Every home inspector will follow a different home inspection routine, but you should make sure they cover your entire house. If you have a basement, you’ll definitely need a basement inspection.

Chicago area home inspector Jamie Dunsing says, “This is the heart of the house, this is the heating, the plumbing, the electric is all down here, so we’re going to spend quite a bit of time down here, looking these systems over and making sure everything’s operating properly.”

During a basement inspection, your home inspector will check all of the essential systems in your house. The boiler should be tested for gas leaks and carbon monoxide leaks during a basement inspection. Another thing to look for during a basement inspection would be drips and corrosion. Moisture, which can be discovered during a basement inspection, creates big problems when it leaks into your home.

Home inspectors will also look for gas leaks during a basement inspection. They use a special instrument to find any possible leaks during a basement inspection.

“I find a lot of gas leaks in houses where you can’t smell it when you walk in, but this can pick it up,” Dunsing says.

Another important part of a basement inspection is looking at the electrical panels. During a basement inspection, your home inspector should remove the covers on these panels and check to make sure all of the wiring has been connected correctly. During a basement inspection, your home inspector should let you know if there’s a problem with old pipe insulation or asbestos.

A lesser-known problem often found during basement inspections is radon. Radon seeps into basements from the ground. Dunsing says,”My opinion is every house should be tested for radon, whether it’s a basement, a crawlspace, a slab, you name it, it should be tested.” Lead paint is another potential hazard that should be tested for in a basement inspection. If you live in an older home, it’s often a good idea to hire an expert to come in and do an x-ray inspection of the walls in your home, especially during a basement inspection.