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  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BlogPosting",
  "headline": "What We Look For (And What We Don’t): How I Prepare for a Home Inspection the Right Way",
  "description": "Discover how a professional home inspector uses a home's year built to anticipate common issues like aluminum wiring and polybutylene piping. Learn why preparation matters.",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Inspections Over Coffee"
  },
  "publisher": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Inspections Over Coffee",
    "logo": {
      "@type": "ImageObject",
      "url": "Home inspector reviewing blueprints and property records with coffee and notes on building materials like aluminum wiring."
    }
  },
  "url": "https://homeinspectionsovercoffee.com/what-we-look-for-and-what-we-dont-how-i-prepare-for-a-home-inspection-the-right-way/",
  "datePublished": "2025-06-30",
  "mainEntity": {
    "@type": "FAQPage",
    "mainEntity": [
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Why do you care when the house was built?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "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."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "What’s wrong with aluminum wiring?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "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."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "What is polybutylene pipe, and why is it bad?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "Polybutylene (PB) pipe was a cheap alternative to copper used in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. It degrades when exposed to oxidants in municipal water and often fails without warning."
        }
      },
      {
        "@type": "Question",
        "name": "Do you check every home for code compliance based on the year?",
        "acceptedAnswer": {
          "@type": "Answer",
          "text": "No. A home doesn’t need to comply with modern code unless it's being renovated or modified. I inspect based on what's safe and functional, not what’s trendy or newly required."
        }
      }
    ]
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