As home owners, we know that it is necessary to inspect the condition of the home to root out problems that may need repairing. There are many things that we should have on a home inspection check list, but the most important ones are the things that concern water damage. Water can be one of the most threatening things that can really affect the condition and lower the value of your house.

Even if some kinds of water damage, such as a flood due to unexpected weather are hardly ever changeable, there are several other types of water incidents in a residence that can prevented if you use some precautionary measures.

A simple way to reduce the chances of water situations from ever happening, is by those well thought out and frequent inspections. Spending the time to carry out this task, should make you really glad you did. It is the best way to ensure that there will be no overwhelming or even tiny unforeseen water surprises just waiting to happen.

The best place to start is the roof and basement. If you do not have a basement, the crawlspace under the dwelling place is also a possible place for water destruction. In the attic, you may look for dark or damp spots in the beams, ceiling, walls floor, and in the insulation. Some times there may be a damp musty odor when there has been wetness there for very long. The most obvious time to examine an attic is during rain and you may see the water seepage easier. Check the rooftop well for loose or missing shingles. Pay careful attention around vent pipes and a chimney.

Inside the rooms of the home, look at all pipe connections and examine for evidence where water has been and may have evaporated or is still present. This includes bath tubs, showers, below bathroom and kitchen sinks, and dishwashers. Also include the water lines and drainage hose on the washing machine, the water line connecting to the refrigerator if it has one, and the hot water tank connections.

In the crawlspace of a home you can use a flashlight or flood light if there is no light in there. Inspect water pipes that could be dripping or spurting on any thing wood. This will likely cause some really expensive structural devastation. Last on the list is probably outside faucets and sprinkler systems. Take care of each repair as fast as you can.