Trusted Home Inspection

08/31/2022

Here's an example why one should never ask how much a home inspector would charge based on number of bedrooms a property have. Or does the home inspector have fixed rate for certain type of the property (Single Family, Townhouse, Condo, Apt etc.).

Each property is unique to itself, thus, will create different work load for the home inspector.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/it-was-a-three-bedroom-colonial-now-this-rural-massachusetts-property-feels-like-disneyland-11661958049?st=zy7p4hibx9h89tk&mod=e2fbrlst&fbclid=IwAR1vrhO6WB_UodkxbQNdqxnz63ZdKDHp9xxPNn6NN7FkbFVWPYvU6pxn7qA

Built by the late founder of Yankee Candle Co., a 60-acre portion of the estate—with an indoor water park, an arcade and two car barns—is hitting the market for $23 million.

07/04/2022

Happy & safe 4th of July to all from Trusted Home Inspection!!

10/25/2021

Having correct and complete receptacle cover is a good protection for your electrical system.

Here are just a few common receptacle cover plate defects:

1. Damage/ missing exterior receptacle cover plate cover. Without the cover, the receptacle is pretty much expose to weathering of mother nature. In other words, moisture such as rain, snow, mist will shorten the life expectancy of the receptacle, even worse, cause weak connection that might damage the circuit.

2. Incorrect floor receptacle cover plate. Keep in mind floor receptacle is at the lowest reachable height of any room. Although commonly its designed to power furniture such as massage chair/ sofa or alike, but not everyone will use it according to it's designed intention. Thus, having a proper cover plate offers protection from such as accidental spill of liquid into the receptacle or kids sticking things into the receptacle that will cause electrical shock hazard.

Below are examples of receptacle cover plate discussed above. Hopefully everyone will have the proper protection they need for each receptacles through out the house.

10/10/2021

Water management for the entire exterior of the house is just as important as any other preventative maintenance.

Here are 3 key features we strongly recommended (if you don't have any yet) and are necessary to properly protect your property from getting wet feet or even worse, water intrusion through foundation and cause flooded basement/ lower level(s).

1. Complete gutter system (gutter, leaf guard, downspout, downspout extension)

2. Proper slope of grading around the foundation wall. The grading needs to be slope away from the foundation (at least 6 ft if applicable). And by grading, we meant the soil underneath the black plastic sheeting, NOT the finishing materials such as mulch, granules etc.

3. Drain tile system with sump pump (back up battery is even better)

Without one or all of these key features, you may have one or more issues as illustrated.

- Negative sloped walkway/ driveway
- Cracked/ settled walkway/ driveway
- Severe rust/ damaged AC condenser unit
- Damaged/ failed retaining wall
- Disconnected downspout extension, contributes to poor water drainage

10/07/2021

Whom ever does this I hope he doesn't learn his lessen from the hard way.....

Tank water heater is operating under pressure regardless of it's fuel type, commonly either gas or electric. That's why all tank water heater should have a Temperature Pressure Relief Valve (TPR) valve installed with proper TPR discharge pipe and termination of no more than 6 inches off the ground. The purpose of TPR valve is a special safety valve and it's responsible for making sure your hot temperature-pressure relief valve water tank stays within its designed temperature and pressure limits.

With the discharge pipe terminal being seal up like so.....it could turn your tank water heater into a dangerous explosive.

08/25/2021

Came across this again today...the owner must have not have much interaction with his neighbor, because few houses down lives a professional garage door installer.

08/25/2021

126-year-old house is INSPECTED !!! You still have potential, glad you will be in good hands.

08/09/2021

Fire collar is a new thing but not really new anymore.

Any opening(s) through a fire re****ed wall (Ex: common wall between attached garage and house) should have a fire collar installed as a preventative maintenance from fire hazard.

08/09/2021

As a safety feature, the garage door should be able to be manually disconnect and open (stay open as well, or so called balanced, until safely exit the building) during an emergency if needed. Therefore, garage door and garage door opener installation is crucial.

Occasionally will come across lack of spacing between garage door top panel and track during a manual disconnect inspection. Thus, the garage door cannot be open due to the track is the restriction.

Certainly is our first time discover an installer installed the garage door opener at a disconnected position. In other words, the garage door can ONLY be open/ close via remote or wall opener but not manually.

08/02/2021

Came across this useful and important information in the city magazine, so thought to share as how simple it is to ensure your house and self can be protected from fire-related hazards.

07/30/2021

I don't care how professional/ experience you are in your field, but please don't eat and work at the same time! Especially when you plan to dispose your trash on site in the most "professional" manner.

You can ONLY fool yourself, but not others!

That aluminum foil pie pan, by the way, should be replaced with proper size Type B firestop vent.

07/30/2021

Keeping attic space well ventilated is a MUST as a preventative maintenance including but not limited to damp insulation (which will reduce it's R-value on heat preservation) and ice dam and/ or related damages. Typically the attic space is vented through combination of vents such as power fan, turbine, passive, ridge, soffit, or gable vents.

But when I came across this......I am dumbfounded!! It's not in any of my home inspection books that I've studied. So don't blame me to call this out. Even better, when I saw the "band aid" on the roof, I'm DEFENATELY going to flag this because this roof needs attention from a DR. ROOF.