The old saying goes that the three most important aspects of a home are location, location, and location. But when it comes to safety and stability, there are four key parts you need to inspect before buying or leasing your next abode.
These four crucial components will tell you how soundly built your new house is (and whether it'll be safe for both you and any pets), as well as how long ago those foundations were set down. That's why this article is going to cover these four areas in detail: footings, foundation walls, structural beams in the basement below grade level, and crawl spaces or lofts above grade level.
Footings
When you look at your potential home's exterior (the foundation wall), you need to see what's called footings. Footings are the four or more stones that form a rectangle on top of which your home was set down. These rectangles should enclose an area large enough so that all walls extend below grade level by at least 6 inches.
Foundation Walls
When you look at your foundation walls (the rest of the exterior), make sure that they're upright or straight up and down. You can do this by looking carefully at the mortar joints, which should be even all along each face. If the mortar is tumbling out from between the stones, the wall is probably settling. A plumb foundation wall is crucial because it will transfer weight from your home to the ground without sagging, and if you see that occurring, run for the hills before they collapse in on you. Check whether the foundation wall has signs of wall cracking, broken or missing mortar, and settling cracks near the corners of the home; all are signs that your house's foundation is unstable. A settlement crack (in which a wall has settled unevenly) can be spotted by looking at the trim around windows and doors – if it's no longer even with the rest of the border, there's a problem.
Beams
While inspecting basement structural beams, don't just look at them—feel them. You want to make sure the beam is sturdy by tapping it with your knuckles and listening for hollow sounds. If you hear a hollow sound, there's an empty space between the joists or rafters.
If you see this issue, start walking away immediately—the structure of your home could start to collapse as soon as someone walks on that floor. You also want to make sure the beams are anchored into the foundation walls and that they fit together tightly with no gaps in spacing while remaining level with each other.
Crawl Spaces or Lofts
If you're planning on living above grade level (above ground), watching out for a crawl space or loft is crucial to home stability and safety. If your crawl space or loft is above the ground, make sure it has walls, floors, a working door, and a solid roof before moving in. The ceiling of the loft should be at least 30 inches high under any vents.
When you check out any home for purchase, check out these four areas to make sure your new house isn't going to fall down around you. Be wary of houses with issues in these areas and walk away if they turn up. If the seller refuses to repair or address them, even after being asked nicely, try reporting it as a problem to your local code authority and see if you can get them to force it.
