Insufficient Electrical Service
Older homes were not designed with modern electronics in mind. In the 1960s and 70s, and even well into the 80s, it was unlikely that anyone would need to have dozens of electronic devices plugged in all at the same time. You had a television and a few appliances. Now you have computers, laptops, cell phones, cable boxes, tablets, gaming consoles, televisions in every room. The list could go on. Individually these things aren’t drawing all that much power, but together they can push an older home well beyond its limits, assuming there are even enough outlets to plug all your devices in!
Non-Grounded Outlets
The ground on modern electrical outlets isn’t just there for show. In fact, many modern electronics won’t even work unless the outlet has a ground. You can trick it with power strips, but this isn’t a very good idea if you’re concerned at all about safety. Unfortunately, many older homes were designed well before grounds were common and you may be lucky to find a single outlet with a proper ground. This isn’t the easiest thing to fix, so it pays off to know about it in advance. That way you can adjust your expectations accordingly.
Poor Insulation
Insulation is always there behind your walls and in your attic doing what it needs to do. It can be easy to forget about it altogether, and indeed many homeowners do. Older homes were often not as well insulated in the first place, and over the years this insulation compacts and deteriorates. Homeowners may not even notice enough of a difference to bother replacing it. Insulation isn’t just a matter of comfort though, it can also contribute to your energy efficiency. Poorly insulated homes have to work much harder to replace all of that lost heat, resulting in much higher energy bills.
Lead Paint
Lead paint isn’t necessarily dangerous. As long as it isn’t flaking off or otherwise compromised it doesn’t pose an immediate health risk. Of all the issues that an older home could have this is actually a relatively minor one as long as you find out about it in advance. That way you can decide personally if you’re willing to deal with the potential risks.
These are just a few examples of common issues in older homes. Remember, when it comes to buying a home — whether it’s old or brand new — there’s no such thing as a guarantee of quality without a home inspection. Please, contact us at Super Inspection Pros today to schedule an inspection of your home. You can also visit us here to find out more about our home inspection services.
