Things to Look for When Touring a Home Tips from professional home inspectors Touring homes to find “the one” can be a daunting process. You may end up looking at several different houses in various areas of town all in one day. After a while, they can start to blend together. While location is key, there are some other things you should consider when looking for your dream home; things that you may need to negotiate in your offer or things that you may need to save a little extra money for. No Worries! We’ve complied a list of items to look for or ask the sellers about when hunting for yo ..read more

How Long do Asphalt Roof Shingles Actually Last? What it means to have a 30 year shingle Asphalt shingles are one of the most popular roofing options for homeowners across America. In fact, they’re used on more than 80% of roofing and re-roofing projects across the U.S. Their versatility allows them to be used in just about every part of the country, from the hot and humid southeast to the cold and snowy northwest. In general, there are two types of asphalt shingles that are used: architectural (or laminated) shingles and 3-tab shingles. 3-tab shingles are composed of a fiberglass mat embedde ..read more

How Long Does a Home Inspection Take? You’ve finally found your perfect home, agreed to terms with the sellers and got it under contract. Now it’s time for the home inspection! Inspection contingency periods are typically 7-10 days, so you may be wondering how long the home inspection and report delivery will take. This can vary depending on a few factors, so we’ve covered what to expect from the home inspection below: What determines how long a home inspection will take? There is no exact answer as to how long a home inspection will take. Every home is different, and there are several fact ..read more

Top Tips to Reduce HVAC Energy Costs and Lower Your Energy Bill Here’s something not many homeowners know: their HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) accounts for as much as 48% of their monthly energy bill. During winter and summer, the monthly energy bills can climb even higher as the HVAC system gets used more often. Fortunately, even if the HVAC system is the primary energy guzzler at home, there is no shortage of energy-saving options available. Now you don’t have to choose between staying comfortable and saving money. Below are some of the effective ways you can reduce you ..read more

A Basic Guide to Swimming Pool Leaks Pools are designed to be watertight. Unfortunately, sealants can deteriorate over time, and some parts of the pool can settle and shift or wear out. The rule of thumb is this: if you are adding at least two inches of water to your pool weekly, you need to have a professional conduct pool leak detection. Repairing pool leaks is crucial. Apart from helping you save chemicals, heat, and water, timely repair of pool leaks can also help ensure the pool’s structural components are not compromised. If we are conducting a home inspection for you, we can also prov ..read more

The Importance of Kickout Flashing What is kickout flashing and why is it so important? If you’ve had a home inspection recently, you may have heard your home inspector bring up missing or inadequate kickout flashing. So what in the world is kickout flashing? Kickout flashing, or diverter flashing, is a simple piece of metal bent into a “V” shape that directs water away from the building in areas where the roof surface ends at a wall. When installed properly, kickout flashing protects against water penetration into the building envelope. Serious damage can occur from water getting behind the ..read more

Tips To Help You Find Hidden Plumbing Leaks At Home 6 tips to help you find hidden plumbing leaks Water is a precious commodity, and it’s something we simply can’t afford to waste. However, for all the rhetoric about water conservation, we still waste a lot of it through plumbing leaks we didn’t know existed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), when there’s a household leak, an average family can waste up to 9,400 gallons of water annually. While it’s relatively easy to address leaks you can actually see (like a continuously-dripping faucet) hidden plumbing leaks are an en ..read more

Home Repairs too Dangerous to DIY Empowered by internet tutorials and how-to guides, homeowners are taking matters into their own hands and tackling do-it-yourself (DIY) repair and maintenance projects. From installing their own bathroom vanities to laying vinyl flooring, some homeowners have really embraced a DIY mindset. But, even the handiest of homeowners should know their limits. There are, after all, some projects that are just too dangerous or risky for a DIY approach. In this article, we’ll review several home repairs where you should put down the wrench and call in a professional ..read more

How to Determine the Age of Your Appliances It’s easier than you think How old are my appliances? Is this a question you’ve ever asked yourself? If so, you’re in luck! We’re here to help you determine the age of the major appliances in your home…and it’s easier than you may think. During our home inspections, we report on the age of the major appliances in the home (water heater, HVAC condenser and air handler). It’s important to know this information to determine what stage the appliance is in, in terms of its typical life expectancy. For reference, the typical life expectancy for most water ..read more

How to Identify Polybutylene Pipes Polybutylene pipes in the home and why they are a problem Polybutylene, or “PB” was widely used as supply piping in homes from 1978 to 1995. Polybutylene was used as a substitute to copper due to its ease of installation and low material cost. Dubbed “the pipe of the future,” it was mainly installed in the southern portion of the U.S., where residential construction boomed through the 1980s and mid-1990s. It can also be found in the Mid-Atlantic and Pacific Northwest. Some experts predict that it may have been installed in as many as 10 million homes. Despit ..read more