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 […]
How Houses Age Like Fine Wine:
How do homes age? When a home is 100 years old or even 200 years old, home inspectors must apply a different set of standards to evaluate the house. For example, building codes were not in effect 100 years ago and the quality of construction was often left up to the integrity and expertise of […]
Lead Water Main is Hazardous
In the basement of a home from the mid 1800’s there was a heath hazard that no one noticed. Buyers, the current owner who had purchased that home six months ago, real estate agents and our clients all walked past this piece of pipe as they anxiously looked for potential issues with the house. The […]
Telephone (What’s It?)
These blocks are often found in basements and can still be in use, but never in newer homes. Most newer homes have two plastic boxes outside with wires coming out of them. One for the cable TV wiring and the other for the incoming phone line. The phone “box“ is called a telephone interface which […]
Asbestos Pipe Insulation
Video of asbestos pipe insulation on a hydroponic (water) or steam boiler heating system. Asbestos can be dangerous to your health if fibers are disturbed, often found in buildings buildings from the fifty’s and older on heating and hot water plumbing pipes.
Granules in Attic (What’s It?)
Looking at the “floor” of an attic in an older house that was insulated between 1919 and the late 50’s you might see a granular material with a silver/ whitish colors where you expected to see fiberglass insulation. If you are looking at buying or are living in a home with this stuff you need […]
Garage Door Safety Spring
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Old Cast Iron Drains
Modern PVC drain pipes have reduced the number of blocked drains substantially. This old house in downtown Dayton was built in the early ‘50’s had a sixty foot run to where the blockage was in 58, again in ‘66, ‘03 and ‘06. These were all bad years for this houses main drain according to the […]
Trees and Drains do not go well together.
Video of a very standard front yard: Take a look where the sewage clean out is located; in the basement or outside along the side of the foundation. This will tell you where the sewer line from the home is. Now look around for trees and see if there are any near the sewer line. […]
Hidden Danger
COULD YOUR ATTIC BE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH?Dangerous Attic Insulation may be hidden above your ceiling. In newer homes the insulation is usually soft and puffy fiberglass or a cellulose (very finely ground paper). In some older homes a granular product with a silver glint to it may have been used to insulate the attic. […]
Engineer Did Not Look??
As a Home Inspector we are very like the family doctor, observing and suggesting a remedy or referring our client to a specialist. Recently we inspected an old farm house in Jamestown and as we finished the client arrived, smiling and happy with the “how is it going comment”, any “deal killers” says the Realtor? […]
Beautiful Old Kitchen
Saw this on front of a kitchen counter in Kettering, probably installed in the 50’s and thought it showed such pride in quality and workmanship. The kitchen though old was perfect. Tried to find Valley Kitchens but they did not last as long as their workmanship.
