Home Ownership Preparation :: Home Inspection Tools
Home Inspection Tools:
Different Kinds of Home Inspection Tools
The Essentials
Home inspection tools encompass a wide variety of equipment. After all, it’s not like you are checking out a car, and just need some mechanic’s tools. No, a house has structural members, an electrical system, plumbing, etc. So, home inspection tools must be flexible enough to cover all these aspects of the building.
To start with, you need pen and a pad; you’re going to need to make notes and a good flashlight to check out those ducts, crawlspaces etc. Next, some basic tools: screwdriver, pry bar, mirror, ladder etc. to allow you to pop open ducts, peel back loose siding, climb up to check the eaves etc. so you can look for rot, decay etc.
Basic Devices
Then there are the mechanical home inspection tools you will need. Depending on the heating system the house has, you may need a carbon monoxide detector. At the very least, you will need an electrical tester to check all the outlets. Also, a gas / refrigerant detector can warn you if the appliances are leaking.
If the home has central air conditioning, an indoor air quality device is handy. Along the same lines as that, a hygrometer will allow you to measure the humidity of the house. This can be an early warning that the air conditioner is not working right.
There are also home inspection tools that can help you check out the houses water system. A simple pressure gauge will let you know how well the water is flowing. Also, a water test kit will allow you to determine how “hard” the water is.
This is important because water that is too hard will cause the pipes to clog faster, will wear out the hot water heater quicker, and will require more soap to get things clean; either people bathing or clothes in the washing machine.
Top of the Line
If you truly want the best of the best in terms of home inspection tools, then some sort of thermal imaging system is the ticket. They are expensive, but they allow you to get an in-depth look inside a house to check for any major problems. Still, even with some basic home inspection tools, you can do a decent job, so long as you know what to look for.
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Home-Ownership-Preparation.com :: Home Inspection Tools