Look Under Your Home When at an Open House

All these home shows will have you believe that an open concept and walk-in closets are “must-haves” in a home. We are here to remind you that while looking at all the details in a home or checking off those must-have items are good, looking under the home is even more important.  Missing red flags and warning signs below a new home could cost you much more than you planned. Here are 4 signs to look for at your next open house. 

1 - Smells 

If you’ve ever been in a damp basement, you know the smell - damp, musty, moldy. While there may be plenty of different words to describe it, the smell is always the same. It’s often the result of water problems and the resulting effects of mold and mildew growing in the basement. 

2 - Wall Cracks 

At best, cracks in the basement walls are structurally harmless, just a source of a water leak. At worst, they can threaten the safety of the foundation and the home itself. Wall cracks can be horizontal, vertical, or even in a stair-step pattern on block walls, and they all mean something different. 

Another sign of foundation failure is wall cracks around doors and windows upstairs, gaps between the baseboard and floor, doors that are difficult to close, and, of course, a noticeable slant to the floor. 

3 - Signs of DIY Fixes 

If you go down to a basement and notice black rubberized paint on the walls, there is a problem. Products like that aren’t long-term solutions, so you should ask how long the problem has been occurring and then follow up with us. 

4 - Cold Floors 

Especially in homes on top of a crawl space, very cold floors can be a sign that the crawl space is poorly insulated, which means it’s at the mercy of the elements and could have more than just insulation problems.