Home Inspection Tips

Are you considering the purchase of a fixer-upper? It's not just a chance to fulfill the American dream, but also a smart financial move. With a little TLC, a neglected property can be transformed into your dream home, potentially saving you a significant amount of money. But how can you be sure of what you're getting into? While it's easy to spot visible issues, what about hidden problems like foundation concerns, electrical issues, and roofing defects? And if the property has a septic system, that adds another layer of complexity. When it comes to purchasing a fixer-upper, a comprehensive home inspection is absolutely essential. A licensed inspector can provide invaluable insights to help you gauge whether the property is worth investing time and money to achieve your dream home. While they won't make the decision for you, they can focus on the home's major components and help you anticipate potential repair costs. At Anchor & Crow Home Inspections, our "...

In Eastern North Carolina, Moisture can be an issue for many homeowners, especially during specific periods of the year, such as hurricane season. Homes with crawl spaces and attics tend to see the most issues with moisture. For instance, competing temperatures, high moisture accumulation, and environmental particulates can lead to fungal growth, moisture intrusion, and other degradative problems, such as rotting wood or rusting metal, in a home.  Many homes have vapor barriers as a preventive measure. These barriers are typically made of plastic, foil, or kraft paper when dealing with insulation. They are strategically placed throughout the home to prevent moisture-related issues, including in ceilings, walls, floor assemblies, basements, crawlspaces, and slab-on-grade foundations. Neglecting these barriers could lead to severe moisture-related problems over time, and implementing routine inspections is crucial for homeowners. When did you last look at these readily accessible bar...

Pumping a septic tank before an inspection is an important part of any septic inspection for several reasons: Visibility :   Pumping allows the inspector to see below the effluent line and into every part of the tank, which can help determine if it's watertight, structurally sound, and operating properly. It also allows the inspector to view the baffle wall, which separates the tank's inlet portion from the tank's outlet portion. Non-compostable materials :   Pumping can reveal non-compostable items like wipes, tampons, and kitty litter that might have built up in the tank. Septic systems cannot break down materials such as those listed. If left to build up over time, these items can potentially prevent the system from operating at optimum levels and may decrease operating capacity.  Damage :   Pumping can also reveal damage to the tank below the effluent line. When the tank is full, inspectors cannot adequately see through the multiple layers of effluent. Pumping al...