How To Look At A House

McGarry and Madsen's home inspection blog for buyers of  

site-built, mobile/manufactured and modular homes

Do home inspectors actually use a magnifying glass?

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Close to half of all home inspector business cards include a graphic of a magnifying glass hovering over a miniature house—and half of those have a Sherlock Holmes lookalike holding the magnifying glass. It’s meant to convince a prospective customer that the inspector observes each house in micro-detail. But do home inspectors really use them? Not too much. House defects are usually right there in plain sight if you know what to look for. Most us have to root around in the bottom of our tool bag, or go out to the truck, to find a magnifier.

     But they are definitely helpful when looking for termite fecal pellets in bits of debris at the base of a wall, or to read the excruciatingly fine print on the face of a circuit breaker for the specs. And our preference is actually a small multi-lens loupe, which is not as impressive as a big, old-fashioned magnifying glass. Or at least it was until today, when an electrician friend showed us that it’s easier to pull the cellphone out of your pocket, snap a close-up pic, and then zoom-in on the detail you’re looking for. 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

Here’s links to some of our other blog posts about "DOES A HOME INSPECTOR…?":

Does a home inspector lift up the carpet to look for cracks in the floor? 

What is a home inspector not allowed to do?

Does a home inspector inspect in the rain? 

Does a home inspector remove the electric panel cover plate and examine the inside of the panel? 

Can a home inspector do repairs to a house after doing the inspection? 

What are the questions a home inspector won't (or shouldn't) answer?

Does a home inspector make sure the house is up to code? 

How thorough is a home inspector required to be when inspecting a house?

• Does a home inspector check for permits? 

     Visit our HOME INSPECTION page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.

Water Heaters

Water Heater Age

"What Are The

Signs Of..."

Septic Tank Systems

Structure and Rooms

Plumbing Pipes

Termites, Wood Rot

& Pests

Sinkholes

Stairs

When It First

Became Code

"Should I Buy A..."

Park Model Homes

Site

Shingle Roofs

Safety

Stucco

Remodeling

Wind Mitigation

Roof and Attic

"Does A Home

Inspector...?"

Pool and Spa

"What Is The Difference Between..."

Radon

Brick

Plumbing

Concrete and

Concrete Block

Metal Roofs

Foundations

Modular Homes

Rain Gutters

Mold, Lead & Other Contaminants

Condominiums

Older and

Historic Houses

Crawl Spaces

Mobile-Manufactured Homes

Building Permits

Life Expectancy

Clay Soil

Insurance

Floors

Insulation

Toilets

Exterior Walls

& Structures

Generators

Common Problems

HUD-Code for

Mobile Homes

Garages and Carports

Flat (Low Slope) Roofs

Electrical Panels

Sprinkler Systems

Electrical Receptacle Outlets

4-Point Inspections

Hurricane Resistance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Home Inspection

Heating and Air Conditioning

Building Codes

Fireplaces and Chimneys

Inspector Licensing

& Standards

Energy Efficiency

Washers and Dryers

Electrical

Kitchens

Doors and Windows

(placeholder)

Cracks

Electrical Wiring

Click Below  

for Links

to Collections

of Blog Posts

by Subject

Plumbing Drains

and Traps

Appliances

Smoke & CO Alarms

Aging in Place

Top 5 results given instantly.

Click on magnifying glass

for all search results.

Bathrooms

Lighting

AFCI, CAFCI,

DFCI, & GFCI

Sinks

Air Conditioner & Furnace Age/Size

Attics

Electrical Switches

Siding

Search

This

Site

Water Intrusion

Electrical - Old

and Obsolete

(placeholder)

Foundation Certifications

Tiny Houses

About McGarry and Madsen

(placeholder)

Wells

Buying a home in North/Central Florida? Check our price for a  team inspection by two FL-licensed contractors and inspectors. Over 8,500 inspections completed in 20+ years. In a hurry? We will get it done for you.

Moisture Problems

Crawl Spaces

Bedrooms

Closets