Bay Area home inspector lists red flags to watch for following series of storms
CONCORD – Homes across the Bay Area are taking a beating from the continuing line of back to back storms. Inspectors say now is the time to look for any damage.
"I think the most significant is that we've seen some water pooling around the house," says Ron Chang, the owner of WIN Home Inspection Tri-Cities.
On Tuesday, Chang was talking with homeowner Maria Elena Roja about some of the issues he found at her Concord home.
Roja has lived in the Eichler since 1989, but is now thinking of selling and wanted to get the house inspected for possible storm damage before putting it on the market.
"I'd like to know if I have to fix something," Roja said.
"We already see some evidence of some leaks right here," Chang said as he shines a flashlight at the ceiling. He says he's found some minor problems at the house, mostly caused by pooling water on the roof.
According to Chang, there are a few major red flags homeowners should be looking for during storms.
The first is pretty obvious - an active water leak inside the home, which could mean an issue with the roof or possibly the seals around windows or doors.
Second, large cracks in the walls that could indicate the foundation is moving excessively. The last is water pooling around the outside walls of the house, which could lead to water getting under the foundation, causing it to shift or crack.
"It's probably a good idea to hire someone who is neutral to give you a really honest assessment of the state of health for your home for you to make proper decisions about how you want to proceed going forward," said Chang.
He went on to say that having a home inspection done after a storm can identify issues and necessary fixes for homeowners, so when they're talking with contractors about making repairs, the homeowners don't end up paying for unnecessary repairs.
Inspectors say some issues can only be found when everything is still wet, so if you do have concerns, it's best to get an inspection scheduled right away.