Detecting Defects

Checking your home for defects is crucial to protect your finances, ensure your family's safety, and prevent minor issues from snowballing into major ones. Catching problems early will allow you to address them before they require expensive, large-scale emergency repair. Here's what to look for when checking your home: Water Damage (Ceilings & Walls): Look for stains, discoloration, sagging, or peeling paint/wallpaper, which indicate leaks.

Structural Cracks: Identify cracks larger than ⅛ inch on walls or ceilings, particularly around door and window frames.

Moisture/Mold (Musty Odors): Inspect basements, crawl spaces, and bathrooms for dampness, efflorescence (white powdery deposits), or active mold growth.

Cracked grout in showers: This is a common, but urgent issue that can lead to water infiltration, structural damage, and mold if not fixed. The key is to replace broken grout immediately, particularly at corners and, where you should use flexible, waterproof silicone caulk rather than rigid grout.

Flooring & Trim: Check for water stains, warped wood, loose baseboards, or bowing, which often indicate underlying moisture issues.

Windows & Doors: Test functionality to ensure they open/close properly without sticking, and check for moisture between panes on double-pane windows, indicating a broken seal.

Plumbing (Under Sinks & Toilets): Check for active leaks, corrosion, or water stains indicating past issues.

Electrical Hazards: Look for, or listen to, flickering lights, discolored, hot-to-the-touch, or loose outlets.

HVAC Systems: Test that the thermostat controls both heating and cooling; check for dirty air filters and unusual noises.

Your home should be your biggest investment; not your biggest liability.