Why Didn't the Inspector Catch It?

Home inspections are more limited than most buyers realize. The purpose of an inspection is to identify material defects, things that are unsafe, not working, or creating a hazard. But here's the critical thing most people don't know going in: home inspectors cannot see through walls, and they are not allowed to be invasive.

They can't poke holes, rattle walls, or remove debris to look underneath something. The reasoning makes sense: if an inspector jabs a wall to test for wood rot and the wall caves in, who pays for that? The inspector. No inspector stays in business long paying for every defect discovered through an invasive process.

What they can do is flag anything suspicious. If something looks like a red flag, a good inspector will note it and recommend a specialist, which is often exactly what you need to move forward with confidence.

The areas below are the common concerns a home inspector will evaluate. As a buyer, knowing what to look for yourself can help you ask better questions during showings and make smarter decisions about what offers to make.

When the ground slopes toward a home instead of away from it, water follows. That leads to damp crawlspaces, foundation movement, and eventually rot and mold in wall framing. Signs to watch for include windows that are out of square, interior doors with large uneven gaps at the top, or floors that are visibly unlevel. If you spot any of these, the cost to correct it can add up quickly. A specialized foundation or mold inspection is the only way to know for sure what you're dealing with.

Stucco applied correctly will last a lifetime, but there's one common flaw worth knowing about. At the base of exterior walls, a component called a weep screed allows water to shed away from the structure. When concrete patios, stoops, or sidewalks have been poured too high and the weep screed gets buried, the system stops working and water can enter the walls. Walk the perimeter of any stucco home and look for where the weep screed disappears into the concrete. Your inspector should flag this if it's present.

Roofs are especially tricky because some problems only reveal themselves under the right conditions. A crack in the caulking around a chimney, for instance, may exist for years before it becomes a leak. General roof aging shows up as cupping, blistering, granule loss on asphalt shingles, or cracking and lifting on wood shakes.

Terra cotta, concrete, and slate tiles can last 30 to 100+ years, but they're brittle and difficult to inspect from the ground. If an inspector notes concerns in a visible area, a specialized roofing inspection is often worth the cost to get a complete picture.

Siding can hide a lot. If a gap reveals rotten wood underneath, an inspector can flag it. But if the siding is tight with no visible gaps, there's no way to know what's behind it without asking the seller to open it up, or accepting the unknown. The general condition of the rest of the property is often the best clue about whether the siding is covering something up or simply a cosmetic choice.

Some plumbing concerns are visible, some aren't. Inspectors look for slow drains, staining around faucets, and unusual water pressure, all of which can indicate bigger problems. They may also be able to see exposed plumbing under the home and note if past repairs were done incorrectly. However, anything buried in walls or underground is off limits. The inspector can note the apparent age and condition of what's visible; the rest is inference.

Older homes often lack sufficient power for modern demands. Extension cords running throughout a home or extra junction boxes can be a signal that the outlets are overburdened, which is a fire risk. Inspectors also look for exposed wiring, outdated knob and tube wiring, and open splice connections, especially in garages, attics, crawlspaces, and above dropped ceilings. A good inspector will note what they find and advise whether further evaluation is warranted.

General home inspectors are typically not licensed to test for mold, and their detection is limited to what they can see or smell. Mold hides. New homeowners regularly move a refrigerator or a piece of furniture and discover a wall covered in black mold behind it. If you have any concern, trust your instincts. A musty smell, a history of water intrusion, or a home that's been vacant for a while are all reasons to bring in a certified mold inspector with air sampling equipment before you commit.

Beyond the big-ticket items, inspectors regularly find things like inadequate attic insulation or ventilation (which drives up utility costs and affects comfort), cut or broken trusses in attic cavities, and smaller issues like loose deck railings or inadequate caulking around sinks. None of these are necessarily deal-breakers, but they're useful to know before closing.

The year a home was built often tells an inspector exactly what to look for. Here's a quick reference:

Your inspector will know the age-specific red flags common to your region and will note anything that warrants closer attention.

The Bottom Line

A general inspector's job is to surface potential concerns, not to guarantee a problem-free home. They're trained to look at specific areas, know what warning signs to watch for, and recommend specialist inspections when something warrants a closer look. What they can't do is break into walls, move furniture, or predict that a water heater is going to fail next month.

No buyer should close without a thorough physical inspection, and no buyer should skip the specialist follow-up if problems are flagged. The inspection process, done right, is one of the best tools you have for going into a purchase with your eyes open.

If you have questions about what to expect during the inspection process, or if you'd like a recommendation for a trusted inspector in the area, I'm happy to help.