aelliott Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 What are some items of concern when inspecting basements? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 If you'd be a little more specific, I'd be happy to share in detail my understanding of basements. But in answer to your question: Basements hold the house up and hopefully do not contain water to the point where a boat will float. If either of these areas is jeopardized then the basement is not performing as intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted August 27, 2006 Report Share Posted August 27, 2006 Too many to list here. I would suggest looking into http://www.home-inspect.com/ for training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aelliott Posted August 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 I am specificly looking for pointers on signs and symptoms to look for that you would not find in a normal dwelling that is without a basement. I.E. what and where to look for leakage problems. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Morrison Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Hi Elliott, That question is just too broad to answer. Please get as specific as you can. Jimmy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Hockstein Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 If you are asking what are the most common issues that are found in a basement it is my experience that water related problems, termite damage, and foundation cracks are high on the list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottpat Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Water, water, water, water and did I mention water. Outside of that you should try and sight a line down the walls to see if they are bowing or have any other signs of unusual movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Something I do, especially in older houses, when there's so much that's screwed up, is take three complete passes of every square inch while rambling into my digital recorder. I'm always amazed how on, say the third pass, I see new mud tubes or a cracked joist, or yet another open-air wire splice. Checking out a basement this way is one of my little safeguards to help overcome the limitations of being human and imperfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 That's pretty good advice for just about everything. I like taking 2-4 passes through areas of the house; it's surprising what one can miss on just one look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bain Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 If I had feelings, Kurt, they'd be touched. You actually agree with me on something. : ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieb Posted August 28, 2006 Report Share Posted August 28, 2006 Think of it as a deep crawlspace. As said before the "walls" are the primary support. A couple of big differences: The support of the rim joist is continuous. These walls need close examination for signs of distress. Basements are utilized by the owner so there are fewer supports (piers in our world). Windows and their wells are another issue. Others can give more detailed info on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.