Video of garage doors with the old style springs to the side of the tracks. These pose a danger if they fail and snap. A safety wire must be inserted into the center of the spring to hold it in place. These inexpensive safety wires are available at any store that sells overhead doors for […]
Cute Table Right? Well…
Don’t eat off of it! This DIY project has all the right look of a farmhouse table. Unfortunately the top is made of treated fence pickets which contain harmful chemicals that you don’t want on your skin, let alone on food and utensils. We see a lot of beautiful furniture and updates that are made […]
Who Will Keep the Dog In?
It never ceases to amaze me how many homes have chain link fences around the back garden proudly displaying the iconic Sears brand on the gate. In fact It’s hard to believe that Sears has closed down and the dishwashers, refrigerators and garage door openers that are in so many of the homes we inspect […]
Furnace Filters Required
Everyone uses the phrase furnace filters which got me thinking as I worked my way through an inspection. The filters remove dust from the air going through the furnace which has nothing that really needs to be protected. Yes, the fan motor will last longer if it is not dusty, but it’s not really there […]
Termites Appear Suddenly
Three weeks ago we performed a home inspection and a “termite” inspection on a lovely tri-level in West Chester. Our bug guy returned this week to deal with a pest issue that was identified in the report. Arriving at the home he went to pick up a newspaper that had been tossed in the yard […]
Licensed Home Inspectors
The state of Ohio has started issuing licenses for home inspectors in an effort to raise the overall standard of inspections. While not yet required, we went ahead and have become some of the first licensed inspectors in the state. The application which involved getting FBI background checks as well as submitting a record of […]
Leaking Vent Pipe Boot
Where the plumbing vent pipe exits through the roof shingles, there is a metal plate with a rubber gasket (boot) that stops water leaking into the attic. The flashing boot will generally deteriorate and start leaking water into the attic after about twelve years, that’s long before it’s time to re-roof. The boot needs to […]
Gas Leak : What To Do
Assuming it’s a small leak, one that’s hard to smell, the first thing to do is turn off the gas to the unit. There is supposed to be a shut off valve within six feet of and in the same room as any gas appliance. Turn this off and you should be good. Furnaces and […]
Commercial Inspections
We are always busy with commercial business inspections which are challenging and fun. The commercial properties are all so different, drive thru beer stores, schools, car wash, an animal shelter, convenience stores, strip malls, motels, warehouses, so varied and then last week it was a Chinese restaurant. When we turned on the outside sign a […]
Don’t Ever Assume!!
In life I have discovered that it’s a good policy never to assume that something works, that the door is locked, that you have your ticket and passport in your backpack as you head to the airport. Over the last 20 years of inspecting homes, offices, hotels and everything else from Chinese restaurants to schools, […]
Planning Projects Pays Dividends
The old saying: measure twice cut once can apply to many DIY projects. Before rushing out and buying what you think you need for a project, it can pay off to plan what you are doing. If it’s a big project tape it out on the ground or walls, measure, re measure and make sure […]
Is your garage door intended for use with an opener ?
Video about reinforcing garage doors. The top of a garage door must be reinforced if it is going to be used with a garage door opener, otherwise the top panel will buckle and possibly rip the door out of the track. These bars or “struts” are not very expensive and are available from all garage […]
Your AC Does Not Like “Economy”
Air conditioners (condensers) positioned out of the way in a small space are not unlike unfortunate fliers in economy. They are in a space smaller than required and asked to behave as though everything is OK. When there are two condensers side by side they want 28” of space (yes, like leg room) between them, […]
Common or Shared Neutral Wiring at Breaker
Video shows connections; Where two electrical circuits share the same neutral wire, the two breakers must have a common trip and be fed from opposite phases which are alternated from one breaker to the next.It is a fire safety concern if they are incorrectly wired and positioned.
