The Most Common Issues Found in Utah Home Inspections
March 2026 · 8 min read · By Beau Brown, InterNACHI Certified Inspector
After performing over 500 inspections per year across the Wasatch Front, certain patterns emerge. Here is what we actually find in Utah homes — and what it means for buyers.
Every home inspection is different. A 1960s ranch in Murray has completely different concerns than a 2022 new build in Herriman. But after hundreds of inspections across the Wasatch Front, certain issues come up again and again. Some are specific to Utah's climate and geology. Others are universal to the construction eras common in this market. All of them are worth knowing before you make an offer.
Radon — The Silent Issue Most Buyers Miss
Radon is the single most common significant finding in Utah home inspections, and it is the one that surprises buyers most. Utah sits on uranium-rich geology — the state played a major role in uranium mining during the mid-20th century, and that uranium-bearing bedrock is still producing radon gas throughout the Wasatch Front.
Salt Lake County, Utah County, Davis County, Weber County, and Summit County are all classified as EPA Zone 1 — the highest risk category, with predicted average indoor radon levels above 4 pCi/L. In practice, we regularly test homes with levels of 8, 10, or even 20+ pCi/L. These are not outliers. They are a predictable result of where Utah sits geologically.
The good news: radon is fixable. A sub-slab depressurization system installed by a licensed contractor typically reduces levels by 90% or more and costs between $800 and $2,500. The bad news: you cannot see, smell, or taste radon. Without testing, you will never know it is there.
Sewer Line Deficiencies in Older Homes
Utah's housing stock includes a significant number of homes built in the 1950s through 1980s, and those homes were plumbed with clay or cast-iron sewer lines. After 40 to 70 years, those pipes crack, root-infiltrate, and in some cases collapse. The result is slow drains, sewage backups, and in severe cases, raw sewage under the foundation.
Even newer homes can have sewer issues. New construction sewer connections are sometimes improperly installed, with bellies (low spots where waste accumulates) or improper slope. We recommend sewer scopes on homes of all ages.
Roof Condition and Flashing Deficiencies
Utah's climate is hard on roofs. The combination of intense UV radiation at elevation, significant temperature swings between summer and winter, and periodic heavy snow loads accelerates shingle degradation. We find roofs that are at or near end of life on a regular basis — and we find flashing deficiencies even more frequently.
Flashing is the metal material that seals the transitions between the roof and other surfaces — chimneys, skylights, walls, and valleys. Improper flashing installation is one of the most common sources of water intrusion in Utah homes. It is also one of the most commonly missed issues in a visual-only inspection. We use moisture meters and thermal imaging to find active leaks and areas of elevated moisture that suggest past or ongoing intrusion.
HVAC Systems Approaching End of Life
Furnaces and air conditioners have finite service lives — typically 15 to 20 years for furnaces and 12 to 15 years for air conditioners. Utah's climate means both systems work hard: furnaces run through cold winters, air conditioners run through hot summers. We regularly inspect homes where the HVAC system is 20 or 25 years old and showing signs of wear.
An aging HVAC system is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it is important information. Replacing a furnace and air conditioner together typically costs $6,000 to $12,000. Knowing that a system is at end of life before you close gives you the opportunity to negotiate or budget accordingly.
Electrical Deficiencies — Old and New
Older homes in Utah frequently have electrical panels and wiring that were installed to the standards of their era — standards that have since been updated for good reason. Federal Pacific and Zinsco panels, common in homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, have known safety issues and are no longer considered acceptable by most insurance companies. Aluminum wiring, used in some homes during the 1960s and 1970s, requires specific handling and may need remediation.
Newer homes are not immune to electrical issues. We regularly find DIY electrical work in homes of all ages — improper connections, missing junction box covers, circuits without proper overcurrent protection, and GFCI outlets missing in required locations. These are safety issues that need to be corrected regardless of the home's age.
Drainage and Grading Problems
Water management is one of the most important aspects of home maintenance, and it is one of the most commonly neglected. Proper grading means the soil around the foundation slopes away from the house, directing water away from the foundation rather than toward it. When grading is improper — or when it has settled over time — water can pool against the foundation and eventually find its way inside.
This is particularly common in newer construction, where lots are graded during development but settle unevenly in the years after. It is also common in older homes where landscaping changes have altered the original drainage patterns. We find drainage and grading issues on a significant percentage of our inspections, in homes of all ages.
Mold and Moisture Intrusion
Utah's dry climate creates a false sense of security about mold. The reality is that mold can grow anywhere there is a moisture source — and moisture sources are common in Utah homes. Plumbing leaks, roof leaks, foundation water intrusion, and inadequate bathroom ventilation all create conditions where mold can establish itself behind walls, under floors, and in attic spaces where it is invisible to a standard visual inspection.
C&H Inspections uses moisture meters and thermal imaging to identify areas of elevated moisture. For suspected mold, we offer both traditional air sampling and K9 mold detection with Ruger, our certified canine inspector. Dogs can detect mold at concentrations far below what air sampling can reliably find, and they can locate mold sources behind walls and under floors without invasive testing.
What This Means for Buyers
None of these issues should necessarily stop you from buying a home. Most of them are fixable — some easily, some at significant cost. The point of a thorough inspection is not to find reasons to walk away. It is to give you accurate information so you can make a fully informed decision, negotiate appropriately, and plan for future maintenance.
An inspection that finds nothing is not a good inspection — it is an incomplete one. The homes we inspect most thoroughly are the ones where buyers feel most confident at closing, because they know exactly what they are buying.
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