If you are looking to purchase a home then your mortgage company will insist on a survey. However, a mortgage survey is not designed to identify all the faults in the home. Its main purpose is to confirm the value of the home. This ensures the mortgage company can get their money back if you can't afford to pay them.

The only way to get peace of mind and be aware of any otherwise unexpected bills is to have a building survey done yourself. But, even these types of surveys don’t always look for corrosion.

Whether you're just buying your dream home or have lived in it for several years, your home could be suffering from corrosion. It's worth having it checked.

Understanding Corrosion

Corrosion is the deterioration of a material. You should note that all materials corrode if left in the right conditions. In effect, corrosion can be likened to the natural process of decomposition.

In the case of your home, you’ll find the metal in the building can be attacked by water and oxygen, allowing it to rust and weaken the structure. You don’t need a steel-framed house to be concerned with this, although this type of house should definitely be tested. Any concrete home will also have metal in the middle of the concrete, giving it extra strength.

Testing means you'll know if your home has an issue and what you should be doing about it.

Best Testing Method

There are many ways to test the structural integrity of your home. However, you probably won't be keen on the destructive testing methods that destroy your home while testing.

But, if you're looking at non-destructive options one of the best is magnetic particle testing. This technique uses magnetic fields to create a map of the structure. In many ways, it works like an x-ray machine. The magnetic particle tester will provide you with an image of your home and you'll be able to see any defects or corrosion.

This will ensure you have the opportunity to decide what to do. Of course, you can choose not to purchase a property but you can't sell the property without declaring it.

Other Testing Required

To ensure your new home doesn’t give you any unpleasant surprises you should also have any wood inspected. Pests, particularly termites, can cause serious damage and leave your home weakened. Alongside this, it’s a good idea to have an electrical and plumbing inspection completed. Bad electrics is one of the most common causes of fire and it's expensive to rewire an entire house.

Equally, you don’t want to wake up one morning and find your plumbing has leaked and flooded the downstairs of your home.

Final Thoughts

Buying a house is a big commitment, it's important to do your homework first and this includes having all necessary surveys done to give you peace of mind. One unexpected issue can create financial difficulties or even cause your house to fall down. It's worth the few dollars for a survey.

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