What's Included in All Standard Home Inspections?

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All of our home inspectors are proud members of InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and WAHI, Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors. We abide by the WAHI Code of Ethics, as well as the Wisconsin Standards of Practice, which sets forth the minimum requirements for a home inspection. The list below incorporates the Wisconsin Standards of Practice, but also incorporates part of the Northwoods Property Inspections list of Best Practices for a home inspection. 

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Roofs

• Roof coverings, including type.

• Roof drainage systems.

• Flashings.

• Skylights, chimneys and roof penetrations.

• Signs of leaks or abnormal condensation on building components. 

Exterior

• Wall claddings, including type.

• Flashings and trim.

• Entryway doors and at least one window per side of a dwelling unit.

• Garage door operators, including whether any garage door operator automatically reverses or stops when meeting reasonable resistance during closing.

• Decks, balconies, stoops, steps and porches including railings.

• Eaves, soffits and fascias.

• Grading, drainage, driveways, patios, walkways, and retaining walls that abut the dwelling unit.

Foundation and Structure

• Foundation walls

• Crawl spaces

• Floor structure (posts, beams, joists, etc.)

• Signs of basement moisture / water intrusion are always a concern for buyers, and we always inspect for this. We use moisture meters to check for elevated moisture levels when they’re suspected.

Electrical

• Service entrance conductors.

• Service equipment, grounding equipment, main over current device.

• Main and distribution panels, including their location.

• Amperage and voltage ratings of the service, including whether service type is overhead or underground.

• Branch circuit conductors, their over current devices, and the compatibility of their ampacities and voltages, including any aluminum branch circuit wiring.

• The operation of a representative number of installed lighting fixtures, switches and receptacles located inside the house, garage and any exterior walls.

• The polarity and grounding of all receptacles within 6 feet of interior plumbing fixtures, in the garage or carport, and on the exterior of inspected structures.

• The operation of ground fault circuit interrupters.

• The functionality of the power sources for smoke detectors.

Plumbing

• Interior water supply and distribution system, including piping materials, supports, fixtures, faucets, functional flow and drainage, leaks and cross connections.

• Interior drain, waste and vent system, including traps, drain, waste, and vent piping, piping supports and leaks.

• Hot water systems, including water heating equipment, normal operating controls, automatic safety controls, and the exterior surfaces of chimneys, flues, and vents.

• Fuel storage and distribution systems, including interior fuel storage equipment, supply piping, venting, supports and leaks.

• Sump pumps.

Heating

• Heating equipment and distribution systems.

• Normal operating controls and energy source.

• Automatic safety controls.

• Exterior surfaces of chimneys, flues and vents.

• Solid fuel heating devices.

• The presence of an installed heat source in each room.

Cooling

• Cooling and air handling equipment, including type and energy source.

• Normal operating controls.

• The presence of an installed cooling source in each room.

Interior

• Walls, ceilings and floors.

• Steps, stairways, balconies and railings.

• Counters and all sink base cabinets.

• A random sample of doors and windows.

• Separation walls, ceilings, and doors between a dwelling unit and an attached garage or another dwelling unit.

• Signs of water penetration into the building or signs of abnormal or harmful condensation on building components.

Insulation and Ventilation

• The presence or absence of insulation in unfinished spaces.

• Ventilation of attics and foundation areas.

• Kitchen, bathroom, and laundry venting systems.

Garage

• Overhead doors

• Garage door openers

• All of the other stuff that most folks would probably expect; doors, stairs, walls, floor, electrical, etc.