The home inspection is done to protect you, the buyer, before you sign your name to a loan that you are tied to for 20 or 30 years. If you were to buy a home without having an inspection done, you’d be blindly purchasing what could very well be a big problem waiting to happen.

While an inspection isn’t guaranteed to find everything wrong, or potentially going to happen, it can find certain things. A bad home inspection report can’t tell you that the heat will cease to work within two months after you buy the home but it can tell you that the foundation is crumbling instead. Some things can't be foreseen but others can be discovered and proven faulty.

When you know the facts about a home, you can back out of the purchase or negotiate with the seller for a lower price, or to make the repairs before the sale. We’ve put together a list of common repairs needed after home inspection and how they can save you thousands of dollars later on.

It is quite common for an inspector to discover issues with the roof of an existing structure. Home inspection roof issues are sadly quite common. Soft spots where water has found a way under a shingle can rot the wood underneath and eventually create a leak that causes mold and destruction in an attic that is completely hidden until the roof collapses completely or water begins cascading in a rainstorm.

Gutters that have been left to be filled with leaves for too many years will overflow and seep under the eave of the home, causing leaks where the exterior wall meets the roof. This allows water inside the wall, causing the insulation to become wet and moldy. Drywall will become saturated and the repair requires the entire wall to be torn out and replaced. The framing lumber could also be rotten if the leak has existed for a long time.

Shingle roofing can have more than one layer of shingles applied but more than two layers can mean that the next time the roof needs repair, all the existing shingles will need to be removed and the roofing will need to be completely replaced. This is costly because it is a labor-intensive job.

The flashing around chimneys and vents on top of the roof is another common problem area. Leaks often start when this flashing is in disrepair, old and worn out, or installed incorrectly, to begin with. These leaks can cause major issues that cause the roof to leak and turn into thousands of dollars in damage to the interior structure as well.

Replacing the roof on a home can run into tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the home and whether the entire roof or a section of the roof needs to be replaced. When it comes to roof issues home inspection can save you from starting life in a home under great financial strain. The homeowner (seller) can be asked to make the repairs before the sale or reduce the price of the home by the amount of the repair cost. It’s typically in his interest to have the repair done.

Home inspection problems don’t always include the roof, however. Common home inspection issues include drainage problems with plumbing. Another very expensive issue is wiring and electrical problems, particularly when they involve local building codes. Electricity has been updated a great deal since the 1950s. Fuses are different and the methods of wiring in those days were done by something called ‘knob and tube’ which is no longer used and not considered safe. A home with knob and tube wiring will not pass inspection and need to be completely rewired before utility service may be turned on.

What happens after a home inspection depends upon the costs of repair and if the buyer is willing to consider doing the repairs or sharing in the costs. You have an opportunity to withdraw your bid or amend it, based on the expected costs of repair, which can be many thousands of dollars for rewiring a knob and tube home. Home inspection electrical issues just aren’t safe and need to be addressed. Breakers and the breaker box will be updated and be far more compliant with fire code and building codes in your local area.

The bottom line is that an inspection protects your investment but it also literally protects you and your family. Can you imagine moving into your new home, with dreams and happiness about your future, only to see it burn to the ground later? A home inspection helps to prevent these tragedies from happening to a new homeowner and their family. Know exactly what you are getting into and secure your investment.