Most Common Home Inspection Findings in California

John Robinson’s Inspection Group has been inspecting homes in the San Diego, California area for more than 10 years, and over the years have noticed some defects that pop up more than others.

Here are the most common problems home inspections problems found in California homes. 

Roof Damage 

California homes are susceptible to roof damage because of the sun year round, salt off the ocean, and rain regularly. There are also high winds that can damage roofing materials. 

As a result, there are often holes, blisters from the sun and missing shingles in these roofs. 

These holes can cause leaks – meaning the presence of mold and mildew. This can be a major problem if it is not caught early, and is found in many homes in the San Diego area. 

Fire Damage

California has been plagued by forest fires over the years, and although homes have been rebuilt and renovated, there can still be existing fire damage problems. Often, these defects go unnoticed by the common eye, but are something that home inspectors find frequently. 

Another cause of fire damage is home fires, specifically from cooking, electrical systems and HVAC systems. 

A problem that pops up constantly with these types of fires is with the electrical wiring in older homes, because they were not built to be compatible with modern electrical usage. People use more electrical devices, with chargers and plugins than at the time when these houses were built, and the electrical systems can’t handle the amount of devices using electricity. 

Water Damage

Water damage is one of the most common defects found in any home but especially in Southern California. 

Older pipes can rust and crack, causing slow leaks over time, that can lead to big and costly problems in the future. 

Exterior Problems

With the ground in California experience tectonic plate movement, there are earthquakes frequently, and this can cause issues like foundation cracking. 

Even with slight foundation issues, the structure of the home can be affected. Things that may be affected by this are: 

• Unlevel flooring
• Cracks in the foundation, floors, or walls 
• Cabinets and counters separating from the walls
• Doors and windows that don’t move easily anymore / get stuck 

Faulty Wiring 

Homes that have been wired incorrectly pop up all over the place. Whether the electrician wasn’t paying attention or the homeowner tried to fix it on their own, there are various causes and very dangerous results. 

Exposed wiring and exposed ends are found a lot in homes that have been remodeled but have an unfinished basement, or homes that have had work done to improve them.