Housing...Inside and Out

February 13, 1998
House Hunter's Equipment

When house hunting, it is necessary for you to become a detective to assure that you buy only a house and not many potential repair bills. The serious house hunter will want to use the following items to help judge a house:

  • FLASHLIGHT: Use it to check crawlspaces, attics and other darkened areas. Look inside the door of the water heater at the bottom where the pilot light is located. Rust spots indicate the heater may soon need to be replaced.
  • TAPE MEASURE: Rooms may look light, airy and large when empty, but not when filled with furniture. Check the actual room dimensions then measure your major furniture items to see if they will fit and can be arranged in more than one way. Also use the measure or ruler to check insulation.
  • MARBLE AND LEVEL: These can determine whether floors are reasonably level. Also, walk heavily to check for squeaks. If the floor springs, there may be insufficient framing to support heavy items like waterbeds and pianos.
  • TRANSITOR RADIO: Leave the radio blaring in one room to check the sound transmission level in each room with the door closed. In an unfurnished house, the noise level will be magnified more than when furnishings and people are in residence to absorb some sound. Also notice any sounds coming in from out of doors. 
  • CANDLE: If a lit candle flickers or goes out when held near windows or around door, weatherstripping and caulking may be necessary to reduce fuel costs. Dust on windowsills may also indicate that wind infiltrates to boost fuel bills.
  • CIGARETTE: Test the plumbing by simultaneously running several faucets and flushing the cigarette down the toilet, noting whether the cigarette is taken and the effect on water pressure and speed of toilet tank refill.
  • SCREWDRIVER: Remove faceplates from outlets when looking for exterior wall insulation or remove floor heat registers and gently pry up carpet edges around the hole to look for hardwood floors.
  • MAGNET: Corrodible cast-iron pipes in many older homes can be detected with a magnet. With corrosion, a one-inch (2.5 cm) diameter pipe may have only a one-half inch (1.3 cm) interior diameter, causing the faucet to run "slow" or appear to have inadequate pressure.
  • POCKET KNIFE or ICE PICK: Check the wooden floor joists by pressing the pointed edge into the joist. If it penetrates the joist easily, there may be wood rot or termite damage. Call an expert to assess the extent. It may be beyond repair.
  • HAMMER: If a basement floor sounds hollow when struck, water may have deteriorated it. Cracks wider than a dime or bulges merit investigation. Footings, foundation walls and basement floors in good condition assure structural stability and a dry basement.
  • OTHER TOOLS: One's eyes, ears, nose and fingers also are to be used. Turn on all equipment that comes with the house, testing for working order and noise. Open and close all doors and windows. Be alert to odors in dishwashers and laundry areas. Watch for hazards such as an electrical octopus necessitated by too-few outlets. Don't hesitate to ask questions about operating costs and any past problems.
  • After finding a home you would like to own, you may wish to have it carefully checked by a home inspection consultant or a person experienced in house construction. Since there is no perfect house and homebuying is a very emotional event, a buyer needs to objectively learn about the house's shortcomings before making an offer. Repair and replacement costs increase the total cost of the house, with a little or a lot of it paid each month. Get estimates on the cost to fix any problems, and either request correction or place an offer for the home accordingly.


Written by Dr. Francis Graham (Retired)

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