Border Blog
Home Inspector Tells All
The importance of using vapour barrier in a crawlspace.
One of the most misunderstood areas of the home is the crawlspace. There has been disagreement on several parts of the crawlspace for decades. The big questions are; do you heat the area or keep it at the outside temperature, should the walls be insulated and vapour...
The Furnace Emergency Switch
I wonder how many people reading this can remember a time when someone mistakenly shut off the furnace switch in their home. I have a pet peeve when it comes to this common mistake. Years ago as I recall, the furnace switch always had a red cover and was labelled...
Get your sump pump ready for spring.
For anyone who follows my blog you will know I have some concern about this year’s runoff due to the high volume of snow we have received this year. In this issue I want to talk about sump pumps. For some homeowners the sump pump is a critical component in the home. I...
I predict we are headed for a record snow melt this spring. I am concerned for the hundreds of homes in the Midwest that are likely to flood as a result.
One of the greatest issues I find by far is a negative slope around the home. If the home is well built it is possible that the soil next to the wall can handle this onslaught of water but most do not. The result of course is water intrusion into the basement. I want...
Hey Mr. Contractor, are you incompetent or just lazy?
I realize the title is a bit harsh but I wanted to drive home the point that many contractors are really dropping the ball these days. Now I don’t want to come across as a smart aleck or a know it all, as this would be totally wrong. I do want to talk about some...
How often should a home be inspected?
Client asks; The home I am going to buy was inspected by the sellers two years ago so should I get it inspected now? This is a question I face from time to time and this week I came across a situation that confirms that you should always have an inspection regardless...
Asbestos – Where is the danger, how real is the risk?
I recently inspected a home that had some possible asbestos containing vermiculite in the attic and some possible asbestos wrap on the furnace plenums. Furthermore there was likely some asbestos in the floor tiles in the entry and the basement. So what now? Should...
Dealing with cold weather water issues.
Here in the Midwest we have suffered our fair share in this bleak artic tundra this year. Ok, its not that bad but it seems to be when your fighting through the snow drifts. This week I tried to help a friend deal with a frozen hydrant on a local acreage. We added hot...
Septic Design and the impact of garborators.
Are you considering moving your family from the city to the country? There are a lot of differences between living in the country and living in a town or city. People have migrated to the cities over the years to take advantage of a lot of the conveniences of city...
It tis the season – For fires so be careful.
This year several homes will experience fires due to overloaded electrical circuits, don't let your home be one of those. We all like the pretty lights of the Christmas tree and other lights that signify the Christmas season. Unfortunately many homeowners don't stop...
Is your home cold in winter? Do you know why? Maybe it’s your Imagination!
Understanding how your body works can help you understand why you feel cold in your home. There are a few areas that affect how comfortable you are inside your home. They are air temperature, air movement and humidity. A comfortable room temperature in the summer is...
Does your Home contain Lead Paint? Is it making your Children sick?
Until recently I always thought of lead paint poisoning as a plot by people in plush carpeted rooms in a high rise building with nothing better to do then scare the rest of us into a cave where we could find safety from the world. For those of you reading this you...
If the home you are about to buy is older you may want to consider having the sewer line scoped.
It has been my experience that what you cannot see can hurt you when it comes to your home. One area that is often overlooked is the sewer line to the city or town system. As a home inspector I often look at the front yard for large trees which are likely to have deep...
Try to avoid the Avalanche of Snow
It’s that time again and the winter white stuff has arrived all too early in my opinion. With the snow comes some hidden hazards that I thought I would bring to your attention. We all understand the weight of water but most of us think of snow as being light and...
Changing a low voltage razor plug to a GFI
If you live in an older home chances are you will have a razor plug in you washroom. I would say about 40 % of the older homes I inspect will have a low voltage razor plug in place. There are several issues with these plugs which I will discuss below. I...
How thorough should an inspection be?
The inspection business can be political at times. Ok lets be honest, it is usually political to some degree. Perhaps political is the wrong word. Lets say controversial. Often times a home inspector will discover issues in a home that are hidden and unknown to the...
Technology and protecting your home.
Last week I went to a meet the teacher conference at my daughters high school. Was I in for a surprise when I walked through those doors. I used to be a high school teacher myself many moons ago and somehow had the idea that school was school and I knew what I...
Choosing the right wood heat system.
THINKING OF HEATING YOUR HOME WITH WOOD. Good choice but make sure you get all the details and make sure the fireplace or wood stove is safe to use. The subject of wood heat is vast and cannot be effectively dealt with in one issue but I will try to touch on as many...
What do you expect? Its an older home!
Are you asking too much of the seller? Buying a home is not much different then buying any other commodity. Yes I know we inspectors and realtors always make the famous statement that “This is most likely the most expensive purchase you will ever make in your...
Tips for getting your home ready to sell
Most of the inspections I do are for residential buyers. When someone is buying a home they hire me to go through the home looking for current and future problems. There are several items that I come across on a regular basis that I will go over here so you can check...
Buying the right house is more then just curb appeal.
Recently I inspected a very large home. This single family home had it all, several times over. I mean there were four entrances and too many rooms to recall. The main floor had two kitchens and a large office, den and two living/dining rooms. While there was lots of...
Even nice guys get it wrong sometimes
EVEN NICE GUYS GET IT WRONG SOMETIMES. This week I inspected a wood stove and chimney that was installed several years ago by a well intentioned and very nice older gentlemen. Unfortunately he got it wrong, very wrong. The chimney was installed upside down and had...
WHAT TO DO IF YOUR BASEMENT FLOODS
HOW TO DEAL WITH A FLOODED BASEMENT The recent heavy rains in Lloydminster and Edmonton have left a lot of families in a tough position. If your basement has moisture in the floors and walls you need to act quick to avoid the worst impact of the moisture, MOLD. Mold...
SOME SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WHEN BUYING AN ACREAGE WITH A WELL.
In previous issues I talked about well flow tests. This issue will deal with how to properly assess the well and its components such as the pressure switch and tank and the well pump itself. I will also mention a bit about what types of samples I recommend the buyer...
Well Testing procedures
As an acreage owner I have had to haul water from the city and it is not fun, not by a long shot. Well water supply and water quality are more critical then you may think. In order to help my clients reduce their risks of a well failure and to help them understand...
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