Home Inspectors in Rhode Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state but has one of the densest concentrations of older housing in the country, with Providence and the surrounding cities containing substantial stocks of triple-deckers, colonial-era homes, and early industrial housing. Oil heat is the dominant fuel in older homes, and boiler condition, oil tank integrity, and heat exchanger safety are standard inspection items. Rhode Island requires home inspectors to be licensed. Lead paint is present in a high percentage of pre-1978 homes in Providence and the mill cities of Pawtucket, Woonsocket, and Central Falls, and the state has active lead abatement requirements for rental properties. Knob-and-tube wiring is common in pre-1950 construction and many insurers in the state flag it at underwriting. Radon is elevated in some parts of the state. Coastal properties along Narragansett Bay and the ocean-facing communities in South Kingstown and Westerly face flood zone and wind exposure considerations that buyers from inland areas may not initially factor into their due diligence.