home inspection virginia beach: Plumbing Boot Issues at Virginia Beach Home Inspection - 11/17/12 01:27 AM
Plumbing stack vents are penetrations that go through the roof to allow gases out of and air into the plumbing system. The problem is in order for these vents to work a hole needs to be cut into the roof. Protecting this hole is the job of the vent boot or boot jack.
Often I will find that these boots have started to crack around the seal at the stack pipe.  A very temporary fix is to seal these areas with some type of caulk. The problem with this fix is that the vents are expanding and contracting which means … (2 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: It is Important to Extend Those Downspouts - 08/01/12 09:11 AM

It is a common find at many home inspections in Virginia Beach, the lack of extensions at the gutter system downspouts. These extensions are designed to direct the rainwater runoff away from the foundation of the house. There are different methods that can be used to redirect this water. During a typical rainstorm you can have hundreds of gallons of water flowing through the downspout, and without something to redirect that water you will have a soil erosion issue. The picture below shows how the lack of an extension caused erosion under the house foundation. It is important to have … (0 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: It's Time to Replace the Roof - 07/30/12 11:43 AM
During some Virginia Beach home inspections the decision to replace the roof is very easy.

 Just an example of the things your Virginia Beach home inspector is looking for during your home inspection in Hampton Roads.
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home inspection virginia beach: Termite Activity at Virginia Beach Home Inspection - 07/23/12 03:32 AM

Recently as I crawled under a house at Virginia Beach home inspection it was quite evident that the owners had not had the house checked for termites in quite some time, if ever. There was extensive termite activity at the sill plate, joists, and subfloor.
The pictures show one of the method termites use to get around. These are shelter tubes that the termites have created to have their own “Termite superhighway”. The bottom picture shows the damage that termites can cause. The knife slid into the beam like a hot knife through butter.
It is important to have an inspection … (0 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: RecallChek For Virginia Beach Home Inspections - 06/14/12 07:04 AM
Did you know that if a manufacturer designs a dangerous product they MUST recall all those items and FIX THEM FOR FREE! Part of my Virginia Beach home inspection process is collecting model information about the appliances in your house. Safe House Property Inspections sends this infomation to Residential Warranty Services who provides each of my clients with a report of any information about recalls on the appliances in the home they are looking to purchase. It's a FREE service to you compliments of Safe House.
 
Just an example of the things your Virginia Beach home inspector is looking for … (0 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: Virginia Beach Home Inspection "Pic of the Day" Moisture Issues - 04/17/12 01:44 AM
At this Virginia Beach home inspection I anticipated seeing the problem before I actually saw it.The front of the house was cladded with EIFS and the sides and rear were cladded with vinyl siding. There was a band of EIFs around the base of the vinyl siding separating it at the foundation wall. The problem I saw here was that at the base of the vinyl siding it was caulk where it met the EIFs. No flashing was visible at all. The picture below shows the result. With no where to go the water that got behind the vinyl siding ended … (1 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: One Thing Leads To Another - 01/23/12 05:40 AM
Many times when I come across an issue during a home inspection it will be the beginning of the trail of things to come. This short video of a Virginia Beach home inspection illustrates this point. A failure at the roof was the begining of the trail to more damage below.
 

 
Make sure you have a Virginia Beach home inspector who follows the trails of issues in your house to ensure you know exactly what needs to be repaired or replaced to protect your home.
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home inspection virginia beach: After The Home Inspection - 01/10/12 06:29 AM

For new homeowners one of the most important things to understand is that things can and will eventually go wrong. All homes will break down, wear out, leak, and deteriorate over time. You get a home inspection to get a snapshot of the condition of the home prior to your purchase.  You and your Realtor address the important issues that are of a concern to you before you agree to buy. 
Now that you’re moved in comes the responsibility every homeowner assumes when purchasing a home, the home maintenance. You have questions like. "What do I need to look for?", … (2 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: Roof Repairs Gone Wild - 10/11/11 11:38 AM
  Roof repairs gone wild found while taking a stroll on a roof during a Virginia Beach home inspection.

 
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home inspection virginia beach: What Is This In My House? The Gas Water Heater - 09/30/11 12:27 PM
In this “What Is This In My House” we are going to review the gas water heater. During home inspections in Virginia Beach there are different types of water heaters that I will see. There are electric water heaters, tankless water heaters, and of course the topic of today's discussion, the gas fired water heater. Now everyone has seen a water heater, but have you ever asked exactly what are all those different items on the water heater?
What is this in my house? The gas water heater
 
1. Cold water supply valve- This is the shutoff for the water … (5 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: When Will You Meet Your Virginia Beach Home Inspector? - 07/27/10 02:47 PM
Hello, Meet Your Virginia Beach Home Inspector So you have looked all over Hampton Roads and have found the house. Now you are ready for the all important home inspection. You may do an online search or you might take the recommendation of your Realtor. However you go about finding your home inspector in Virginia Beach, one thing is usually standard you never get to meet your home inspector. I am Troy Pappas with Safe House Property Inspections, and these videos give you an opportunity to meet your Virginia Beach home inspector, and see what I have to offer you. You … (5 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: What's under that house? - 04/28/10 05:51 AM
The term out of sight out of mind can come to play when you have someone do work in your crawlspace. Maybe it’s laziness or just the end of the workday, but they figure no one is ever going to see the work they did. How many homeowners do you know that crawl under the house after the work was finished to see if everything was done correctly.
Now as a home inspector even I have to admit that I do not particularly enjoy the arduous job of making the trek around a crawl on my belly. You never just never … (7 comments)

home inspection virginia beach: New twist on an old problem - 04/18/10 01:03 PM
On a recent Virginia Beach home inspection I encountered an issue that seemed to be a little backwards. On occasion you will come across a bathroom exhaust or plumbing vent that terminates in an attic. This in itself can cause all kinds of havoc in the attic, but this latest termination was a little different. There was a lot of remodeling done on this home, and there was a new way discovered to terminate an unused vent stack.
 
                          
As you can see the vent stack was terminated in the attic, but still penetrated the roof. Now how long … (6 comments)