It is important to prepare a bank foreclosed home for the winter season especially
if there are not indications that the home will be sold anytime soon. Winterizing bank foreclosures is important to maintain the condition of the properties and make still viable for sale.
The first step in winterizing a bank foreclosed home takes place during home inspection. This is not the inspection conducted by prospective buyers but the inspection that needs to be undertaken by banks to assess the condition of properties prior to listing them.
Which Areas Should You Protect
The parts of the home that are most vulnerable during the winter months are the plumbing system, gas lines and electrical lines. To protect water pipes the pipes should be drained and treated with an anti-freeze and the main supply should be shut down. The same procedure should be done with gas and electrical lines. This will prevent the repair of costly damages or the replacement of plumbing and electrical lines when spring comes.
After the winter season these homes need to be de-winterized to prepare them for buyers inspection. Several home inspection companies offer winterizing services to protect bank foreclosure homes. They offer other services like electrical circuit isolation.
How to Inspect Winterized Homes
Most foreclosed properties will have the main lines of the utilities turned off making it difficult for inspectors to determine if indeed these lines are working fine. Some of the things that need checking will be the furnace, the stoves and the water heating system.
Other crucial areas to inspect in a bank foreclosed home include the foundation, wall and floor structures, the ceiling and the roof. Inspecting the basement where most of the main water and power lines are located is necessary. Outside the house the areas that need to be checked are the decks, stairways, porches or balconies, drainage and driveways.