Conrad Professional Inspection Services

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Conrad Professional Inspection Services "Making your home a safer place to live."

This is exactly why a thorough home inspection matters.During today’s inspection, my thermal imaging picked up hidden mo...
09/20/2026

This is exactly why a thorough home inspection matters.

During today’s inspection, my thermal imaging picked up hidden moisture in two separate areas of the ceiling. It was raining at the time, so I headed up onto the roof to investigate.

I found two plumbing vent pipe boots with cracked rubber seals around the pipes.

Then I went into the attic and traced both locations.

Sure enough — each damaged pipe boot was located directly above the areas where the thermal camera detected moisture in the ceilings.

That’s why I believe an inspection should involve more than simply walking through the house and checking boxes.

✅ Get on the roof when it can be safely accessed.
✅ Use thermal imaging to look for what you can’t see.
✅ Get into the attic and follow the evidence.

Sometimes the problem isn’t visible from inside the house — but the clues are there if you’re willing to look for them.

What do you think this is? 👀At first glance, it just looked like some dust and damage along a piece of drywall behind sh...
09/16/2026

What do you think this is? 👀

At first glance, it just looked like some dust and damage along a piece of drywall behind shelving in a garage.

But when I looked closer, I realized the paper facing on the drywall had actually been eaten away — and what looked like “dust” was termite frass/debris left behind.

Then I checked where the drywall met the exterior wall…

Mud tube. 🐜

Confirmed evidence of termite activity.

We can’t say from this alone whether the termites are currently active, but this is exactly why little details matter during an inspection.

Definitely wasn’t expecting to find termite damage hiding in plain sight like this one.

Would you have recognized it?

It’s the little clues that make you stop and look closer. 🔍While heading upstairs from a basement inspection, I noticed ...
09/04/2026

It’s the little clues that make you stop and look closer. 🔍

While heading upstairs from a basement inspection, I noticed just a small amount of frass beneath the sill plate. That was enough to make me stop and take a closer look.

Behind the paint, I found concealed wood-destroying insect damage that otherwise would have been very easy to miss.

Sometimes the smallest detail tells the biggest story. That’s why we slow down and investigate when something doesn’t look quite right.

Conrad Professional Inspection Services

🚽 Is your bathroom exhaust fan actually working? 🚽 Just because you can hear it running doesn’t mean it’s doing its job....
08/31/2026

🚽 Is your bathroom exhaust fan actually working? 🚽

Just because you can hear it running doesn’t mean it’s doing its job.

During a recent inspection, the homeowner told me their bathroom exhaust fan had been running for a couple of hours after showering. The fan sounded like it was working, and the ducting we could see in the attic appeared to be properly routed.

But the humidity readings told a different story.

Even after running for hours, the bathroom humidity was still well above acceptable levels, and that excess moisture was contributing to mold growth on the ceiling.

Bathroom exhaust fans have one important job: remove warm, humid air from the bathroom and exhaust it outside. If humidity stays elevated long after a shower, something isn’t working properly, even if the fan sounds perfectly normal.

This is why we don’t just look and listen during an inspection. We measure.

High humidity + time = the perfect environment for mold growth.

If your bathroom stays humid, mirrors remain fogged up, or surfaces stay damp long after showering, your exhaust fan may need some attention.

I saw some of the heaviest efflorescence I’ve ever encountered on a basement foundation wall during a home inspection to...
08/28/2026

I saw some of the heaviest efflorescence I’ve ever encountered on a basement foundation wall during a home inspection today. In some areas, the buildup was so significant that it had formed thick, almost crystal-like deposits.

So what is efflorescence?

Efflorescence occurs when moisture moves through masonry materials such as concrete, block, or brick. As that moisture travels through the foundation, it carries dissolved mineral salts with it. When the water reaches the interior surface and evaporates, the moisture disappears, but the salts are left behind.

Over time, repeated moisture movement can create the white, chalky, or even crystalline buildup you see on foundation walls.

Efflorescence itself isn’t mold, but it can be an important indicator of moisture intrusion through a foundation. When it’s this extensive, it’s a pretty clear sign that this basement has experienced significant and repeated moisture movement.

Basements tell a story. You just have to know what you’re looking at.

Some attic spaces are a tight squeeze, but if we can safely get in, we will! Attics are far too important to simply skip...
08/27/2026

Some attic spaces are a tight squeeze, but if we can safely get in, we will! Attics are far too important to simply skip during a home inspection.

At Conrad Professional Inspection Services, we make every effort to inspect the areas that matter.

08/25/2026

During a home inspection today, we came across the cutest water spigot in Michigan!

In my comfort zone!!
08/24/2026

In my comfort zone!!

🐝 One of the cooler finds from a recent home inspection!I spotted this impressive wasp nest tucked away on the property....
08/23/2026

🐝 One of the cooler finds from a recent home inspection!

I spotted this impressive wasp nest tucked away on the property. Nature is pretty incredible, even when it builds something you definitely don’t want too close to your house!

Take a close look at the closeup photo and see if you can spot the wasp flying right into the nest. 👀

Just another reminder that you never know what you’re going to find during a thorough home inspection!

🏠 Buying a Home? Don’t Forget to Check the Bathroom Exhaust Fans!When buying a home, it’s important to make sure the bat...
08/17/2026

🏠 Buying a Home? Don’t Forget to Check the Bathroom Exhaust Fans!

When buying a home, it’s important to make sure the bathroom exhaust fans are actually venting to the outdoors—not terminating inside the attic. This is something we commonly find during home inspections, and while it may seem minor, it can create significant moisture problems over time.

Warm, humid air from showers can enter the attic and condense on the cold roof decking and framing. This can contribute to staining, damaged insulation, wood deterioration, and mold growth—especially during our cold Michigan winters.

A properly installed bathroom exhaust fan should be ducted all the way to the exterior. It’s one of the many details worth checking before purchasing a home because sometimes the small defects can lead to much bigger problems down the road.

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-
Battle Creek, MI
49014

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 5pm
Sunday 8am - 12pm

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