​To avoid costly home repairs, we all know that regular maintenance is the key.  Something home owners should be aware of is wood decay also known as wood rot.  This is not the same as damage to wood caused by termites or carpenter ants but is a form of fungus.  This fungus loves warm, damp environments but is pretty tough and so can survive in more extreme conditions.
 
Perhaps you are wondering what areas of a house are more vulnerable to wood decay.  Its good to consider what it needs to thrive, moisture, oxygen and a food source.  There are a lot of places in a home that can provide all these things, here is a list of a few of them:
 
Roof penetrations which have incorrect or damaged flashing.
Wood which comes into direct contact with concrete, soil or masonry.
Cracks in foundations
Insufficient grading which means that water cannot drain away from the foundation, and so creates pooling. 
Ground floor decking or deck support posts.
Area surrounding corroded plumbing fixtures as well as sub flooring which surrounds toilets and tubs.
Plumbing leaks
If they have not been correctly installed, you could see wood rot underneath sliding glass doors and windows.
 
Perhaps after seeing this list, you will be able to locate areas where wood rot might be a problem in your home.  If you are unsure about detecting wood rot, why not consider a home inspection.  This way, you will be able to either detect the problem or find out ways of preventing it.

​During a home inspection the last thing you want to happen is to have damage occur to the property, if it does, you would likely assume that the home inspector should be responsible for the damage.  But, is it always the fault of the home inspector? Let’s discuss our reason for asking this question:
 
We are not talking about a random accident such as when a vase or lamp is accidentally knocked over.  We are talking about damage that can occur as a direct result of the inspection being performed.  By way of example, imagine the home inspector must access the boiler or electrical paneling etc. and while inspecting it, something breaks or falls apart, is the breakage due to the inspector’s sloppiness or is the broken item defective and has it deteriorated due to the age of the place? Remember, a home inspectors’ job is to find any problems or issues that a property might have so that the homeowner can be alerted to this.  By finding such problems they are just doing their job.
 
Another way to look at it is: would the item have fallen apart or broken regardless of who touched it?  A home inspector has to access areas of a property that are hardly ever used by the home’s occupants, so the likelihood is that they will find these defects first.  In fact, it is better for the home inspector to find problems or defects in a home rather than someone else in the household.  

​Getting rid of unwanted pests can be a real challenge.  While there are many different bug repellents out there, we are going to consider one, bug zappers.  A bug zapper is designed to attract a flying insect to a type of fluorescent light.  Before the fly reaches the light, it is quickly electrocuted, or zapped, by the surrounding electrified wire.  This is an effective way to eliminate flying pests, but are there any hidden dangers to bug zappers we should be concerned about?
 
When a bug is zapped, it is blown into many fragments which become airborne, up to a distance of around 7 feet.  Yes, this is a gross thing to think about.  The problem is that these fragments also contain many harmful bacteria, which also becomes airborne.  This means that anyone in this radius has the potential to breathe in this harmful bacterium.  Think about what this could mean if a bug zapper is situated over a food preparation area?
 
Another issue with bug zappers is that they might not prevent you from being bitten from certain types of flying insects.  A mosquito, for example, although it is attracted to light, is more attracted to humans and animals.  This means you will probably still be bitten by one even if you have this type of repellent. Bug zappers will also eliminate insects that are much needed for the preservation of the environment, such as bees. 
 
As we can see, then, while bug zappers are very effective, you might want to think about the best place to position one so that it won’t cause harm to humans and also so that it protects those insects that are so important for our environment.

​After moving day, you will, no doubt, be anxious to unpack and settle in.  The entire home buying and moving process can be an extremely stressful one so it’s understandable that you may not want to think about doing anything to your home for a while.  However, what are the advantages of starting a good routine of property maintenance as soon as possible?  Perhaps you’re wondering if there is any need, after all you just had the home inspected before moving in.
 
The following video will help you see why starting a good maintenance routine is so beneficial to the proper functioning of the home, it also highlights why it could end up saving you a lot of money in the end.  We want you to enjoy your home for a very long time.  Starting a good maintenance routine will surely help with this.  
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​The very nature of a basement and its location (below grade) makes it very prone to flooding or damp.  This produces any number of issues from mold and bad air quality to a rotting foundation.  Although there could be a variety of reasons for this, one of those reasons is water pooling around the homes foundation.  So, how can we prevent this from happening?
 
A major cause of water pooling are downspouts and leaking gutters that have not been correctly installed or are clogged.  Downspouts should also be designed to drain water away from the foundation (10 feet is ideal) thus diverting the water away from the home.
 
Another cause of water pooling is an uneven or insufficient grade.  An uneven grade could be evened out to fix the problem.
 
Many homeowners who live at the base of a hill or incline have a problem with pooling water.  To help with this problem, the homeowner could dig small ditches, also known as swales which divert water away from the building.  These should be around 10 to 15 feet away from the home in order for water runoff to not reach the homes foundation.
 
Although there are many options for treating water damage these days, the best option is to try and prevent it in the first place.  If you are concerned that your home has a problem with pooling water, please feel free to contact us, we would be happy to schedule an inspection.

​Buying a property listed “as is” is just one of the many property buying options to choose from.  Perhaps you’re looking to buy a home that needs fixing up.  If you are, then perhaps buying “as is” is a good option for you.  But, is it a good idea?  What does it really mean to buy “as is”?
 
When a person lists their home for sale “as is” it is usually because they do not want to go to the trouble of fixing up the property.  It’s also possible that they would rather not be held accountable for the state its in after being sold.  So, does that mean it’s a bad choice?  Is it worth it?
 
As to whether it’s worth it or a good choice is really up to the person buying the property.  If you like it and it’s the location and price you want, then there is no reason it should be a bad option.  However, you should do all you can before you buy, to make sure of its true condition.  How can you do that?
 
Have the property inspected by a certified home inspector.  By doing this, you will be getting a good idea of what you’re in for.  Yes, it’s true, the home may well have obvious signs of work needed but some of the major problems might not be so visible and a home inspector will be able to determine areas of concern.  This could possibly save you a lot of money in the end.
 
You may be living in an area where the seller is legally required to provide a written disclosure as to the condition of the property.  Does this mean there is no point in having the home inspected as well? These types of disclosures are not always as comprehensive as they should be and the home owner, if they are less than honest, may well leave out important information.  In such a case, its best to err on the side of caution.  The home inspection will also give you an idea of the trustworthiness of the seller, if they find problems not listed in the disclosure.
 
So, purchasing a home listed “as is” could be a good option for you, depending on what you’re looking for but, make sure you take every precaution before you buy, to ensure you know what you’re getting.

​Have you moved into a brand-new construction home within the last year?  No doubt you are enjoying the benefits of such a move, after all, many people love the idea of being the first to live in a home, one that they can design to fit their needs.
 
Most building contractors will provide a 1-year warranty with their new constructions, which means you can enjoy the security of knowing that any issues to do with the construction will be covered for the first year.  What about after the year though?  What if you are unaware that there are some issues with the home?  It would not be good to find these problems after the warranty has expired.
 
This is where an 11-month home inspection proves to be very valuable.  This short video will highlight the advantages to getting this kind of inspection performed on your new home.  If you have more questions on this subject or would like information on any home inspection issue, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
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If you are buying a home you, no doubt, cannot wait for the day when the title and keys are handed over to you.  This is known as the closing.  But, you will also be required to pay various fees known as closing costs.  These costs can really add up, in fact they average around two to four percent of what you pay for the home.  What exactly are you paying for with these closing costs?  Here are a few examples:


When buying a home from someone, it’s necessary to make sure the person selling the property legally owns it, and that there are not pre-existing liens, so a title search is carried out.  It’s a good idea to obtain purchase title insurance as this will protect the buyer from any mistakes that may occur from the results of the title search.


An appraisal has to be carried out on the property to see what the value of it is.  This is so that the money being lent is not more than the property is actually worth. 


If the home being purchased is part of a HOA neighborhood, you will need to pay up front for the rest of the years fees.  Property taxes will also need to be paid.


You will also need to have a home inspection performed on the property to ensure it is structurally sound and to make sure there are no hidden problems with the home.


While these are only a few of the closing costs that you will have to pay when buying a home, it’s good to have an idea ahead of time of what is involved when purchasing a home, especially if you are a first-time buyer.

Due to its hard wearing, durable nature, and easy to clean surface ceramic tile has become a great option for use in many floors of the home.  Although ceramic tiles are very hardy, as is the case with most kinds of building materials, they can start to develop various issues over time.  These issues will vary likely need attention.  What are some of the problems that we might encounter with ceramic tile?


Ones of the most common problems are cracks in the tiles, particularly in areas that experience extremes in temperature.  This is because the home can start to expand or contract depending of the temperature, causing cracks in the tile.  Other reasons for cracks in ceramic tile can be incorrect installation of the tiles, and most commonly simple wear and tear.  Small cracks can be repaired using a little grout, but if the cracks are a bit too big to fill in this way, they will most likely need to be replaced.


Problems with the grout is another issue that can require maintenance.  It’s common to see grout starting to crack, crumble or become discolored.  This can happen if the grout has not been correctly sealed, so it will start to absorb moisture.  Moisture prone areas of the home such as bathrooms will likely experience these kinds of issues with the grout.  In cases where the grout becomes too bad, it will need to be removed and redone. 


Sometimes tiles will become uneven.  Although it will probably be very noticeable, its good to have a good check to see if there are any uneven areas.  The cause of this is usually that they have not been installed correctly and will need to be redone.


As we can see, ceramic tiles do need some maintenance from time to time, but they are still a good and durable flooring option.

​When we think about it, most things benefit from an annual checkup.  In some cases, our cars for example, the law requires that we have them inspected once a year to make sure they are in good order.  Is it unreasonable then, to thing about how our home would benefit from a yearly checkup?  After all, it is in constant use.
 
Our video this month shows why it is such a good idea to get an annual inspection done on your home.  We want to make sure your home is in the best shape for you and your household, so that it can continue to be the haven it should be.  In the long run, you may even be saving money by seeing a problem before it becomes a huge expense.  Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or to schedule a home inspection with an InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector.