Do Home Inspectors Go In The Attic

Attic inspections aren t usually foremost on a homebuyer s mind but there are a lot of good reasons for them to get up there or send their home inspector to take a look around.

Do home inspectors go in the attic.

While it might be possible for a slim 20 year old to wiggle between truss cords and ducts in a low attic most home inspectors are neither young or trim. Insulation is rated using an r value. The higher the r value the better insulation you have from heat loss. A home inspector can t.

If they aren t inspectors are not required to gain entry by heroic means. Attics in homes with a low roof pitch do not have sufficient height for an inspector to move around. Most people don t make a habit of going up into their attic and so they have no idea what is going on up there. An attic reflects the history of a home.

A warm home needs attic insulation but a well sealed insulated crawlspace means warmer winter months for the homeowner. Because few homeowners want to crawl or scoot underneath the house defects might go undetected for years. Or the homeowner might have a bureau placed in front of an attic door. Another thing the home inspector can do is go into the attic and give a thorough visual check without causing damage.

Before closing on a home the home inspector should examine the attic for structural damage. For example a past renovation might seal up an attic access panel in the ceiling entirely. As with any other part of a home inspection attics must be accessible. Home inspectors will check every part of the house that they can get to and the attic has several things they will be looking for.

The inspection will reveal outdated insulation. Basically the idea is to alert the buyer of any safety issues defects and problems in need of immediate attention. The exterior inspection of the roof is critical but the attic can provide evidence of current or past water entry that may not be evident anywhere else in the house. Your home inspection should include a check of the insulation in the attic.

One place that we don t often go to that a home inspector will go to is the attic. Since the attic like the crawlspace is a place the home owner rarely goes there may be problems in the attic that are not known to the occupants of the property. Damage to the trusses and rafters can indicate that the home has shifted causing them to crack or break.