As you are preparing your home for an inspection during the selling process, there are many items you will need to complete to get your home ready. Here are some tips to help you get your plumbing and your home's foundation and roof drainage ready for the home inspection.
Prepare Your Plumbing
As part of the inspection process, it will be necessary for your inspector to look at the plumbing under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. For this reason, it is a good idea to have all items removed from the cupboards below all sinks in your home. This will allow the inspector to check all plumbing and look for leaks and any mold-growth issues below the sink. The inspector should not have to worry about removing your cleaning and other personal items from the cabinets.
Next, run water into each of your sinks and bathtubs to make sure they are draining properly and do not contain any clogs. A clog during your home inspection can indicate neglect in your home, which may not make the best impression on the inspector and the home buyers who are likely present during the inspection.
If you do find any slow-draining clogs in your plumbing, use a commercial drain cleaner to restore them to full functionality. If your home is on a septic system, you won't want to use chemicals found in drain cleaners, so you can use household items to clear the clog.
If your sink is full of water that will not drain, first, place a plunger without a toilet flange onto the drain and work the plunger up and down for approximately 20 seconds. Make sure there is water and not air under the plunger, which will put more pressure to break up the clog. If the sink is a double-basin sink, use a drain plug or a wadded wet cloth to press the opening closed on the second drain while you use the plunger. You may need someone to help you do this.
After you get the water to drain, pour one-half cup of baking soda into the drain and follow it with one-half cup of white vinegar. Cover the drain with a stopper, and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse the drain with approximately one gallon of warm water. This combination of baking soda and vinegar will clean out any solidified fats stuck on the interior of the pipe.
Check Your Roof and Foundation Drainage
The home inspector will also check your roof and its drainage for any problems. This includes the gutters and downspouts and how well the downspouts function to drain water from your roof.
Safely gain access to your roof gutters and clean them of any debris, which can clog them and cause moisture to not be properly drained from the home's foundation, which can cause foundation moisture problems.
Next, check your gutter downspouts to make sure they are connected to the gutters properly and that they drain water downward and away from your home's foundation. Add a downspout extender if there is not already one installed, which will divert the water from the exterior of your foundation. Water that accumulates at the exterior of your foundation and in the soil can seep into the basement or into the slab foundation on your home.
To help improve the drainage away from your foundation, make sure there is a slope in the soil away from the foundation of your home. This will help guide water runoff away from your foundation and prevent basement leaks.
As you ensure the proper slope away from your home, it is important to make sure there is at least six to eight inches of clearance between the siding, stucco, brick, or wood and the top of the ground. The inspector is going to make sure the ground is in contact with the concrete on your foundation and not going to cause moisture rot or other damage to the exterior material of your home.
Use these tips to help you prepare your home for the inspection during its sale. For more information, contact an inspector at a company like Donofrio & Associates.
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