Is hiring a home inspector worth it?

BY DAVID MACK
Courtesy Chicago Sun Times

Typically, real estate contracts contain a provision giving homebuyers a set number of days, usually five, in which to have a home inspection completed.
The importance of exercising that right can't be overemphasized.
The trained eye of a professional home inspector is much more adept than that of the average homebuyer at detecting flaws, said Frank Lesch, president of the Great Lakes Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Home inspectors find problems that buyers can require sellers to repair or that may help them negotiate a lower price. They also can uncover problems serious enough to squelch the deal. And inspectors are knowledgeable about home maintenance and will offer tips on repair and upkeep as they conduct their inspections.
Lesch is owner of Home Sweet Home Inspection Company of Indian Head Park. He recently completed an inspection on a vacant, 70-year-old 3-bedroom bungalow in Berwyn.
Lesch met in the kitchen with prospective buyers of the house, John and Susan Fleming, transplanted Iowans, now of Oak Park, and their agent, Mary Howell of Gloor Realty, also in Oak Park.
Howell had worked as a buyer's agent with Lesch on earlier deals and knew that he had discovered, among other flaws, structural and carbon monoxide problems. She found him to be very thorough in his work. "Home inspections protect the buyer, the seller and the Realtor so you want a good one," Howell said. Susan said she and her husband had been serious home seekers for about a month after finding out she was expecting their first child.
Before starting the examination, Lesch asked the Flemings if they had any concerns and John expressed particular worries about the plumbing and electrical wiring.
As the couple followed along, Lesch conducted the inspection. He urged the Flemings to ask as many questions as possible.
First, he set up radon testing equipment--an ion chamber--in the basement. The results wouldn't be known for two days.
In the kitchen, he explained about lead-based paint, evidenced by peeling paint around the windows. He explained the danger it posed to children through inhaling dust or eating chips. Wipe up dust, don't vacuum it, using a rag with a detergent, he said. Then throw the rag away.
Wear and tear
Lesch suggested monthly testing of the ground fault circuit interrupters installed in the kitchen and bathroom outlets. Sometimes they break, he warned. "You think you're protected and you're not," he said.
He pointed out small cracks in the ceiling and wall plaster but minimized their implications. "Very seldom are they a sign of structural problems so don't be alarmed," he said.
In the dining room and a basement bedroom, Lesch found two electrical outlets had reverse polarity as the result of incorrect wiring. In this condition, touching the metal threads of a light bulb would result in a shock. "The good news is that it's really easy to fix," he said. "You open the outlets and reverse the wires."
He pointed out a BB hole along with some linear cracking in front casement windows and broken counterweight ropes in several of the double-hung windows elsewhere.
Water marks
In the bathroom, Lesch used a moisture meter on the floor around the toilet and against the shower wall tiles but detected no unusual dampness.
However, in the bathtub the spigot was below the overflow level. This could cause dirty water to be sucked back into the spigot if a water main broke. That would result in contamination of the immediate neighborhood's drinking water supply. "What they typically do is retrofit these old tubs," to correct the problem, he said.
Lesch estimated there were about 3 to 4 inches of insulation in the floor but none was visible between the rafters. While this lack of overhead insulation might contribute to heat loss, it prevented condensation buildup in the attic. He warned the Flemings, "If you increase insulation, you have to increase ventilation."
Below ground
Lesch spends most of his time inspecting the basement. Earlier in the day, a pest specialist had discovered some old termite tubes. There seemed to be no active infestation, however.
There was no evidence of water seepage from overhead or outside. The hydronic boiler was relatively new and tested negatively for carbon monoxide leaks inside the house. Lesch explained the operation of the heating equipment and advised John to oil the boiler circulating pumps. "Two drops, twice a year," he said.
The main fuse box contained 100-amp service and Lesch checked to see that copper instead of aluminum wire was in use. It was. A few oversize fuses were in place and he warned against using them.
Outside, Lesch noted another termite tube along an inside garage wall but it had been abandoned when the voracious insects found only mortar to chew on. The two chimneys and the house's brickwork manifested some spalling and the need for tuck-pointing. A large fir tree overhanging one chimney mouth required pruning.
The downspouts drained underground, a condition that could lead to basement seepage if any of the sub-surface tiles broke. "I'd prefer to see it above ground," Lesch said.
After the 2-1/2 hour inspection, Lesch summarized his findings and underscored the uncertain termite situation as the worst potential problem. He suggested that a pest-control expert be hired to probe behind the walls and floors to determine the extent, if any, of the damage.
As the couple left to go back to Howell's office to plot strategy, Lesch gave them a copy of his report and a maintenance schedule for the upkeep of the house.
Because the house is brick, the Flemings decided to go ahead with the purchase without having further inspection for termite damage.