Another Google rating and review

A client left another Five-Star Google rating and commented, “Very professional and knowledgeable. Miki was extremely thorough and found things that weren’t noticeable to the naked eye. I highly recommend her and will continue all my future business with her. Thank you very much for your services Miki!!” Thank you for the review and for your kind words.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Another client comment

A client responded to her E-mailed inspection report with, "Thanks, Miki! I was very impressed with your thorough inspection, and I'm pleased that you didn't find anything of concern!" Thank you for the kind words.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Five Stars for my anniversary

A client gave a Five-Star rating on Google and commented, "Miki was very knowledgeable and thorough. Would recommend her for a home inspection in Kansas City area." That's a great way to wrap-up year #27 in business and begin my 28th year of serving Kansas City area realtors, home buyers, and home sellers. Thank you for the comment and rating. And, thank you for your support over the last 27 years.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Another Five-Star Google rating

My client simply gave me a Five-Star rating on Google, no comment or review necessary. Thank you for that. It's always great to see that my clients feel they receive Five-Star service.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Google Review

Another Google review from a client. She simply wrote, "Very knowledgeable and helpful. She (Miki) gave us excellent and realistic advice."

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Timely new podcast

Today's Kansas City home inspection schedule includes yet another condo inspection. In this new podcast, I talk about the importance of getting a condo inspected BEFORE you buy it. While a condo doesn't have many of the same concerns as a free-standing home, there are still many systems and items that need to be inspected in order to give you true peace of mind regarding your purchase.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

A Customer Comment and a Google rating

A client responded to her E-mailed Complete Home Inspection report with, "Thank you for your thorough inspection and rapid report delivery." And, another client simply left a Five-Star rating on Google, no review necessary.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Radon testing podcast

A new podcast tells you about the dangers of radon gas in your home and the methodology Complete Home inspection uses to test for radon gas. This is much too important for you to put off.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Five-Star rating and review

Yet another client gave me a Five-Star rating on Google and left this review, "Very thorough. I appreciated how she also not only showed me how things work but practical ways to maintain. Very common sense." Thank you for your kind words. Enjoy your new house.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

New podcast

Here's a new podcast that explains yet another reason you need to have a house inspected BEFORE you buy it, no matter what condition you may think the house is in. You have enough other things on your mind when you're looking to buy a house. Let me handle the little details for you.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Google rating and review

Thank you to my client, Lori, for a Five-Star Google rating and this review - "(Miki) was so personable, thorough & professional. She answered all my additional questions and had our complete report emailed to us the very next morning! I would highly recommend her!"

Two new reviews

Two different clients left reviews, one on Google and the other on Facebook. The Google reviewer gave me five stars and wrote, "Very thorough. Was recommended by our Realtor. Answered all of our questions and explained everything perfectly. Wonderful first experience." And the Facebook reviewer wrote, "I had a great experience with Complete Home Inspection. She was very thorough and saw things I would have never noticed. She took the time to explain what she found and allowed time for questions. I am very happy!" Thank you both for your kind words.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Reason #312 to have your house inspected

Imagine your first night in your new house. You use the light switch at the bottom of the stairs to turn on the overhead light. You climb the stairs, flick the light switch at the top of the stairs to turn off the light, and nothing happens. So, you go back down the stairs, turn out the light, and climb back up in the dark. Now, you try the upstairs switch again, while muttering under your breath, and the light comes on.

Over and over again in the last year, I've found that three-way light switches apparently completely confuse rehabbers and do-it-yourselfers. One rehab crew tried three different times to wire the switches and still couldn't do it correctly.

When you're looking to buy a house, you're not going through it testing all of the light switches. In fact, the listing agent probably has all of the lights turned on before you even see the house. But, as a part of your Complete Home Inspection, I'll check out all of the switches to make certain that they function as intended. If it's supposed to be a three-way switch, it needs to be a three-way switch (yes, there's a certain kind to use). And, it needs to be wired correctly.

It's a little detail, but an important one. And it's an extremely important one when you're climbing or descending the stairs, in the dark, while muttering.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

"But, it said it was new"

The listing for the house I was inspecting advertised a new water heater and furnace. That much was true, the water heater was brand new. But, when it was installed, no one bothered to look in the attic to check the condition of the existing flue pipe.

Sadly, that is both a costly and a deadly oversight. With the new water heater venting into the corroded flue pipe, its exhaust fumes will fill the attic, adding moisture to the attic and releasing carbon monoxide. The moisture will cause mold to develop in the insulation and on the underside of the roof.

Additionally, the brand new water heater is not drafting properly due to the corroded flue pipe. This can cause carbon monoxide to enter the living space below. In fact, most deaths caused by carbon monoxide poisoning are the result of water heater problems rather than furnace problems.

This is just another reason it's so important for you to have the house that you're looking to buy inspected BEFORE you buy. You're not going to look in the attic to check the condition of the flue pipe. You have too many other important things on your mind. Let me look for the costly and deadly oversights of others, and catch them before it's too late.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Nice to hear

It's been a busy week for customer comments and compliments. My client had previously looked at a different house and saw the report from my inspection of that house. She read the report and then told her realtor, "I want that woman to do my inspection when I find a house". She found one she liked and hired me to inspect it this week.

A realtor shared one of my Facebook posts and commented, "Miki has done inspections for a couple of my clients and we just love working with her!". And a woman who hired me to inspect a house, but walked away from that deal due to the problems I found, then hired me to do a different house for her. She replied to her written report on the second house with,  "Chris and I cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for us. Your thorough inspections, speed and accuracy is greatly appreciated. If you ever need someone to use as a reference we would be happy to do so."

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Reason #487 to have your house inspected

A 100-year old house which had been rehabbed several times, most recently about five years ago, now has a beautiful glass door that leads from the kitchen to the sunroom. During my Complete Home Inspection, I discovered that the door has a locking handle on it that locks from the kitchen side and a dead bolt that locks from the sunroom side. In other words, using the locks for safety and security means that the door could not be opened at all. You would either be locked into the kitchen, or locked into the sunroom.

When you're looking to buy a house like this, you have so many things on your mind and so many things to look at that there's no way you'll look at how the locks have been installed. That's my job. Spend your time figuring out what furniture could fit where and who gets which bedroom. Let me handle the details of the house for you.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

I'm honored

It was quite an honor to receive the John E. Cox award from the American Society of Home Inspectors during their annual conference in January. Members of the local Great Plains ASHI chapter nominated me for the work I've done for the chapter over the years. And then the national ASHI Council of Representatives chose me from among the other nominees from all over the country. This means a lot, and I thank everyone involved in making it possible for me.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Five Stars

Another Five-Star rating on Google, this time from a client who inherited her grandfather's house. She needed to know the condition of the house and what might need to be fixed or changed before she either moved in or put the house on the market.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Whether you're buying, selling, or even inheriting, call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Milestone reached

As of the end of this week, Complete Home Inspection will complete our 13,000th Kansas City home inspection. Yes, we've inspected some Kansas City houses more than once since 1992. Thank you for your business and for your support over the last 26+ years.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Google review

Another client wrote this Google review following her Complete Home Inspection this week -
"Miki was very professional, timely, thorough and reviewed the details of what she was finding on inspection with me. In her words, " the point of this inspection is to get to know your new home." She showed me how things work and what needs attention/repair. I felt she was honest and worked with integrity. Miki was very helpful in the process of buying a new-to-me home and I would highly recommend her!"

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

More feedback

It's been a busy month for comments from satisfied clients. A woman responded to her E-mailed Complete Home Inspection report by writing, "This is very comprehensive and helpful. Thank you for coming out in snowy weather to complete this in a timely manner!!"

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

More feedback

My client, a first-time home buyer, responded to his E-mailed report by writing, "Read through the entire report, looks great! Really appreciate your expertise!" Nice comment from a young couple that is very excited to become homeowners.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Brief, and to the point

A couple of comments/reviews from the "Short and Sweet" category, a woman whose son hired me to inspect the house he was buying six months ago, hired me to inspect the house she is now buying and wrote, "Thank you for the report! Was great, easy and very helpful to work with you! Have a wonderful day!" Even shorter and sweeter, another client simply rated me Five Stars on Google. No comments necessary. 

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Thanks for the kind words

A realtor who sold three houses in one week, and whose clients hired me in each instance, left a Google comment - “Very thorough inspector. Willing to answer any questions buyers have. Report is returned timely and it's concise and to the point! Highly recommend!”

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Defect of the Week

Two different houses, in the same week recently, were found to have leaks in the main water shut-off for the house. This is, too often, an undetected situation for home buyers and home owners because the main water supply shut-off is not something that you look at regularly. And it's certainly not something you will check when you're looking at the house. You're too busy deciding what furniture could go where and who might use which room for various purposes. This is just another reason to have the house you're looking to buy thoroughly inspected by Complete Home Inspection.

The house's main water shut-off valve is usually in an out-of-the-way location and "out of sight, out of mind" really applies here. So, a leaky valve will just drip, drip, drip unnoticed for a long time, causing water damage to the house and to any items stored near the shut-off.

Many original shut-off valves are "gate" valves that have a circular handle that needs to be completely turned several times to open and close the valve. As these valves age, they become less effective. And, as they age, they reach a point where just opening and closing the valve creates leaks. Gate valves, whether they're leaking or not, should be replaced with a "ball" valve that opens or closes with just a quarter of a turn of the handle lever. A ball valve also allows you to open or close the valve much more quickly in the event of an emergency.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Kansas/National Radon Action Month

January 2019 is Kansas Radon Action Month, and National Radon Action Month, designed to educate you about the dangers of radon exposure and encourage you to identify and address radon problems in your home. Radon is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas found in nearly all soils, resulting from the breakdown of uranium. Outdoors, radon is diluted to low concentrations. But once inside an enclosed space, radon can accumulate to significant levels.

About one out of every three radon measurements performed in Kansas are elevated, being above 4 pCi/l (picoCuries per liter). This is true for Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties in Kansas, too.

The best way to find out if your house, or the house you're looking to buy, has a radon problem is to have a certified radon professional, such as Miki Mertz of Complete Home Inspection, do a test for you. Complete Home Inspection uses a continuous radon monitor that takes samples over a period of two full days, with the test unit placed in the lowest livable level of the house. Windows are kept closed throughout the time of the test. The test results are then averaged into an overall number for your final report. As mentioned earlier, if the radon level is higher than 4.0piC/l, then it should be fixed, or "mitigated". In Kansas, all residential real estate contracts include a recommendation that home buyers include a radon test on homes purchased. All radon tests performed during real estate transactions in Kansas must be conducted by a state-certified radon tester, such as Miki Mertz of Complete Home Inspection. 

Additional information about radon can be found on the Complete Home Inspection web site at http://www.completehomeinspectionkc.com/radon, at www.kansasradonprogram.org, and at www.epa.gov/radon.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call or E-mail today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.