When should I call a home inspector?

I'm often asked when it's time to call a home inspector. Since you're asking the question, then that's the first sign that you may need an inspector.

In certain cases, it just makes good sense to call a professional home inspector. For instance, I was recently asked to help solve a problem with a water leak. The house was located on the Jersey shore and every spring just as it was getting hot, a water stain would develop on the kitchen ceiling. I was called in after numerous contractors had charged hundreds of dollars to "repair" the leak. The general contractor replaced the window and flashing around the window in the bathroom over the kitchen. The plumber had replaced the internal components (guts) of the bathtub faucet and water supply lines. The second plumber replaced the bathtub drain pipe and repaired the loose toilet. The roofer had quoted some thousands of dollars to tear off and replace the 5-year old conventional shingle roof.

At the point I was called, the homeowner was understandable quite frustrated. All of these professionals had "found" and repaired the source of the problem, yet the stain on the kitchen ceiling continued. Before they re-shingled the roof, they decided to have a professional home inspector come and inspect the house. After careful inspection of the house, it was noted that the air handler for the air conditioner was in the attic and a tear in the insulation around the suction line caused condensation to develop when the unit was turned on. The small amount of condensation was dripping and showed up two floors down on the kitchen ceiling. An $8 new insulation pipe wrap solved the problem much to the homeowners delight.

I recently bumped into the homeowner and I inquired about the kitchen ceiling. They had repainted and the leak had disappeared. They couldn't stop thanking me.

If you are in doubt, give us a call. Phone consultations are free and we're happy to discuss your problem and what we think will help solve it.