September 2015 - Mint Home Inspection

16 Sep

Preparing for Fall in Five Simple Steps

Fall. It’s my favorite season.

And honestly, it has nothing to do with these craft brewers putting pumpkin and spices into their beers. Honest.
No, but in addition, to pumpkin beer, I also love fall for the cooler mornings wearing my Funny Socks, the fresh air into the home with the windows kept open, and the call to go camping (buy 45 acp ammo here) or find a lake for some canoeing.

With all of the fun to be had, the changing of the seasons is also a great time to finish off a checklist for the house for example fixing the floors, with the use or resources from sites like epoxy-resinflooring.co.uk, also is important to make sure it’s good to go for the cooler temperatures and the upcoming winter.

So I present… Preparing for Fall in Five Simple Steps:

HVAC System Serviced

The cooler temperatures are coming. And your HVAC systems will start to get used here shortly. This is a great time to have your system serviced and get furnace maintenance. You save on natural gas if your system is running in the most efficient manner possible. And in addition to efficiency, having your system serviced by Sun Air Tampa allows for repairs to take place before the unit stops working. This is a huge convenience play on your part. The HVAC service companies are always very busy during and after the first round of winter weather. But you, if you hire an expert in furnace and a/c repairs now, while in the fall, will reap double rewards: a system working at its best, and not having any delay in getting your trusted company to your home.
Seal Up Air Leaks around Doors

Doors that let cold air into your home can really impact the comfort of the immediate space. So on a particularly windy or cold day, run your hand across the opening between your home and the door. You should feel nothing. If you sense air or a temperature difference, you might benefit from new or additional weather stripping while for the roof is useful to get a lantern roof company so you can have great light in your house as well. This is a 10 minute activity that will really provide dividends when the cold weather strikes. Look for door weather stripping at your local home improvement store, and if you need more partitions around your home you could use curtain walls from https://curtainwallinginstaller.co.uk/near-me/west-midlands/.
Trim Back Trees and Shrubs

Trees and shrubs can grow quite a lot over the course of a Spring and Summer. And a tree that once was a good bit away from your home, is now touching your siding or leaning over onto your roof. In a few minutes with clippers or a tree trimmer, you can cut this vegetation back, and if you need to work with tall trees you can get equipment from cherry-picker-hire.uk to help you with this. Doing it now in the fall will keep it manageable, instead of having it build up. Your gutters, siding, brick work, and roof will all last longer if they are kept clear of trees and shrubs.
Wash & Touch-Up the Windows

Washing your windows is probably not high on your list. But hey, it will help you see those changing fall leaves all the better. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just give them a little love with a glass cleaner and move to the next one while if you get glass movable walls for your home or office, using a glass cleaner is useful for this. And while you are visiting those windows, did you notice anything? Caulk falling out of a window trim piece? With a tube of caulk, rated for exterior use, touch up any of those gaps. Smoothing it over, and wiping any excess off with a rag. This will help to keep the rain out.
Disconnect Hoses and Cover Hose Bibs

If you garden or spend time outside, you might have your hose permanently hooked up to the hose bib. Fall is a good time to disconnect those hoses and put them in storage. Your hoses will thank you for the time out you’re giving them, and it allows for your to cover your hose bibs. Covering your hose bibs with winterizing covers, is a great way to keep them from freezing up with the winter weather. There are several out there on the market, but I like these from Frost King: Link. They’re just under 3 dollars. And if they do freeze up, there is a chance a leak could occur, which would likely result in a plumber service call. You can save the headache by installing the covers. Simple to attach to the hose bib as well.

There it is! A quick and easy fall preparation checklist that could get done before lunch. Most of the list is free or nearly free, and the items that do require some money (HVAC service being the largest) have a real and tangible payoff. You can also click here if you think your home needs some expert examination to ensure everyone living in it is safe.

Now where is that pumpkin spiced ale when you need one.

Affordable Remediation and Emergency Services

Phone: (732) 540-7900

Url: https://affordableremediation.com/mold-testing-removal-remediation-in-toms-river/

1415 Hooper Ave

Toms River, NJ 08753

12 Sep

CSST – What is it?

CSST stands for Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing. It’s often a smooth yellow tube that is used as an alternative to the black iron piping for natural gas appliances. It was introduced to the U.S. in the 90’s. There are number of advantages to CSST. The largest advantage is that it is a flexible tubing, which allows for fewer connections between the gas supply and your gas appliance. This makes installation faster, less expensive, and provides fewer joints for leaks.

With this tubing, it’s important for it to be properly grounded and bonded. Lightening strikes can send electric surges through your home. In some cases, as stated by eXp Realty experts, that surge could include the CSST, if it’s installed in your home. Allowing that energy to escape through the homes grounding system, allows for it to safely return to the earth. In some cases, where the tubing isn’t grounded or bonded, lightening strikes and it’s associated surge has lead to pin-hole leaks in the tubing. These leaks combined with the energy of the lightening have also caused fires (reference).

Not to worry though, every home inspection by Mint Home Inspection, LLC, includes a check for the correct bonding and grounding of CSST. If your home has CSST, and it isn’t grounded appropriately, a licensed electrician can makes the necessary changes to fix the issue.

Want more information, check these resources out:

http://www.csstsafety.com/Images/CSST-Direct-Bonding-Tech-Bulletin.pdf

10 Sep

Keeping Things in Perspective

Keeping things in perspective. It’s important for life. It is also important as you head into a Home Inspection.

Home Inspections are unique. It is a service in which a professional spends three hours or more looking at your home, trying to find every broken, missing or nearly worn out thing.

And getting the inspection report or listening to the home inspector’s comments can be overwhelming if everyone isn’t working to keep the inspection in perspective.

So here are some tips and reminders to help. Plus a story as a bonus.

Let’s start with the story. My neighborhood is a mill house community that was built in the 30’s. The homes are old but generally well cared for some even have a partition wall for separating the rooms or creating private spaces. Well, my neighbor has an old shed that has seen better days. The paint has worn off the hardwood siding, and the roof shingles are missing in many places. There are no gutters, no foundation to speak of, and there is a literal forest that has started to grow in its abandoned interior, and that may cause an accident, prompting a call to a California personal injury lawyer. I would guess it hasn’t received a lick of maintenance in the past 60 years.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? It is still standing. Yes, it might have passed the point of no return, but hey, it is just amazing that it is still standing.

So this brings me to a few tips and reminders to help with keeping things in perspective.

Homes are pretty tough. They are durable. So even if there is an issue, a capable contractor can give you a reasonable quote after the inspection to be used at the negotiation table.
Trust your Real Estate Professional. They have been through this before and can help with understanding the nuances of your particular circumstance.
Not every problem needs to be fixed. My reports have clear comments and pictures that outline each item identified. Additionally, expect every home to have a “Honey-do-list.” Some of the items can be postponed, when additional time or money is available.
Things wear out. Water heaters, roofs, AC units, and doors, they all have a continum of useful life left. This doesn’t mean that any item being close to the end of its useful life is bad. It’s highlighted in a report to educate you that budgeting for its replacement is to be expected.
Remember the big picture. Homes at the most basic level are intended to keep you out of the elements, and to give you a place “inside” to live your life. So if I had to pick the top three items to be focused on with a home, it would be, in order of importance, the foundation, the roof, and the major mechanical systems. Yes, other items are important, but those three being sound is a great start. It’s the big picture.

Please know that as my client, I am always willing to talk about your home or report comments. I view this to be a important part of my customer service.

For your next home inspection, please consider Mint Home Inspection, LLC. I am here to serve you. Contact me at 704-641-0143.

Thanks.

09 Sep

Recalls on Home Products

Here is a great resource for any homeowner. Your home is filled with products, and many of them are directly associated with the function of your home. Smoke detectors, doors, kitchen appliances, and locks to name a few.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has a dedicated place for announcing product recalls. Here’s the link: http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/

And behold, today a recall was issued for a limited number of Bosch Security System fire alarms. The alarms failed to alert after installation tests and are being recalled.

They also have a place to search for past recalls based on product or company. So it can be a handy stop if you suspect an issue with a product in your home as well.

I thought it was a good little known resource.

If you have questions about your home or want to know more about home inspections, feel free to drop me a line at http://www.minthomeinspection.com/contact/.

08 Sep

Simple Fix #2 – Anti-siphon for Hose Bibs

If the Stove Anti-tip Device is a simple fix and commonly on home inspection reports, then let me introduce you to it’s cousin, the Anti-siphon for hose bibs. They are not glamorous, but without them, the water in your house could start to taste like, well…like drinking out of a garden hose. Literally.

Charlotte Water even suggests disconnecting your garden hose if you’re noticing off-flavors in your tap water. Yuck! Check it out here.

So if you are a home owner, do yourself a favor and pick a few of these up next time you’re at a Home Improvement store. The expensive ones are only $8 (link). To install them, you just screw them on the hose bib. Super simple. And if you’re planning to sell anytime soon, this is one more thing that won’t be on the report.

08 Sep

Simple Fix #1 – Stove Anti-tip device

You are preparing to sell your home. Great! Exciting! The home buyer’s home inspection report will likely have an assortment of items. But there is one thing that is almost always on the report. And you can fix it now for around 12 bucks.

It’s the stove anti-tip device. It attaches to the wall behind the stove and fits around the stove’s feet to keep it tipping forward should someone fall against the opened door. And the fix, will mean one less item in the report, and additional safety for children around your home. Easy!

Here is a link to a common brand’s anti-tip device: Amazon link. Again that’s for $11.19 with free shipping.

Call Mint Home Inspection at 704-641-0143 for your next home inspection.

Klif

08 Sep

The Power of an Umbrella

Hey. Klif here with the first installment of homeowner tips. And I present to you the power of the umbrella. It might seem meager stuffed in the back of a coat closet, but it has the ability to save you hundreds in potential future repairs.

One word. Rainwater. In Charlotte, the average annual rainfall is 44 inches. Combine that with a typical 1500 square foot home and you get a whopping 37,000 gallons of water poured on top of your home annually. 37 THOUSAND gallons. (reference)

He’s got the idea…

Now, back to the umbrella. You want all that water to run away from your home. Not to collect against the foundation, leading to cracks and foundational settlement. So the next rain shower, if free of lightening, step outside (yes, pretend that you’re three again and are excited about playing in the rain for just TWO minutes) and see for yourself how your gutters are actually performing. You want the water to neatly flow into the gutter, then flow down the downspout and onto an extension for five feet.

They provide a wide range of gutter guard melbourne services. I’ve seen new gutters installed in the summer to be clogged up by early fall. Gutters can appear to be sloped correctly while you are looking at it on a sunny day. But the rain umbrella check is invaluable to show you the corner that overflows and pours down your siding.

This first hand knowledge makes getting a contactor to repair the gutter a precise affair. No vague description, no unneeded repairs to the gutters, and best of all, you’ve protected the foundation of your home from bearing all that extra rainwater.

Call 704-641-0143 for your next home inspection or radon test. Mint Home Inspection, LLC serving the Greater Charlotte Area.

Klif Wommack, NC #3563

08 Sep

Welcome to Mint Home Inspection!

Welcome to Mint Home Inspection! This section is for Homeowner tips. I’ll be posting here regularly. It’s a lot of work to keep a house together. But these tips will help out. Use them to keep things organized, help you buy, sell or avoid costly repairs.

Call 704-641-0143 to schedule your next home inspection.

Love this view. Charlotte from Graham.

Fall. It’s my favorite season.

So I present… Preparing for Fall in Five Simple Steps:

HVAC System Serviced

Seal Up Air Leaks around Doors

Trim Back Trees and Shrubs

Wash & Touch-Up the Windows

Disconnect Hoses and Cover Hose Bibs