Is this art? - 01/31/11 04:19 PM
How would you feel about selling a property with a view of THIS? Is it art? Is it an eyesore? You be the judge!

U.S. Inspect inspectors work in some of the most amazing American cities all over the country. And when I'm lucky enough, some of those inspectors send me pictures of the beautiful (or downright strange) places where they live and work to share in what I like to call my U.S. Inspect Scrapbook. Paul Tavares, one of our inspectors in the Tampa Area, drove past this very interesting site the other day. (His snap shot below). Above … (14 comments)

Staging (& Stashing) When You Have Babies and Kids - 01/31/11 01:45 PM

 
I bought my daughter a new toy yesterday and I have to say, one of the first things that came to my mind was, where will it go? There's nothing I hate more than brightly-colored plastic toys all over my house. I'm very big on baskets and attractive storage. But even after all my efforts, my home is still pretty "littered" with baby paraphernalia. And perhaps because of my line of work, or just because of my perpetual "thinking/worrying/planning" personality type, I tend to think about what I would do with all her stuff if I were trying to … (27 comments)

Curb Appeal: Getting from Before to After - 01/31/11 01:42 PM

Curb appeal upgrades are one of the best ways to increase the value of your home. Whether you make smaller changes before listing your home, or go all out for your personal pleasure, great curb appeal can put a smile on your face and buyers too! Plus, while home prices may have dropped, the return on remodeling investments remains strong, according to the National Association of Realtors.
As it happens, my husband Craig and I completed a curb appeal overhaul on our own home this past year after 6 years working on the inside. We bought our house back in … (31 comments)

What's Wrong with this Picture? Anyone up for a swim? - 01/28/11 09:49 AM
 
What's wrong with this picture?

ANSWER: Basement Flooding When first looking at this picture, is your immediate reaction "OMG, what is this?!!"  Imagine what the buyer was thinking!  And, even though inspectors have learned to expect surprises, I suspect this was over the top even for our employee John Osterberg.
This higher end home was originally built in the 1950's, then rebuilt with a new wood framed structure on the old foundation in 2006.  The area is known to have a high water table, and most, if not all homes in the area have working sump pumps fed by … (13 comments)

All About Radon--A Cool Video! - 01/27/11 12:23 PM
January is National Radon Action Month, so I thought I'd share a video from our media library called, All About Radon! And remember, all my videos are available for embedding on your Web site--so, feel free!
Why?Inhalation of and exposure to radon decay products is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If you're a smoker, your chances of contracting lung cancer are much greater. The EPA says upwards of 20,000 deaths per year occur from radon exposure.Limiting our exposure to radon gas is not just hype, it's genuinely important to the health and well-being of you … (8 comments)

Angie's List Super Service Award - Congrats Rob! - 01/27/11 11:59 AM

U.S. Inspect announced today that Rob Amaral of our Boston Area inspection team has once again been awarded the prestigious Angie’s List Super Service Award, and I just wanted to congratulate my friend! So I hope you all won't mind me hijacking my blog this morning to give him a quick shout-out.
The award is an honor bestowed annually on just five percent of all the companies rated on the popular local service consumer review site--only those companies that have maintained a superior customer service rating are recognized. The award reflects U.S. Inspect's consistently high level of customer service. Below … (1 comments)

5 New Year's Resolutions - For you home? - 01/21/11 01:24 PM
It’s a New Year. That means it's time for the ever popular list of New Year's Resolutions. What is on your list this year? Some of the most popular resolutions are to get more organized, to be healthier and to spend more time with the people we love. Well, how about a few resolutions for your home (yes, your home) that can help you accomplish all three?Here are a few maintenance "resolutions" for your home that will help you get more organized, be safer and healthier, and allow you to spend more time with your friends and family—because taking care of … (18 comments)

Retesting for Radon - Why one test isn't enough - 01/21/11 01:23 PM
We would particularly like to remind the thousands of homeowners who have already tested their home that testing once is not enough, especially if the test was a short term test.
January is National Radon Action Month. The purpose of National Radon Action Month is to draw attention to radon as a serious public health issue and, more importantly, to motivate Americans to take action to protect themselves from radon health effects. Radon causes up to 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year. However, because you can’t see or smell radon, people tend to minimize the health effects and ignore the … (6 comments)

How NOT to Install a Radon Mitigation System - 01/21/11 01:22 PM

What's Wrong With This Picture? ANSWER: Improperly Installed Radon Mitigation System There are times when home inspectors stumble across something so wrong it's hard not to get really excited! This was just such a case. What you are looking at above is a perfect example of how not to install an active radon mitigation system.
The Problem Areas?The fan is installed in conditioned air space (a living area). The system was on a timer. The draw point was an unsealed sump pit. And, the vent piping appears to have been sealed with duct tape. 
Problems ExplainedThis fan was in the basement. … (9 comments)

Something You May Not Know About Your Refrigerator - 01/19/11 04:17 PM

The New Year is a time when many of us, second to Spring, think MOST about refreshing, renewing and cleaning our homes. And luckily, when the weather is chilly, there are plenty of low impact projects we can take on while we are cooped up in doors--and here's a great one!
A few years back, I trained and worked in the field as a residential property claims insurance adjuster. One of the more sizable loss claims I investigated was a fire that occurred as a result of pet hair and lint buildup around the compressor of a kitchen refrigerator. The … (9 comments)

What does a radon mitigation system look like? And How does it work? A Short Video - 01/12/11 03:13 PM
In honor of National Radon Action Month, I thought I'd share one of our radon videos today. In the short video below, you'll get to see what a radon mitigation system looks like and hear a brief description of how it works.
Remember to check out our radon information and resources all month long right here on the U.S. Inspect Blog!
Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog
… (7 comments)

Thinking Outside the Module - 01/11/11 08:32 PM
If you can't bring in materials to build a modular home, why not quarry the rock on your property and build a castle instead, right?! It might sound like a leap but that's exactly what this couple did...

Phil and Connie Sprague were preparing to build a home in the foothills west of their Colorado town. The area they were considering was just isolated enough to be quiet, somewhat hidden, surrounded by rocky outcroppings, and situated in a narrow ravine with a passing gentle stream. The prevailing thought at the time was to construct a modular style home. When it … (6 comments)

I don't wear a name tag becuase it's ugly and tacky! - 01/10/11 02:52 PM
What if I could convince you that you're wrong? Okay, yes, bright blue "hello my name is" sticker-style name tags are pretty darn tacky, and some company name tags are ugly or clunky...but when someone told me about this problem I thought, well that's a silly argument, there has to be an alternative. The internet has everything, I'll just "Google it," and I'm sure I'll find a solution!
And, voila! Have you ever heard of Glamour Tags?? What a great solution to this name tag dilemma! I bet there are even more companies like this out there.

And if you're … (17 comments)

A New Year's Resolution...for a healthier home AND a healthier you! - 01/07/11 09:43 AM

It’s time to ring in the New Year! What that means for many of us is New Year’s Resolutions. Plans for trimming our waistlines, exercising more, eating better, or to quit smoking are popular items on the list. Limiting radon exposure is not. But did you know that testing your home for radon and reducing your exposure to it can significantly reduce your risks for lung cancer? As part of National Radon Action Month, we hope you will take a look at these radon myths and facts. Then, consider making a few additions to your resolutions list to have an even … (13 comments)