Duplex houses are a bit more complicated than traditional buildings. They consist of two units attached next to or above each other, or they may be semi-detached as well. It’s hard to distinguish between a duplex and an apartment due to their structural similarities, but you don’t need to worry about that because it is irrelevant to the subject of this article.
If you happen to be a duplex owner or are planning on buying one, you should go for an inspection. You need to hire someone with major experience in duplex inspections, which is why MCM duplex Inspection is worth considering.
You should have a list of things and problems to look for before you go ahead and hire a professional duplex inspection expert. The following 9 things should definitely be on your list and must check them out thoroughly with the help of whoever you hire:
- The Roof
Look at the roof and see if you can find anything wrong. Check out loose shingles, cracks, and fragments. Check out shingle spacing and make sure it’s uniform across all units. It would be better to, later on, hire a roofer as well for a more thorough examination.
- HVAC
You cannot ignore HVAC because it directly determines the level of comfort or discomfort that you would feel while living in the duplex house. Check out the furnaces, furnace filters, ventilation, and air conditioning.
- Windows
Make sure the windows in the duplex are installed such that they maximize ventilation. Make sure they work properly and none are broken.
- Electricity and Plumbing
You literally cannot live in your duplex house if the electricity and plumbing systems are not up to the mark. These two problems directly affect each other and should both be addressed at the same time.
Check out electric motors, water pressure, the electric boxes, and everything else related to plumbing and electricity.
- Plumbing Waste and Supply Lines
Apart from regular plumbing inspections, you also should take a look at incoming and outgoing plumbing lines. You should especially focus on waste-lines because usually you can’t see them and they can be very problematic.
Hire an extra plumbing expert if you have to, but keeping plumbing lines in check is not optional.
- Mold
Mold can be very harmful, both for your health and that of your building. Make sure you carry out thorough mold tests before moving into the house.
Conclusion
A huge part of having a great house involves making sure that the house you buy is free from any defects, whether they are of structural nature or any other.
Duplex houses are a bit more complicated and may need more maintenance. While hiring a home inspector for your house you should make sure that the expert has experience in dealing with duplex houses.