• Stack and sewer pipes. In older homes, these will be large cast-iron pipes that are between three and five inches in diameter. In newer homes, they will typically be PVC (plastic) pipes. Look for cracks, patches, or other obvious defects. Also: Find and inspect the clean-outs that are located in pipes or in a concrete floor. These are the openings, closed with screw-on caps, where plumbers can insert reaming tools to clean out blockages in your sewer lines. They are more prone to leaks than the rest of the drain pipes.

• Interior gas lines. These are most commonly black iron pipes that route gas to gas furnaces and water heaters, as well as to vertical pipes that run to any gas appliances in the kitchen or elsewhere in the house. They should be clean and rust-free and all closeout valves (brass valves that allow gas to be closed off to the kitchen, water heater and other locations) should be look new and clean.

• Circuit breaker boxes and other electrical components. In general, assessment of a building’s electrical service is a job for a professional inspector or electrician. Still, there are telltale signs of problems that a layperson can see with the naked eye, such as circuit-breaker boxes with a maze of unordered wires emerging from them or the presence of multiple circuit-breaker boxes that were added on at different times. Ask your inspector to verify that the power coming into the house is modern, 220-volt service, which is to be expected in modern or updated older structures. Ask your inspector to explain what he sees.

• Insect and termite damage. You looked for it outside the house, and you should look for it in your basement, too.  If insects have found their way into the exterior walls of a building, you will notice spongy-looking wood in floor joists and other wooden components, usually next to the exterior walls of the building. You might also see powdered wood, like saw dust, on the floor. This is evidence of insect damage. Also: Look for signs that rodents are present in the house, such as the presence of droppings or mousetraps, rodent poison, or glue boards. Rodents are present in many buildings, but a serious infestation can be unhealthy to residents, and serious infestations can be difficult to eliminate.

PREVIOUS PAGE - water heater basement doors

NEXT PAGE - Attic