The Need For Electrical Inspections

Should you have an electrical inspection conducted? If so, when should you have an electrical inspection conducted? According to real estate expert Monica Dillon in an article for SF Gate.com*, the Electrical Safety Foundation recommends you conduct an electrical inspection when: purchasing a home, when the home is older than 40-years, when adding a new appliance, or when you are doing a major renovation. It’s also important that all new electrical installations have an inspection conducted to be sure it meets all minimum safety requirements.
We at the Home Inspector Experts believe that Just like a general home inspection is important, an electrical inspection is an important component of the general inspection or as a stand-alone inspection. Outdated, incorrectly installed or damaged electrical components in your home could cause a fire.

Safety:
It is important that the dwelling meets national as well as local electrical codes. Older homes should be very carefully inspected and brought up to standard and codes. Electrical failures are a common cause of house fires. Electrical inspections can ensure the safety of your home. There are 28,600 electrical fires each year in this country causing 310 deaths and 1,100 injuries according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Faulty, outdated, or overburdened electrical wires or systems are among of the main causes of electrical fires.

Wiring and Electrical Service Panel:
The electrical panel acts in many ways as the brain or center of all your home’s electricity. It’s important that it’s updated and to code. It is also important that it’s capable of handling the electrical load of your home. If the house is more than 40 years old, it’s quite likely that the electrical panel as well as the wiring are outdated and will need to be brought up to code. It will need to be updated by a licensed professional.

If the electrical panel contains round (outdated) fuses then the home will likely contain outdated wiring. Without updated wiring, you could find it difficult to insure the home or pass an inspection. More importantly, failure to update wiring could pose a significant safety concern.

Lighting and Outlets – interior and exterior:
Outlets: Home with outdated electrical systems should have a professional contractor install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) in any potentially wet areas such as kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, garages, and exterior outlets. (All exterior outlets must be GFCIs.) Light switches much also be a certain distance from water or wet areas according to code. A reputable house inspector will red flag any areas of concern which will need to be addressed. Most electrical contractors or inspectors recommend that homeowners regularly have GFCIs tested to ensure they are functioning properly.

Lighting:

All lighting (interior as well as exterior), interior outlets, switches, any appliance cords currently in use, and all GFCIs should be checked regularly to ensure proper functioning and that they are in good condition. A home owner should have a licensed electrician immediately inspect any outlets or lighting producing any type of sound such as a humming.
It’s highly advisable to conduct a home inspection prior to the purchase of any dwelling or during a renovation. An electrical inspection is an important part of any home inspection.

The Need For Electrical Inspections was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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The Importance of Environmental Inspections

Home inspections are extremely important to determine the condition of any dwelling. We highly suggest that any sale or listing involve a thorough home inspection by a reputable, certified inspector. Home Inspector Experts is one of the leading home inspection companies in the Long Island area across Nassau and Suffolk counties. Prospective clients often reach out to us after their realtors have recommended a home inspection. Our answer is always the same: Yes, you should have a home inspection. We offer various types of home inspections. One very important inspection that usually cause clients to pause is an Environmental Inspection. However, the problems these inspections can uncover are often invisible or silent with dire health consequences if left undiagnosed.

WHY PERFORM ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTIONS?
An environmental inspection can uncover or detect a silent killer such as carbon monoxide or radon which can make residents sick with prolonged exposure. Environmental testing can require specialized equipment and/or testing, and only those inspectors with the correct certification and training should perform these types of tests.

We offer are various types of environmental tests as part of an environmental inspection. You can do one of the tests or all of them depending on the circumstances. If you’re unsure as to what you should do, we can help you decide. We don’t believe in doing unnecessary tests, but we do believe in safety and the high value of home inspections. However, prolonged exposure to some of the possible environmental issues can have serious consequences and we recommend that if there are any doubts, a test be performed. For example, exposure to carbon monoxide can be fatal in a fairly short period.
As a leader in the home inspection industry on Long Island we know how valuable these inspections can be, particularly among older homes. However, we are quick to add that even newly-built homes can have issues! Our licensed and certified inspectors and experts will carefully inspect your dwelling and notify you of any health of environment concerns we have. All our testing methods are E.P.A. approved.
These are the types of environmental inspection we do (each is important for its own reasons):

— Water quality screening can help identify any bacteria or pollutants in the dwelling’s water.
— Carbon Monoxide can be fatal and testing for its presence (including installation of carbon monoxide detectors) can mean the difference between life and death.
— Mold inspection and testing is important for health purposes, particularly in homes with children or asthmatics.
— Urea Formaldehyde testing will check for vapors in your home. Urea Formaldehyde was used in the 1950’s in foam insulation inside homes. Its vapor can cause certain health complications.
— Asbestos testing. Asbestos is a mineral fiber that under certain conditions can be a highly toxic carcinogen, and it’s important to have your home inspected for its presence. In some cases, if asbestos is found, it can be left undisturbed. If it needs to be removed, it should be done by certified professionals.
— Electro-Magnetic Fields are more controversial as the science on whether or not they can be carcinogenic is still inconclusive. Even so, it’s can be beneficial to check your dwelling for the strength of EMF’s bearing in mind that modern technology inevitably exposes all of us to EMFs.
— Radon testing: This is what the EPA states regarding Radon testing: “Health authorities like the CDC, Surgeon General, American Medical Association, American Lung Association and others agree that we know enough now to recommend radon testing and to encourage public action when levels are above 4 pCi/L.” Radon occurs naturally in the ground and can be found in both older as well as brand new homes.

If you are unsure as to whether you should have a professional home inspection, give us a call to discuss how we can help you.

The Importance of Environmental Inspections was first published on Home Inspector Experts

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Doing a Structural Inspection

While buyers and sellers will think of ordering a basic home inspection, not many think of a structural inspection, particularly important on older buildings. A structural inspection evaluates the structural integrity of a building or, in other words, its skeleton. It will look in great detail throughout the building from the roof to the basement or crawlspace to examine the foundation.

Why do a structural inspection?
1) The building’s structure is what holds it together. It’s absolutely important for you to be certain when purchasing a new home that it is structurally sound. If even one piece of it is compromised, the structural integrity of the building is also compromised and the consequences could be significant.
2) Structural inspections go where the naked, untrained eye might not. Most of the building’s structural components are within the walls, ceiling, etc. A home inspector is trained to detect issues by looking for evidence or clues of a possible problem.
What to expect from a structural inspection:
A reputable and well-trained inspector will inspect the building from top to bottom, and they should do so very carefully. They will closely examine walls (interior and exterior), roof (inside and out), framing, foundation, basement, floors and ceilings, and any visible support beams or columns.
During the inspection, they are looking for any evidence that there is or might be a structural problem. Given that most structural elements are contained within the envelope of the building (many structural beams are behind walls, for example), it’s important that your inspector be experienced and skilled in this type of inspection. For example, an experienced inspector will know whether cracks in the foundation are normal or a sign of more serious issues with the structure.
A checklist for the inspector of would most likely include:
— Examining the exterior or facade of the house to check that they are straight with no sagging or cracking.
— Checking windows and door frames to ensure they are square and level; that windows aren’t bowed.
— Check the fascia board lines to ensure they are level and straight.
— Check the foundation to ensure it’s good, straight, with no serious cracks.
— Check interior walls, ceilings and floors to make certain that they’re plumb and level, not sagging.
— Check any visible structural wood such as in the attic to ensure there’s no damage, cracking, sagging.
Whether or not to do a structural inspection above and beyond a basic home inspection can be a difficult decision but you could discuss this idea with your inspector and whether or not a separate structural inspection is necessary.

You should attend the inspection and any reputable inspector will welcome your presence. You should feel free to ask any questions during the inspection, particularly if the inspector finds any issues.

Once your report is complete, you will have detailed information about the house you are purchasing (or selling). Any areas of concern will also be detailed in the report along with the recommended course of action. Most importantly, the report should detail whether or not the structure is safe and sound.

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Home Maintenance Tips From Your Inspector

As licensed home inspectors here in Long Island, New York we have the pleasure of entering and seeing many brilliant and beautiful homes on a daily basis. I consider it one of the awesome perks of the job to be able to see some of these houses, it is truly amazing!

One of the things that I am also taken aback by so many times on the job is how some of these homes are so poorly taken care of. Most of the time in life, our homes will be the biggest investment that we ever make and if you take care of it, it will take care of you in return.

In the same fashion that brushing our teeth, eating healthily and working out can dramatically improve our health and the quality of our life, doing some simple maintenance and upkeep on our homes can do wonders for not only it’s look and feel but also in keeping everything running like a well oiled machine.

The following article by makingdiyfun.com outlines 12 home maintenance tips to keep things running smoothly:

12 Home Maintenance Tips To Keep Things Running Smoothly.

Just like your precious car, your house and your property needs some fine tuning. It’s a little time consuming, but your house will look nicer, and run more efficiently, saving you time and money in the long run.

To help you start with your home maintenance tasks, here is a simple checklist.

Hopefully you gained some value from the above article and were able to take away some actionable tips on how you can better maintain your home. If you are a new home owner you might be a little overwhelmed by the tremendous amount of responsibility that owning your own home can be.

Don’t worry though, because with every great responsibility comes tremendous reward. Just think of how nice it will feel on Sunday afternoon after a long week’s work and you have finished all your responsibilities. The house is clean and taken care of, the lawn is mowed, the oil guy just left after delivering your oil and all is well with the world. Now you can sit back and truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.

This article is not only meant for the new homeowners that need a crash course on maintaining their homes. It is our hope that we can provide some value and actionable information as well as gentle reminders for the long time homeowners as well. The following Youtube video has some really great tips on maintaining your home:

Maintaining Your New Home

We are so very lucky in this modern age to be able to have just about all the information we could ever want and need literally at our fingertips. The internet contains a plethora of information that can answer just about any question that a homeowner might have. There are some absolutely wonderful forums and communities out there such as thisoldhouse.com and diychatroom.com where you can ask questions and get them answered by experts who have been through exactly what you are looking to do or accomplist. How great is that!?

Another great tool for maintaining your home and tips on caring for it properly is an age old secret. It involves dealing face to face with the experts. In this case I’m not talking about home inspectors and home improvement people at all. I’m talking about your older relatives, your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and/or really anyone who has owned their own home for a significant amount of time. With this time comes experience, experience that you can learn from, make it a point to pick their brain or discuss some home maintenance things with them, you might be surprised by their answers!

Also, depending upon where you live you will need different tips, tricks and techniques involved with proper maintenance on your home that is specific to the area that you live in. For example, taking care of and maintaining a home in Hawaii would naturally be night and day different to maintaining a home in the pacific northwest.

There also major differences that come with each season and things will need to be done differently accordingly. With winter here we thought it would be appropriate to expand on some winters home maintenance tips. The following is a great article on winter home maintenance tips:

Winter Home Maintenance Tips

Preparing your home for winter is an important annual ritual for homeowners. For instance, did you know that adding insulation in your attic before winter arrives can help prevent ice dams this winter? And do not forget that tuning up your heating system now can help prevent more costly emergency repairs at the height of a storm, when it can be difficult to find supplies and licensed contractors. The following winter maintenance tips can help you prepare your home to withstand another cold season.

We hope that you will find this post helpful to you no matter where you are in your life or how long you have been a homeowner.

For more great actionable articles like this please visit our blog at: http://www.homeinspectorexperts.com/blog/

 

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What to Ask a Home Inspector Prior to Hiring Them

It can be tempting to just buy that exquisite home without ordering a home inspection – after all, it looks perfect. That, however, could be a mistake.

Whether a home is new or old, ordering an inspection prior to signing off on the purchase is always prudent. Some mortgage lenders might even require an inspection prior to approving a loan. Even the best contractor/builder, or the most meticulous of homeowners, can’t ensure everything is in perfect working order. And, as a potential homeowner, it can be easy to miss issues if you’re on a walk-through.

It’s extremely important to select a highly reputable home inspector. Here are a few tips to consider, as reported in 2014 by U.S. News & World Report’s Money blog.

1) It’s perfectly appropriate to interview any home inspector prior to hiring them. Ask if they belong to one of the industry organizations: National Association of Home Inspectors, American Society of Home Inspectors or the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors. There are some minimum requirements to belong to one of these, and you should eliminate any inspector not a member of at least one. Also, ask if they belong to any local or state organizations.

2) Ask about their background and how they got started as a home inspector. The best inspectors have serious training and/or background in the building industry. Some were once builders themselves.

3) Once you know how they got a start in the inspection industry, ask how many years of experience they have. It might be worth asking where they’ve gotten most of their experience. A red flag could be an inspector who has worked in several states in a short period of time. Ask for references of other homes they’ve inspected both recently and several years earlier. (If they missed something during a home inspection, it might not be obvious to a home owner for a while ).

4) Be sure you know what their fee covers before you hire them. What exactly will they be inspecting? Their job is to find things that aren’t obvious – those things that can’t easily be seen within reason, of course. Roof, attic, and basements should be inspected and a good inspector should be able to access them. Appliances, especially water heaters, furnaces, and electrical box should be inspected. Some inspectors will be able to tell you whether certain items are up to code but at minimum, should be able to tell you if systems are functioning properly and safe.

5) Two final items: Ask if you can be at the inspection. If they say no, that’s a serious red flag. (A good realtor will often attend the inspection with you as well.) You should not only be able to attend the inspection, but you should feel free to ask questions. It’s also not unusual for the inspector have some questions of their own and provide feedback as he goes through the inspection. You should be certain not to get in their way, but having homeowner/potential homeowner in attendance is usually welcomed by a reputable inspector.

And, it’s important to know when their report will be ready and what should you expect. If the inspection is required by the lender, you need to be certain that his report meet their requirements and any required format.

Checkout this video for our Huntington NY home inspection services:

 

Related: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/04/27/7-questions-to-ask-when-choosing-a-home-inspector

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How to Choose the Right Home

Choosing a home will probably be the most important (and lasting) decision that you’ll make in your entire life. You want to make sure that when you are making this very important decision that you are not simply going at it blindly.

There are tons of experts on the subject that can help shed some light on exactly what you should be looking for and the sea of emotions and confusion that you will be navigating through on your road to choosing the home of your dreams.

Simply being prepared and read up on some of the more important things to consider will put you leaps and bounds ahead of the so called norm. Most people are not prepared at all when it comes to choosing a home and do so ‘on the fly’ so to speak. The following is a great article on 10 ways to know you’ve found the right house:

10 Ways to Know You Found the Right House

Many first-time home buyers wonder how they will know when they have found the right house. Here are 3 preliminary things you should know about finding the right house:

First, a good real estate agent will never talk you into buying a house.
Second, you will instinctively know it.
Third, you will want to sleep on it. Don’t. Read more…

The above article speaks on a lot of the more psychological factors concerned with buying a home. These are absolutely critical. So many times in the home-buying process people are only aware of and concerned with the mechanical elements of the home, and they lose touch with the fact that they actually have to feel good about living in the home for years to come!

While it’s true that you cannot focus exclusively on the mechanical stuff, structure, plumbing, electrical, etc, these are also very important elements that you need to be make sure to be aware of and during this portion of giving the home your once-over you might even want to bring a pen and paper with you to jot down some things that you notice along the way. Doing this can help you create and develop a better picture in your mind when you are discussing it with your significant other or when it comes down to making your final decision.

You might even consider creating a checklist of your wants and needs in a home. You can and should make one yourself but if you need ideas we’ve found a great resource for house-choosing checklists:

House-Choosing Checklist

Ready to buy a home? There’s a lot to consider before selecting the right one. This home-buying checklist will help you decide.
Buying a new home can be exciting, and it’s tempting to grab the first house you fall in love with. But exercising a little patience will go a long way toward turning your purchase into a haven instead of a headache.
Renovation Potential
Don’t overestimate your abilities. Determine if the house you like needs work. Then assess whether you’re really capable of doing it, advises Jeff Beneke, veteran home renovator and author of The Fence Bible. Also consider whether the home has an extra room if you’re planning to redo several parts of it. “That way you can close off one room at a time, do what you have to do in that, move somebody into there, then close off another room,” he says. Read more…

We hope that by this time you realize how essential it is to combine both the analytical and psychological factors when it comes to choosing your home. We feel the above articles illustrate wonderfully these two key factors.

It can be a great help (and also extremely fun) to sit down with either your significant other or a good friend over coffee and brainstorm all the different ideas that you have, it can really help when you verbally express your emotions and wants. When you have to articulate them they take on a new meaning and become solidified in your mind and throught processes.

Also, it can be a great to watch others going through a similar experience. The following video is a fun and lighthearted video about a couple who is going through the process of choosing the right home for them:

House Shopping!

We hope that you have as much fun in choosing your dream home as we have had in putting together this article for you! Also, when you come to the point in the home buying process where you are in need of a home inspector, we hope that you give us a call, we’re here for you!

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How to Avoid Trouble When Purchasing a Home

Purchasing a home can be one of if not thee most daunting and scary experiences that you will ever go through. It will also however, most likely be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you’ll have as well. There are so many things you need to be aware of as a buyer and you really do need the help of a professional home inspector.

There are many different reasons for this but the most important one is your safety. You need the peace of mind of knowing that your house is safe mechanically and structurally. You need a home inspector who is thorough and can give you a detailed report of your home or home to be.

A home inspector will go through your house from top to bottom and check everything from the plumbing to the electrical systems to the boiler and make sure that everything is structurally safe and sound for you as well as making you aware of anything important you need to know before purchasing the home.

The following is a great post about how pre-purchase inspections can help buyers:

How a Pre-Purchase Property Inspection Help Buyers?

Through the property inspection process, a seller or a buyer is able to obtain specific information concerning the various aspects of the home. A detailed, easy to read report is provided by property inspector at the completion of the inspection and that report offers clarity and understanding, at a time when you are investing your hard earned money into the fluid market of real estate. Read more…

You also should be aware that you do not have to necessarily use the home inspector that the real estate suggests using. In fact, it can be a great idea to do your own due diligence and find a home inspector that suits you. You should also feel comfortable enough with the home inspector to walk through your home with him so that together you can go through everything and ask whatever questions you might have.

If you try to cut corners when it comes to the home inspection and try to avoid getting one or simply looking for the cheapest solution you could find yourself in hot waters. Your home will most likely be the biggest investment that you every make, please, don’t try to save a few bucks and in exchange sacrifice on the quality of your home inspection.

The following articles talks more about home inspections and why a thorough and complete home inspection is absolutely essential:

Looking for Trouble

Charles Bellefontaine found out the hard way the value of a good home inspection. In 1991, Bellefontaine and his wife, Loretta, signed a contract to buy a three-bedroom, one-bath Georgian-style house in Elmhurst, Illinois. A framing carpenter, he figured he had enough experience to size up the property for potential shortcomings. So to save money, Bellefontaine skipped hiring an inspector and handled the task himself. He declared the house fit, and the couple completed the purchase. Read more…

When choosing a home inspector there are a few things to consider. The first one is do they know the area? For example our company, The Home Inspector Experts of Long Island have been servicing our community for a long time and have worked in and around every area from Manhattan to Montauk. You need to make sure that your home inspector knows the area and all the code violations like the back of his hand.

The following is a great video on Youtube that describes the process of the home inspection for buyers:

The bottom line is when you are through one of the most important decisions in your life you need to surround yourself with people who excel at their profession and are truly ready, willing and able to help you and arm you with every piece of information that you will ever need to know about a home.

These are just some things to keep in mind and some different resources to help you along in making your decision when choosing a home inspector and hopefully helping you to be more informed. If you live in the Long Island, NY area you should definitely choose the home inspector experts for your next inspection!

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