I had a client who called saying that his bath tub just fallen through the floor in his new home (new to him). Mold had eaten away the floor from the crawlspace up. The seller had placed a few 4×4s under the floor to hold everything up long enough to sell the house and get out of town. I asked if he had the house inspected before he bought it. He said, “no, was that important?” Even if you do get a home inspector, look for these things yourself. Some home inspectors don’t look for these items. Some never go into the house. Mold test The number one problem faced by new homeowners is mold.

Every week I get a call from an attorney gathering info for a lawsuit against a home seller and their real estate agent. The topic is always mold. You can get inexpensive mold test kits at www.tennesseemold.com Gutters The number one cause of mold in a home is improperly installed or damaged gutters. They allow water to pour into the walls. And water causes damaging mold to develop inside the walls. Make sure the gutters are level and aren’t bent. Mud on walls This goes back to gutters. If the gutters are undersized, excess water pours over the edges of the gutters and onto the ground.

BUT the excess water also seeps into the foundation of the house. Plants too close The new owner, of course, can correct this, but did the previous owner allow the plants to trap moisture in the walls? The damage from this moisture may already be there waiting with costly repairs. There should be at least 18 inches between the plants and the outside walls. Foundation vents These vents are designed to let air flow through crawlspaces. This house may not have a crawlspace. But if it does, check the vents. Do they open and close?

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