Will What’s In The Attic Of Your DFW Home Affect The Selling Price?
There are several good reasons why a potential DFW home buyers needs to send their professional home inspector into the attic before they move forward on the purchase of a home. Attics should never be overlooked because it may show the history of the home. It can provide clues to serious problems that might be undisclosed or even known by the current home owners.
Rafter Damage or Supporting Trusses Roof inspections won't necessarily turn up defects in the structural members inside the attic. While the roof might look sound and secure, inside the attic you could find broken trusses or rafters. An inspection would disclose stress cracks that could lead to a loss of integrity and would also give buyers peace of mind that the size of the lumber was correct and up to code. · Is There Previous Fire Damage
If the trusses and rafters are any other color than natural wood, that could be a sign that the there was fire in that home. If the wood is black, scorched and sooty, it’s a sure sign it had been burned. If the wood is painted white that could indicate that the water, smoke and burned damage was covered up because painting wood helps eliminate the smell. · Is There Adequate Insulation
Attics can be insulated in many different ways, including blowing in insulation or laying fiberglass batts. Insulation is rated by an “R” factor meaning the higher the R number, the higher the insulating factor. Ask your home inspector if the batts are facing the right direction (paper up or paper down). · Water Damage
Water flows from the top to bottom and it will rarely enter a home sideways. Inspectors should look for water stains on the wood supports or on the walls which would provide evidence that water had leaked or is leaking through the roof somewhere. Condensation can form around pipes, which can cause the wood to rot. · Chimney
The interior of the chimney cannot be inspected from the attic, but a home inspector can note whether the chimney structure is solid within the attic area. That portion of the chimney that is not exposed to the elements can also weather and deteriorate. Inspectors will look for cracks in the bricks and whether the mortar has crumbled.
· Squirrel, Raccoon and Rodent Damage
The first sign that a critter, or critters, have been living in the attic is often evidence discovered in the form of pellets, animal waste. Squirrels and other rodents often enter attics through the eaves or loose boards and can cause considerable damage. Birds and bats may also make a home in the attic. Make sure you retain the services of a profession DFW Realtor to advise you as to what options you have if there is “attic damage” in the home. If you are a buyer this holds especially true if you are buying a DFW Foreclosure home. If you are a seller and there is sever attic damage you may want to consider selling the home to one of those Dallas We Buy Houses companies.
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