Ten Things Commonly Scrutinized by Buyers and Home Inspectors:

1) Improper Surface Grading and Drainage.   This is by far the most frequent problem. It is responsible for the most common household aggravations, including water penetration into the basement or crawlspace. All basements will eventually leak unless the homeowner keeps a very close eye on drainage issues and continually monitors ground water.

2) Improper Electrical Wiring. This includes such situations as insufficient electrical service, inadequate overload protection, and amateur (often dangerous) wiring connections.

3) Roof Damage. Ranked third, leaking roofs are a frequent problem. This is caused by old or damaged shingles or improper flashing and drainage. Lack of proper ventilation in the attic can also age a roof quickly.

4) Heating Systems. Defect items in this category include broken or malfunctioning controls, blocked chimneys, and unsafe exhaust disposal, cracked heat exchangers, improper maintenance, dirty filters (sometimes never been changed filters) improper ventilation, leaking ductwork.  A heating system in proper working condition is extremely important to buyers.

5) Poor Overall Maintenance.  Signs of poor maintenance include cracked, peeling or dirty painted surfaces; crumbling masonry; makeshift wiring or plumbing; broken glass; broken fixtures; broken appliances; improperly sized, missing and leaky gutters and downspouts.

6) Structurally Related Problems. As a result of problems in one or more of the other categories, damage is sustained by such structural components as foundation walls, floor joists, rafters and window and door headers. Many of these problems originate with poor drainage.

7) Plumbing. Though not ranked as a number one problem, plumbing defects still rank high. This includes the existence of old or incompatible piping materials, as well as faulty fixtures and waste lines. Clogged or slow lines, drains and leaky faucets should be repaired prior to putting a home on the market to eliminate any fear this might create in a buyer.

8) Exteriors. Flaws in this category, such as windows, doors and wall surfaces, rarely have structural significance but may pose discomfort to the occupants due to water and air penetration. The most common culprits are inadequate caulking and/or weather-stripping.  Homeowners often don’t realize that caulking needs to be checked and repaired yearly to prevent water from seeping through window frames and rotting out windows and window sills to mention just one problem caused by exterior negligence by the homeowner.

9) Poor Ventilation. In an effort to save energy, many homeowners have "over sealed" their homes, resulting in excessive interior moisture. Significant moisture can lead to rotting and failure of both the structural and non-structural elements. Poor attic ventilation can cause early aging of a roof system.

10) Miscellaneous. These include interior components (often cosmetic in nature) and sometimes code violations that are necessary to report, but not always deal breakers.

This information is provided for your general interest and is not intended to be technically exhaustive. Please consult a professional inspector or contractor to obtain an assessment of your particular situation.