US Home Inspectors BLOG

Buffalo, NY Home Inspector John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection talks about home maintenance - even in during the winter. Winter is hard on homes and there's a long list of things that could go wrong such as frozen pipes, water intrusion, ice damming and other winter problems. All of these can be expensive to fix and difficult to fix under winter conditions. But with a little preventative maintenance, you can help save yourself some grief, and your wallet. You haven't done any maintenance and it's now the middle of winter - it's OK, there's still time and you may just prevent a problem from occurring in doing your home maintenance now. Here's a small list of ideas that should help as a guide: Roof - Climb on a sturdy l  [more info...]

Buffalo Home Inspector John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection recommends checking your home while doing spring cleanup. Spring is the perfect time to take a look around the exterior of your home. While you're out cleaning the landscaping beds and cleaning up the yard don't overlook the exterior areas of the home. The cold temperatures of winter, high winds and snow and ice can cause problems with many building components and systems of the exterior of the home and left undetected or not being properly repaired can cause addition problems and even costly repair issues later. Here are a few ideas of things you should review along with some easy home maintenance suggestions that you can complete. If your roof is safe to walk and   [more info...]

Western New York Home Inspector John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection explains the importance of having working CO Detectors in your home. Having a working CO Detector in your home is just common sense, but I am always amazed while conducting home inspections daily the amount of homes that do not have this life saving detector in the home. It's a $30 investment for a good CO Detector and can save your life. In New York State it's now law that a home seller have a CO Detector installed in the home prior to closing. Here's the section of the NYS Law: Subdivision 5-a of Section 378 of the N.Y. Exec. Law, which was added by Chapter 257 of the Laws of 2002, requires that a carbon monoxide detector meeting the manufacture, design  [more info...]

Stockton Home Inspector Dennis Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Inspections located in Northern California, raises the issue of When 50 Gallons is NOT 50 gallons or my is my shower COLD? To answer this question, let's go straight to the source and discuss water heaters. Most water heaters hold 40 to 50 gallons of water, but sometimes 50 gallons is not 50 gallons. This is a shocking misunderstanding about how much hot water you can actually get from a water heater. This reality has led to many cold showers and to very shallow water levels in hot tubs. In order to understand this issue, let us consider some important vital statistics. The average shower will consume about 1.5 gallons of hot water per minute. Therefore, an average shower of ten   [more info...]

WNY Home Inspector John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection explains the benefits of having a newly constructed home inspected. I was asked the other day if new home should have a home inspected. The simple answer is - Absolutely. Why would a new home buyer not desire to be educated to the condition of a new home? The answer is simple - they're misinformed, but it's not their fault. I'm not going to play the blame game, because it's more important to provide some information to educate consumers that are out buying newly constructed homes. There are really two home inspection types that consumers can request when their new home is being built. The first is Phase Inspections. This occurs when the home is inspected at  [more info...]

WNY Home Inspector John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection, comments about seller inspections and why it's important for sellers to have one completed. Seller Inspections, Pre-listing Inspections, Pre-Contract Inspections and the list goes on and this type of inspection is called many names, but what's important is the fact that this type of home inspection service is available to sellers. And more importantly sellers need to understand the benefits of having this inspection completed and why they should not overlook making one more small investment in their home to be able to reap larger profits. Having your home inspected prior or shortly after the listing contract is more important today than ever before. It's a competitiv  [more info...]

Manassas Home Inspector Greg Caudill, owner of Home Review, Inc., offers both residential and commercial inspections in Northern Virginia. Everything looks prettier in the spring, and so, traditionally, home sales shift into high gear just about the same time as the daffodils start to bloom. But homebuyers should be careful not to be taken in by a pretty face in the form of a fresh coat of paint or a new azalea bush. Since no home is perfect, homebuyers would be wise to learn where and how to look beyond the cosmetics for possible signs of problems with their prospective purchase. Failure to do so before they buy could mean any number of unpleasant surprises after the move. Experts recommend hiring and accompanying a professional hom  [more info...]

Western NY Home Inspector John Villella, of All Pro Home Inspection, addresses the "Uncle John" Syndrome and why homebuyer's commonly make this mistake. Ok, you're buying a home and you want to have an inspection, but you don't believe you need a professional home inspector to complete this for you because Uncle John used to be a contractor and can look at the property for you. Sound familiar? We can replace the word "John" with any other, but I love to call this the Uncle John Syndrome. I can see it now - what's wrong with Uncle John he's a good guy, he worked in construction and he knows what's best for me. Might all be true, but good old Uncle John can not complete an unbiased inspection for you for a number of reasons and that's  [more info...]

Buffalo Home Inspector John Villella, of All Pro Home Inspection, talks about if homeowners should attempt a repair or use a professional to do it right. John Villella, owner of All Pro Home Inspection cautions homeowners from completing repairs on their own. It is always recommended that the homeowner only attempt repairs if they have the technical knowledge and tools to do the job properly. All too often homeowners attempt to do repairs only to find themselves in a much worse position - even if they get the task completed. Many times the non-professional repairs are completed only to end up costing additional money or even continued deterioration or damage to the system or building component. Plus, many repairs are not complete  [more info...]

Buffalo Home Inspector John Villella, of All Pro Home Inspection, provides advice to home buyers regarding selecting the correct home inspector/company. We all know that buying a home is a largest investment both financially and emotionally and that having a home inspection completed will help protect your investment and your family. Having the right home inspector or company complete the home inspection is becoming the real question everyone needs to be more concerned with. Having helped thousands of people in the buying and selling process it is more important today than ever to educate the public that there are real differences between home inspection inspectors/companies. Here in New York State home inspectors must be licensed and  [more info...]

Jimmy Carter, Blairsville home inspector and owner of Inspect-a-Home,Inc., talks about why a home inspection is such a bargain in today's marketplace. For most people, a home purchase is the single greatest investment they'll ever make. If someone is willing to spend $200,000 to $300,000 or more for a home, a home inspection fee of $300 to $400 is small change by comparison. Yes, compared to the purchase price, an inspector's fee is only a pittance. Yet, too many home buyers forego this vital service. Why? Remember the old adage " penny wise and pound foolish"? Too often, folks buying a new, never lived-in house assume nothing could possibly be wrong with a brand new house. This is a dangerous assumption! I recently inspected a beaut  [more info...]

Gasport Home Inspector John Villella, of All Pro Home Inspection, has helped thousands of Western New York homebuyers make sure they know what they are buying. All Pro Home Inspection has assisted thousands of people fulfill the American Dream of home ownership. Communication and customer care are two of the many traits that are the pillars of All Pro Home Inspection's company philosophy. Educating our customers and knowing that we provided them with all the information needed for them to be able to move forward in the transaction is very rewarding. Everyone deserves to be able to achieve peace of mind and the All Pro Team will not forget our mission and that's why thousands of people have experienced the All Pro Difference... Where  [more info...]

Redondo Beach Home Inspector Craig Funabashi warns buyers that inspecting foreclosures is just as important as inspecting seller occupied homes. -Maybe more so. Sellers are required to disclose all known significant defects. But, if a foreclosure home is owned by a bank, the bank has never lived in the property, so it is not likely there will be very much information on any of the required disclosure statements. In this situation, it is especially important for buyers to take the necessary steps to know the true condition of the property. The buyer's due diligence and the real estates agent's duty to protect their client's interests, as well as their own liability, by requiring an inspection is equally important. Homes usually go into  [more info...]

Stockton Home Inspector Dennis Hoffman, owner of Hoffman Home Inspections, offers quality inspection of both new and pre-owned homes. It is a property inspection to provide an opinion as to the apparent general condition of a building and its make up. The inspection will report on what is visually accessible and non-intrusive. It is a written report that may contain recommendations for further evaluations by professionals with regard to identified problems. It is not intended to be technically exhaustive. However, it will provide you with the general condition of the property. If the building inspector finds problems in a property, it does not mean you shouldn't buy it. It only means that you will know, in advance, what types of repa  [more info...]

Dallas Home Inspector TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, warns that you should winterize your home if you plan to leave for a great lenght of time. Here are some hints to prevent plumbing emergencies: Most homes are okay in the winter as long as they are occupied, but if you are planning to take a trip in the winter such as during the Christmas Holidays, you might want to take precautions to prevent your plumbing system from freezing. The simplest way is to leave the furnace on low and open the cabinet doors under sinks. However, if there is a power outage or your furnace fails, your pipes could still freeze. A better way to winterize your home is to drain the system by having a professional do it. Dallas Home Inspector TexIn  [more info...]

Frisco Home Inspector TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, warns that you should check your electrical panel before you have an emergency. Two Important Electrical Panel Tips: You should know where it is located in case you need to shut off all electricity in an emergency, or if a breaker trips and you need to reset it. Do not obstruct access to your main electrical panel by building shelves or storing items in front of it. Frisco Home Inspector TexInspec Is The Place For The 200% Satisfaction Guaranteed. TexInspec is dedicated to providing you "peace of mind" by helping you to understand the condition of your home. TexInspec offers Dallas home inspection services to not only Dallas but to over 100 surrounding communities. W  [more info...]

Fort Worth Home Inspector TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, warns that you make sure that your childs windows open easily from inside. If you have small children in your home, make sure one window in each child's bedroom is easily opened. Children have a tendency to try and open windows instead of breaking them to escape fire. Fort Worth Home Inspector TexInspec Is The Place For The 200% Satisfaction Guaranteed. TexInspec is dedicated to providing you "peace of mind" by helping you to understand the condition of your home. TexInspec offers Dallas home inspection services to not only Dallas but to over 100 surrounding communities. We understand the stress that is involved in Buying, Selling, and Moving...That is why when you  [more info...]

Dallas Home Inspector TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, warns that you should check your fireplace before lighting a fire. Fireplaces can add cozy warmth to a home and can be safe if the proper precautions are taken. Before lighting your fireplace, always make sure the damper is open and there is no cover on top of your chimney. Covers are sometimes left by a previous owner. If you have a gas starter, use a low flame setting at the start, to help prevent damage to the firebox. Dallas Home Inspector TexInspec Is The Place For The 200% Satisfaction Guaranteed. TexInspec is dedicated to providing you "peace of mind" by helping you to understand the condition of your home. TexInspec offers Dallas home inspection services to not  [more info...]

Fort Worth Home Inspection Company TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, wants you to know that you should beware of storing grocery bags in your home. Bugs can be a big problem. Do not save brown paper bags and do not store items in cardboard boxes. They are a home for roaches and may contain egg capsules especially if they are from grocery stores. Place dry pet food into plastic containers with lids to help eliminate an attractive food supply for ants, roaches and other pests. Fort Worth Home Inspection Company TexInspec Is The Place For The 200% Satisfaction Guaranteed. TexInspec is dedicated to providing you "peace of mind" by helping you to understand the condition of your home. TexInspec offers Dallas home inspection servic  [more info...]

Dallas Home Inspection Company TexInspec, owned by Mike Crow, discusses foundations and how to care for your homes long term stability. Many times we see homes that have poor drainage because the lot the house is built on is flat. After talking to the owners we find that originally there were swales or sloping channels to help water drain away from the foundation. When the owners bought the house, they thought the yard would look better flat, or it would be easier to mow the grass, so they leveled it. If your yard has swales or sloping channels, we encourage you not to do away with them unless you are sure they are not part of a drainage system. Warning: If you do level the yard, you may void any builder's warranty a new home ha  [more info...]