Top 10 Issues We Find in Michigan Homes

Michigan's freeze-thaw cycles are brutal on foundations. Water seeps into tiny cracks, freezes, expands, and widens them year after year. We see this in nearly half of homes over 30 years old — especially in Oakland and Macomb Counties where clay-heavy soil puts extra pressure on basement walls.

Radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and Michigan has some of the highest levels in the country. It's a colorless, odorless gas that seeps up through soil and into basements. You can't detect it without testing — and your neighbor's levels tell you nothing about yours.

Michigan winters are hard on roofs. Ice dams form when heat escapes through the attic, melts snow on the roof, and refreezes at the eaves — forcing water under shingles and into your home. Add wind damage, missing shingles, and deteriorated flashing, and you've got the most common exterior issue we flag.

Wet basements are practically a Michigan tradition — but they shouldn't be. Improper grading, failed sump pumps, cracked foundation walls, and clogged drainage all contribute. Left unchecked, moisture leads to mold, structural damage, and a basement you can't use.

Southeast Michigan has a lot of homes built in the 1960s–1980s, many with Federal Pacific or Zinsco electrical panels — brands known for breakers that fail to trip during overloads. We also find aluminum wiring, double-tapped breakers, and panels that simply can't handle modern electrical loads.

Aging galvanized steel pipes, polybutylene supply lines, and pipes routed through unheated spaces are common findings in Michigan homes. In winter, frozen and burst pipes are one of the most expensive emergency repairs homeowners face. Even a tiny crack can leak 250 gallons per day.

Michigan furnaces work harder than almost anywhere in the country — running 5–6 months straight every winter. We regularly find cracked heat exchangers (a carbon monoxide risk), undersized systems, failed ignitors, and units well past their life expectancy. A furnace that's "still running" isn't necessarily safe.

Where there's moisture, mold follows. Michigan basements, bathrooms, and attics are prime territory. We find mold growth hidden behind walls, under flooring, and in attic sheathing where poor ventilation traps condensation. Some mold is cosmetic. Some triggers serious respiratory issues — the only way to know is to test.

Many Southeast Michigan homes built before 1980 have original clay or cast iron sewer lines. After 40–60 years underground, tree root intrusion, bellying, cracks, and offsets are common. A sewer line failure can cost five figures and destroy your yard. A sewer scope video inspection takes 30 minutes and can save you from a nightmare.

Michigan heating costs are no joke. Inadequate attic insulation, uninsulated rim joists, air leaks around windows and doors, and missing vapor barriers are findings we flag in most homes built before 2000. These aren't safety hazards, but they directly affect your comfort and your energy bills — sometimes by hundreds of dollars per year.