Gladwin Real Estate Information
Choosing the Right Home - A Home Inspectors Perspective. by Bruce Lunsford
By Bruce Lunsford, RPI, ASHI, FABI Bruce is a Home Inspector in the Naples, Fort Myers area and can be
reached at www.ableinspector.com
I've been a full time home inspector now for over 16 years and I'm still surprised by how often people make
preventable mistakes when choosing a potential home to buy. The purpose of this article is to give potential
homebuyers some ideas and guidelines to evaluate potential homes. Hopefully we can prevent some
unpleasant surprises during your home inspection.
This in no way will replace a professional home inspection, but choosing the correct home from the start can
save a lot of time, money and aggravation. Too many times I've inspected homes with major defects that could
have been visible to even the untrained eye. What we'll do here is cover some of the basics of evaluating the
home from a structural and mechanical perspective. I want to stress again - this will NOT replace a professional
home inspection, but may prevent you from entering into a purchase agreement on the wrong home.
Now I am not saying that a home that is less than perfect (aren't they all?) cannot remain a candidate. It can, but
having all the information you can gather up front can help you in your home buying decision. For example, let's
say you've narrowed it down to 2 homes. They are the same price, size, quality, age and neighborhood. Both
homes are 18 years old. One has a new air conditioner, roof and water heater. The other has original everything.
Which one is the best buy? I know the answer is obvious here on paper, but you'd be surprised how often home
buyers never look at it from that perspective. We'll attempt to change that here.
After you've chosen the potential school districts and neighborhoods, it's time to start narrowing down the
homes. This is a layman's version of the process a good home inspector uses. It should help you narrow your
decision down.
First we want to walk around the exterior twice. Once up close, then the second time farther away. The first walk
around we will be looking for things like wood rot, unusual cracks in the exterior or anything out of the ordinary.
Look closely at the windows and doors, roof overhang, gutters, etc. Look for water stains and damage on the
soffit overhang. This often indicates roof leakage, especially with tile roofs.
On the second trip around the exterior we want to be far enough away to get a good look at the big picture. Does
the home sit up high, or down low? Homes that sit high are ALWAYS preferable and the ground should slope
away from the home. (I once did a home that was literally in the bottom of a deep bowl that extended ¼ mile in
every direction. All water drained towards it which caused major water issues that were not practically
correctable. The buyer had no choice but to walk away from the deal.) Look at the home's roof line. Look for
framing sags, look for shingles that curl or look worn. Look at the walls and make sure they are plumb and
square. Take in the entire home scanning left to right, top to bottom. Look at the condition of the wall cladding
and the entire exterior.
Next we'll look at the mechanicals.
We're not going to get too technical here, we just want to look at the general age and condition. The HVAC
(heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system is one of the biggest concerns here. We'll start with the air
conditioner. They can usually be dated by looking at the serial number. This can usually be found on a metal
plate fastened somewhere on the AC unit. They are usually easy to find, but on some Bryant/Carrier and other
models you may have to get down on your hands and knees. Generally speaking the 3rd and 4th (sometimes
the 2nd and 3rd) digits of the serial number are the year manufactured. With American Standard and Trane they
have a place in the upper right corner of the rating plate that says "manufacture date". It would be nice if all
manufactures were like this. The information plates some manufacturers use are a typed label and they only
last a year or two. If that's the case, you won't get any information off of it.
Air conditioners generally have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. I know opinions vary widely on this, but I feel that's a
pretty accurate consensus. I've personally seen them last well over 25 years, but this is not the norm. You will
want to turn on the AC and hear it run. Listen for any unusual noises. On the inside, just check for cool air
coming from all registers. Your Home Inspector should do a more thorough check later. For now just note its
age and condition. You should be aware that new efficiency standards came into effect January 2006 so the
cost of replacement AC units will be going up significantly.
Now let's look at the furnace/air handler. I recommend you observe it without opening anything on it. Leave that
up to your home inspector. Look at its general condition and try to judge the age. Electric furnaces are
commonly called air handlers, especially in warmer climates like Florida. Again, don't open it, just look it over
and judge its general appearance. Does it appear neglected, or well maintained?
Water heaters You can generally date water heaters the same way you date AC units. Look at the serial number
on the rating plate and determine its age. With most brands it's pretty easy to figure out, the major exception
being the Bradford-White brand. Depending on a number of factors such as water hardness, water heaters will
generally last from 8 to 12 years. Sometimes longer, but that's a pretty accurate range. Fortunately a water
heater will not break the bank when you need to replace it.
Kitchen The kitchen is fairly easy. Give a good look at the appliances and cabinets. Operate all doors and
drawers, just be careful in case a door comes off in your hand. (Hey, it happens.) Operate the disposal and run
water in the sink. Note the age and condition of the appliances. Your home inspector should to a more thorough
inspection later.
Plumbing Run water in all the drains, flush the toilets with the seat lid open so you can observe the water flow. If
there is a septic system you may want to run water for several minutes then check over the septic field for
backup or a foul smell. Either could indicate a serious problem with the septic system. A serious note of caution
here! Always watch drains closely when running water! I've never personally had a drain overflow, but I know of
plenty of home inspectors that have.
Interiors Nothing complicated here. Operate doors and windows, look over walls and floors. If tile floors are
present, look for cracked tiles and grout. Minor cracking is usually acceptable, major cracking or offset cracks
will need further evaluation. Look over the ceilings for water stains. An important hint: Bring a flashlight and look
at closet ceilings. Homeowners often forget to cover up water stains in closets.
Electrical Don't get in over your head here. We simply want to operate all lights, and look at the main panel -
NEVER remove the cover, simply open the door on its front. (Some still call the main panel a "fuse box".) What
size is the main breaker/disconnect? (It is often not inside the main panel, but near the electrical meter.) The
most common sizes are 100, 150 and 200 amps. This will be printed on the main disconnect itself and tells you
the size of your electrical service. I still see some older homes with 60 amp "fuse boxes". If that is the case we
need to budget about $2,000 for an upgrade.
Following these instructions will increase your odds of writing an offer on a home without major
disappointments. After the offer is accepted by both sides, now you have to find a good home inspector.
A word to the wise on choosing a home inspector. As most any expert will tell you, check out a home inspector's
credentials closely. In many states (including Florida, my home state) home inspectors are not licensed or
regulated in any meaningful way. MOST home inspector "certifications" out there are questionable, if not outright
scams. They line the pockets of the certification mills and mislead consumers into a false sense of a home
inspector's competency. It's truly very sad and one of these organizations is rather large.
Most attorneys and real estate experts will advise you to only hire an inspector that is a member of ASHI
(ashi.org). There are also some state organizations that are very reputable. In Florida there's FABI (fabi.org) in
California there's CREIA (creia.org) and Texas there's TAREI (tarei.org). One other national organization worth
noting is NAHI (nahi.org). Although their membership requirements are somewhat looser than ASHI's it still is a
quality organization worthy of consideration. Although there are more, those are the major organizations that are
legitimate. When shopping for a home inspector, I strongly advise you accept nothing less than one of the best.
Never take an inspector's word on their membership claims. False claims of ASHI membership are extremely
common. Always check it out on the organization's web site listed above.
Bruce Lunsford is a Home Inspector based in the Naples, Fort Myers area of Florida. He has an engineering
degree and has been a full time home inspector for over 16 years. He is a past statewide ASHI Chapter
president and a member of both ASHI and FABI. Able Home Inspection of Naples, Fort Myers
Copyright 2006, Bruce Lunsford. This article must be used in its entirety without modifications. Author must
receive proper credit for writing it.
About the Author
Bruce Lunsford is the owner of Able Home Inspection in Naples, Fort Myers Florida. He has been a home
inspector for 16 years. Bruce can be reached at www.ableinspector.com
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By Bruce Lunsford, RPI, ASHI, FABI Bruce is a Home Inspector in the Naples, Fort Myers area and can be
reached at www.ableinspector.com
I've been a full time home inspector now for over 16 years and I'm still surprised by how often people make
preventable mistakes when choosing a potential home to buy. The purpose of this article is to give potential
homebuyers some ideas and guidelines to evaluate potential homes. Hopefully we can prevent some
unpleasant surprises during your home inspection.
This in no way will replace a professional home inspection, but choosing the correct home from the start can
save a lot of time, money and aggravation. Too many times I've inspected homes with major defects that could
have been visible to even the untrained eye. What we'll do here is cover some of the basics of evaluating the
home from a structural and mechanical perspective. I want to stress again - this will NOT replace a professional
home inspection, but may prevent you from entering into a purchase agreement on the wrong home.
Now I am not saying that a home that is less than perfect (aren't they all?) cannot remain a candidate. It can, but
having all the information you can gather up front can help you in your home buying decision. For example, let's
say you've narrowed it down to 2 homes. They are the same price, size, quality, age and neighborhood. Both
homes are 18 years old. One has a new air conditioner, roof and water heater. The other has original everything.
Which one is the best buy? I know the answer is obvious here on paper, but you'd be surprised how often home
buyers never look at it from that perspective. We'll attempt to change that here.
After you've chosen the potential school districts and neighborhoods, it's time to start narrowing down the
homes. This is a layman's version of the process a good home inspector uses. It should help you narrow your
decision down.
First we want to walk around the exterior twice. Once up close, then the second time farther away. The first walk
around we will be looking for things like wood rot, unusual cracks in the exterior or anything out of the ordinary.
Look closely at the windows and doors, roof overhang, gutters, etc. Look for water stains and damage on the
soffit overhang. This often indicates roof leakage, especially with tile roofs.
On the second trip around the exterior we want to be far enough away to get a good look at the big picture. Does
the home sit up high, or down low? Homes that sit high are ALWAYS preferable and the ground should slope
away from the home. (I once did a home that was literally in the bottom of a deep bowl that extended ¼ mile in
every direction. All water drained towards it which caused major water issues that were not practically
correctable. The buyer had no choice but to walk away from the deal.) Look at the home's roof line. Look for
framing sags, look for shingles that curl or look worn. Look at the walls and make sure they are plumb and
square. Take in the entire home scanning left to right, top to bottom. Look at the condition of the wall cladding
and the entire exterior.
Next we'll look at the mechanicals.
We're not going to get too technical here, we just want to look at the general age and condition. The HVAC
(heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system is one of the biggest concerns here. We'll start with the air
conditioner. They can usually be dated by looking at the serial number. This can usually be found on a metal
plate fastened somewhere on the AC unit. They are usually easy to find, but on some Bryant/Carrier and other
models you may have to get down on your hands and knees. Generally speaking the 3rd and 4th (sometimes
the 2nd and 3rd) digits of the serial number are the year manufactured. With American Standard and Trane they
have a place in the upper right corner of the rating plate that says "manufacture date". It would be nice if all
manufactures were like this. The information plates some manufacturers use are a typed label and they only
last a year or two. If that's the case, you won't get any information off of it.
Air conditioners generally have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. I know opinions vary widely on this, but I feel that's a
pretty accurate consensus. I've personally seen them last well over 25 years, but this is not the norm. You will
want to turn on the AC and hear it run. Listen for any unusual noises. On the inside, just check for cool air
coming from all registers. Your Home Inspector should do a more thorough check later. For now just note its
age and condition. You should be aware that new efficiency standards came into effect January 2006 so the
cost of replacement AC units will be going up significantly.
Now let's look at the furnace/air handler. I recommend you observe it without opening anything on it. Leave that
up to your home inspector. Look at its general condition and try to judge the age. Electric furnaces are
commonly called air handlers, especially in warmer climates like Florida. Again, don't open it, just look it over
and judge its general appearance. Does it appear neglected, or well maintained?
Water heaters You can generally date water heaters the same way you date AC units. Look at the serial number
on the rating plate and determine its age. With most brands it's pretty easy to figure out, the major exception
being the Bradford-White brand. Depending on a number of factors such as water hardness, water heaters will
generally last from 8 to 12 years. Sometimes longer, but that's a pretty accurate range. Fortunately a water
heater will not break the bank when you need to replace it.
Kitchen The kitchen is fairly easy. Give a good look at the appliances and cabinets. Operate all doors and
drawers, just be careful in case a door comes off in your hand. (Hey, it happens.) Operate the disposal and run
water in the sink. Note the age and condition of the appliances. Your home inspector should to a more thorough
inspection later.
Plumbing Run water in all the drains, flush the toilets with the seat lid open so you can observe the water flow. If
there is a septic system you may want to run water for several minutes then check over the septic field for
backup or a foul smell. Either could indicate a serious problem with the septic system. A serious note of caution
here! Always watch drains closely when running water! I've never personally had a drain overflow, but I know of
plenty of home inspectors that have.
Interiors Nothing complicated here. Operate doors and windows, look over walls and floors. If tile floors are
present, look for cracked tiles and grout. Minor cracking is usually acceptable, major cracking or offset cracks
will need further evaluation. Look over the ceilings for water stains. An important hint: Bring a flashlight and look
at closet ceilings. Homeowners often forget to cover up water stains in closets.
Electrical Don't get in over your head here. We simply want to operate all lights, and look at the main panel -
NEVER remove the cover, simply open the door on its front. (Some still call the main panel a "fuse box".) What
size is the main breaker/disconnect? (It is often not inside the main panel, but near the electrical meter.) The
most common sizes are 100, 150 and 200 amps. This will be printed on the main disconnect itself and tells you
the size of your electrical service. I still see some older homes with 60 amp "fuse boxes". If that is the case we
need to budget about $2,000 for an upgrade.
Following these instructions will increase your odds of writing an offer on a home without major
disappointments. After the offer is accepted by both sides, now you have to find a good home inspector.
A word to the wise on choosing a home inspector. As most any expert will tell you, check out a home inspector's
credentials closely. In many states (including Florida, my home state) home inspectors are not licensed or
regulated in any meaningful way. MOST home inspector "certifications" out there are questionable, if not outright
scams. They line the pockets of the certification mills and mislead consumers into a false sense of a home
inspector's competency. It's truly very sad and one of these organizations is rather large.
Most attorneys and real estate experts will advise you to only hire an inspector that is a member of ASHI
(ashi.org). There are also some state organizations that are very reputable. In Florida there's FABI (fabi.org) in
California there's CREIA (creia.org) and Texas there's TAREI (tarei.org). One other national organization worth
noting is NAHI (nahi.org). Although their membership requirements are somewhat looser than ASHI's it still is a
quality organization worthy of consideration. Although there are more, those are the major organizations that are
legitimate. When shopping for a home inspector, I strongly advise you accept nothing less than one of the best.
Never take an inspector's word on their membership claims. False claims of ASHI membership are extremely
common. Always check it out on the organization's web site listed above.
Bruce Lunsford is a Home Inspector based in the Naples, Fort Myers area of Florida. He has an engineering
degree and has been a full time home inspector for over 16 years. He is a past statewide ASHI Chapter
president and a member of both ASHI and FABI. Able Home Inspection of Naples, Fort Myers
Copyright 2006, Bruce Lunsford. This article must be used in its entirety without modifications. Author must
receive proper credit for writing it.
About the Author
Bruce Lunsford is the owner of Able Home Inspection in Naples, Fort Myers Florida. He has been a home
inspector for 16 years. Bruce can be reached at www.ableinspector.com
b-13