| Home Inspection Tips from the Field � Scott | | | | Tip 4 �Floors & Walls |
| Home Inspection | | | | Are there drywall cracks > �� in |
| Five tips to quickly recognize serious structural | | | | size? Are there uneven floors near corners? |
| problems | | | | Tip 5 � Basement Foundation Crack |
| Serious structural problems in houses are not very | | | | Look for significant cracks both inside and outside on |
| common, but when they occur they can be difficult | | | | the foundation, particularly near corners, around |
| & costly to repair. These tips won�t turn | | | | windows, and any cracks that run the full length |
| you into a home inspector, but it will give you some | | | | vertically or a considerable length horizontally. |
| of the common indicators of structural concerns. In | | | | Summary: |
| these cases, a structural engineer should be called out | | | | Tip1 � Is the house obviously leaning? |
| to investigate further and provide a professional | | | | Tip 2 � Are there large external cracks? |
| opinion. | | | | Tip 3 � Are doors & windows sticking? |
| Tip 1 - Leaning House | | | | Tip 4 � Are walls cracked or floors uneven? |
| Take a macro-look at the home from across the | | | | Tip 5 � Are there basement cracks present? |
| street � is the house obviously tilting or | | | | Any of these may indicate a structural issue that |
| leaning, or one edge of the home separating? | | | | should be inspected or reviewed by a structural |
| Tip 2 � Exterior Walls & Entries | | | | engineer. Structural concerns when selling or |
| Look for areas of wall separation greater than | | | | purchasing a home are the most costly items you |
| �� in size | | | | can be faced with. Look closely at these areas, or |
| Check the Chimney area well - is the chimney | | | | ask you home inspector to focus on these areas in a |
| separating from the home? | | | | separate walk through of the home. If you |
| Tip 3 � Doors & Windows | | | | aren�t sure about something you see, have |
| Do doors and windows open freely? Look for cracks | | | | a structural engineer look at it. The cost of an |
| around the edges of windows and doors, and for | | | | inspection will be well worth the peace of mind in |
| sagging lintels on brick homes. | | | | knowing the severity and extent of the concern. |