What to Expect from a Home Inspection in Summit County, Colorado

by Shea Lydon

As a certified home inspector based in Summit County, Colorado, with years of experience trudging through snow-covered roofs in Breckenridge and checking foundations in Frisco, I've seen it all. We inspect condos and luxury lodges. A home inspection is a thorough, non-invasive visual examination of the property's condition, designed to give you peace of mind and uncover any potential issues before they become headaches.

In this post, I'll walk you through what you can expect from a standard home inspection from my perspective. We'll cover what's typically included, what's off-limits, and some unique considerations for our high-altitude, snowy conditions.

The Basics: What a Home Inspection Covers

A standard home inspection is all about assessing the visible and accessible parts of the home. We're not tearing down walls or digging up yards; it's a snapshot of the property's current state. Here's a breakdown of the key areas I inspect, based on industry standards tailored to Colorado's requirements. Expect a detailed report with photos, descriptions, and recommendations—usually delivered within 24 hours after the inspection.

Exterior Components

I start outside, where the harsh weather really tests a home.

I'll check:

Foundation and Structure: Looking for cracks, settling, or water damage. In our mountainous terrain, soil movement and freeze-thaw cycles can cause issues.
Roofing and Gutters: Inspecting shingles, flashing, vents, and chimneys for wear, leaks, or improper installation. Snow load and ice dams are a big one here—roofs need to handle heavy accumulation without sagging and have proper drainage.
Siding, Windows, and Doors: Evaluating for rot, gaps, or poor sealing that could lead to energy loss or moisture intrusion.
Grading and Drainage: Ensuring the ground slopes away from the house to prevent water pooling. Poor grading is a common culprit for basement floods in Colorado.
Driveways, Walkways, and Retaining Walls: Checking for cracks, heaving from frost, or erosion. In areas like Silverthorne, retaining walls are crucial for hillside stability.
Garage or Carport: Framing, doors, and safety features like auto-reverse on openers.

INTERIOR COMPONENTS :

Moving inside, I focus on livability and safety:

Bathrooms and Kitchens: Fixtures, faucets, sinks, tubs, and counters for leaks or functionality.
Doors, Windows, and Cabinets: Testing operation and looking for drafts or hardware issues.
Walls, Ceilings, Floors, and Stairs: Noting cracks, stains, or unevenness that might indicate structural shifts along with any aesthetic inconsistencies.

Major Systems

These are the big-ticket items that keep your home running:

Plumbing: Pipes, fixtures, water pressure, drains, and the water heater. I'll note any leaks or corrosion.
Electrical: Panel, wiring, outlets, switches, and grounding. Outdated systems like knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring are red flags in older homes.
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning): Fireplaces (visual inspection and basic operations) Baseboard heating, furnaces, boilers, split system units,ducts, and insulation as well as recalled oxygen permeable tubing. At our elevations (over 9,000 feet in much of the county), systems need to be tuned for thin air—inefficient heating is common.
Attic, Basement, and Crawlspace: Insulation, ventilation, moisture, and signs of pests or mold.

Built-In Appliances

I'll test ovens, refrigeration, microwaves, dishwashers, disposals, and exhaust fans for basic operation.

Available add ons:

Radon : Radon gas is everywhere and normally the levels of radon are so low that it isn’t anything to worry about, but once we build a house and close the doors radon levels can skyrocket. We live in a Zone 1 area which means that we have the highest levels of radon in the country, and radon is the number one cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Our children are most at risk from the radioactive effects of radon, which means that testing your house for radon is imperative if you have kids.

Sewer Scope: Thousands of dollars of repairs could be hiding under the surface of the ground. During a home inspection we can offer Sewer Scope Inspections in house. This means that you can easily schedule an inspection and sewer scope inspection at the same time. We don't remove toilets, but we will open clean outs, and inspect your drainage pipe all the way to the main sewer line assuming there isn’t anything blocking our camera in the pipe.

Well Recovery Test: When buying a house, it is important to know if the well can produce enough water for you and your family. Testing the flow rate of a well is one part of the well stress test but verifying that the well can produce a consistent amount of water throughout the entire test is critical. A good well recovery rate depends on your area, but anything above three gallons per minute is often considered good. If the well fails the well test there are steps that can be taken to reduce the production rate of the well and allow you to slowly refill your water storage tanks throughout the day and night.

Water Purity Test: The water that you and your family drinks must be safe. The only way to know if your water is safe to drink is by performing a drinking water test. Two Moose Home Inspections will collect a water sample from your home and hand deliver it to a laboratory to ensure that we get fast and accurate results. The testing process takes approximately four days to complete as our testing procedure is significantly more advanced than anything that can be done in the field. Your family’s safety is our top priority.

Roof Walking: 9 Months out of the year most houses in this area have a significant amount of snow on their roofs, so inspecting the roof can be next to impossible. We use our 360° Cameras to safely inspect the roof from the ground and we inspect attic spaces to find roof deficiencies year-round, but during the summer months we offer walking on the roof as an add-on service. We can use ropes and harnesses to inspect your roof. Not all roofs can be walked on without causing damage, so some roofs we won’t walk on.

What's Off Limits: Limitations of a Home Inspection

Let's talk about what I don't do. Home inspections have clear boundaries to keep things safe, legal, and feasible. These limitations are outlined in your inspection agreement, and they're standard across Colorado. Remember, I'm not a specialist in every field—think of me as a general practitioner who refers you to experts when needed.

Invasive Testing: I won't cut into walls, remove panels, or dig up the yard. If something's hidden, it's off-limits unless it's accessible.
Code Compliance: While I'll note if something looks non-compliant (like unpermitted additions), I'm not a code enforcement officer. Building codes in Summit County can be strict due to wildfire risks and energy standards, but official verification comes from the county.
Environmental Hazards: Standard inspections don't include testing for radon,mold, asbestos, lead paint, or soil contamination. Radon is prevalent in Colorado's rocky soil, so I always recommend our add on test—it's cheap and crucial at our altitudes. The same goes for water quality if you're on a well.
Pests and Termites: Wood-destroying insects require a specialized inspection (often called a WDI report).
Pulling Toilets and Septic Systems: If an add on sewer scope is requested, we will enter the line through an easily accessible clean out cap only. We dont pull toilets or risk any damage to the sewage line for liability purposes. Septic Tanks are Common in rural parts of the county, but these are separate inspections with a licensed professional. I'll visually check accessible components
Inaccessible Areas: If the roof is snow-covered (winter months), I will not walk it. Same for buried utilities or items blocked by belongings.
Predictions or Guarantees: I can't foresee future problems or guarantee how long systems will last. Home age, and maintenance is key.

In wildfire-prone areas like ours, I might suggest a defensible space assessment, but that's not part of a standard inspection.

Preparing for Your Inspection

A home inspection isn't about perfection—no house is flawless. It's about informed decisions. As your inspector, I'll be thorough, objective, and happy to answer questions during the walkthrough. To make it smooth: