The Purpose of a 4-Point Inspection and What Inspectors Evaluate

What is included in a 4-Point Inspection

A 4-point inspection is requested by an insurance company on a house most of the time that is 30 – 40 years old when switching insurance or in the course of the house being insured with your current insurance company. This inspection lets the insurance company verify that the four major system in the house are in good working order. These systems are Electrical, Plumbing, Roof, and AC / Heat.  

ELECTRICAL

• The electrical system should be in good general condition. All receptacles should be working properly.

• Main electrical panels and sub- panels should have proper covers and labeling. 

• Main electrical panels and sub panels should be of sufficient service size.

• All wiring should be properly covered and protected. 

• If you have a main electrical panel with a service size of less than 100 AMPS an insurance company will most likely not insure you. 

CONDITIONS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT MIGHT WARRANT AN INSURANCE COMPANY NOT TO INSURE YOUR HOUSE.

• There are several brands / types of panels that have been proven over the years to be fire hazards and are not made anymore.  These panels are still in existence in homes everywhere. These panel types include: Zinsco, Challenger, Federal Pacific Stab Lock, and old Edison style screw in fuse panels.

• Knob and tube wiring.

• Aluminum branch circuit wiring.

• Cloth wiring  

  
  

EXAMPLES I HAVE COME ACROSS

Showing Zinsco, Challenger and Federal Pacific Electrical panels which are usually clearly marked with the company name. Also pictured is an old Edison style fuse panel.

PLUMBING

• There should be no active leaks present at the time of the inspection.

• Polybutylene piping if installed most insurance companies will not insure your house.

• Water heater should have the TPR valve present and no active leaks.

• Sinks and toilets should have adequate water pressure and drainage.

• Although not a requirement all sinks and toilets should have quick shut off valves installed.

• Copper is acceptable piping but CPVC piping is better.

• Lead piping will not be insured.

• Galvanized piping is questionable. Some insurance companies will insure it.

• Black iron piping is questionable. Some insurance companies will insure it.

Showing Polybutylene piping which most insurance companies won’t insure.

WATER HEATER

Part of a 4-point inspection is looking at the water heater.  Insurance company wants to know:

• There should be no active leaks at the time of the inspection.

• Location of the water heater

• Water heater age, brand, and capacity.

• They want to know that the TPR valve is present.

• What kind of supply piping is installed.

• Note whether quick shut off valves are installed.

Showing above from left to right. Showing water heater brand is a Rheem. Showing quick shut off valves, TPR valve, and copper supply piping. Showing water heater location is in the laundry room. Showing water heater data plate which will tell date manufactured and capacity size.

AC / HEATING

4-point inspection will also report on your AC / HEATING system.  The insurance company want to know:

• No active leaks in the air handler system.

• AC system brand

• Data plate information which includes year of manufacture and size ( 2 ton, 3 ton etc.).

• If there are any active leaks.

• Thermostat location.

• Adequate drainage of the condensate lines.

• Shape of the liquid and suction lines.

• AC system is in good working order

• AC system last service date.

• Location of the air handler

• Air handler data plate information. Year of MFR and size.

• Air handler liquid and suction lines.  Condensate drain working properly.

Showing from left to right:  AC compressor, AC brand, liquid and suction lines. Thermostat location, Ac data plate, air handler location, air handler liquid and suction lines, and overflow switch, air handler data plate. I also test the difference between the supply and return vent with an infrared camera.  There should be at least 14-22 degrees difference.

ROOFING

The insurance company wants to know:

• House elevation pictures. (Front, back, and both sides of structure. Wind mitigation report goes much more in depth on the roofing and hurricane protection features of a structure. See our article on wind mitigation.

• What type of roof covering exists on the structure. (metal, composition shingles, 3 tab shingles, roll roofing etc.

• Age of roofing or estimated age. Preferably permit information can be found and included in the report. Sometimes permit information cannot be found.

• No active leaks at the time of the inspection.

Showing from left to right: House elevations and some roofing pictures taken from a drone.

SUMMARY:  A 4-point inspection let’s an insurance company see that the 4 major systems of a house are in good working order. This report will make you eligible for insurance on houses over 20 years old. The roof, AC / HEAT, plumbing, electrical. Typically this report just lets the insurance company know that the house is insurable. Pictures are required as documentation of every system checked during the inspection. Call us today to schedule your 4-point Home Inspection.