For many homeowners in Minnesota we rely on the assistance of fans during the warm spring or summer days or not having to turn on the AC, just in case it will be another tempermental week of Minnesota weather and the next day decides to cool off…

As I wrote in my last post winter is the season for being cozy, sitting next to a warm fireplace and maybe sipping a cup or two of cider. But while spending long days and nights inside the comfort of our homes it's also an infamous time for feeling…

Winter is officially here and fireplace season for many of us in Minnesota has already begun. But if your chimney and fireplace has not seen regular maintenance and cleaning for some time, then your soothing fire may become a hazardous condition. A…

Energy costs, burst pipes, power outages, and fires, all potential winter hazards that makes winter not sound so merry, but you can protect yourself and your home. With a little preventative maintenance and preparation you can minimize the…

There are some absolutely disgusting things that go in your clothes washer from dirty socks, to infant clothes and more but if you have ever had a wash machine with a bad odor there is no comparison. Over time, you may begin to notice that your wash…

The following information has been provided by General Electric and the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission. The United States Consumer and Product Safety Commission and General Electric announced a voluntary recall of the…

In Minnesota and the midwest it's that time of the year again, the time when everyone is outside for a different reason, time to start prepping our homes for winter weather and freezing temperatures. So to help out a little I figured a winter…

This past week Siemens Company issued a recall in conjunction with the United States Consumer and Product Safety Commission for approximately 2. 2 million electrical breaker units due to a potential fire hazard. Because we inspect breakers everyday…

As many residents are aware, Greater Mankato and many Southern Minnesota homes were affected by storms late in the month of June. With high speed winds and heavy hail larger than golf balls in some communities, its not supring that a number of roofs…

There is nothing worse then having a horrible refrigerator odor… and trust me I know. Being a home inspector means you're in a number of houses over a given year and have the chance to take a look at many kitchen appliances and not all of them…

There have been many homes in the Greater Mankato area from Mapleton to Minnesota State University damaged by recent hail and high speed winds. In southern Mankato, roofers and insurance adjusters have been overwhelmed with the amount of requests…

Below is information provided by the U. S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission announced earlier this month. Please feel free to contact our office for more information. WASHINGTON, D. C. - The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in…

Chinese drywall has been a problem for many American families and now the U. S. Consumer Product and Safety Commission and Housing and Urban Development have released a guidance for remediation of problem drywall. Below is the U. S. HUD and CSPC…

With all of the flooding and water problems many local Minnesota homeowners have had over the past few weeks I thought a great subject to write about would be sump pumps. What are they, and how do they work? Well, unlike many of the appliances or…

Breaker filler plate, what is that? This is a common question I receive on home inspections… and for good reason. I find open knockouts and breaker slots on main panels and remote panels (sub-panels) on a very regular basis. Simply put a knockout…