Inspect The Best LLC
Home Inspection Service
Our excellence keeps money in your pocket!
Connecticut & New York Home Inspections
A highly professional home inspector will take you on a tour of the house structure and systems (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) and leave you feeling inspired. We want to hear you say..."Wow! I never knew that! Or " I can't believe how much I've learned!"
Inspect The Best
Following the in-depth hands on inspection, you will receive a written report with a detailed inventory covering the structural elements and major operating systems, including a summary of conditions requiring attention. Photographs too!
Major sections include:
* Structural components and basement
* Electrical, plumbing, domestic water heating, central heating and air conditioning
* Condition and general age of major systems
* Kitchen and major appliances
* General interior, including ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, and stairs
* Attic, ventilation, and insulation (if readily and safely accessible)
* General exterior, including roof, gutter, chimney, major drive and walkways, drainage and grading
Inspect The Best also provides radon testing and water
analyses using an EPA approved laboratory.
Home inspections are conducted under the auspices of the
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Code of
Ethics and Practice Regulations that can be found at:
http://www.ct.gov/dcp/cwp/view.asp?a=1624&Q=289862&PM=1
A signed copy of the Disclosure Form and Practice
Appropriate Connecticut regulations are provided at the time of the inspection.
Malcolm Ford is a Board Director for the Connecticut Association of Home Inspectors (CAHI)
Fee Schedule
Condominium/<1,000 square feet $300
Single family 1,000 - 2,000 square feet $400
" 2,000 - 3,000 square feet $500
" 3,000 - 4,000 square feet $600
Two family $600
Three family $700
Homes over 50 years old $100 additional
Distance > 30 miles $50 additional
Radon in Air Test $80 additional (See more information below)
Radon in Water Test $60 additional
Water Profile Analysis (Includes
Total Coliform, E. coli bacteria,
pH, and Metals $120 additional
Lead in Water $60 additional
"Things I See - Gutters and Downspouts"
It’s the season for occasional heavy rain. When you have a minute I recommend that you walk around the house and check your downspouts. Frequently, I find them draining directly to the ground, pouring substantial quantities of rainwater along the foundation wall, or garage apron. If left, the additional water flow will wash away the fine portion of the soil resulting in potential settling (recipe for cracks), result in freeze-thaw damage (during winter months), or increase the likelihood that you will experience flooding or dampness in the basement, crawlspace, or low point of the structure.
Ideally the house rests a tad higher than the surrounding property and the soil is graded (slopes) away from the foundation. In this case, a flexible plastic downspout extension (inexpensive at your local hardware store) will divert roof drainage sufficiently for it to follow landscape contours and get away. Sometimes the landscape slopes back to the house and if you notice dampness or efflorescence (white crystals/salts) extruding from the interior masonry a basement wall, you may need to have a professional evaluate the location.
Downspouts often discharge into a pipe or hole in the ground. If so, you need to know where the pipe exits and ensure it remains open. Over time, particularly if you have trees overhanging or close to the home, leaves and debris may collect and eventually block the flow. When that happens, water backs up to the elbow at the bottom of the downspout causing discharge along the foundation once again. The water-filled pipe may freeze and crack open in winter. Mark your calendar and make sure you check the drains (preferably during a heavy rain shower) in the late fall - once the trees are bare.
Helpful Hint: Clean your gutters several times a year…or consider installing gutter guards that can significantly reduce the amount of material entering them.
"Things I See - Gutter Guards"
Homeowners typically install gutter guards when tree debris (flower, seed, leaf material etc) frequently block gutters and downspouts. Symptoms include stains along sections of gutter where water has poured over the top, a distinct drip-line below, or heavy splashing of organic material across lower sections of siding. Your first option is to have a licensed tree contractor trim back any branches (maybe even the offending trees). This not only reduces material dropping to, or blowing onto the roof, but will reduce shade and moisture retention (both of which encourage damaging lichen growth). Hanging branches can also facilitate insect pest infestation!
Gutter access and personal safety sometimes prohibit regular cleaning (e.g. some colonials or tall structures). If you are not comfortable on a ladder, or the situation is unsafe, don’t do it. Hire a suitable contractor to clean them as often as necessary, or consider the benefits of a good gutter guard system.
Gutter guards are not maintenance free, and if unsuitable, or poorly installed, they can lead to problems of their own. Products ranging from simple plastic mesh and metal screens to more substantial helmet varieties all provide service, but smalls and sediment generally build up over time the more open they are. With age some screens collapse into the gutter, or become unattached and may actually collect material. Some helmet varieties, particularly as the pitch or slope of the roof increases, can be overwhelmed by anything more than a drizzle. When this happens, rain discharges directly to the ground. This is a seductive and expensive way of achieving nothing. You may want to consider something between the two - a cover that includes a low ridge along the center spine, behind which lies a perforated strip. While the degree of cover usually sheds unwanted organic material, the ridge checks the water, which drains to the gutter.
In closing, I am going to recommend you visit an article written by Tim Carter of “Ask the Builder” on the topic. Tim makes recommendations based on some trials. (http://www.askthebuilder.com/692_Gutter_Guard.shtml).
"Things I See - Chimneys"
A badly cracked wash (sloped mortar seen above) will lead to damaged brickwork
Chimneys face the elements 24/7 so it’s not surprising that they often feature in a home inspection report. Most of those I see are constructed of brick and mortar, although much new housing employs metal flues encased within a wooden framework of some kind.
During an inspection, I typically begin by eye-balling the structure through binoculars from as many angles as possible. I don’t walk a roof until I have seen inside the attic. Just last week I came across a joist, split from end-to-end by a lightening strike.
Frequent chimney issues include missing spark arrester/rain caps, damaged and leaking chimney washes, which then precipitate freeze-thaw damage, cracked mortar joints and differential movement of bricks. In short, things start to fall apart and the repair bill skyrockets.
The oldest chimneys may lack a ceramic liner, a series of red/brown clay pots lining the center of the chimney. There might be two or three liners poking out from a single chimney, serving fireplaces and perhaps a boiler or furnace. The wash consists of mortar (better to have some fine gravel in there to provide body) sloping from the liner(s) to the outside of the top row of bricks. Think of it as a top hat. If the chimney doesn’t wear one—more typically it has become worn and cracked, water leaks behind the brick. Trapped water freezes, expands, cracks brick mortar joints and eventually forces the bricks out of alignment.
I like to see a spark arrester/rain cap. Not only do they reduce fire risk but eliminates the likelihood you’ll get a duck (or nesting birds) down your chimney. I was personally told the story of the duck in the chimney. A chimney cap also provides some protection for the seal between the liner and the wash.
Flashing. One can’t understate the importance of quality workmanship where the chimney connects to the roof. Chimney flashing is perhaps the most likely place that a home inspector will find a leak in the attic. Have a professional work on your chimney. Black daub is usually the sign of a temporary repair—temporary being the operative word.
I prefer to see a chimney “up and close” when it is safe to do so. One can’t see fine cracks from the ground. Often these can be repaired before more substantial costs are incurred. I recommend that you have your chimney checked every few years. If you are not going to do that, at the very least train your binoculars on as many sides as possible, looking for mortar cracks, broken brick or brick displacement along the wash edge/top rows of bricks. Catch problems early and save yourself thousands of dollars.
The consequences of rain getting behind th brickwork followed by freeze-thaw damage
Things I See – Decks/Balconies
Recognized Connecticut engineer Howard I. Epstein, Ph.D., P.E., recently commented at a “Poor Construction Investigation and Prevention Seminar” that over 90% of decks he sees need some form of corrective action. An NBC News, “Today” report noted that over the last 10 years deck collapses have resulted in 20 deaths and some 800 injuries – see www.ashi.org/ for a breathtaking video of what can go wrong.
A common problem is the lack of lag screws or carriage bolts attaching the deck or balcony to the main structure. Nails alone cannot maintain the integrity of the structure and can lead to catastrophic failure.
A quality pressure treated or cedar wood deck has an average life expectancy of 10-15 years provided they are carefully maintained. Recycled plastic boards reduce the need for regular re-staining and prevent wood splitting (splinters) or decay. Wood to soil separation is essential and increases wood support column longevity.
Beams, joists and support columns should be braced using appropriate metal connections or ties.
When checking out the deck I recommend that you also pay particular attention to the stairway and guardrails. Gaps larger than 4 inches will allow a baby or toddler to get their head fast or worst still crawl through, while horizontal bars are for children who will climb – bad idea! Make sure the guardrail is a minimum 36” and secure – it should be ready withstand a minimum 200lb force along the entire length of the top rail.
Stairway handrails are often problematic. Using 2x4 or 2x6 rails for the hand-grip is unacceptable and unsafe. Unlike a gecko, we humans do poorly when grasping for a flat surface in an emergency! Check out www.decks.com for railing codes and other good information.
"Things I See - Bats in the Belfry?"
"Bat lady" Gerri Griswold holds a little brown bat at the Bethel Library
Things I See – Bats in the Belfry
Bats are recognized for their prodigious contribution to mosquito control. A single little brown bat (seen in the photograph) can dispatch 1200 mosquito sized insects per hour. Today, in large part because of wildlife experts such as Gerri Griswold (email: batlady@earthlink.com) who reaches out to interested groups, including young children, our knowledge and understanding of these gentle creatures can help us appreciate their intelligence and importance to the environment. Bats closest relatives are lemurs who are members of the Order, Primates. For more information try www.batconservation.org/.
It is unwise to pick up a bat without wearing leather gloves – a bite or scratch will send you to the hospital for a rabies shot! Better to guide a trapped animal to the outdoors by opening doors or windows, or edge a sick or injured bat into a box without direct contact. No need to panic – although it can be a bit of surprise to find a bat in the bedroom at 2.00 am in the morning. Been there done that!
How do you know that you have bats? As a home inspector early indications are holes along the eaves showing staining below. The material has a musk smell – Gerri tells me that she notes the same aroma when one or her educational bats burps on her shoulder. If the hole is lower down, say underneath a porch look for bat guano, small pellets closely resembling mice feces. Place a white sheet of paper underneath the hole to determine if the hole is still active. Check out the attic (I try to wear a respirator/face mask when grubbing around on my hands and knees). Unlike mouse poop, bat feces crush easily and you can make out shiny segments of insect wings with the naked eye.
Homeowners and bats often coexist. If bats become a nuisance I recommend that you contact a reputable wildlife removal expert (e.g. www.westchesterwildlife.com ). They can help you install humane exclusion products such as cones found at www.batcone.com
Helpful Hint:
It has been a tough year for bats with “white-nosed syndrome” causing high fatalities. Consider placing a bat-hotel to help out our distant cousin. Call 1-800-276-7074 for more information, free plans or to purchase a finished product.
Things I See - Attic 101
Chimney flashing leak saturates surrounding joists
Things I See – Attic 101
by Malcolm Ford, Home Inspector
One of the more vivid “war stories” from home inspection training is that of the interested home buyer who follows the inspector into the attic and promptly falls through the ceiling into the bedroom. Never assume that a floor board is secure, or that floor joists will follow a pattern. They mostly do, but the exception will get you! I try to remember ask all my clients to remain on the pull down stairs or stepladder until I give the “all clear.”
I see ¼ inch plywood (unsafe) tucked between ½ inch sections of flooring (minimally safe). Ask your home inspector about an attic’s suitability for storage and ensure safe access for those servicing equipment. It’s an incentive! Even if you don’t envisage using the space, consider installation of a catwalk so that someone can check for leaks etc. It is not unusual to see storage boxes resting on cardboard, or objects (typically starts with plastic items) floating on 7-9 inches of fiberglass insulation and a slim ½ inch of sheetrock. It just defies physics!
Another important safety tip is to make sure that you dip your head. Most roof decks resemble a pin cushion with nails ready to part your hair. I met one elderly gentleman (over 80 years-of-age) who kept an old perambulator (baby carriage) at the top of the walk-in stairway. When I called him across to see a hole in the roof, he donned a green plastic (toy) military helmet, lay across the “pram” on his belly and scooted across the floor. I Laughed!
Favorite places to find a leak? They can be most anywhere, but a typical place for a leak is by the chimney flashing (the connection between the chimney and roof cover). Not all chimneys can be seen from within the attic, but there will still be flashing (at the exterior). Also check waste vents carefully for signs of dampness or mold-like growth indicating water intrusion. A bucket is a dead giveaway!
Last thing! What to look for in an unsafe pull down or scuttle arrangement. Scuttle access and folding ladders are precarious at best. Pull down ladders work well, but be wary of those where springs show any inclination to come off the track. Have them repaired – same thing with folding hinges. If they start to open up or fold back against the joint call your favorite repair person.
Helpful Hint:
Wear a respirator when working in the attic. Keep dust and insulation material out of your lungs.
Things I See - Attic Ventilation
Wet nails and dark stained roof decking indicative of poor ventilation overwhelmed by moisture leaking into the attic from the home.
Things I See – Attic Ventilation
by Malcolm Ford, Home Inspector
Look up at the gable end of an older home and you will invariably see a gable end vent (a louvered rectangular box with a screen). If present in newer construction, this feature is typically there for aesthetic reasons, since the design has largely been superseded by the more efficient soffit and ridge vent arrangement. In newer construction, exterior air is drawn through the soffits (perforated metal sheets located underneath the eaves), rises below the roof decking and out through a ridge vent (a slot cut out along the ridge). Good air flow helps to ventilate the walls and siding, and will add years to the longevity of the roof cover (e.g. asphalt composite shingles). A cool roof cover off-gasses volatile products more slowly, reducing “drying out” and shingle distortion. Some great descriptive words used in the industry to describe the shingle aging process include, lifting, clawing, cupping, curling and fish mouthing.
Good attic ventilation also helps remove any moisture that may have leaked into the attic from living areas. There are several things I am looking for when inspecting an attic. Are the roof deck nails clean (i.e. not rusty) or is the plywood or particle board roof decking stained? Can one detect visual evidence or odors associated with mold-like growth? If the pull down stairway doesn’t seal tightly…the clothes dryer vents into the house, or a bathroom fans vent into the attic space, passive attic ventilation systems will have a hard time coping. Rusty nails and darkly stained decking are indicative of condensation….with mold on the extreme end.
What to do? All moisture producing appliances should be vented to the exterior. Otherwise, in newer homes it may be as simple as pulling back fiberglass insulation from blocked soffits. As noted, a lot of older homes still have the gable end vents. Many are upgraded with soffit/ridge vent options when roof covers are replaced. In the interim, homeowners can choose to install a temperature controlled fan in one or more of the gable end vents. As a word of caution, don’t fall into the ridge vent, gable end vent trap. Not a good combination, because the ridge vent then draws air directly from the gable end vent(s) without pulling air from the eave locations. I have seen gable end vent/good soffit arrangements (not the poor 3 inch circular soffit vents) that appear to make muster.
If this all sounds like gobbledygook, but you think that you may have attic ventilation issue, give me a call or have a Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractor evaluate the space and make recommendations.
Helpful Hint:
Another good argument for not overloading an attic with storage is that it reduces air flow contributing
to poor ventilation.
"Things I See - Boilers and Furnaces
Evaluation of heating and cooling systems is an important part of a home inspection. In summary, the inspector is looking to make sure that the system isn’t running safely and efficiently when operated using normal controls (i.e. thermostat). If there is a problem we are going to call in an appropriate contractor to evaluate the system and make recommendations.
Systems differ but typically fall under two main groups (i.e. a furnace or boiler) burning gas or heating fuel to generate heat to a heat exchanger. Water pipes or air ducts transmit that heat to rooms around the house. Air conditioning and indeed hot water production (boiler coil) may all be wrapped into the system, or operate independently.
The inspector sometimes finds excessive rust or corrosion, signs of leaks (which may or may not be heat exchanger related) warranting further evaluation. Not only may this signal serious mechanical problems, but it could be evidence of a potential safety hazard. A little different, but I note a recent inspection where the careless position of a flue gas sensor hole left a manufacturer’s specification sheet badly charred.
It is important to check temperature and pressure relief valves for signs of leakage, the condition of ancillary equipment, wiring etc. We check for fuel leaks, removing covers (where practicable) to check the refractory and condition of the ceramic walls.
The flue configuration and connection to the chimney may require attention and inadequate ventilation (insufficient air flow to the equipment may make it run poorly, perhaps unsafely.
"Things I See - Unexplained Ceiling Stains"
Ghost stain from a mouse during early stages of decay.
There were times when I found unexplained ceiling stains (a faint hue) located away from typical leak hot spots. They were small and generally dry, with perhaps a suggestion of greasiness to the touch. The stains showed minimal increase in moisture content when tested using a moisture meter.
At one point I wondered if it was animal urine. I found mouse feces on the surface of insulation and in those attics. I might have noticed there was poison around, but didn't make the connection. Locations were often impossible to reach and were buried under insulation. Anyway, one day I crawled into the above attic and unintentionally knocked a recently diseased mouse. Voila! Bodily juices! Am I certain? No! But they certainly appear to be a viable candidate.
What to do? First of all there are humane traps. Catch the little critters and release them far away. More importantly, have a suitable contractor evaluate the house and fill all holes and gaps that allow mice other small mammals on board. Leaving the garage doors open is quite the invitation to visitors.
