Basement Inspection
As first time home buyers, a professional home inspection will significantly reduce your risk of buying a home for more than its actual worth, as it can detect early on any problems that may in time become costly issues to repair. It is important to have everything inspected, from the garage to the roofing system, to ensure the structural integrity of the home, but perhaps the most important part of home inspection is the basement inspection, i.e. checking the part of the house below the first floor.
The basement can be either a full headroom space, or a smaller crawl space with less than full headroom. In some cases, there are even finished rooms in the basement, while other times, under parts of some homes, there are inaccessible crawl spaces because of very low clearance or a lack of access opening. Also, a home can be built on a slab with no basement, or it can have a full basement, an accessible crawl space or an inaccessible crawl space. There are also homes with a combination of all of these.
During the basement inspection, your licensed home inspector should enter all accessible crawl spaces, because they often present problems. Your home inspector will need more time on site to properly inspect a home with crawl spaces, but most home inspection companies will inform you ahead of time of additional fees should the home inspection take longer than anticipated. If the home turns out to have a crawl space, the inspection will take longer so the inspector should be compensated for additional work.
If the central heating system or furnace was not on the first floor, it is likely in the basement. Special low profile furnaces are often found in low clearance or crawl spaces, and the main electrical panel is also often found in the basement. Your home inspector should locate the main electrical panel and inspect it thoroughly. In an unfinished basement or accessible crawl space, a licensed home inspector will inspect the floor structure for signs of moisture condensation, mildew, mold, fungus, rot and breakage.
However, there are several conditions that can interfere with a proper floor structure inspection. For instance, if there is insulation installed between floor joists, the home inspector will not be able to see all of the sub-floor and both sides of every floor joist and beam. In such cases, the floor insulation should be carefully pulled from selected areas under bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms, as well as under floors with above structure components, then put back in place afterwards.
Still, sometimes there are thorough insulation installations that cannot be removed without destroying their integrity, such as insulation supported on fiberglass mesh screen or polyethylene plastic and friction-fit rigid foam insulation. In such cases, such insulation systems should not be disturbed during a routine property inspection unless there is reason to believe that the floor structure concealed under is rotten or that there are basement waterproofing problems, evidence of water intrusion or sources of water penetration.
In addition, while checking for moisture condensation, mildew, mold, fungus and rot, licensed home inspectors will also be on the lookout for broken floor structure members. Rot weakens wood, an sometimes wood structural members split or break even in the absence of rot. For instance, deeply notched floor joist ends often split at the notch. Every joist end in the basement and crawl spaces should be inspected in order to find any split joist ends. However, in crawl spaces with restricted access and in basements full of stored personal property items this can be rather problematic.
When it comes to older houses, it is important to inspect the condition of the sub-floor where visible. A flat blade screwdriver will help the home inspector probe sub-floor boards, floor joists, beams and sills. By sinking the screwdriver blade in, the inspector can get a rough idea of the depth of rot. Still, probing of beams, joists and sub-floor boards can take a long time in some older homes, especially if rot is present. In addition, floor structures should also be checked for potential damage from wood destroying insects. There can be such infestations in attics, basements, crawl spaces, garages, barns, and even under cottages.
Providing Home Inspection Solutions - Basement Waterproofing
Licenced home inspectors will provide a consultative approach based on a solid home inspection checklist, but besides a detailed home inspection report they will also be providing home inspection solutions for any issues that may affect the structural integrity of the home.
If the inspector finds evidence of basement mold and mildew, you should hire a basement waterproofing contractor as soon as possible. Professionals will be able to help you get rid of mold by controlling the humidity and moisture in your basement. There are also lots of products on the market, such as bleach, that can kill mold and mildew, however they will not eliminate the problem. Such products only treat the symptom, not the cause, and only a proper basement waterproofing job can ensure mold will not reoccur.
While many home buyers believe fixing visible problems such as damp walls or mold is all you need to do before building that study or recreation room, hydrostatic pressure might beg to differ.
What Is Hydrostatic Pressure?
When water starts to build up more and more over the years as back-fill becomes saturated, it created hydrostatic pressure. This added weight creates an enormous amount force on the walls, so this pressure then pushes the water into your basement through cracks and joists, typically through the joint between the walls and the floor. Consequently, even if the basement has been dry for many years, depending on how well your footling and foundation was constructed you may face water penetration at some point.
Basement waterproofing will eliminate any sources of water penetration and protect your basement against water intrusion. Excessive moisture can in time lead to serious problems requiring costly repairs, so make sure to properly check the property for any such issues. The home inspector should examine the basement walls coverings, any sump pumps, look for drain issues and waterproofing problems, examine the drywall and provide a consultative approach on what your insurance will cover.