home inspection: Home Inspection Does not Include Underground Sewer Lines
- 12/19/11 07:54 AM
Scoping the sewer line is not part of a standard Home Inspection I frequently suggest to my home inspection customers that they may wish to have the sewer line scoped to check for damage or debris in the line.
Some will ask me “Isn’t the sewer part of the home inspection?” The answer is yes and no.
During a home inspection I flush toilets, run faucets, tubs and showers. I estimate I run about 50 gallons of water during a normal home inspection. Water will flow through most any obstacle course, solids and debris do not.
… (4 comments)
home inspection: Good Morning- Suprise Home Inspection
- 11/19/11 08:13 AM
This morning I was scheduled to perform a home inspection on a vacant two bedroom condo in Chandler AZ. I arrive at 9:00 AM get the keys out of the lock box, knok on the door. I wait the standard 45 seconds, no responce so I unlock the door. Sitting in front of me is a 250 pound guy in is underwear. He is working on his laptop and say's can I help you?
I inform him I am here to inspect the unit for the buyers. What buyers? I didn't know my ex was selling the place.
Bushes and trees that come in contact with the side of the home can cause damage and provide a way for insects to get to other areas of the home. Several times while performing home inspections in Mesa, Gilbert, & Chandler I have seen plants that grew into the wall or attic space. As the plant grows the branches get bigger and expand the opening they used to get in. Simply trimming them back can … (5 comments)
home inspection: Check your Irrigation System, Home Inspection Tip of the week
- 07/13/11 06:16 PM
When I perform home inspections in Gilbert AZ, I take a moment to look at the sprinkler valves, sometimes I can not locate them because they are buried and the box they are in is covered with vegetation. Take a moment and Check your irrigation system for leaky valves, exposed lines, and improperly-working sprinkler heads. Did you accidentally mow over a sprinkler head and you’re just now realizing that it’s not working properly? Bad Sprinkler valves and broken irrigation pipes can spell major damage and higher water bills if you’re not careful. Many local builders install the valves close to the … (5 comments)
home inspection: Lubricate all of your Doors, keyholes and hinges.
- 07/07/11 04:48 AM
Often when performing home inspections in the Scottsdale area I find doors that bind, don’t lock or squeak. This is something easy to resolve and even easier to prevent. This is likely one of the easiest things you can do that never gets done. It only takes a moment to make sure the key continues to work and doesn’t break off when you are in a hurry. Use a penetrating oil in a small can with a spout or a spray like WD-40 with a small hose to direct the spray. Be sure to have a rag handy to wipe away … (5 comments)
This is not a great idea, let me explane why. If someone is looking to buy the home and it is 115 degrees outside, they will not enjoy the 100 degrees inside the home. 85 degrees feels real nice when comming in from the heat. It can cause damage to the home. As building materials heat up and cool down they expand and contract. Different materials expand and contract at different rates. The wood trusses move differently than the drywall, the drywall … (4 comments)
home inspection: Check and clean the clothes dryer vent
- 05/17/11 02:27 PM
More than 13,000 fires a year start in laundry rooms in the United States, resulting in 10 deaths and $97 million in property damage. Nearly 4,000 of these fires arise from lint buildup that occurs when people fail to clean their dryer vents. The following safety information from Consumer Reports can help you prevent a disaster. • Clean the dryer duct regularly. In addition, remove the visible lint from the lint screen each time you use your dryer. This not only will reduce the risk of a fire, but your clothes will dry faster and your dryer will use less energy … (3 comments)
home inspection: I bought it cheap at a Bank Auction, I dont need a home Inspection
- 05/09/11 05:56 AM
I cringe each time someone called to book a home Inspection and they say those words. They often have not even see the inside of the home. Let me tell you a little secret, some people trash their homes when evicted. I recently inspected one home that still had the power on but every wire had been cut out of the walls. Testing outlets is hard when they have been stolen When performing home inspections in Chandler, I have seen huge sections of roofs removed, I have seen foundation issues covered up, On a home inspection in Mesa I have seen … (6 comments)
home inspection: He said What
- 04/27/11 03:27 AM
Lately I have been nearby when some really stupid comments have been made and it gave me an idea. Whet if we all shared some of the stupid things we have heard on here. It can be about anything related to real estate. For example: A local home inspector said that an air conditioner produces winds equal to that of a hurricane. A local home inspector said natural gas wont ignight unless it is in a furnace. Your comments may have been said by home inspectors, Realtors, Mortgage, Title, Appraisals, Contractors, Oh and home owners.
So come on, join in, … (15 comments)
home inspection: Not Holmes on Homes
- 04/25/11 03:42 AM
Mike Holmes has a successuful show where he goes in and inspects peoples homes that tears everything apart and rebuilds parts of the home.
He now has a home inspection business, (Imagine hime on your listing)
Well someone decided to make a spoof of his show. Check it out. http://youtu.be/DwPC-YBHMI4 … (9 comments)
home inspection: Don't Drain that pool this Arizona Summer
- 04/06/11 07:46 PM
I am a home inspector in the phoenix area and I inspect swimming pools as part of a professional home inspection. Many times I spend more time educating the clients about how to maintain a pool than it takes to inspect the pool. Lately there have been a lot of bank owned pools that have been let go and some even have been drained. This causes a huge issue. The plaster in the pool is kept moist by the water in the pool. The water in the pool changes temperature very slowly thereby keeping the plaster at a fairly consistent … (1 comments)
home inspection: FHA Flips are Officially Back and require a Home Inspection
- 02/20/11 08:48 AM
FHA has extended the temporary waiver of the less than 90-Day Anti-Flipping Rule and our servicers have fallen in line. The extension permits buyers to continue to use FHA financing to purchase HUD-owned properties, bank owned properties and properties resold through private sales through 2011. 1) The minimum credit score to these transactions is 640. 2) Two appraisals are required to support the property value when the increase is greater than 120% in less than 90 days. 3) Justify the increase in value by retaining in the loan file supporting documentation and a second appraisal, which verifies that the seller has … (5 comments)
home inspection: Why have a new home inspection
- 01/03/11 03:12 PM
Why inspect New/newer construction? I’m frequently and told by others that the home is new so I don’t need to have an inspection or “The city already inspected it, so I don’t need another inspection. Here are some facts you may not know. Municipal inspections happen at different stages, before the foundation is placed, framing and plumbing as well as electrical are frequently done at the same time but it is not uncommon for the builder to make changes after these inspections. Then the inspector returns and sees the work completed if it hasn’t already been covered by drywall. Many times … (3 comments)
home inspection: Common Issues found by Phoenix Home Inspectors
- 12/22/10 06:13 AM
Sometimes when I perform a home inspection the buyers (and/or sellers) freak out over every little issue. Lets face it Homes are built by imperfect beings and almost all of them have some type of problem. It is always a good idea to let the client know what to expect from the home inspector and report. Finding a house with absolutely no defects is rare; therefore, we have put together this list of common defects found during our Arizona Home inspections as a tool to inform clients of common deficiencies that may be found during the inspection. EXTERIOR OF THE HOME … (1 comments)
These computer generated animated videos are all the rage now so I decided to make one and then someone sent me another one. The first one is posted here the other one you have to click the link for
Please don't be offended, it is all ment to just be fun. http://acsillc.com/blog1/poking-fun-at-home-inspectors/
… (5 comments)
home inspection: You Cant Judge A Professional By Their Card But By Their Tools
- 11/03/10 03:20 AM
I frequently visit various job sites and inspections and sometimes I am amazed by what I see. I have had so called construction experts show up on cases I am involved in and provide me with a very professional business card and introduce themselves, then they pull some cheap tool out of their vehicle that looks like they just picked it up at the discount store and use it to on a project. Now don’t get me wrong, some tools tools work well no matter the price. Most any hammer will drive a nail, however you wouldn’t want to use a … (0 comments)
When performing a home inspection the inspector must also look at the roof. Here are some of the things an inspector must consider while evaluating a foam roof. I like Foam roofs, They provide additional insulation, reflect heat and are a great moisture barrier, however, all roof need maintenance. As a Home Inspector I must look at all the issues, identify them and advise the client how to address them. Please forgive the video quality, I couldn’t find someone that wanted to stand on the roof … (2 comments)
home inspection: How to keep the inspector from killing the deal
- 04/25/10 07:29 PM
I was recently accused of killing a deal, the home smelled so bad the buyers agent couldnt stay inside during the inspection but its some how my fault the deal fell through.
There are times it will happen, however there are other times where you can do some things to prevent it. The best thing that can be done is to let everyone know what to expect. Let the buyer know that the inspector will find some issues, maks a list of common inspection issues found in your area, (click the link an example for you to use to get … (7 comments)
home inspection: How Long is a Home Inspection
- 04/25/10 06:18 AM
I recently say another blog where someone commented that a home inspection should take about an hour and a half, I almost had iced tea come out my nose when I read that. Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life, and you want someone to check it out and tell you what the condition of the home and all it’s systems are. A quality inspector will take much longer than an hour and a half. Most homes that are under 2000 square feet will take 2.5-3 hours depending on the age and condition … (5 comments)
home inspection: Lately Work Stinks (Literally)
- 04/21/10 02:56 AM
Lately my job stinks. I am not talking about the economy (however that may that is part of it) I am not talking about my boss (I’m self employed) I am talking about odors. The kind of smells that make your nose hair curl. I have been called out on several cases lately that have to do with odor, here are some examples. 1. Moisture causes mold and mildew in a custom home and it stinks. They hired someone to remove the damaged material and perform repairs but they forgot to stop the moisture. Now the smell is back (so is … (3 comments)
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