When you buy a house, you must first check that your property is habitable before allowing anyone to live there or live there yourself. You can do this with these 5 simple checks.
By Team Savant
Image: Grace Kelly
Have It Tested for Chemical Residue
Unfortunately, drug crime is very common in the world today. And some drugs made in home labs by people who aren't trained could be very bad for your health. Between the years 2000 and 2013, for example, there were tens of thousands of meth labs in the United States. And this could have happened in any house. This figure has dropped. But drug testing for properties is an important part of modern real estate because meth residue is bad for health and flammable.
Get the Structural Stability Checked
A house is only as good as its foundations and condition. So, it's important to hire a building inspector with a good reputation to look for common problems like cracks in the brickwork, uneven floors, and rotting wood. Any of these, which you might even be buying, can start out small and turn into a nightmare if you leave them for a long time. This is because something like a sagging roof could cause the house to fall down, which is dangerous and very expensive.
Utilities Ensure the Property is Habitable
A modern home needs things like garbage collection, gas, and electricity. But if none of these is taken care of, they can all pose a health risk. So, to be safe, call in the experts:
Call an electrician to check the wiring and make suggestions for improvements.
Have a plumber check the pipes and drains to see if they need to be fixed or changed.
Talk to a gas fitter every time you want to check gas pipes or look for carbon monoxide.
If they aren't managed well, utilities like these can kill people. Carbon monoxide, for example, has no smell and can leak from a broken boiler. So just to be safe, you can put in a CO alarm.
Ensure there Is Running Hot and Cold Water
A home must also be a place where you can get clean, fresh water to drink and use for cooking. And where you can take a hot shower or bath to keep yourself clean. Because of this, the heating and water systems should work well. A plumber and a gas fitter can check these for you. Even though money might be a problem, you should try to fix it as soon as possible to avoid a major disaster. And COVID safety might depend on the sanitisation of a home.
Trap or Fumigate Pests Living in the House
Lastly, there could be unwanted guests living in the property you purchased. For instance, suppose there are too many furry or crawling ones. In that case, you need to set traps or even have the place fumigated by a professional. Rats and mice, cockroaches, and termites are all common household pests. All of these are dangerous when there are a lot of them. But termites are particularly dangerous because they can eat your wood frames, causing collapse.
Summary
When buying a home, you need to ensure the property is habitable before moving someone in. First, get property drug tests, then make sure utilities work, and there are no pests.