Home Inspection Articals

96 East Main Street Rockaway , NJ 07866           888-US-INSPECT

Home Inspector Of Record: Daniel Helmstetter NJ Licensed Home Inspector Lic. # 24GI00012800

Understanding The Home Inspection in New Jersey

A home inspection is "a visual, functional, non-invasive inspection conducted without moving property, furniture, equipment, plants, soil, snow, ice, or debris, using the mandatory equipment and including the preparation of a home inspection report of the readily accessible elements of the following components of a residential building: structural components, exterior components, roofing system, plumbing system, electrical system, heating system, cooling systems, interior components, insulation components and ventilation system fireplaces and solid fuel burning appliances or any other related residential housing component as determined by the Board, in consultation with the Committee, by rule, but excluding recreational facilities and outbuildings other than garage or carports."

You can anticipate the inspection will identify material defects that are visibly present at the time of inspection. Inspections do not include cosmetic aspects of the home.

What is a Material Defect?

According to the State of NJ, a material defect is a condition, or functional aspect, of a structural component or system that is readily ascertainable during a home inspection that substantially affects the value, habitability or safety of the dwelling, but does not include decorative, stylistic, cosmetic, or aesthetic aspects of the system, structure or component.

How Long Will The Home Inspection Take?

The average home inspection usually requires about two to three hours.

Item Inspected

The purpose of a home inspection is to complete a visual evaluation of the accessible major structural and functional components of the building that are the following: roofing system, foundation and framework, the major plumbing, heating, electrical systems; and an evaluation of the interior and exterior surface and functional components. major structural and functional components of the building that are the following: roofing system, foundation and framework, the major plumbing, heating, electrical systems; and an evaluation of the interior and exterior surface and functional components.

• There is no accurate method to determine exactly how long a particular system or component is going to last.  This is due to a number of reasons: the geographic area; the physical location of the units; and the climate and weather.  This is similar to asking how long a car lasts.  There are too many variables to determine the life span of items that need maintenance and have thousands of integral components.
  
  
  For example, with heating systems, many factors can directly affect the life span of the appliance.  If the furnace is located in an unconditioned crawlspace or in the attic, the elevated humidity levels can rapidly cause heat exchangers to prematurely rust.  In addition, when furnaces are used in the colder months, the differences between the low air temperature and the high temperature of the heat exchanger can cause expansion/contraction cracking that can lead to leaks in the heat exchanger.
  
  
  Roofs, on the other hand, can be affected by factors like the amount of direct sunlight, adequacy of attic ventilation, number of layers of roofing material, as well as the quality of the roofing material itself. Climate and weather can affect the life of the roof also.  For instance, in the west and southwest parts of the U.S., asphalt composition shingles have a tendency to last no more than 10 to 15 years on average, whereas in the northeastern states and around the Great Lakes area, the same roofing material can last 18 to 22 years or longer.

Changes to these reports and other information on this web site can be added, changed, outdated, or deleted at anytime. 

 

General Home Inspection FAQ's How Do You Solve Any Water In The Basement Problem? 1. 98% of all water in the basement problems are due to surface water. Water that enters the basement or crawlspace is directed toward the walls of the home by the surface grades. The roof water management system, typically gutters and downspouts, will contribute to water intrusion if they are not installed or designed properly.   2. The solution to these problems is to develop dense soil (clay) grades that slope away from the walls of the house at a rate of 1/2" per foot or more for at least 6' to 10'. Soft soils, such as topsoil, mulch and wood chips, do not shed water and will not solve the problem. Soft soils should be installed after the dense soils are in place and compacted.   3. The remaining 2% of water in the basement problems are due to a high water table.   4. The basements should not have been built with below grade areas. The solution involves comprehensive pumping systems that are designed to constantly draw water away from the home.     How Do I Know If An Inspector Is Really Licensed? Some question you can ask to determine if an inspector is licensed: 1. Are you licensed by the State of NJ to conduct home inspections?   2. Do you have a NJ Home Inspector license number? A NJ license home inspector number will have a prefix of 24GI followed by an 8-digit assigned number.   3 Do you have your NJ licensed home inspector card for verification? NJ licensed home inspectors receive a laminated photo ID license card with the NJ State Seal imprinted on the back. Something to look for. NJ licensed home inspectors who do not utilize commercial vehicles have placards in their windshields, which display their name, license number, and inspection business name.