Top Notch Home Inspections

09/02/2026

Moisture in a crawlspace doesn’t stay down there.

It gets in the floor framing. The wood goes soft. That’s the floor you’re walking on.

Insulation hanging is the same moisture, just easier to see. The joists are the part that actually costs.

If you’re buying in the Triad, this is why I still go under the house.

(336) 403-7074

09/02/2026

New construction is not a free pass.

I still recommend a full inspection — and radon testing — on new houses in the Triad. Foundation type doesn’t decide radon. A fresh CO doesn’t mean nothing got missed.

Two reasons I still bring radon up: the health piece, and the money piece when the next buyer tests. I wrote that up here:

https://www.top-notch-inspections.com/blogs/radon-testing-buying-a-house-triad

Under contract? (336) 403-7074

08/31/2026

This is the office today.

Headlamp, knee pads, and in I go. Crawlspaces are where a lot of the real answers are. Moisture, rot, wiring, the stuff you don't see from the living room.

If you're buying in the Triad, this is the part of the inspection you want someone to actually do.

08/30/2026

If you’re under contract in the Triad and need an inspection on the calendar this week call or text 336-403-7074

08/28/2026

“It works” and “it’s safe” aren’t always the same thing.

A panel can still power the house and have double-tapped breakers, missing labels, or outdated wiring. That isn’t a scare tactic. It’s the difference between knowing now and finding out after you close.

I flag what’s unsafe or not working properly so you and an electrician can plan from facts.

08/27/2026

That white stuff on the joists is wood-destroying fungus — white rot. In a crawlspace it often starts with condensation. Warm humid air hits cooler wood, moisture sits there, and the fungus takes it from there.

You don’t see this from the living room. That’s why we go under the house.

Not a scare tactic. It’s a moisture problem, and moisture problems don’t stay in the crawl.

Buying in the Triad? (336) 403-7074

08/27/2026

First-time buyers: show up for the inspection if you can.

Walk the house. Ask every question. You’re not supposed to already know this stuff.

I’ll talk through it in plain English. Report usually lands in 24–48 hours with photos so you can go over it with your realtor later.

Buying in Winston-Salem, Lexington, or nearby? (336) 403-7074

08/26/2026

Nobody puts crawlspace fashion on the brochure.
Brand new house. Still under here with a headlamp, finding the stuff you never see from the living room.
Not glamorous. Still the job.

08/25/2026

Thermal cameras don’t invent problems — they show temperature differences your eyes miss.

Cold air sneaking in around a window. A warm spot on a breaker. Moisture clues in a ceiling. Useful information, not a horror movie.

I use thermal on Triad inspections when it helps explain what’s going on. If you’re under contract and want that kind of detail, call or text (336) 403-7074.

05/08/2026