Unwanted Visitors! Mind The Gap! - 03/28/08 07:29 AM
At HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, we sometimes see gaps around the metal shrouds covering HVAC ducting that connects to exterior package units at homes and buildings.  We flag this every time because of the negative effects that can come from these gaps.  Gaps at the top of the shroud can allow in water and vegetation debris in such a way so as to create a "mold soup" that can cause mold to grow on or in the ductwork.  Gaps at the bottom of the shroud provide a path for moisture, insects, rodents and other critters such as squirrels, and … (1 comments)

Which Camera Works Best for Home and Building Inspections? - 03/26/08 08:15 AM
Anybody got a recommendation for a camera that might work well for Home and Building Inspections?
At HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, we have been using the Panasonic Lumix (different models) with modest results.  Basically the camera is too fragile for Home Inspections and must be looked at as a disposable with a one year life expectancy.  Customer Service also gets mixed reviews as there is a lot of confusion there about their own policies.  Their ability to follow through on what they say they will do and what they actually do is not very good either.  At one point their … (9 comments)

Water Management System Components - Condensate Drains - 03/24/08 08:06 AM
Experience at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, has shown that Water Management Systems are a major source of issues in Home and Commercial Building Inspections.  Failures of these systems can lead to more serious problems such as mold and structural failure.  The purpose of this article is to discuss Condensate Drains.
Condensate drains are another source of water that may affect the foundation.  Shown in this picture is the typical PVC dual pipe drain for a split system where a furnace unit with evaporator coils is located in the attic and a condenser/compressor unit at the outside of the structure.  Notice … (2 comments)

HABITEC Completes 12,000 SqFt Commercial Building Inspection in Columbia, TN - 03/21/08 04:40 AM
HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, is pleased to announce that we have completed a Commercial Building Property Condition Assessment (Inspection) in Columbia, TN!  
The building shown below was Inspected in February 2008 by Ron Rittiner, Chief Inspector and Business Manager of HABITEC and Richard Acree, President of HABITEC.  Ron Rittiner was the Inspector of Record.  Representing the Client was Sharon Graham (615-497-2002) from the Crye-Leike Green Hills office in Nashville.

 
The 12,000 square foot steel building is a commercial establishment currently used for various sports activities. The building is a two story structure primarily of metal over … (2 comments)

Spider Shot - Somebody GET A GUN! - 03/20/08 09:14 PM
Ah yes, you're never alone in the crawl space.  With this big boy looking over your shoulder, how can you feel anything but love?
Although we don't find many of these, it's always a good reminder of our friends in dark places.
Richard
www.habitecinspections.com
Comments in this blog posting are the intellectual property of Richard Acree, President, HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, and contributing members of the Active Rain Real Estate network, and are intended to educate and otherwise assist home owners, sellers and buyers, building owners, sellers and buyers, realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders in the process of owning, buying or selling homes or … (3 comments)

Mandatory Apartment Inspections? - 03/15/08 09:21 PM
I know some will think I am feathering my own bed, but does anyone else think it may be time to mandate regular building inspections for apartments?  Look at these pics and you can see some of what goes on in an apartment.
 
 
 
 
 
 The pics above show loose electrical connections on the left and deteriorated/corroded plumbing fixtures on the right.  Below is a Federal Pacific electric panel and StaBlock breakers on the left with missing grommets and paint overspray inside the electrical panel on the right pic.
 
 
 
 
 
 Below is a large  areaof mold-like material in the attic of one apartment.   Below and to the … (12 comments)

The Home Inspectors Biggest Challenge? - 03/08/08 10:29 AM
Check out the house up for auction near Chattanooga.  Home Inspectors, how do you price this one?  Have you seen one more "interesting" than this?
Where's that stucco guy when you need him?  A special thanks to Realtor Ryan for passing this information along.
Richard
Comments in this blog posting are the intellectual property of Richard Acree, President, HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, and contributing members of the Active Rain Real Estate network, and are intended to educate and otherwise assist home owners, sellers and buyers, building owners, sellers and buyers, realtors, real estate investors, property managers, and lenders in the process of owning, buying or … (3 comments)

Water Management Systems - Plumbing Boots - 03/07/08 10:59 PM
Experience at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, has shown that Water Management Systems are a major source of problems in Home and Commercial Building Inspections.  Failures of these types of systems can lead to more serious problems such as mold and structural failure.
The components of the Water Management System include the roof, gutter/downspout/extension subsystem, the exterior covering, windows, doors and gradient of the landscaping.  All of these have in common the responsibility of moving water off and/or away from the building. 
The purpose of this article is to remind all home and building owners about a maintenance item that we each need … (0 comments)

Water Management Systems - Gradient - 03/07/08 10:47 PM
Experience at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, has shown that Water Management Systems are a major source of problems in Home and Commercial Building Inspections.  Failures of these of systems can lead to more serious problems such as mold and structural failure.
The components of the Water Management System include the roof, gutter/downspout/extension subsystem, windows, doors and gradient of the landscaping.  All of these have in common the responsibility of moving water off and/or away from the building. 
As shown in the picture below provided by Code Check, the outside gradient system of a home or building should include a … (2 comments)

Plumbing Wall Penetrations - Mind the Gap! - 03/07/08 10:23 PM
 At HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, we frequently see where plumbing drain/waste/vent systems penetrate the rear of a cabinet enclosure and the installation is poorly done.  In the picture shown the installation basically involved simply knocking a hole in the back of the cabinet and working the piping through.
It is functional as far as the plumbing and the cabinet are concerned but the problem is this shoddy workmanship provides an easy path for rodents to enter the building.  The hole for the plumbing penetration should be no larger than is required for the penetration and then a plastic or metal … (5 comments)

Water Management System Failures - Skylights - 03/07/08 10:00 PM
Experience at HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, has shown that Water Management Systems are a frequent source of problems in Home and Commercial Building Inspections.  Failures of these of systems can lead to more serious problems such as mold and structural failure.
The components of the Water Management System include the roof, gutter/downspout/extension subsystem, windows, doors and gradient of the landscaping.  All of these have in common the responsibility of moving water off and/or away from the building. 
The roof includes the sheathing, roof covering, flashing, skylights, gutter/downspout/extension subsystem, and penetration boots.  The purpose of this article is to talk about … (0 comments)

Which Candidate is Best for the Real Estate Market? - 03/02/08 11:03 AM
As we see the list of candidates for our next President narrow to 3 (Senator Clinton, Senator McCain and Senator Obama) and eventually 2, which candidate do you think would be best for the real estate market going forward?
I know there is a lot more to consider when choosing a President than just this issue; however, since the AR community is focused on real estate maybe we can look at this election in just that vein for a moment.  So which candidate do you think would help the real estate market, how do you think they would help, and why do you … (9 comments)

InspectorSpeak - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly! - 03/01/08 09:55 PM
As Home and Building Inspectors we have a responsibility to "tell like it is" when we are presenting our findings.  But, I suggest that when we "tell it", there is a Good Way, a Bad Way and an Ugly Way!
The choice of words we use as Inspectors, what I call InspectorSpeak, can have a profound impact on the outcome of a real estate transaction and on the impression we make with our Clients.  At HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC, we try to use words like issues versus problems, deteriorated versus rot, conductor versus wire and column versus post.  We are not saying that words like problem, rot, wire … (14 comments)

 
Acree_800x Rainmaker_large

Richard Acree - Nashville TN Home Inspections

Franklin, TN

More about me…

HABITEC Home and Building Inspections, LLC

Address: PO Box 413, Brentwood, TN, 37024

Office Phone: (615) 376-2753

Email Me

Home and Commercial building inspections, mold assessments including inspections and mold sampling, radon testing and water quality analysis in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.


Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog