Blog

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...