How Does Your House Measure Up?

New interactive tool allows homeowners and homebuyers to see what repairs might be needed in the future

BOUND BROOK, NJ (Thursday, January 05, 2006) -

Your home is 15 years old and in seemingly good condition—but what are the chances that it will need a new roof or heating system in the near future?  HouseMaster® Home Inspection services announces the creation of an exciting new interactive tool—the Home Defect Survey—that illustrates the most common problems found in homes throughout North America based on a home’s age.  Available on www.housemaster.com/homedefects, this new feature allows visitors to click on the estimated age of their home or their prospective home and discover the probability that the home will need certain repairs, such as a new roof, heating or cooling system, or electrical work.

“The Home Defect Survey is a valuable resource for homeowners.  Prior to putting a home on the market a homeowner can look at the website and clearly see the probability of specific repairs needed,” says Kathleen Kuhn, president and CEO of HouseMaster, the oldest and most experienced name in home inspections.  “Likewise, prospective homebuyers can check the age of the home they are considering and see the likelihood that certain problems will be uncovered during their home inspection.” 

Home elements surveyed include wood roofing, electric systems, heating and cooling systems, drainage, plumbing systems, structural components, insulation and water heaters.  The most common concern found in a home under 12 years old is with drainage (22.64%), but less than 10% of homes in this age range report plumbing defects such as water heater problems or leaking pipes.  Homes that are 13-29 years old report heating system concerns (59.74%), and are less likely (13.65%) to have structural damage.  The likelihood of roofing, insulation, and heating system defects are greatest in homes that are more than 30 years old.

After accessing www.housemaster.com/homedefects, consumers select the appropriate age range of the home in question (0-12 years; 13-29 years; 30+ years).  Once the home’s age is determined, the viewer can roll over the various highlighted defect areas and view the percent of likelihood that a specific defect will exist in the home.  Or, they can click on “View Survey Results,” for a complete review of HouseMaster Home Defect Survey and compare results based on age.   

“Consumers who use the tool will be able to determine specific elements that could be in need of repair.  A professional home inspector can then evaluate these (and many other) elements of the home and make an unbiased assessment of the home’s condition,” adds Kuhn. 

The Home Defect Survey is comprised of information gathered through a review of 2,000 home inspection reports from across North America.  General maintenance costs for the typical home may run 1-3% or more of the home’s value each year.  A portion of the survey is below; for full results please visit www.housemaster.com/homedefects.

About HouseMaster:

HouseMaster has franchises in more than 370 cities in North America.  Each franchise is an independently owned and operated business.  Collectively, HouseMaster has performed nearly 2 million inspections since 1979.  For more information about home buying and inspection, visit www.housemaster.com or call 800.526.3939.

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