Preparing your home for selling or preparing yourself for home buying requires extensive time and work. The financial aspect alone can be overwhelming.
However, ensuring the home is in good condition goes a long way, beyond curb appeal. Major hazards can be revealed at the time of the buyer’s inspection.
Fixing anything that could cause your home to be on the market for longer than expected or deter potential buyers is based on your home’s history, current state, and proactiveness. On the other hand, you wouldn’t want to purchase a home to later discover that the basement floods on a rainy day or that radon is seeping through gigantic cracks in the foundation.
Before jumping into the home selling process, your home could need renovation or repair that will ultimately benefit you later. This information could also keep you from purchasing a home where major hazards were previously overlooked and not documented.
Gas Furnaces
Furnaces have come a long way, and most homeowners have gas furnaces that are both energy-efficient and reliable.
Carbon monoxide is an undetectable and deadly gas produced from burning fuel, most commonly when a gas furnace’s filter is not regularly changed or the vents are not properly working. Unmanaged furnaces are also a fire hazard and can cause a gas leak, increasing the chances of a furnace explosion.
Evaluating your furnace for warning signs that it is no longer working or that it may be the source of poisonous carbon monoxide is one of the ways to assess a home. There are three takeaways to keep in mind of a faulty gas furnace:
- Expensive energy bills
- Red, orange, or yellow flames instead of blue
- Ongoing flu-like health issues
Checking for these warning signs is a simple task that can protect both you and your home.
Fire Hazards
Another hazard is the threat of a home fire. Improper or old electrical wiring or heating problems, such as space heaters in close proximity to combustible materials, are some of the top causes of home fires.
Fires can start quickly and be difficult to extinguish depending on the source. Minimizing risks is your best defense against future tragedies, especially when preparation and knowledge can greatly decrease this hazard.
Working smoke detectors are a key prevention tool for home fires. The U.S. Fire Administration advises changing your smoke alarm every 10 years and replacing batteries at least once a year.
They also state that three-fifths of all home fire deaths result from fires in homes that do not have smoke detectors and the risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half.
When installing electrical wiring, you should always hire a professional. According to the National Fire Protection Association, electrical safety is a national concern. Faulty wiring is “ranked first in direct property damage, and third among the major fire causes in the number of home fires, fourth in home fire deaths, and tied for third in home fire injuries.” This is a reminder to correctly install and renovate your home, especially when the home buying process could uncover fire sources.
Asbestos
For homes more than 40 years old, there may be asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). Asbestos is a carcinogen that was used as an additive and in insulation because it was fire-resistant, durable, and sound-proof.
Products to be mindful of in the home include popcorn ceilings, adhesives, bonds, or even asbestos tiles in floors and walls. Homebuyers who want to renovate a room should hire a professional asbestos abatement specialist to mitigate exposure.
It took a long time before lung-related health conditions were connected to asbestos exposure.
Mesothelioma is one of these conditions that can occur where malignant tumors grow on internal organs. Asbestos is not safe to handle and once released into the air, it poses real and lasting symptoms.
Termites
The structure and foundation of your home are critical. Discovering termite damage can be devastating, as damage may be irreparable. Homes that have lots of wood materials are vulnerable to termites and infestation can lead to rotting or deterioration, causing a home to be unsafe.
Termite damage could cause temporary or permanent problems, depending on the location, severity, and time when you find the destruction. Although wood is the primary target for termites, they are known to invade homes with metal siding and plaster as well.
While termite damage “costs Americans more than $5 billion in damage each year and most insurance plans don’t cover the damage,” professional inspection can address this hazard. This may be something that homeowners will need to inspect prior to selling or a good issue to check before buying an older home.
Conclusion
Leaving these hazards unresolved could make your home unsellable. If you are purchasing a home, unresolved hazards could mean the home is uninhabitable.
Additionally, making sure you stay on top of these four potential issues might save you money in the long run. Depending on how you go about your home buying or selling process, this information could be hidden.
Other impressions like paintwork, clutter (that could be concealing damage), or decaying home materials could be signs of greater hazards.
Ideally, the home process can be smooth, but neglecting issues will be a huge setback. A second opinion from a licensed expert can help you to identify home flaws.
The more you know about the safety of your home, the more you can take precautions and protect yourself.