The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in most homes. With a home inspection from SDI, you have a better understanding of what you’re about to buy.

Here are the top four common kitchen problems we find during a home inspection:

#1: Vents That Go Nowhere

In many kitchens, the range vent is a decorative-only feature. The kitchen range vent should extract the steam and capture some of the airborne cooking grease. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean it works.  We check the range vent to learn if the fan switches on.  We inspect for evidence that it vents outside the house.

#2: Electrical Problems

The interior rooms of a house can tell you a lot about it. They can reveal critical structural issues that have managed to go undetected and that can cause you the potential homeowner a lot of money down the line.

Inspecting the home's interiors is important because a piece of drywall and a coat of paint can conceal a myriad of wiring, plumbing, ventilation and other construction or remodeling errors. Some of these errors are merely inconvenient, like a duct that isn't connected properly and causes a room to be chilly. Others can pose a serious threat to your home and your family, such as overloaded circuits and wiring that's placed too close to plumbing fixtures.

A thorough inspection of your home's interior will also focus on outlets, ceilings, built-in lighting fixtures, floors, windows, cabinets and counters.

Why is it important to inspect the attic?

The attic is an important part of your home's ventilation.  The attic insulates your home and it contains different safety systems - from electrical, to heating, to plumbing.  It is also a good place to inspect the structure of the home.

Heating  -  Vents and chimneys may run through the attic.  This may be a problem if they are blocked or not properly secured.  It may lead to hot air escaping into the attic and causing moisture build up.  Metal chimneys may rust from condensation.

Electrical  -  Electrical wires should be securely attached to wooden beams and tucked out of the way.  Poorly secured or exposed wires can be a target for rodents causing a hazard.

Plumbing  -  Air leaks around plumbing stacks can cause a build up of moisture in the attic.  Kitchen and bathroom vents are known to have leaks and should be sealed.

Structure  -  The beams are looked over for broken, splitting or sagging.  Structural problems need to be addressed to ensure a safe home.

Insulation  -  The attic is the first place you loose heat so any damage or missing insulation is critical.

Termites are nasty visitors. They're almost invisible, completely silent and have the potential to cause extensive damage.

Just saying the word "termite" can make homeowners shudder, and for good reason. Termites are active in 49 of the 50 states (Alaska is too cold to sustain them), and cause more than $60 billion in property damage every year.

If you're buying a home, contact Scottsdale Desert Inspections to inspect for termites.  It could save you headaches later. Actually, if you're taking out a mortgage, there's a good chance the lender will require that you have a termite inspection (as well as a general home inspection) performed before the sale is finalized.

We also offer HVAC inspections.

These inspections are provided in our written. These types of inspections are perfect for HVAC second opinions and for homeowners who are looking to buy or sell a home. It is often more comprehensive in nature than a typical home inspection. Because your HVAC system investment is only second to your home’s roof, a thorough inspection gives homeowners the information they need when evaluating an HVAC system’s health and longevity.

1. Run a thermostat test
2. Inspect air filters
3. Evaluate proper airflow
4. Assess equipment condition
5. Check refrigerant levels
6. Check heater/furnace, gas connections and exhaust systems
7. Check the blower motor
8. Check safety equipment, surge protectors and failsafes are enabled
9. Look for any pest infestations in the equipment

If a house needs a new roof it could complicate a sale.  Roof issues should be addressed before closing on a home sale.

Typically a home’s roof needs to be replaced every 20 to 25 years, depending on roofing materials and the quality of the installation. While small repairs may be needed before that time.  Home buyers looking at houses older than 25 years will certainly need to replace the roof.

When the home inspector sees damage.

The Standards of Practice of InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) does not require the inspector actually walk on the roof, but allows him to observe the roof from the ground. It is likely to only see serious roof damage.  If the home inspector sees roof damage, they may recommend a full roof inspection.  Generally it will be difficult to secure insurance or a mortgage until it is repaired

When a roof inspection is requested prior to closing.

Home Inspection Checklist – Exterior

If you’re a home buyer or real estate agent and you’d like to conduct your own cursory home inspection.  When SDI inspects the home exterior, we work from a list of critical items

This covers many of the most likely and potentially expensive problems.

• Roof Problems
  • Curled Shingles
  • Severely Deteriorated Shingles
  • Cracks in shingles
  • Hack patch job
  • Loose shingle
  • Mis-matched shingles
  • Slipping Shingles
  • Sliding Shingles
  • Damaged shingles
• Chimney Problems
  • Missing bricks at chimney
  • Cracked chimney
  • Neapolitan chimney
• Siding
  • Cracked hardboard siding
  • Hardboard siding rotted and patched
  • Rotted hardboard siding
  • Severely rotted hardboard siding
  • Defects with newer stucco siding
  • Stains below windows
• Windows
  • Rotted Windows
  • Rotted Aluminum Clad Windows
  • Rotted Aluminum Window
• Water Management
  • Proper gutters, downspouts, and downspout extensions.
  • Ground sloping away from house
  • Roof Lines
  • Water concentrated against house
• Decks
  • Rotted deck joists
  • Sagging Deck
  • Guardrails