Do Home Inspectors Go Into Attics

In most cases the answer is yes.

Do home inspectors go into attics.

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. While the inspector performs the attic inspection note the condition of storage areas and attic floors look for damaged floorboards and again look for evidence of water pest and fire damage. Attics in homes with a low roof pitch do not have sufficient height for an inspector to move around. One place that we don t often go to that a home inspector will go to is the attic.

It s important to know who s living in your home before you sign papers at the closing table. So are home inspectors really expected to shimmy inside. An attic reflects the history of a home. 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.

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. One very common inspection red flag is improper venting of bathroom fans into the attic and not extending the vent all the way through the roof. Basically the idea is to alert the buyer of any safety issues defects and problems in need of immediate attention. A home inspector can t.

If your home inspector can get into the attic without trampling insulation you can often learn a lot about the home and any renovations or repairs. For example a past renovation might seal up an attic access panel in the ceiling entirely. If they aren t inspectors are not required to gain entry by heroic means. As with any other part of a home inspection attics must be accessible.

It can provide clues to serious problems that might not be disclosed or even known by the current owner. Or the homeowner might have a bureau placed in front of an attic door. Your home inspector can identify termite infestations and the existence of other wildlife in your attic. 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.

Another thing the home inspector can do is go into the attic and give a thorough visual check without causing damage. An attic where there s moisture build up is enticing to these pests.