Ceilings – Raise Your Eyes Or Raise Your Hands

Ceilings have to be especially examined during interior home checking before you decide to buy your house. Ceiling stains indicate active leaks unless corrective action has been taken. It is worthwhile to ask the previous homeowner to commit in writing as to how and when the problems were rectified. Otherwise, you will be taking a big risk that can cut a tidy slice out of your bank account.

Interior Home Checking: Things to Observe in Ceilings



Observe and watch out for the following elements of ceilings of your proposed home, during interior home checking.

• The general condition of all surfaces. You can ignore cosmetic imperfections, but do look for cracks and peeling paint or wallpaper.
• Are there signs of water penetration from the outside or leakage from the inside? It is okay to feel behind wallpaper, paneling ceiling tiles and other coverings and look for problems that may not be visible to the naked eye, but not corrected.
• Check for sags and bulges in old plaster work. When you tap and push at the plaster, if it sounds hollow or feels a little flexible, there is the likelihood that the plaster has separated from its backing. Normally, ceiling cracks form due to building settlement, warps in the wooden structure or changes due to temperature and humidity fluctuations. Cracks tend to open and close regularly. It is okay to fill them with a flexible sealant that can be painted. But if the cracks are large, structural problems might show up. You’ve got to be very careful to check properly.
• Another area that warrants special attention is the inspection of drywall-covered ceilings where you must check for nail popping, joint cracks, other signs of failure or deterioration like rust stains at fasteners and corner beads.
• Take a good look at the paneled walls. Push and tap on the paneling to ensure it is well attached. If there are veneers see whether they are de-laminated. Suppose the paneling is not original, inspect behind it to see if it is hiding any other problems. If the paneling is obviously not original, try to look behind it to see what problems may be covered up.
• Observe above suspended ceiling panels. How is the condition of the original ceiling? Have a look at the tiled ceilings also.
• Are the skylights okay? Is there any sign of leakage or water damage? Also look at the skylight components to see if they are weather tight. You don’t want a dripping skylight when it is raining outside. Try opening and closing the skylights to check whether they operate smoothly. Do they fit well?

During interior home checking, you should check the ceilings of the home thoroughly in order to avoid significant repair expenses in the future.