Homeownership comes with so many benefits, but it also takes work such as annual A/C system maintenance. As with most HVAC systems in Southern California homes, you most likely have a split system consisting of an outdoor unit and an inside unit. The exterior unit has an array of tiny coils like a car’s radiator and […]
If the seller has agreed to have some items fixed that were found during the initial home inspection, I always recommend double-checking any reported repairs by having your inspector perform a repair verification inspection as part of your due diligence process. You are required to perform your due diligence and the phrase “trust but […]
A Sewer Scope Inspection inspects the sewer line that is between the home and the city main line under the street. A special camera system that uses a waterproof camera on the end of a long flexible fiber optic cable is fed through the line from an accessible cleanout location to determine the pipe material […]
Congratulations, you’ve just scheduled a home inspection! If you are reading this because you have chosen me as your home inspector, I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to serve you. The home inspection is just one step of many in the escrow process, but it’s a critical one! Chances are you only saw […]
AFCI circuit breakers monitor their respective electrical circuits for problems that could cause a spark. They sound a lot like their cousins called GFCI breakers. However, they work differently. GFCI breakers protect the home occupants from accidental shock, whereas an AFCI breaker protects against sparks and fires. AFCI circuit breakers use advanced electronics to “sense” normal conditions and for dangerous situations. […]
If you own a home, you have a roof to take care of, and my guess is seven out of ten of you have an asphalt shingle roof. Here in the southland, asphalt shingles cover the vast majority of homes, and for a good reason. They are the least expensive option to choose from when […]
Have you ever noticed that some of the outlets in your home have buttons but don’t know why they are there or what they do? Those outlets are called Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, or GFCI outlets for short. Modern building code has required GFCI outlets be installed in homes since at least 1971. Before GFCI’s, hundreds of people […]
It may be a surprise to many of you that smoke detectors or automatic smoke alarms have been around since before 1900. They were first invented in England by a guy named George Andrew Darby. Around the same time, the U.S. National Fire Protection Agency was established, and it’s that government agency that regulates all […]
Have you ever wondered why some bathrooms have fans in the ceiling? Bathroom exhaust fans are designed to remove the inevitable humidity created by running hot water at the sink and running the shower. Excess indoor humidity often times helps create an environment prone to indoor mold growth, which no homeowner wants to have […]
I’m willing to bet the vast majority of home owners do not know what type of fire extinguisher is in their home. In fact only about ten percent of the homes I inspect even have fire extinguishers. There are two places in the home that should have one installed, the kitchen and the garage. […]