Any home you choose to buy, unless it is a brand-new build, will come with a history. Is it a good idea to know something about the history of the home you will live in? If the property looks newly renovated, does it matter what has happened to it in the past? Let’s look at one example, houses with a history of fire damage.
To know whether a property with a history of fire damage is a good investment or not, you will need to find out how the damage was handled after the fire. Even when the flames have been extinguished, toxic substances will have been left behind that can stick around for a long time. Smoke also causes a great deal of damage that affects the entire building, even if the fire was contained. If the damage from fire and smoke was not cleaned up quickly and thoroughly it could still be a problem years later.
Yet another cause of damage in a house fire is water. Naturally, firefighters will use as much water as is needed to put out the flames, but this can often cause more damage than the fire itself. Again, if the damage from water is not treated properly, and rapidly, it will have long-term consequences, creating issues related to water intrusion.
The only way to ensure your potential new home is a sensible purchase is to have a thorough home inspection performed on it, which will uncover any long-lasting damage related to the house fire.
