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Learning how old and efficient your heater is can determine if your utility bills will be $80 a month or $600. You may not even have air-conditioning in that old house. Most homes today run on electricity, natural gas or heating oil, but old homes may have some very old and very unique systems in place. Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning is the most expensive mechanical component of your home. Question #5 What condition is the HVAC in? Have a thorough inspection done prior to closing and get a termite bond with the exterminator to protect yourself in the future. But since an old house has been around for decades, they’ve had plenty of time to eat through major portions of the house if they have been left unchecked. Most of the time, it takes years for termites to do any significant damage. So are carpenter ants and any other wood destroying organism. Termites are a big problem here in the warm south, but they are an issue to consider anywhere in the country. If you have a suspicion about asbestos in the house, have a sample sent to a local lab for testing. and the dust is released is there a significant threat.Īsbestos remediation is expensive and can be a major pain. Only when it is disturbed by renovating, cutting, sanding, etc. If asbestos is in good shape, it’s not a hazard. But if you’re looking at an old house with asbestos shingle siding that is painted and in great shape I wouldn’t worry one bit.
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Crumbling pipe and duct insulation, worn out asbestos roofing or siding that is in disrepair, chipping vinyl tiles (some of which may contain asbestos) are all something to watch out for. While asbestos is a dangerous element to have in your home, the real danger comes from asbestos that is old and worn out. The point is, you need to know what’s hiding in the walls. Or someone may have come along and completely upgraded the electrical system within the last decade. You may have several generations of electrical components that aren’t as compatible as you would like. Depending on the age of your old house, electricity may have even been a later addition. Old house electrical systems can often be a rat’s nest of wires and splices as the occupant’s electrical needs have grown over the years. If that is within your budget then there’s no red flag here. The price can vary widely depending on the size of the house and your location, but expect to pay somewhere between $3,000 and $6,000 for the average sized old house. Re-piping a house is a fairly straight forward job for any plumber. If it is the original copper, galvanized steel, cast iron or other similar material, don’t panic. Even the finest plumbing can’t last much more than 80-100 years before needing to be replaced. If you’re buying a house from the early 20th-century, you have a good chance of finding the original plumbing, and it’s likely ready for retirement. Here are six big things you need to ask before signing on the dotted line. No one wants to buy a lemon, so before you fall too deeply in love, you need to do your due diligence. And while there are plenty of questions you should ask about any new home purchase, buying an old house requires a different set of questions. It’s likely the largest purchase you’ll make in your lifetime.