This is the fifth in a series of articles examining the top five issues often overlooked by inexperienced home inspectors.  This week we discuss “Moisture Issues.”

Issue #5 – Moisture Issues

Most home inspectors will quickly inspect crawl spaces and basements for standing water, but few will take the time and effort to perform thorough inspections.  Without inspecting the entire crawl space or basement, an inspector may not be able to determine the true extent of moisture issues in a home.  An experienced, thorough inspector will also inspect drainage and landscaping around the home to determine how and why moisture issues may be occurring in the crawl space or basement.

Symptoms such as dark spots in closets or on baseboards, a musty smell in the home or condensation on windows will tell an experienced home inspector that he or she should thoroughly examine the home for moisture issues, especially if the home has a crawl space.

Real world examples:  I recently inspected a home in Morgantown in which both a foundation repair company and a previous home inspector never even noted there was a small crawl space under part of the home.  During my inspections, I have also identified broken floor joists, termite tunnels and other issues that were apparently overlooked in previous inspections.  In a number of homes I inspected, I also found improper support between the main house foundation wall and the crawl space footer system.  In numerous home inspections, I have noticed a musty smell when I walked inside homes or identified biological growth with mold-like properties — and encouraged mold testing. The mold that was identified in these tests in multiple homes could be a serious health issue to the home’s occupants.    

Having performed over 20,000 home inspections during my career, I have found moisture issues in thousands of homes throughout the area.  Many of these issues — which can affect air quality as well as the longevity and integrity of the wood in the home — are often overlooked by inexperienced inspectors with little training.  Knowing what to look for requires extensive training and many years of experience.

For more information about moisture issues in homes or to schedule an inspection, contact Housebusters at 800-847-3500.