Our Home Inspection Services
START AT THE CURB AND SIDEWALK
1. Minding Your Safety
Even a routine walk to the mailbox every day can be an obstacle course if you have broken pavement or potholes in your path. Our home inspection services begin by considering the safe ingress and egress to and from your home to be one of the most essential elements of your homeownership experience.
2. The Launching Pad
The driveway is the place where you most often meet and greet neighbors, loved ones, and other visitors. The diligent home inspector observes and inspects the driveway for safety concerns.
3. The Sidewalk and Front Apron
The sidewalk to the front stoop or porch should practically shout “Welcome!”- and not “Watch Your Step!” Very often, the front sidewalk falls prey to encroachment from landscaping excesses or roof drainage problems. The home inspector will point out to you the importance of a good roof drainage system to adequately remove rainwater from the earth surrounding the home’s foundation.
Next, We Head to the Roof
Buying a new or existing home is the biggest purchase most people make in their lifetimes. As such, choosing the region’s best home inspection services from a trusted, certified inspector is absolutely vital. We will inspect as closely as possible into the home’s structure and all its systems, to find any existing (or potential) problems that might present physical hazards to you and your loved ones, or cost you money and peace of mind.
1. The Things That Matter
We will closely inspect your roof’s various elements to detect whether they have been installed correctly. A proper roof inspection will uncover even minor defects (such as exposed roofing nail heads and deteriorating plumbing vent stack seals) which eventually will become more obvious if rainwater water leaks into your walls and ceilings.
2. Our Commitment
We promise to be diligent and observant and to report to you in the home inspection report all the things that we find that are not satisfactory.
exterior features that we inspect
1. Gutters and Downspouts
The home inspector observes and inspects the roof drainage system, to make sure that your home foundation and exterior framing and trim will be safe from the elements.
2. Windows
The home inspector observes and inspects the exterior of the windows and their flashing and trim, to find weather damage problems that most often go unnoticed in everyday use.
3. Overhangs and Eaves
The home inspector observes and inspects eaves, rakes, soffits, fascia boards, and other features, to detect obvious, hidden, or potential problems.
4. Doors
The home inspector observes and inspects doors and their frames and trim, as well as flashings, thresholds, weatherstripping, and hardware.
5. Porches, Patios, and Decks
The home inspector observes and inspects all outdoor porches, patios, appurtenances, and other amenities, including walkways and steps for safe ingress and egress.
6. Vegetation and Drainage
The home inspector considers trees, shrubs, plants and drainage, to see how they interact with the home and its function.
PLUMBING SYSTEM
1. No Leaks Allowed
We use FLIR state of the art thermal imaging to provide clues as to whether there are any active plumbing leaks. Another device then electronically measures surfaces for actual moisture content when it is detected.
2. Legacy Problem Piping
Older pipe materials such as galvanized steel or PB (polybutylene) are brought to the homeowner’s attention, as these archaic pipe materials should be replaced as necessary.
3. Water Heaters
The home inspector takes a closer look at the water heater to consider its probable further lifespan and whether all connections and safety features are adequate.
4. Waste Pipes
The home inspector observes and reports the suitability and condition of waste pipes, and reports any substandard conditions.
FOUNDATION
1. All About Your Peace of Mind
The home inspector looks at your home’s foundation, on which rest all the other systems in the structure.
2. The Things That Matter
The home inspector looks for the adequacy of the footings and supports, signs of settlement, or continuous unnecessary exposure to water intrusion, or other deficiencies.
3. Our Commitment
The home inspector will physically reach as far as possible, to observe the foundation’s attributes and faults, without exposing the home inspector to vermin, toxins, or other undue personal risks.
STRUCTURAL AND INTERIOR FINISH COMPONENTS
1. Bottom to Top
The home inspector observes and inspects the physical attributes of the home’s structure, from the basement or crawl space, through the living area above, and up to the attic and roof supports.
2. Ceilings and Walls
As part of our home inspection services, our certified inspector looks for any signs of previous or ongoing water damage from roof or plumbing leaks, and for any other interior clues as to structural problems related to the normal or abnormal settlement.
3. Floors and Stairways
The home inspector looks at floor coverings, stairways, railings, and all related interior features to assess their adequacy and safety.
4. Interior of Windows and Doors
The home inspector checks a representative number of windows and doors for operability and functional integrity, to ensure safe egress in emergency situations.
electrical
1. Service Entrance
The home inspector observes the location of the electrical service entrance, whether overhead or underground, and inspects for general condition, watertight enclosure, and safety issues.
2. Service Panels
The home inspector observes the cover of the electrical service panel and any sub-panels for general condition and safety aspects. As part of our home inspection services, the inspector may remove the dead front trim to observe and inspect more closely the wiring conductor sizing and connections, and the functionality of individual disconnects (breakers) and grounding.
3. Switches and Receptacles
The NACHI-certified home inspector tests a representative number of receptacles, switches, and other electrical devices throughout the home, to ensure that the wiring, devices, and covers have been installed properly, and that safety features such as GFCI’s and AFCI’s are working properly.
HEATING & AIR, VENTILATION, AND INSULATION
1. Furnace and AC
The home inspector operates the indoor furnaces or air handlers, as well as the outdoor condensing units or heat pumps, to form an opinion regarding their ability to serve your needs going forward.
2. Other Heating or Cooling
Our home inspection services also include the inspection of fireplaces, wood stoves, radiant heating, solar panel arrays, roof vents and fans, whole-house fans, or any other alternate fixture for passive or mechanical heating or cooling.
3. Attic and Floor Insulation
The home inspector observes and reports the type and the adequacy of the attic insulation and floor insulation and vapor retardants, wherever present and visible.