SO, YOU WANT AN ACREAGE, EH!

I have lived on acreages for most of my adult life, and I have to say there are many advantages. The seclusion, privacy and space are the greatest advantages I suppose. What seems to elude most potential acreage shoppers is the work that goes along with having your...

WOOD STOVE CLEARANCES ARE CRITICAL

The acronym WETT stands for Wood Energy Technology Transfer. WETT was established to train inspectors and installers to do their jobs properly and to ultimately save lives in the process. Most wood stoves today are EPA certified and have manufactures labels showing...

TWO THINGS THAT DETERIORATE SHINGLES FASTER THEN ANYTHING ELSE

From my experience I have noticed two major causes of early shingle wear outside of the obvious wind storms etc. Can you guess what they are? The first is tree branches rubbing on the shingles. As most of you know asphalt shingles are essentially just tar and fibers...

LOOSE TOILET CAUSES ROTTEN FLOORS

One of the most common plumbing related issues I find in homes is leaking toilet seals. About 20% of the homes I inspect have hidden moisture around the base of the toilet.  I have seen entire floors rotted out as a result of this type of problem. In that case the...

SMALL OVERSIGHTS CAN LEAD TO BIG PROBLEMS

I recently inspected a home that had significant mildew and swollen OSB in the roof sheathing. It occurred to me that the contractor that made the mistake that caused all this was not likely trying to take any short cuts but was also not aware of the consequences of...