15 Signs Your House Is Hiding Major Problems

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Investing in a new home can be a lifetime achievement, but when you do it, you need to take into consideration lots of stuff. If you decide to purchase a home that’s already built, you need to open your eyes to possible signs of damage.

Some house problems might be obvious, like when raw sewage starts backing up in your basement shower. But there are also some damages that are not so easy to be spotted, and you might remain blissfully unaware of them when deciding on the house. In order to avoid it, we made a list of 15 signs you should look after in a house.

  1. Dry mud tubes on the foundation - This is a clear sign of termites, which are the number one enemy of any house.
  2. Doors that won’t close - If there are doors that simply won’t close, it might be a sign that something shifted in the structure of the house.
  3. Sloping floor - This might indicate that one or more of the joists that support the floor have rotted or are broken.
  4. Tiny holes in wood/drywall - If you encounter this problem, it’s definitely not to be ignored. This might be a sign of flying termites, which means the house suffers from an active termite infestation.
  5. Flickering lights - Maybe you already tried fixing this problem by replacing the light bulb, but it’s still flickering. This might mean that some wires along the circuit are loose or the home’s wiring is not adequate anymore for the amount of electricity used in the house.
  6. A crack in your window glass - If you’re neighbors’ child doesn’t make a habit out of throwing rocks in your windows, a crack in your window glass might happen due to a structural shifting in the house.
  7. The washing machine hose is bulging - The bulge means that the hose is failing and could burst any time. If it does, the rupture will only mean flooding and water damage, so better avoid it while you still can.
  8. Clumps of shredded paper - Rodents. Sorry to break it to you like this, but this means your house has rodents.
  9. Heavy white residue on a brick chimney - This residue is called efflorescence, and while in small quantities isn’t harmful, it could be caused by a cracked flue liner, which can increase the risk of toxic fumes.
  10. Slow drainage all around the house - If you have this problem only on one sink or in the shower drain, you shouldn’t worry. But if you have this issue all around the house, it means there’s a clog in the main sewer line, and that might be a problem.
  11. Peeling or blistering paint - Before starting to work on the walls, you should investigate the area to check if it’s only poorly painted or if it involves a leak of water.
  12. Windows that won’t open - Windows that have this problem might indicate that there’s something wrong with the house foundation.
  13. Toilet gurgling - This issue should never be overlooked: it might be caused by a negative air pressure that it’s building up in the drain line.
  14. Holes in the deck - Holes in the deck might mean only one thing: you’ll have some unexpected roommates. Bumblebees burrow their nests into soft wood, so if you notice small piles of sawdust, you’ll probably meet pretty soon the carpenter bees.
  15. An odd smell coming from an outlet - This is a sign of melted electrical wiring. It usually has a funky smell that you shouldn’t ignore.

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