Garage
Garage Inspections
A garage is designed as a place to store your vehicle away from the elements. Garages can be attached to the house, free-standing or connected via a breezeway. Garages are frequently made of brick, wood shake or wood covered with siding.
In addition to the obvious value of having a sheltered place to house your car, a well-constructed garage adds to your property value and curb appeal. There are several things to look for in a well-made garage. It should have a solid roof, an adequate drainage system of gutters and downspouts and a level, solid foundation. If the garage is attached to the house, the wall between the two structures should be a firewall, since gasoline in the vehicle’s engine will be just yards away from your family’s sleeping areas.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Items Inspected
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Garage Ceiling Inspections
A garage ceiling is the surface between the main garage area and the rafters and attic of the garage. Not all garages have ceilings. In fact, most detached garages are open from the main area of the garage to the rafters. Where a ceiling is present, it is finished with drywall and plaster, like a ceiling inside the house, and the material should be 5/8 inch fire-rated drywall.
Garages are subject to more wear than the temperature-controlled living areas of your home. Moisture and extremes in temperature can take their toll on plaster and drywall. The inspector will look for any moisture spots that might indicate water leaking from the garage roof as well as cracked plaster that could result from freezing and thawing. He will also look for holes in the garage ceiling caused by plumbing leaks.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Door Inspections
Garage doors open to allow your vehicles to enter and exit the garage. Garage doors are commonly made of wood, steel or composite material. Most garage doors open upwards, but some open outward, towards the driveway. Most garage doors are tied to a mechanical operating system that allows drivers to open the doors from the car with a remote control.
Garage doors are one of the heaviest components in house constructions. As such, they pose a safety hazard if not installed properly. A free-falling garage door can exert deadly force. Garage doors also must be perfectly level so that they will glide easily along the track to open and close.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
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Garage Door Operator Inspections
Garage door operating systems allow you to open your garage door from your car, saving drivers the hassle of stopping the car, getting out and opening the door manually. This is obviously convenient in climates where it rains or snows frequently. Door openers are mechanical systems that are activated by remote controls from the car or a wall-mounted switch in the garage.
Having your garage door operating system correctly installed is extremely important as a free-falling garage door can exert deadly pressure. Garage doors manufactured since 1982 are designed to reverse if they hit an object. However, the system must be properly installed for this feature to work.
Garage openers also need to have a manual release so the door can be opened in the event of a power outage.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Door Trim Inspections
Garage door trim includes the decorative strips of wood or vinyl that frame the garage door. This trim can be simple or elaborate, depending on the house design.
Deteriorating garage door trim can be a sign that rain water is entering the garage structure. This can lead to rotting beams, mold and mildew. In addition, trim that is not nailed properly in place can be a safety hazard and impede the operation of the garage door. A home inspector will evaluate the garage door trim to make sure that it is sound and tacked neatly in place.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
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Garage Electrical Power Inspections
An unattached garage usually has a separate electric line running from the power source to the garage. The power system includes the electrical box, the wiring, the outlets and the switches. Electrical power is desirable in garages to power door openers as well as lights.
Just as with a home’s electrical system, old or improperly installed wiring can be a fire hazard, potentially causing sparks inside the garage walls. The home inspector will check the wiring, to ensure that the electrical box in the garage is safe and does not have water penetration. In addition, garage outlets should be grounded since there is often moisture in a garage.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Exterior Walls Inspections
The outside walls of an attached garage are usually made of the same building material as the main structure. Unattached garages are commonly made of wood and often covered with siding. Older garages are sometimes made of brick.
The condition of the exterior garage walls, like the walls to the home itself, can tell an inspector a lot about the condition of the structure. Bowed or warped walls can indicate a problem with the foundation. Walls with loose siding and water marks likely means that water is penetrating the structure. A thorough inspector will seek to locate the source of such a water problem.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
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Garage Floor Inspections
A garage floor makes up the base of your garage structure. Garage floors are usually made from poured concrete. Garage floors can be finished with a number of materials, including rubber matting and crushed natural stone. Garage floors can also be coated with epoxy and other finishes to add durability, color and style.
Obviously, a garage floor is essential to a sound garage. When the concrete garage floor is poured, it is pitched with the lowest point at the garage doors, so if gasoline flammables are spilled, the liquids will run toward the garage door, to the exterior. A garage floor also needs to be poured correctly, allowing for expansion and contraction with changes in weather. Without this, the garage floor will crack, which is both unsightly and a tripping hazard.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Roof Inspections
Your garage roof is what covers the top of your garage. Like the roof of your home, your garage roof can be made of a variety of materials. The most commonly-used is asphalt shingles, but garage roofs can be made of treated wood shake, slate, metal and even sod. Most garage roofs are sloped, but some have flat roofs.
A garage roof is essential for water drainage. Like the roof on your house, the garage roof is tied to a gutter and downspout system that guides rainwater and melted snow away from the structure. Without a properly-installed roof, water can seep into the walls of your garage, causing the wall and foundation to decay over time.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
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Garage Siding Inspections
Garage siding, like the siding on your house, covers the wood structure and adds an extra layer of protection against the elements. Garage siding can be made of aluminum, vinyl or composite material. Siding comes in both sheets and individual shingles.
Garage siding is an important part of keeping your garage structurally sound for years and years to come. Like the siding on your house, garage siding helps to keep moisture from seeping into the walls and causing mold and mildew. If moisture is allowed to enter the garage walls, the wall joists and foundation will eventually decay and rot. It’s important that the siding be properly installed and sealed to prevent moisture from running behind the siding.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Structure Inspections
The garage is an attached or free-standing structure that is generally used to house vehicles. Garages are commonly made of wood covered with siding, brick or cement block.
Any structure on the property adds to or detracts from the value of the home, based on its condition. An inspector will check many of the same things in a garage as he will on the house itself, including the soundness of the structure, the roof, the wiring, the doors and the windows. If the garage is attached to the main house, he will also make sure that the wall between the house and the garage is a firewall, since combustible materials are stored in a garage, and that the door connecting them is made of steel or fire-retardant material.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Want to learn more?
Garage Walls Inspections
Garage walls make up the four vertical supports of your garage structure. Garage walls on free-standing structures are usually made of wood. On attached garages, the connecting wall between the garage and the living area must be a firewall, since combustible gasoline and oil in car engines is stored in the garage.
Inspecting garage walls is important for several reasons. The walls need to be sturdy enough to support the roof of the garage. In addition, the firewall between an attached garage and the house needs to have a steel or fire-rated solid wood door. The door from the garage should also be sealed tightly to prevent carbon monoxide and other gas fumes from entering the living area.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Garage Windows Inspections
Garage windows allow light and fresh air into your garage. Like windows in your residence, they can be single-hung, double-hung or casement windows. Some garage windows are designed strictly for light and don’t open.
Inspecting garage windows is important for many of the same reasons you inspect windows in a house. The home inspector will check for cracked panes, look at the trim to see if there is evidence of extreme wear or water damage, and make sure the windows operate smoothly (if they are designed to open). Without proper maintenance, deteriorating window trim and cracked glass can lead to water getting inside the garage and causing mold and mildew problems.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Want to learn more?
Occupant Door from Garage to Inside Home Inspections
The occupant door is the door between your attached garage and your living space. The door from the garage should lead to a non-sleeping area of the house.
In addition to providing easy access to your garage, the occupant door should provide a barrier between your (usually) unheated garage and the rooms of your home. Poorly-installed, an occupant door can cause heated air to leak from your house, wasting energy and adding to your heating bill. In addition, since combustible gasoline is stored in most vehicle gas tanks, an occupant door should be part firewall, not just a decorative, wooden door.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
Type of Garage
There are basically three types of garages: garages that are attached to your residence; detached, free-standing garages; and carports, structures with a roof, but generally no sides or doors. Garages in the United States are made to accommodate from one car to five or more vehicles. Most garages also have at least some storage space.
Different types of garages have different inspection issues. Attached garages need to have solid connecting doors that prevent car exhaust fumes from entering the living space. All garages need to have a solid roof and roof drainage system. Garages with doors need their automatic door opening systems to be installed correctly and well-maintained so they don’t become a safety hazard.
To schedule your home inspection, call
(860) 445-1236 today.
