Imagine you have just moved into a new house. You want to cook dinner but your range won’t warm up. You need to get a drink cold, but your refrigerator is stuffy and stale.
Kitchens are one of the most used rooms in homes. You’ll be able to better understand what you are about to purchase with a home inspection.
Here are the most common kitchen problems that home inspectors discover:
- Nowhere Vents
The vent on the range should remove the steam from the kitchen and catch some of the cooking oil in the air. In a perfect universe, the kitchen range vent would capture some of the airborne cooking grease. In many kitchens the range vent is only a decorative feature. It doesn’t work just because it is there.
The range vent will be checked by your Home Inspector in Hope Mills, NC to see if the fan is working. It may still not work even if the fan does turn on. Your inspector will look at evidence that the vents are positioned outside of the home as they should be.
- Dangerous Electrical Problems
Electrical wiring and receptacles that are not in good condition can be dangerous. Bathrooms and kitchens need a heavier gauge of wire than other living areas, with GFCI protection in every room. Home inspectors don’t always find the same problems.
Integrity Home Inspection reports that they frequently find wiring dangerously near plumbing, particularly under the kitchen sink. This is where wiring for dishwashers and garbage disposals can run. It could also be used to DIY wire alterations, such as adding new lighting or appliances.
- Poorly installed or maintained appliances
Defects in appliances can quickly become expensive. Repairs can be expensive, and replacing an appliance could cost you thousands of dollars. Your home inspector will test the major built-in appliances, such as the range and refrigerator. They’ll also check the garbage disposal. Microwaves and other small appliances are not usually inspected.
The following are some of the most common defects in appliances:
The range burners do not heat up
Ovens which do not warm
The refrigerators and freezers are not cold enough
The appliance stabilizing brackets are missing from the wall or floor mount
Countertop inserts with defective built in ventilation
Refrigerator coils covered in dust and dirt
Ice maker leaks or breaks
Integrity Home Inspection reports that while garbage disposals may look installed, the locking mechanism can be loose. It’s a matter of when a loose garbage disposal will fall, given how much they vibrate.
- Plumbing defects such as leaks and corrosion
A dripping faucet in the kitchen can be a plumbing defect, or it could be something more serious like a leaky subfloor. Most plumbing problems can be easily fixed if they are caught early. If left unchecked they can require major repairs, replacements or even partial demolition and reconstruction of the space.
Your inspector will look for:
Drains that are slow or clogged
Fixtures and sinks that leak
Water supply leaks
Water supply pipes that are outdated (old galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside).
The correct size drain and supply lines
Plumbing vent defects
Water heater defects
No matter whether the kitchen is small and cute, or large enough to accommodate a chef. All of them have similar systems and can harbor flaws.
