House Inspection Tip 1 - Checking the Exterior of the Home

  <p> You should learn the basics of screening out the inappropriate houses. You have to learn inspecting a house by yourself because not all inspectors are as careful as you would like them to be. Good precautionary maintenance starts with an inspection of the exterior of the home. So here are some pointers in checking the condition of  <a href="https://www.home247.co/%E0%B8%82%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87-%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A7/" alt="บ้าน ลาดพร้าว">บ้าน ลาดพร้าว</a> the exterior of a house that you want to buy: </p><p> - A wide lot looks better than a long lot; a regularly shaped lot will be easier to sell. A tree to the south or southeast will cut down on a summer heat. </p><p> - The area around the house should be graded away from the house, so water won't seep into the basement. The slant should be about six inches for the first six feet. </p><p> - A concrete driveway is better than asphalt, which is better than pebbles, gravel, or dirt. The driveway should slant away from the house, to keep water away. If there are no puddles after a rain it's more likely to be graded properly. </p><p> - An attached garage will let you go directly into the house in cold weather, and keep your car a bit warmer in winter. But it may allow gasoline odors to invade the house. Two-car garages are desirable, even if you have one car, because of the extra storage space. </p><p> - The best foundation is a poured concrete, with concrete block second best. If there's a crawl space under the house, it should be at least two feet high, and the soil covered by a layer of concrete or at least a plastic vapor barrier. </p><p> - No wood should touch the ground lest you get termites. A sign of termites is a narrow mud tunnels leading to the ground. </p><p> - An outside wall of masonry is best. But check the mortar between the bricks or stones. Woods siding may need repainting. Check for peeling and blistering. If aluminum siding isn't vinyl clad and is chalky, it may need painting. Check that it has a solid backing and won't dent easily. </p><p> - Slate or clay tile roofs are best. Next in order come concrete tiles and metal panels, asbestos-cement shingles, and most common asphalt shingles, which should last 20 years. Check asphalt tiles for any that are broken, warped, or missing. If the granules covering the tiles are almost gone, it may be time to replace them. And if there are two layers of tiles already, replacement can be very expensive. Check for tar patches, a sign of past leakage. A good roof has a wide overhang to protect the walls from the water. If there's no snow on the house in winter, when other houses have snow, heat may be escaping from the house. A roof should have a 30- degree pitch. </p>