Reasons for Attic Inspections

Undiscovered horrors could lurk in the attic if home buyers neglect to conduct an attic inspection.

The damage in this photo was caused by a family of squirrels that had hopped off an overhanging tree branch and gnawed their evil little way through attic eaves. These fat squirrels enjoyed a royal feast for months and months, devouring foam pipe insulation, and most of the plastic coating on Romex wiring and rubber straps that secured the furnace to the joists.

Nobody heard the sounds of scurrying feet because the home was vacant. But the damage was so extensive that the home had become a health and fire hazard. The exposed wiring could have caused a fire to break out at any moment.

The buyers of this newer home found so little wrong with it during the home inspection that they almost overlooked peeking in the attic. Fortunately, their real estate agent spotted pellet droppings on the floor below the attic access and suggested they grab a ladder. That near oversight almost cost them $5,000, which is how much the seller ultimately paid to fix this problem . . . read more about Attic Inspections.

More Articles by Elizabeth Weintraub, click below:

• Inspecting Wet Basements
  
• Sewer Inspections
  
• Roof Inspections

_{©Elizabeth Weintraub}

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