When buying a house in the winter months (keep in mind, my inspection company is based in Kentucky), it’s incredibly important to understand some inspection limitations! While it absolutely kills your Home Inspector to leave some items uninspected (it’s in our core DNA to leave no stone unturned!), there are some items that we normally inspect that simply cannot be seen or tested in cold temperatures, or when we’re faced with snow cover.
Air Conditioning Limitations
First off, let’s talk Air Conditioning systems. I’m sorry to tell you, but A/C systems can actually sustain damage when operated in cold ambient temperatures, so even if there’s no snow cover, a Home Inspector is not going to be able to perform functionality testing on the home’s A/C system in temperatures below about 60°F or 65°F.
We’ll look at the setup and condition, but we can’t tell you whether or not it actually functions effectively, or at all.
And without verification of functionality at the time of closing/inspection, most warranty companies will not cover the system.
Roof Limitations
Next up, snow on roofs! We Inspector’s are pretty great, but we don’t have super human abilities. If you can’t see the roof, we can’t see it either. And if it can’t be seen, it can’t be inspected. Even light snow cover prevents viewing the material condition.
Walking/Parking Surface Limitations
And then of course, when you’re buying a new house, you want a thorough inspection of the driveway, walkways, stoops, patios, decks, etc. But when snow cover is present, this throws a major monkey wrench into the inspection process. And not only hard surfaces, but even checking for drainage issues around the property becomes very limited when a bunch of snow is present.
Again, if your Home Inspector can’t see it, they can’t inspect it, so any surface that is snow covered at the time of your Home Inspection is going to remain a big question mark on your inspection report.
Buying a house in winter weather may be the right choice for you, but it is VERY important to understand the limitations created by low temperatures and snow cover. Happy house hunting!
Kari Cheek has been a licensed Home Inspector in the great state of Kentucky since 2014.
Need Inspection Services in Central Kentucky? She’ll be out looking at houses in any weather (don’t worry, she has a heated coat!), so schedule your appointment today!
Kari Cheek (KY HI #103786)
Rosie Home Inspections
(859) 227-1780