What Is A 4 Point Home Inspection?
It’s usually said that all-inclusive home insurance is a prerequisite for homeowners. And rightly so, as an insured home prevents big-ticket expenses in unforeseen events such as fires, floods, storms, thefts, etc.
Simply put, insurance coverage can be your source of overall well-being and peace of mind.
But things aren’t that simple when it comes to insuring your home. That’s because insurance companies in Florida call for a mandatory 4 point home inspection before they can provide any insurance coverage or renew existing ones.
So what is a 4 point home inspection, and what does it cover?
And more importantly, how is one such inspection different from full home inspections?
Well, let’s dive right in and find out.
What is a 4 point home inspection in Florida?
As the name suggests, a 4 point inspection covers the four most critical aspects of your home, namely roofing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems.
Herein, a certified Florida home inspector carries out an extensive analysis of the above four areas of your residential property. And this includes extensive tests and assessments before the inspectors can compile a report detailing their findings.
Now, the inspection report typically details the condition of these four facets and verifies the following:
- If these systems are in optimum condition.
- If these systems need repairs (small or big).
- If these systems need to be replaced entirely.
Note: All residential properties in Florida need to undergo a 4 point inspection for an insurance cover, including single-family homes and condominiums, among others.
What is the purpose of a 4 point inspection in insurance?
As we discussed earlier, insurance companies across the state have a very clear policy wherein they mandate a 4 point inspection for all insurance applications.
Meaning whether you want a new insurance policy after buying a home or you’re simply looking to renew your home insurance, an inspection is necessary.
But have you ever wondered why your insurer needs an inspection report in the first place?
You see, not only are the areas such as roofing, plumbing, HVACs, and electrical wirings very crucial, but they’re also too expensive to repair. And to that end, a thorough inspection report helps insurance firms calculate the extent of their liability in the event of damage.
For instance, Florida-based insurance companies are usually quite selective in renewing or providing new coverage to residential properties dating four years or older. That’s because there’s a good chance these homes have underlying issues with HVACs or electrical systems, among others.
Also, the companies are wary that problems might emerge in the future, even if there are no issues at present.
So, an inspection report helps these companies analyze the financial risks involved in providing insurance coverage to your home, both at present and in the foreseeable future.
Bonus: Apart from insurance companies, 4 point home inspection also comes in handy for homebuyers investing in a property. The report helps you decide whether or not the property is worth investing in.
You might also want to read – When To Walk Away After Home Inspection?
What is involved in a 4 point home inspection?
Now that you’ve seen what is a 4 point home inspection, you might well wonder what it involves.
To put it simply, a 4 point inspection is all about roofing, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical inspection.
However, it is essential that you’re aware of the nitty gritty of these inspections.
After all, a detailed understanding of what an inspector might look for will allow you to review and fix the underlying issues beforehand. Also, it’ll give you an upper hand in seeking insurance coverage as your home inspection report will assure the insurer of minimal financial risks.
So let’s have a look up close at what is included in a 4 point home inspection.
1. Roofing inspection
You’ll agree when we say that roofing is indeed one of the most essential aspects of your home. That’s because apart from being a vital component of the home’s structural system, the roofing also influences overall resilience and efficiency.
As such, it’s not surprising why roofing tops the list of 4 point home inspection checklists.
Now, when inspecting the roofing system of a home, the inspectors look for possible issues that can pose dangers to the structure and safety risks to occupants. Herein, they analyze factors such as the roof’s age, signs of damage or degradation, leakages, etc.
Also, the inspectors will work to detect signs of mold and mildew in the roofing.
Not to mention, a roofing inspection might even involve analyzing the energy efficiency of the shingles as it has a direct impact on the HVAC systems.
Bonus: You can fix your roofing and pass the inspection. Here’s how:
Apart from quick and favorable insurance coverage, a safe and sound roofing system is also essential for your overall safety.
And you can ensure both by detecting and fixing the following issues before a roofing inspection:
A. Replace aging roof shingles
If your roofing is older than 20 years, there are chances of curls, cracks, and even missing shingles. So, we suggest that you replace your shingles with a solid and efficient roofing system.
B. Replace or repair degrading roofing
It is common for older roofs, as well as roof shingles not properly installed, to show signs of degradation. And even if these signs show up at concealed locations, it doesn’t take long before the roofing inspector detects and flags them in their report.
Meaning you should look for such signs beforehand but also fix them by either replacing the shingles or repairing them if the problems are minor.
C. Fix leakages
Leakages can occur due to various reasons ranging from cracks to poor design. However, it is important to get them fixed in time for a seamless experience with insurance companies.
D. Fix faulty roofing structure (if any)
The structure of your roofing goes a long way to ensure safety during adverse weather conditions. And although less likely, it is possible that a faulty installation may cause issues with the roof structure.
Insurance companies take structural issues very seriously, and to that end, we suggest you fix them before reaching out for insurance.
2. Plumbing inspection
Another major area of 4 point home inspection is the plumbing system of your home.
You see, a broken or leaking plumbing system can damage the building’s other vital areas, such as walls, floors, etc. So, your home inspector will be very watchful when inspecting the plumbing.
The inspectors, in particular, look at the material with which the plumbing lines or pipes are made, along with signs of aging. Also, they look for leakages and try to determine the extent of damage it has caused or is likely to cause.
In short, the inspection will determine how robust your plumbing is and how likely it is for the system to break or burst.
For instance, a plumbing line made of polybutylene pipes carries more risks of bursting compared to traditional plumbing. And that’s exactly why a lot of insurance companies deny coverage to homes with polybutylene lines.
Moreover, even if an insurer covers your home, they’ll not cover any water damage.
So, in such a situation, a plumbing inspection gives an idea to the insurance firms about the extent of risks involved in providing you with coverage.
You might like to read: Do home inspections check for asbestos?
3. HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system inspection
The HVAC system in your home is crucial as the indoor climate hinges on its effectiveness and quality of installation, among others.
It also goes without saying that the HVAC system is expensive and, thus, an area of attention for insurance companies.
Now, HVAC issues such as aging systems and faulty installation are common in homes. And not only does this lead to other problems, such as dust build-up and deteriorating air quality, but it also leads to costly fixes.
As such, a home inspector carries out a two-faceted analysis of the HVAC system, namely:
A. Functionality of the HVAC units
The inspectors typically start an HVAC inspection by looking at the functioning of the units and determining how effective the overall system works.
For instance, an inspector can look at the levels of heating and cooling along with the effectiveness of ventilation systems. Also, they can try to detect faulty or broken-down components of the system.
They’d then compare these findings with that of a standard residential HVAC to pinpoint the underlying issues.
B. System’s age and installation quality
Another thing that inspectors examine during an inspection is the age of the HVAC system and the quality of workmanship.
Firstly, the age and condition of the system allows them to determine how long it will last you without causing any problem.
Secondly, the installation quality lets the inspections predict how often you’d need to maintain the system.
Note: Your fireplace, window air conditioners, oil furnaces, etc., are not usually not considered as part of the primary HVAC system.
Pro tip: If your HVAC system is older than 20 years, we suggest you replace it with a new and more efficient system.
4. Electrical system inspection
A crucial part of the 4 point home inspection checklist, electrical system inspection ensures overall occupant safety, apart from helping insurance companies decide on coverage.
To start with, an electrical inspection involves examining whether or not the wirings and panels are installed properly and meet local code requirements. In fact, a code violation or improper installation, notwithstanding its scale, will prompt the inspectors to mark it as a failed system.
Furthermore, an electrical inspector will also examine if all the outlets are appropriately grounded and that the overall system is optimum for your home.
Wondering why inspections are so heavy-handed towards electrical systems?
Well, faulty electrical systems are the source of over 90 percent of fires in homes. So, unsurprisingly, insurance companies are very serious about all things residential electrical components.
Not to mention, insurance rejections are also the highest for homes with electrical problems.
Meaning it’s wise to detect and remedy the electrical issues with the help of a seasoned infrared thermography inspector before applying for insurance.
You might like to read: What is a home inspection? (all questions answered)
How to prepare for a 4-point inspection?
Complicated as it might seem, preparing for a 4 point home inspection in Florida is simple. All you’ve got to do is check out the four areas due to be inspected.
Here’s how you can prepare these areas for an inspection:
1. Have a closer look at the shingles
Your roofing system might have some broken, damaged, or missing shingles, which you should replace with new shingles.
Also, you can look for visual signs of water damage or holes in the roofing arising out of poor workmanship and fix them.
Note: While it makes sense to replace the shingles entirely for roofing systems older than two decades, we suggest you do so only after consultation with your home inspector.
2. Look for signs of plumbing damage
Plumbing damage can manifest itself in the form of leakages, water-induced wall damage, degraded pipelines, etc.
And the worst thing is that even minor or insignificant damage can make the insurance firms sound caution, leading to the denial of insurance. So, it’s best to fix all the plumbing issues that you can visually detect beforehand.
3. Always be on the lookout for electrical problems
As we discussed earlier, the importance of electrical safety is not limited to insurance inspections. And towards that end, frequent analysis of electrical systems and general alertness is a prerequisite.
You can look for obvious signs of electrical woes, such as exposed wires, aluminum wiring, fuse boxes, double-tapped breakers, etc. That’s because these pose a significant electrical fire hazard and need to be fixed or replaced with safe components.
4. Run your HVAC system and notice its operation
To prepare your HVAC units for inspection, we suggest you run the system and observe potential issues such as the efficacy of heating and cooling systems, the working of vents, etc.
4 point home inspection vs. full home inspection: What’s the difference?
When we talk about what is a 4 point home inspection, there’s a good chance you’d confuse it with a regular home inspection.
And although both inspections involve some of the most crucial aspects of your home, they’re different in terms of scope and purpose.
So, let’s see how the two types of inspections differ from one another:
1. Scope
To begin with, the extent of 4 point inspections is very limited in comparison with full home inspections. That’s because while the former covers roofing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems, the latter involves inspection of a property in its entirety.
2. Purpose
Secondly, the purpose of the two inspections is different too.
For instance, a 4 point inspection is conducted to examine the integrity of homes at the time of insurance application or renewal.
Nonetheless, a full home inspection is usually conducted by prospective homebuyers at the time of purchasing a property.
3. Mandatory insurance requirement
Insurance companies in Florida and some other states require homeowners to conduct a 4 point inspection at the time of renewing or availing a new policy coverage.
On the contrary, a full home inspection is not necessary for homeowners seeking insurance.
4 point inspection vs. wind mitigation inspection: What’s the difference?
While 4 point and wind mitigation inspections are often mentioned together, they’re quite different from one another.
For instance, a wind mitigation inspection looks at the roof’s shape, deck attachment, covering, protection systems, etc. This determines how effectively your home can weather extremities.
And even though 4 point inspections look at the roofing, wind mitigation inspections go further to examine other structural systems, too.
In fact, a wind mitigation inspection together with a 4 point inspection can indeed help you secure favorable insurance terms.
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?
How much does a 4 point home inspection cost?
According to Insurify, a 4 point home inspection cost can range anywhere between $50 and $150.
However, these are average figures and the actual cost will depend on the size of the property and the scale of the project.
You might also want to read – Mobile Home Inspection Checklist: Everything To Know About.
Conclusion
As you can see, a 4 point home inspection isn’t like the regular full-fledged property inspections that cover every nook and corner of your home.
Nevertheless, it is a handy method to examine some of the most critical facets of a home that too quickly and on a shoestring budget.
Talking about what is a 4 point home inspection in Florida, it’s simply a mandatory inspection that homeowners are needed to undertake so as to be eligible for insurance coverage. And that’s exactly why these inspections are also often abbreviated as insurance inspections.
Looking to undertake a 4 point inspection for insurance or any other purpose?
You can get in touch with us!
At Homestead Property Inspections, we are seasoned experts with over a decade of experience in carrying out insurance inspections across South Florida. So, whatever be the size or type of your property, we’ve got your back.
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