Roofs
In the market for a new roof? Here are some guidelines to help you along the way.
The first step is to understand that the vast majority of our residential roofs are designed with a pitch because they are actually not waterproof systems. Roof pitch, which defines how steeply the roof rises in elevation, allows the roof to shed water and dictates what types of materials are appropriate and how they should…
Read MoreKick 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…
Read MoreHome Inspections – The Last Man In
Ask any home inspector about the true nature of their job and they will describe themselves as a generalist responsible for identifying readily visible conditions which may require further investigation, or remediation by a specialist. If a home inspector discovers a condition with a system, or component, they should have sufficient knowledge and understanding to…
Read MorePreparing Your Home for an Inspection
There is no doubt that the inspection process adds another level of stress to the transaction, however, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a, “nail biter”. Addressing a few typical home care and safety issues is not only an important part of normal maintenance, but can also do a lot to facilitate the inspection. The…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreA 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…
Read MoreHome 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…
Read MoreManaging Crawl Space Water
In my past life as a contractor, I installed numerous drainage systems. There have been lots of questions about this lately, so here are some basics about crawl space water management: To begin, I am a firm believer that whenever possible, crawl space water should be mitigated before it reaches the sub-structure. In practice, that…
Read MoreDon’t Forgo the Building Permit
Home inspectors are often challenged by structural modifications, additions and electrical, mechanical or plumbing installations which have been performed without the benefit of a building permit. With the ever growing trend toward doing it yourself and the abundance of advertising encouraging the homeowner to be their own contractor, the frequency of un-permitted projects seems to…
Read MorePopcorn Ceiling Asbestos
Popcorn ceilings were very popular from the late 50s to early 80s and almost always contained asbestos. Removing a popcorn ceiling built during these years should be done professionally since the risk of asbestos exposure is high. Popcorn / Acoustic Ceilings Popcorn ceilings (also known as acoustic ceilings) were extremely popular in most homes built…
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