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Evaluating Inspectors
Key Characteristics of a Great Inspector First, an inspector does not become great until they have experience. Experience comes from ‘hands on’ inspections. Classroom training is important, but until you have inspected at least 250 homes you would not have the...
Should We Stay or Should We Go
Our dreams are our dreams. Countless times I’ve seen family and friends looking for a better place to live. Whether it be a different house or a different location, the grass always seems to be greener somewhere else. As a home inspector too often I see aging parents...
Are All Smoke Detectors Alike?
Most people assume a smoke detector is a smoke detector…this is not true. In the mid 1970’s less than 10% of homes had a smoke detector; now over 90% do. Nevertheless, this dramatic increase in smoke detectors has had little impact on the risk of death by fire....
Faulty Smoke Detectors
In a fire, the issue is time. Minutes and many times seconds will make the difference between life and death. The combustible materials in our homes are different from the past and the technologies of smoke detectors have also changed. There are two types of smoke...
Is Some Moisture OK?
Home inspectors are often asked to render opinions on other professionals work. Many times we are challenged by licensed professionals, such as engineers, architects, and contractors, who feel differently about a problem. Who is right? Remember professional inspectors...
How BAD Is It?
Determining the significance of a problem has always been challenging for home inspectors. For most inspectors, this can even become an insurmountable and unnerving task. The concern is if we misrepresent our findings either our liability will go through the roof or...
Go With What You Know
Approximately 90% of all structural building failures are caused by moisture. With the exception of the homeowner, moisture is the #1 enemy of the house. Unfortunately, moisture damage typically occurs in concealed spaces. This makes it difficult for most home...
Spring Water Problems
It’s time to start getting your home ready for spring. Part 2: Leaking roofs are the second biggest problem. Most roof leaks are caused by roof slope or metal flashing. As a MN home inspector for the past 27 years, I have found these conditions are seldom addressed...
Spring Water Problems
It’s time to start getting your home ready for spring. Part 1: Wet basements are the biggest problem. Most basement water problems are caused by exterior landscaping and hardscaping. As a MN home inspector for the past 27 years, I have found this condition is...