Brock Knippling Inspections

11/16/2025

It was great to be back out there today after healing from an injury.

On a side note and as a reminder, I will be rebranding to a dba after the new year. With that will come a website, option for online payment and scheduling, new mobile software for faster turn around times, video features in the report, and more. Thank you for your support.

09/25/2025

What a nice stretch of weather we're having in northern MN! To those of you house hunting good luck, and when you get an offer in give me a call to get the scoop on the condition of the property, its mechanical systems and venting, and insulation performance plus much more.

09/21/2025

Good quick read on importance of adequate attic insulation and air sealing measures. As a certified energy auditor and home inspector , I offer my real estate clients free advice at the inspection or a phone consultation at a later date, free of charge.

I can also perform a full energy audit with IR scan as a separate service for homeowners. This is especially important for complicated attic/roof structures, attic areas that don't have an access, and other situations where the homeowner is ready to spend on insulating and air sealing and wants the most bang for the buck.

If DIY'ing the project or hiring an agile handyman, an energy audit will provide the full scope of work, materials, and procedures used to install the materials correctly.

Attic insulation and ventilation go hand in hand. They keep your home cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and free from damage caused by moisture.

09/15/2025

09/04/2025

What does a BPI certified quality control inspector mean?

1). I am trained to perform DOE energy audits, to oversee others, and to pass/fail crews on their work installing energy retrofits and other repairs to structures.

2). I passed multiple proctored exams and a 4 hr field test. You will see other inspectors boast InterNachi credentials, and as a former member, I can assure you all of their exams and certifications are self study. ASHI is even more lax in their requirements. Both organizations have excellent standards of practice , but the truth is those organizations are riddled with folks who have never swung a hammer, or calculated an R Value in their lives.

In addition to the proctored BPI examinations, I also passed the proctored SDREC state exam (based on the national home inspectors exam) to achieve licensure in 2019.

3). It means I have completed and surpassed the required amount of audits and hours in the field.

4). It means if you are lucky enough to have a BPI certfied home professional inspect your future home, you should hire that person because BPI, the Building Performance Instsitute, is at the forefront of building science and achieving certification requires dedication and knowledge.

09/04/2025

Now offering well water testing as an ancillary service to a full home inspection.

08/26/2025

Studying for my MN Special Engineer low pressure boiler license exam in a couple weeks. These machines and their history are fascinating. Human ingenuity turned the tables on the primitive boilers/steam engines of the 1800-early 1900's. During the early years they killing 4000 plus people a year in explosions. Nowadays its incredibly rare for boiler related injuries, let alone explosions.

Fun fact: nucleur reactors are just coal fired steam boilers on steroids. From the very first steam engine to the most advanced fission reactors in the world, at the end of the day we just making and directing steam for electricity, heat, and propulsion. Should a fusion reactor ever become viable, it too will be used to produce steam. I'm not blowing smoke here, steam is modern civilization.

08/25/2025

Go ahead, make that offer!!! I will be around the iron range and chances are I can get an inspection done the next day, all weekend long. Have a great week folks!

08/16/2025

What makes BKI different than other inspectors in the area? Here's a closer look:

1) I'm not from here. Transplanted to the iron range for a full time job in Grand Rapids. Clients can rest easy knowing my relationship with agents is 100% professional. Honestly though, all the folks I've met in real estate along the range have resounding integrity. But we're all human and clients are right to perform due diligence on the inspector/agent relationship.

2) I've had advanced building science training as part of my weatherization career. This means I see the house as a whole, and can recognize how issues start to stack on each other to become bigger issues. It also helps me to investigate cause and effect which in turn gives clients a better understanding as to the scope of work that may need to be done as well as preventing similar issues in the future.

3) Enhanced mechanical system knowledge. My career in weatherization has exposed me to a variety of furnace categories, boilers, water heaters, venting, proper materials and installation, common issues, and cause and effect of said issues. Have attended and tested out of collegiate level advanced mechanical system classes. The goal is the same, empowering clients with knowledge on how these systems work on their own and the house as a whole.

4) Attic evaluation. Unless one has received specialized house pressure training and has been exposed to 100's of different aged attics and all the different types of venting and venting issues, one simply can't evaluate an attic properly. To boot, I am going to get in that attic hatch regardless of how much of the seller's stuff I have to move out of the closet.

5) Presentable, friendly, personable. I genuinely enjoy my interactions with clients, agents and my peers in this industry. I'm not showing up to the inspection wearing the dirt from my day job, and strive for a presentable, approachable appearance and demeanor. Clients are welcome to fully participate or just show up for the walk through.