Buying a house is one of the biggest  decision you will make in your life, so you can’t take it lightly.

When you’re looking at potential homes, falling in love with the backyard or spacious kitchen isn’t enough. You have to dig deep and look at the other areas of the home you may not have thought of.

 From the roof to the furnace, there are several spots you need to make sure you inspect before jumping into home ownership headfirst.

  Here are five of the areas in the home you may not think to check.

What to Look for When Buying a House

·        Does the roof need repairs? Before you step inside the house, take a look at what’s going on with the roof. Are there shingles missing? Is the roof sagging anywhere? These issues alone could end up costing you in the future.

·        Is the furnace up for the job? The outside and even the inside of the house could appear to be warm and inviting, but if the furnace is out of date it will be anything but. Those heating and cooling systems in the house can be expensive to fix and replace, and an inefficient furnace can cost you big on monthly energy bills. Double check that the furnace is up to date and in good working order.

·        Are the windows leaky? Letting fresh air in through the windows during the summer is a great way to give your air conditioning unit a break, but you don’t want those same windows letting in cold winter air. Leaky windows will not only make your home colder, they will also make your furnace work overtime to compensate for all of the cold air getting inside.

·        Did you push every button and turn every knob? Once inside the house touch everything. Flip every light switch, open all the windows and doors, flush the toilet, and turn on every faucet. Before you buy you need to know firsthand that everything is in working order, and if it’s not, you can come up with a plan to find a cost-effective solution.

·        Is there proper insulation in the attic, walls, rim joist and crawl space? Your home should be a comfortable space to enjoy with your friends and family. Check out the house to see if it has insulation and if that insulation is up to date. Traditional insulation materials like fiberglass and cellulose tend to settle and breakdown over time, and need to be replaced about every 15 years, not to mention they don’t create an air barrier to keep outside temperatures out. If there is foam insulation in the home, you won’t have to worry about constantly maintaining it or the material breaking down. Foam also creates an air barrier to keep the treated air inside and the elements out.

Now that you know what to look for when looking at potential homes, finding a space that meets your needs will be much easier. Happy house hunting!

 

Amanda Ringler is a journalist, artist, wife, mom to Danger the lovable husky, and Content Manager at RetroFoam of Michigan.