Vintage Home Inspections NJ | Vintage Home Inspector NJ

Circa 1915, Flemington, NJ                                                        Circa 1904, Haworth, NJ

Older homes have certain charms, such as thick molding, high ceilings, wood plank floors, hand craftsmanship, and, oftentimes, curb appeal. Generally, if maintained, older homes were built to last. When purchasing an older home, you must remember that older houses may have issues that are not always easily revealed despite all the wonderful charms. Many of these issues highlight the need for vintage home inspections. We are NJ’s experienced Old or Vintage Home Inspector! 

When performing an older or vintage home inspection, Monmouth County, NJ-based Jersey Strong Home Inspection takes a closer look at your prospective home with your personal interests in mind. Many older homes (those close to or over 100 years old) in Monmouth County and and the surrounding Middlesex, Union, Somerset, Essex, Ocean, and Morris counties have often been cosmetically re-finished and may have hidden concerns. These include but are not limited to the foundation, exterior walls, interior walls, plumbing, electrical systems, heating, wood-destroying insects, etc., etc. And so, should you consider purchasing an older home, it is extremely important that you work with a knowledgeable experienced old vintage home inspection service. Below are a few examples of issues we have encountered on various old home inspections.

Common Old | Vintage Home Inspection Issues

Many vintage homes have had some form of settlement, and, in some cases, they have been corrected. We look at the foundation and general support to detect any defects. Some of these include improper bracing or temporary floor jacks. This can cause cracks in the foundation and flooring. Thus creating some additional unforeseen expenses after you move in.

Temporary floor jack, circa 1930, Sayreville, NJ

Oftentimes, older furnaces were kept alive and not removed in older homes due to their size and weight. As pictured below, this older hot water boiler system had pipes wrapped in asbestos as a form of insulation. Asbestos can be extremely dangerous to one’s health to remove and should be handled only by a licensed company that works with asbestos.

Asbestos on old furnace pipes, circa 1842, Freehold, NJ

Another area that is a common concern in older homes is the electrical system. These can consist of several issues that can affect the home’s safety. Although many of these wiring practices were used 70+ years ago and functioned well, they are no longer considered safe by today’s standards. ‘Knob and Tube,’ for example, were very common in old homes. Most homeowners with ‘knob and tube’ wiring have taken them out completely and upgraded to a circuit breaker system or still have them in place but not functioning. One should proceed with extreme caution as once in a while, we still find live wiring with knob and tube. These can be extremely dangerous if you come into contact with the wiring. They can cause severe electrical shock and extreme injury.

Knob and Tube Wiring, circa 1909, Matawan, NJ

Buying an older home is not for the faint of heart. The key is knowing what you might be getting into and planning for unexpected repairs. These types of homes may take years to repair and upgrade. The challenge can be rewarding or frustrating. The benefit of a good home inspection will provide you with the required knowledge to make your decision.

Circa 1925, Farmingdale, NJ

WHY US? | MONMOUTH COUNTY NJ HOME INSPECTION SERVICES

Jersey Strong Home Inspection, LLC is a professionally licensed home inspector company offering the top certified Monmouth County NJ home inspection. Purchasing a new home or an old vintage home is a huge investment and may seem overwhelming. As a local Morganville, NJ, Home Inspector, Jersey Strong Home Inspection offers experience and peace of mind by thoroughly examining your prospective home’s structural and mechanical components. We are based out of Morganville, NJ, and perform home inspections throughout Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer, and Union County. Our goal is to provide you with a completely thorough evaluation of the property as if we were purchasing it for our own family. We offer home inspections, termite inspections, radon testing, and tank sweep inspections.