Kick Out Flashings

As someone who is extremely familiar with what may happen to a home as it ages, identification of water penetration issues is paramount during the inspection. Among these, the lack of a kickout flashing is probably the most frequent flashing defect I see, whether new construction or old. Since “code” always seems to come up…

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The Risks of Partial Inspections

It’s becoming more common in these tough economic times for home buyers to call and request a partial inspection in an attempt to save a few dollars. The conversation is almost always the same, the house looks good to them and the inspection is only needed to identify any “important issues”, of course for a…

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A Home Inspector’s Journal: Decks and deck flashings

A wise friend and fellow inspector has been known to say there are three things which will ruin a home, water, water and water. It is water that causes wood rot decay, water that creates a conducive condition for many wood destroying insects and water that creates the environment in which toxic molds flourish. Our…

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Home Inspections and Moisture Metering

In the arsenal of high tech equipment available to home inspectors, electronic moisture meters remain highly reliable tools in the quest to detect moisture penetration. However, it wasn’t too long ago when many home inspectors shunned the technology. By their reasoning, utilizing moisture meters exceeded the standards of practice and thus increased liability – the…

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A Home Inspector’s Journal: Plumbing Leaks and Plumbing Failure

Plumbing leaks from failed supply line fittings, old faucets and loose or damaged drain lines are one of the more common findings during an inspection. Leaks are often insidious, slow or even intermittent, escaping the attention of most homeowners until either discovered during an inspection or just noticed by chance. Many of these leaks occur…

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