Living here in the Albany area, we find many homes that are over 50 years old. There are many that are extremely well cared for and others that I could definitely use a better string of regular maintenance.
When we are out doing inspections on older homes, we typically find a consistent theme of the same types of problems. We thought to invest some time to educate you on some of these common problems to look for if you are in a position considering to sell your home in the near future.
Knob-tube wiring
This was a form of wiring used in homes at the turn-of-the-century through the 1940s. The design was very simple, all of the electrical wires were placed between what are called tubes of porcelain insulating that provide good insulation. The good news is that building codes today do not make you remove this old wiring but the problem is you will face is the fact that insurers won’t cover a home with this.
Undersized electrical services
Back in the day, most families used electricity for basic lighting in their home, their refrigerator, possibly a toaster and, of course, their essential radio. Homes today have so many more electrical requirements with all of the devices and equipment you can have in your home.
Homes that are more than 50 years old were using a standard 30 amps of service. Over time, that number has increased to 60, then 100, and now even 200 amp systems in a home.
Ungrounded receptacles
These were standard use before 1962. They had two slots and, unfortunately they miss the ground connection that many of today’s appliances and equipment require. Having a solid ground keeps the current from straying and makes the appliance safer to use. Now, if you do not have the new plugs in your home, you can go to a Home Depot or a local hardware store and get what are called cheater plugs. These are designed to be an adapter for the old receptacles.
These are just a few of the major problems we see with older homes. The important thing to know is it is a good idea to have a home inspector in the Albany area come out to your house to do an assessment before you actually put your house on the market. This way, you can take a proactive approach to repairing those things that are necessary to ensure that your house sells without any problems.
If you are local to the Albany area, and are looking for a great home inspector who will be thorough and attentive to your needs, please contact all Bald Eagle Inspection Services today.