | Basements | Home Systems | Kitchen and Bath | The Exterior

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