Performing home inspections in the winter presents unique challenges for both the home inspector and the buyer of the home. The most challenging aspect of performing home inspections in the winter is snow-cover. Snow can cover the roof, walkway surfaces, the deck top, and the driveway. It is challenging to perform home inspections in the winter but of course they need to be done in the winter because people also buy homes in the winter months.
One of the biggest issues with a winter home inspection is if the roof is covered with snow. Snow cover makes inspecting the roof next to impossible and creates difficult and unsafe conditions if a home inspector were to put the ladder up to the roof in icy or snowy conditions. There are a couple of options to consider if the roof is snow-covered time of the home inspection. The home inspector may be able to revisit the home when the snow has melted from the roof surface. Generally, snow melts in a few days. Snow melting depends on how well the home is insulated. A not well insulated or an older home will have more heat escaping up through the attic thus creating more heat on the roof surface and melting the snow. If the home is newer and insulated well it can take a few days or longer for the snow to melt from the rooftop. This of course also depends on the outside temperature and weather conditions. One thing a home inspector can do is return to the home after the snow has melted. At that point he or she can inspect the roof. Sometimes home inspectors will charge a fee for this revisit and reinspection, which is standard practice because the weather conditions around the outside of the home cannot be controlled by the parties involved. Buyers of the home can request any documentation from the seller of the home regarding the age of the roof. Now this is certainly not a substitute for a roof inspection, but it gives the buyer some preliminary information. Sometimes the seller can provide the invoice from the roofing contractor. Sometimes there are permits closed for the roof. Although if it is a newer roof, it is unlikely to have a permit because most municipalities do not require a permit for a simple roof replacement anymore. If you are buying a house in the winter, certainly speak in your home inspector regarding his or her approach to roof inspections in the winter with snow cover so at least you have an understanding of what your home inspector can and cannot do.
The same holds true for the walking surfaces around the home. Often these surfaces are covered with snow. Snow can of course cover cracking and other surface issues on the walkways. If they are not fully covered with snow sometimes, they are partially covered with snow. Sometimes we will find that the seller of the home creates a very narrow path, however the full surface area of the walkways cannot be inspected typically with snow cover. You want to make sure that the walkways, patios and decks get properly inspected. Speak to your home inspector about the best approach to this. Again, sometimes they can return to the home for a fee to complete their home inspection.
Home inspectors can typically inspect the underside of the deck if there’s access. However, in the winter and the deck is covered with snow we won’t be able to determine the condition of the top of the deck. Generally, sellers will not shovel the deck. If you are purchasing a home with a larger deck and there is snow in the forecast, you may want to ask your agent to contact the seller’s agent to ask the seller to remove the snow from the deck so at least a partial inspection can be done of the top of the deck.
A significant issue that home inspectors look at during their home inspection is the exterior grading around the home. If there is snow cover around the exterior of the home this makes it difficult and challenging to determine if the grading is correct and if there is positive grading around the exterior of the property. Often times snow will be piled along the foundation of the home, and this does not allow for a proper grading inspection. Snow piles or drifts are likely to persist over the long term. They tend to last longer than snow melting off a roof or a walkway. Generally, snow around the foundation of the home is built up over several snowstorms inhibiting the ability of the home inspector to properly determine if the grading is correct. It is likely in the winter months if there is snow covered ground that this aspect of the home inspection will not be able to be performed. You should, as a buyer, understand this and the limitations of buying a home in the winter as opposed to buying a home in the summer months when these issues are not present.
Performing home inspections in the winter can also be hazardous due to ice and snow buildup on walkways. Walkways and driveways, especially if they are sloped can be treacherous in snow or icy conditions. This can also limit the ability of the inspector to manage to move around the exterior of the property. The inspector is likely to document any such limitations in the home inspection report.
Home inspectors cannot test the air-conditioning units if temperatures are under 60°. If NJ home inspectors operate the central air conditioning or built-in air-conditioning units in colder temperatures, they can cause damage to these units. Air-conditioner compressors are not designed to operate in colder temperatures in the winter months. This is a significant limitation because central air conditioning is a very important aspect of the home that is important for buyers. Buyers should consult with their attorney to determine the best course of action because a home inspector cannot test central air-conditioning unit in the winter. Some options may be to hold money in escrow so that the unit can be tested in the springtime when temperatures are above 60°. Often sellers do not agree put this money in escrow however the buyer than has limitations regarding what can be done. You can acquire all documentation regarding the services that have been done on the air conditioning unit. An important aspect of the home inspection is to give the buyer an idea of how old the central air conditioning unit is. If the unit is a newer unit that will give a buyer some measure of peace of mind. Central air-conditioning units generally have a life expectancy of between 10 and 15 years in the northeast part of the country. If the unit exceeds its 15-year life expectancy, then the buyer should expect to replace it near-term. An older unit will certainly be more prone to problems and nonworking than, for example, a unit that is just a couple years old. Buyers must understand the limitations of home inspectors regarding central air-conditioning testing in the winter and make provisions for that.
One of the things that home inspectors can certainly test in the winter months is the heating in the home. Home inspectors will be able to put the heating unit whether that be a furnace or boiler through its paces and make sure that it will be properly operational for the buyer. So, this is one positive aspect for a winter inspection. Home inspectors should thoroughly inspect the heating system for proper operation and thoroughly inspect the ventilation systems for safety.
On the flip side, testing the heating system in the summer is also somewhat limited because of higher temperatures in the summer months. It can be done but often it creates its own set of problems with uncomfortable summer temperatures in the home. However, heating units can be tested both in winter and in summer.
It can also be challenging to properly utilize thermal imaging when it’s very cold. Thermal imaging can be extremely valuable tool however extreme cold can create false positives or make it more challenging to interpret findings properly. An example of this would be snow and ice laying on exterior walls can produce the signature of missing insulation. Home inspectors must be seasoned and experienced to determine what is an anomaly caused by the cold temperatures or snowy conditions versus an actual defect present in the home. Thermal imaging is a very useful tool and should still be used when performing an inspection in the winter months.
Performing inspections in winter often requires increased communication with home inspection clients to set the proper expectations of what can be inspected and what can’t be inspected in the wintertime. An example of this is that buyers are sometimes unaware or do not understand why the air conditioner cannot be tested. Home inspectors must clearly document limitations in their home inspection reports and educate their clients on limitations that can impact a home inspection done in the winter months.
While cold weather inspections present challenges they offer some advantages. Performing home inspections in the winter can reveal drafts and areas of missing insulation if thermal imaging is used. Performing home inspections in the winter can also reveal ice damming and uneven heating temperatures and conditions in the home that would not be apparent in a summertime inspection. Snow buildup on the roof can bring to light areas of poor insulation providing valuable information to the potential buyers of the house
Often New Jersey home inspectors can provide longer more detailed home inspections because the winter months are generally the slower months for real estate transactions. It is often advantageous to buy a home in the winter because there is typically less competition in the marketplace. So, there are some definite advantages as well as disadvantages to purchasing a home in the winter and performing a home inspection in the winter months. Home inspectors are seasoned professionals generally and can adapt to various weather conditions where they provide excellent home inspections in any weather environment. Yes, there are limitations with winter home inspections but that should still not stop you from purchasing your dream home in the winter months.