[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/what-we-look-for-and-what-we-dont-how-i-prepare-for-a-home-inspection-the-right-way\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/what-we-look-for-and-what-we-dont-how-i-prepare-for-a-home-inspection-the-right-way\/","headline":"What We Look For (And What We Don\u2019t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right Way","name":"What We Look For (And What We Don\u2019t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right Way","description":"What We Look For (And What We Don\u2019t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right Way The reason I spend time reviewing the home before I even show up is because houses come with baggage\u2014just like people. And just like any smart doctor starts by checking your chart, I start by checking the year the house was built. That one detail tells me more than you\u2019d think. Why the Year Built Changes Everything If your home was built in the late 1960s or early '70s, I\u2019m walking in already thinking about aluminum wiring. In the late '80s and early '90s? My radar's up for polybutylene piping\u2014a ticking time bomb in certain climates. The home\u2019s age isn\u2019t just trivia. It\u2019s context. And it helps me make smarter decisions about where to spend my attention during the inspection. I also know that if the home was built before 1978, there\u2019s a high likelihood of lead paint. If it was built after 2005, I\u2019m expecting better fire-rated garage doors and GFCI placement. It\u2019s not about guessing. It\u2019s about understanding construction trends\u2014and anticipating the problems that come with them. This Isn\u2019t About Code\u2014It\u2019s About Patterns I\u2019m not here to bring your home up to 2025 code. I\u2019m not the code police. Just like a 1950 Corvette doesn\u2019t need to install a backup camera, your 1950 house doesn\u2019t need to be rebuilt because of every code change since then. I\u2019m evaluating the home based on what it was built to be\u2014then checking if it\u2019s still functioning safely today. And that\u2019s why preparation matters. If I know a 1984 house in this area likely has poly piping and low attic insulation, I\u2019m already mentally checking behind the drywall before I even get there. I don\u2019t need to see it to suspect it. I just need to know what I\u2019m walking into. What I\u2019m Looking For\u2014And What I\u2019m Not \u2705 I\u2019m looking for: clues about construction quality, material types, aging systems, and era-specific risks that could cause serious issues. \u274c I\u2019m not looking for: cosmetic quirks, style preferences, or reasons to nitpick things that made sense 40 years ago. Your harvest gold bathroom fixtures are not a defect\u2014they're vintage. I don\u2019t open walls. I don\u2019t test for radon. I don\u2019t scrape paint to find lead. But I will document red flags that suggest a deeper dive is needed\u2014by a specialist. That\u2019s the role of a general inspection: not to diagnose, but to spot symptoms and recommend when to escalate. Our Process Is Methodical\u2014Because It Has to Be Every inspector on our team is trained to think this way. We don\u2019t just \u201cwalk through and see what\u2019s broken.\u201d We prep, analyze, and execute based on a system. That\u2019s how you find small things before they become big ones. We\u2019re not just showing up and clicking a checklist. We\u2019re reading your house before we even walk in the door. That\u2019s what you\u2019re paying for. That\u2019s what preparation really looks like. FAQs: Why the Year Built Actually Matters Why do you care when the house was built? The year built helps predict what materials and construction standards were common at the time. That tells me where to look for problems. Older homes might have fuse boxes, non-GFCI outlets, or lead-based paint. Newer ones might cut corners in materials but pass code. Every decade has its red flags. What\u2019s wrong with aluminum wiring? Aluminum branch wiring, common in homes from the mid-'60s to early '70s, is prone to expansion and contraction, leading to loose connections, overheating, and potential fire hazards. I look for signs it was updated, repaired properly, or still in place. What is polybutylene pipe, and why is it bad? Polybutylene (PB) pipe was a cheap alternative to copper used in the \u201880s and early \u201890s. It degrades when exposed to oxidants in municipal water and often fails without warning. If I suspect PB, I\u2019ll recommend a licensed plumber for further evaluation. Do you check every home for code compliance based on the year? No. A home doesn\u2019t need to comply with modern code unless it's being renovated or modified. I inspect based on what's safe and functional, not what\u2019s trendy or newly required. If something poses a risk\u2014regardless of age\u2014I\u2019ll call it out. \u2192 Next up: Post 3: Why We Start Every Inspection with a RecallChek \u2190 Previously: Post 1: The Inspection Starts Before I Even Arrive Curious what it\u2019s like to schedule your own home inspection with us?","datePublished":"2025-06-30","dateModified":"2025-06-30","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/#Person","name":"Kloc Curtis","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/author\/curtis\/","identifier":6,"description":"Curtis Kloc is a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in business development, inspections, and technical systems. He has built and sold multiple six- and seven-figure home inspection and environmental services companies, including HERO Inspections & Environmental and Elite Analysis. Curtis is the founder of Inspections Over Coffee, a nationally expanding franchise known for its white-glove service, inspector training systems, and streamlined operational workflows.\r\n\r\nWith deep roots in nuclear engineering from his time as a Machinist Mate and Engineering Laboratory Technician aboard two U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, Curtis brings unmatched precision and discipline to every business he runs. He is certified and licensed in home inspection, mold assessment, asbestos inspection, and environmental testing, and is a member of NACHI since 2006. Curtis now leads AI automation initiatives through Nexation.ai, helping businesses eliminate busywork and refocus on what matters most\u2014client relationships, growth, and results.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1630069397452.webp","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Person","name":"Curtis Kloc","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/site-logo.png","width":512,"height":512}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/home-inspection-blog-2.png","url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/home-inspection-blog-2.png","height":736,"width":1312},"url":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/what-we-look-for-and-what-we-dont-how-i-prepare-for-a-home-inspection-the-right-way\/","about":["Uncategorized"],"wordCount":790,"articleBody":"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat We Look For (And What We Don\u2019t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right WayThe reason I spend time reviewing the home before I even show up is because houses come with baggage\u2014just like people. And just like any smart doctor starts by checking your chart, I start by checking the year the house was built. That one detail tells me more than you\u2019d think.Why the Year Built Changes EverythingIf your home was built in the late 1960s or early '70s, I\u2019m walking in already thinking about aluminum wiring. In the late '80s and early '90s? My radar's up for polybutylene piping\u2014a ticking time bomb in certain climates. The home\u2019s age isn\u2019t just trivia. It\u2019s context. And it helps me make smarter decisions about where to spend my attention during the inspection.I also know that if the home was built before 1978, there\u2019s a high likelihood of lead paint. If it was built after 2005, I\u2019m expecting better fire-rated garage doors and GFCI placement. It\u2019s not about guessing. It\u2019s about understanding construction trends\u2014and anticipating the problems that come with them.This Isn\u2019t About Code\u2014It\u2019s About PatternsI\u2019m not here to bring your home up to 2025 code. I\u2019m not the code police. Just like a 1950 Corvette doesn\u2019t need to install a backup camera, your 1950 house doesn\u2019t need to be rebuilt because of every code change since then. I\u2019m evaluating the home based on what it was built to be\u2014then checking if it\u2019s still functioning safely today.And that\u2019s why preparation matters. If I know a 1984 house in this area likely has poly piping and low attic insulation, I\u2019m already mentally checking behind the drywall before I even get there. I don\u2019t need to see it to suspect it. I just need to know what I\u2019m walking into.What I\u2019m Looking For\u2014And What I\u2019m Not  \u2705 I\u2019m looking for: clues about construction quality, material types, aging systems, and era-specific risks that could cause serious issues.  \u274c I\u2019m not looking for: cosmetic quirks, style preferences, or reasons to nitpick things that made sense 40 years ago. Your harvest gold bathroom fixtures are not a defect\u2014they're vintage.I don\u2019t open walls. I don\u2019t test for radon. I don\u2019t scrape paint to find lead. But I will document red flags that suggest a deeper dive is needed\u2014by a specialist. That\u2019s the role of a general inspection: not to diagnose, but to spot symptoms and recommend when to escalate.Our Process Is Methodical\u2014Because It Has to BeEvery inspector on our team is trained to think this way. We don\u2019t just \u201cwalk through and see what\u2019s broken.\u201d We prep, analyze, and execute based on a system. That\u2019s how you find small things before they become big ones.We\u2019re not just showing up and clicking a checklist. We\u2019re reading your house before we even walk in the door. That\u2019s what you\u2019re paying for. That\u2019s what preparation really looks like.FAQs: Why the Year Built Actually MattersWhy do you care when the house was built?The year built helps predict what materials and construction standards were common at the time. That tells me where to look for problems. Older homes might have fuse boxes, non-GFCI outlets, or lead-based paint. Newer ones might cut corners in materials but pass code. Every decade has its red flags.What\u2019s wrong with aluminum wiring?Aluminum branch wiring, common in homes from the mid-'60s to early '70s, is prone to expansion and contraction, leading to loose connections, overheating, and potential fire hazards. I look for signs it was updated, repaired properly, or still in place.What is polybutylene pipe, and why is it bad?Polybutylene (PB) pipe was a cheap alternative to copper used in the \u201880s and early \u201890s. It degrades when exposed to oxidants in municipal water and often fails without warning. If I suspect PB, I\u2019ll recommend a licensed plumber for further evaluation.Do you check every home for code compliance based on the year?No. A home doesn\u2019t need to comply with modern code unless it's being renovated or modified. I inspect based on what's safe and functional, not what\u2019s trendy or newly required. If something poses a risk\u2014regardless of age\u2014I\u2019ll call it out.\u2192 Next up: Post 3: Why We Start Every Inspection with a RecallChek\u2190 Previously: Post 1: The Inspection Starts Before I Even ArriveCurious what it\u2019s like to schedule your own home inspection with us?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"What We Look For (And What We Don\u2019t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right Way","item":"https:\/\/homeinspectionsovercoffee.com\/what-we-look-for-and-what-we-dont-how-i-prepare-for-a-home-inspection-the-right-way\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]