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Arkansas

Home inspection in Arkansas.

Closer Look Inspectors offers home inspections and mold inspections in Arkansas, centered on Hardy and the Spring River country of north Arkansas, plus Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas and Fort Smith. Arkansas homes are inspected by local partners in our network.

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Climate and moisture in Arkansas

Arkansas summers are hot and humid. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals put average yearly precipitation at Little Rock 50.4 inches. Warm, damp air is what lets mold take hold in attics, crawlspaces and bathrooms.

The land under Arkansas homes

Salem Plateau: Surface underlain primarily by dolostone (Everton, Cotter, Powell formations); solution sinkholes occur in these dolostones, with less karst development than the Springfield Plateau. Mammoth Spring, Arkansas's largest spring (avg 118,500 gal/min), is in this region.

Springfield Plateau: Surface underlain by Boone Formation limestone, which holds most of the Ozark karst features and more than half of Arkansas's caves; solution and collapse sinkholes are abundant; disappearing streams and dry valleys common.

Mississippi Alluvial Plain (Delta): Flattest part of Arkansas (about 100-300 ft elevation); deep alluvial soils built by the Mississippi, Arkansas and White rivers, often dense and poorly drained; flat ground and weak drainage favor wetlands and flooding.

Crowley's Ridge: Narrow ridge rising above the Delta, capped by wind-deposited loess up to about 50 ft deep in places; loess is easily eroded and needs vegetative cover; steep slopes and deep valleys characterize much of the ridge.

In pictures

Arkansas homes.

Illustrative photos of the kinds of homes and conditions found in this area.

Lake-view home on a hillside above a large reservoir, summer
Lake-view home on a hillside above a large reservoir, summer
Lake-view home on a hillside above a large reservoir, autumn
Lake-view home on a hillside above a large reservoir, autumn
1980s ranch home with a walkout basement on a sloped lot, summer
1980s ranch home with a walkout basement on a sloped lot, summer
1980s ranch home with a walkout basement on a sloped lot, autumn
1980s ranch home with a walkout basement on a sloped lot, autumn
Brick home with a carport on a wooded street, summer
Brick home with a carport on a wooded street, summer
Brick home with a carport on a wooded street, autumn
Brick home with a carport on a wooded street, autumn
Hub

Start with Hardy.

011950s red-brick home with a carport — Hardy, AR area

Hardy, AR area

The Spring River country of north Arkansas and south Missouri

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Service area

Arkansas towns we serve.

Questions

Common questions.

Do Arkansas home inspectors have to be registered?
Yes. Arkansas requires anyone who advertises as a home inspector or performs a home inspection for a fee to register with the Arkansas Home Inspector Registration Board first. The state calls it registration rather than licensing. Buyers can ask any inspector for proof of current registration.
Why is mold such a concern in Arkansas homes?
Arkansas has hot, humid summers. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals put Little Rock's average yearly precipitation at about 50 inches and its July average temperature at about 81 F. EPA advises keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent. Warm, damp air is why moisture problems show up in Arkansas attics, crawlspaces and bathrooms.
Is radon a concern in north Arkansas?
EPA places 14 Arkansas counties in Zone 2, including Baxter, Benton, Boone, Fulton, Izard, Marion, Sharp and Stone, meaning predicted average indoor levels of 2 to 4 pCi/L. Washington, Craighead and Pulaski counties are Zone 3. EPA says the zone map does not predict any single home, and it recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or more.
Why do crawlspaces matter in Arkansas houses?
EPA notes that crawl spaces with high humidity are common sites of hidden mold growth, especially over bare soil, and that soil moisture raises the humidity in the air above it. Arkansas summers are humid, so crawlspace moisture is a common thing buyers ask about. EPA also advises grading the ground away from the foundation so it does not stay wet.
Do sinkholes and flood zones affect homes in north and northeast Arkansas?
The Springfield Plateau is underlain by Boone Formation limestone where solution and collapse sinkholes are abundant, and the Salem Plateau has sinkholes in its dolostones. The Mississippi Alluvial Plain is the flattest part of the state with often poorly drained soils. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood, so buyers should check a property's FEMA flood zone.
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