Back in Rome in 35 BC it was all about “caveat emptor “ as Julius Caesar would have counseled his friends when buying a house off the Via Apia! In fact up till the early 1990’s it was the same in Dayton until the first Home Inspection company appeared in the Yellow Pages and gave […]Read More about A Home Inspection ? How Things Have Changed.
Archives for 2021
New Construction: Are Inspections Needed?
I’ll save you time. YES! Now you may be curious as to why you should have a home Inspection on new construction and how important are they really. Let’s start by considering the only plausible argument against having a private third party inspection on a new construction project. It goes something like this, usually coming […]Read More about New Construction: Are Inspections Needed?
Perfectly Installed Furnace, Potential Fire Hazard
The installer did a great job when this furnace was installed. They dropped a liner down the existing chimney to be sure that there would be no issues. The flue pipe from the furnace only required single wall pipe and yet they upgraded to double wall “B-vent” pipe. They were doing it correctly. They left […]Read More about Perfectly Installed Furnace, Potential Fire Hazard
A Kind Mail Carrier At Christmas
Evidently in times gone past the local mail carrier who walked from house to house treated Christmas as a special time. This mail carrier gave all the homeowners on his route a gift , how times have changed. “Happy Holidays”, it nice to thank your mail carrier for getting the mail to your door no […]Read More about A Kind Mail Carrier At Christmas
Submarine in a Dayton Basement?
You might be forgiven for thinking that this inspector was inspecting a WWII submarine, it looks like a moment from Red October. Down in the basement of an old Dayton school in that has been repurposed into a lovely apartment building are a bank of old abandoned distribution panels that looked like something from a […]Read More about Submarine in a Dayton Basement?
Radon Mitigation System Installed
If you are looking at buying a home or walking around your neighborhood you may have seen this disk shaped gizmo with a pipe up the side of a house. In the last twenty years there has been a growing interest in testing for Radon (a gas generated deep in the earth as limestone deteriorates) […]Read More about Radon Mitigation System Installed
Hidden Beauty In a Church Attic
As often as this church has been used over the last 100 years, the thousands of hours parishioners spent in the pews, the thoughts they must have had of the beautiful sanctuary, I wonder how many people thought of what was above the ceiling. The attic above the sanctuary is twice as large as the […]Read More about Hidden Beauty In a Church Attic
When Should You Expect To Replace a Roof?
There are basically two styles of roofing shingles used in our area. Three tab shingles and dimensional (often referred to as architectural) shingles, both are asphalt type with a fiberglass matrix and covered with limestone grit. Longer life shingles have more grit than less expensive shorter life shingles. Three tab shingles are usually twenty year […]Read More about When Should You Expect To Replace a Roof?
Decks Look Good Often Badly Built & Unsafe
Saturday, May 1st 2021: Restaurant deck collapses in Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee. Forty people fall sending eleven to the hospital, two with critical injuries. A quick internet search will reveal far too many unfortunate and avoidable incidents like this happening on a regular basis. What factors are at play with deck failures and how can we ensure […]Read More about Decks Look Good Often Badly Built & Unsafe
Fabric Softener Poses a Fire Hazard
No one wants hard scratchy clothing so fabric softener is the answer. There are two types, the liquid softener that is added to the wash or softener sheets used in the dryer. The photo is not of internal body parts but a dryer vent that has choked up with lint. As the lint builds up […]Read More about Fabric Softener Poses a Fire Hazard
Recessed Lights Pose a Fire Hazard
As a homeowner you probably don’t typically give much thought about the lights in your home, as long as they are doing what lights are supposed to do. You flip the switch, instantaneous illumination, you can see and life is good! However, it is what we can’t see that can be a cause for concern. […]Read More about Recessed Lights Pose a Fire Hazard
Lost The Toilet Brush In The Heating Duct
How dirty can “in floor” heating ducts get? It’s not something most people think about. Vents near a dog food bowl tend to accumulate bits of kibble that escapes the hungry hounds appetite. Candy and small toys that junior looses are often hidden in there, but nothing as bad as the duct in this house. […]Read More about Lost The Toilet Brush In The Heating Duct
Low Flow Water Woes: Water Pipe Issues?
One of the primary functions of our homes is to provide us with an adequate supply of fresh water for all of life’s necessities. From doing dishes and laundry to flushing toilets and taking showers, we use a lot of water. So naturally, it can be very distressing to turn on a faucet only to […]Read More about Low Flow Water Woes: Water Pipe Issues?
Sump Pumps Explained – Yay or Nay?
Today we will be shining a technical spotlight on a handy piece of equipment used to assist in drainage. Yes, that’s right folks- we are talking about the sump pump.Now you may be thinking, “sump pump – doesn’t that have to do with my sewage system?” Well in fact, no, it does not. Sump pumps […]Read More about Sump Pumps Explained – Yay or Nay?