Blog
WHAT TYPE OF INSULATION IS BEST?
Typically insulation has been measured in R-VALUE over the years. While this gives us some sense of how well the product works there are other things that we should look at to determine which product is best to use. There are factors to consider such as water...
WELL INSPECTION LLOYDMINSTER: HOW TO SHOCK CHLORINATE YOUR WELL
Shock Chlorination is preformed to kill bacteriological growth to prevent sickness and eliminate unwanted tastes and odors from your well. The process of shock chlorination is not that difficult but if the procedure is not completed properly it may be ineffective....
IS MY WELL WATER SAFE TO USE??? HOW CAN I BE SURE?
I have lived on an acreage for most of my adult life and have experienced different styles of wells and well water. I have even had to treat dugout water for household use because the well was a low producer. In any case I want to take a few minutes and explain a few...
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO WORK ETHIC???
A while back I wrote about some great customer service I received while on vacation. Today I wanted to talk about poor service and its effect on business. Recently I preformed an acreage inspection for a fine couple. When I explained my fees they were a bit surprised...
OUR MOST EXPENSIVE MISTAKES TEND TO BE OUR BIGGEST LESSONS
Two weeks ago I was singing the praises of an Air Canada employee for her great customer service. This week I have to thank yet another Air Canada lady for getting me out of a bind I created. That's right I made a mistake and it was a costly one. The long and the...
I recently repaired a partially cloged washer fill line. It was a bit tight but with a bit of extra elbow grease it came apart. A total of 5 minutes allowed the homeowner to once again wash in cold water, AFTER 5 YEARS! I couldn't help but wonder how much extra it...
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS SO IMPORTANT
On a recent flight across the country I experienced some great customer service and thought I would acknowledge it here. In my business I try to be as professional as possible and the great service I received from Laurie on an Air Canada flight reminded me of just how...
WANT TO SAVE ON HOME INSURANCE
You can save 15% on your insurance if you burn wood. Wawanesa recognizes WETT inspected appliances to be professionally installed to code and for that the customer wins two ways! 1. Cheaper insurance for as long as no changes are made to stove installation. Yes year...
I AM SICK – COULD I HAVE MOLD IN MY HOME
Every home has mold but not every home is a sick home. In fact mold spores are everywhere in our environment. Without mold life on this planet would not be possible. From my limited experience in this area I have discovered two extremes in terms of peoples reaction...
HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR SHINGLES – AFTER THE STORM
I was recently inspecting a commercial building and noted a large section of shingles missing from the roof. It occurred to me that this damage likely happened during Mondays storm. From the ground I could not see any damage but when I walked on the roof (which I...
SEVERE STORM HITS LLOYDMINSTER
Last night my area got hit real hard with a severe thunder storm. The power went off early and all the kids were out on the sofa staying close to mom and dad when the rumbling and light show got intense. At one point I had a small river flowing under my front door and...
VINES, VINES BEAUTIFUL VINES
We all like the looks of nice plants trees and vines on our properties. Well I often warn homeowners about the negative effects of these nice plants. Vines in particular can be a problem to the home. This week I came across an example of vines that hadgrown up under...
DOES THE WELL PRODUCE ENOUGH WATER – for your family?
I recently inspected an acreage that is nicely set up for horses. Knowing how sketchy the water is in the area I convinced the buyer to have a flow test done on the 30" bored well. As it turned out the well is only producing about 1/2 gallon per minute. This quantity...
A SIMPLE $20.00 ADDITION TO YOUR HOME THAT CAN SAVE YOU THOUSANDS
Lloydminster is built on a relatively flat area as most of the locals will know. Every month it seems that new subdivisions are being built, pushing the city outward constantly. Of course this new development takes a lot of planning in terms of infrastructure such as...
When is an inspection Thorough enough?
HOW THOROUGH SHOULD AN INSPECTION BE? I have been mulling this question over in my mind lately and have been discussing the same with some friends and acquaintances. It seems to me that some people have the attitude that a home inspection is a look at the homes...
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...
WHY AN INSPECTION IS NECESSARY
Welcome to Border Home Inspection's blog. I will start by saying that I have never blogged before and will hopefully make this into a usable tool that can connect my skills with your home questions. I pride myself in customer service and have surrounded my self with a...
WELL FAILURE
Last week I got a call from a friend saying his well might be dry. I live close buy and was doubtful that he had run out of water. I went over and soon figured out that one of the fittings inside the well casing had rotted off and the pump had fallen away from the...
Its “NOT REQUIRED”
I recently took an inspection course in BC. While waiting for a break to end I struck up a conversation with another BC inspector. In British Columbia inspector licencing is required as it will soon be in Alberta. I asked him if he was using thermal imaging in his...
Contact Us
To Schedule Your Home Inspection Today!
