"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.

Defect of the Month

The furthest thing from your mind when you're buying a house is the vent for the clothes dryer. Based on the past couple of weeks, it's the furthest thing from the minds of people selling houses, too. Dryer vents have been found to be disconnected, clogged, bent, and made out of flammable materials.

If the existing clothes dryer is being left in the house for you, I'll check out the venting during your Complete Home Inspection. If you're moving your own dryer into the house, I'll give you tips on properly venting it.

Disconnected dryer vents scatter lint everywhere. Not only is that messy, it's also a fire hazard. That's particularly true if the dryer is near the furnace or water heater. A disconnected vent will also allow moisture from the dryer's air to escape, perhaps leading to mold.

A dryer vent that's clogged with lint, or that is bent, is a fire hazard. And a clogged vent causes the dryer to work less efficiently, increasing your energy costs and the wear and tear on the dryer. Vents need to be cleaned out regularly. And they need to follow a straight path to the outside to allow the lint to be carried along with the airflow.

Finally, older dryer vents were made out of a plastic film-type covering that is actually flammable. Instead, you should use a metal dryer vent, one that will stand up to heat better.

You have so many other things on your mind when buying a house, let me take care of all the little details during your Complete Home Inspection.

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 reason to have your house inspected

You have so many things on your mind when buying a house that you don't have time to check every little detail. That's my job. And far too often, the devil is in the details. Viewed from the attic access, things looked normal in this particular attic.  

You see the furnace flue pipe at the upper right as it vents to the outside above the roof. What you don't see is the other side of the pipe. When I climbed through the very hot attic to look at the entire flue pipe, this is what I found - 

 

The side hidden from view from the attic access had a big hole in it. This tear in the pipe could be deadly for you and your family. The furnace and water heater exhaust fumes that escaped through this gash would settle back down into the house as they cooled. You could be breathing carbon monoxide. Plus, the moisture in those escaping fumes would cause the roof to rot and could lead to mold in the attic. Finally, the gash in the flue pipe keeps the exhaust system from being pressurized so it won't vent the furnace and the water heater properly, which causes exhaust gases to back draft into the living space. That leads to inefficient operation of both of those appliances and causes them to wear out faster.

All of this results from something that can't be seen by just popping your head up into the attic and saying, "Yeah, everything looks normal." I can't always walk through attics. But, finding a major problem like this, I'm glad I did this time. And this is certainly something you wouldn't have seen for yourself when you were looking at the 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.

Defect of the Week

Twice in the past week, furnace flue pipes were found to be venting into the attics. This is a very serious problem as it can lead to structural problems for the house and can be deadly for the occupants. And what's more, it's a problem you would be unaware of when you buy your new house because you're not going to stick your head into the attic and check the flue pipe. That's why you hire me.

Whether the furnace flue pipe is installed improperly or has simply become disconnected for some reason, furnace exhaust gases that collect in an attic can cause mold problems, lead to wood rot, and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning if they backdraft into the living areas of the house. The furnace should be vented to the outside where the gases and the moisture dissipate harmlessly. Frequently, when a roof is being replaced, the flue pipe is lifted up by the roofers. This can cause the vent pipe sections to disconnect if they weren't properly screwed together and that creates a leak for the gases to escape into the attic. Other times, as in the past week, improper remodeling work might vent the gases just into the attic in order to save time, money and effort. Regardless, it's a fatal flaw that I always check for during an inspection. And, since it's the Defect of the Week, you see that it is a fairly common occurrence.

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.

Mold hazards

The Johnson County (KS) Museum is having to limit visitors and close some of its exhibits due to mold in the building. Flooding in 2009 rendered the museum's basement unusable for employees and volunteers to work in. Now, new water damage from around the roof's guttering and from condensation off the building's stone exterior has led to mold between the museum's interior and exterior walls.

It's another example of how mold can make a building uninhabitable. And, it just underscores the importance of checking the air quality in your home. If it's important enough to force employees, volunteers, and visitors to alter their plans at the museum, it's important enough to find out if mold is a problem in your home. Let Complete Home Inspection do your air quality test for you, in the house you're looking to buy or in the house you live in now, so that you'll know what type of mold might be in the air you're breathing and how much of it there is. Whether your mold test is an air-quality test or a swab test, you'll know, in just a couple of days, if your family's respiratory health is at risk.

The museum's predicament also serves as a reminder that it's very important to keep the rain gutters on your house free of debris. It's easy to remember to do this in the Fall with all of the falling leaves clogging things up. But, it's just as important to do in the Spring with all of the "helicopter seeds" from maple trees, Sugar Gum balls, and the like. Clogged gutters and downspouts lead to overflows and back ups that can put water in your basement. The clogs keep rain water from flowing away from your house's foundation. The water, instead, seeks out the cracks in your basement walls. Or, in the case of the Johnson County Museum, leads to mold between the interior and exterior walls.

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 and, perhaps, your mold test, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Rental Property Inspections

When you're moving into your new rental property, you're very excited to see the place, start unloading your belongings, and get going on the process of transforming it into your new home. You probably wouldn't walk around the back of the property, look under the deck, and discover evidence of a previous deck fire.

Neither did the woman from the property management company helping my client get ready to move in. It was quite a shock to her when I showed her what my inspection uncovered. Obviously, someone had tried to repair the damage. But the management company knew nothing about it.

Because he had had me inspect the property for him before he moved in, my client, the new tenant, was now protected from liability for the fire damage. And he was now aware of what was lurking underneath the deck.

Later in the inspection, we flushed the toilet and turned on the shower and the faucet in the master bathroom all at once. The flow of water revealed a hole in the main drain pipe in the basement. The cable company had accidentally drilled into it from the neighbor's townhouse while running their cable. With the sudden large volume of water in the drain pipe, the hole sprayed water against the wall. This would then run down the wall, across the floor, and toward the floor drain. Sadly, it would also soak whatever was being stored in this area of the basement.

Looking around the basement also revealed a large opening around the water main pipe where it came through the foundation. You can see the mud that washes in around the pipe when it rains. Again, this leads to a wet basement, possible mold and mildew, and can damage or ruin items that are stored in this area.

All of these defects were found in a five-year-old townhome that, otherwise, was in great shape. And it's likely that none of these defects would be found and listed by you as you filled out your damage report form. You  have other things on your mind.

That's why we suggest you hire Complete Home Inspection to do your walk-through for you and with you. It's a great way to protect yourself, find out what really might be wrong with your new place, and find out how to use the various features and appliances in it. You'll get some peace of mind that you could really use while dealing with the move-in process.

And, Rental Property Inspections are a great investment for landlords and property management companies, too.

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 own Complete Home Inspection, whether you're renting or buying - 913-268-0222, completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Short Sales and Foreclosures

April's issue of MONEY magazine states that if you're in the market for a home, you'll almost certainly be looking at distressed properties ("short sales" and bank foreclosures). And, distressed homes are likely to be a significant part of the market for years. The magazine's advice? Even before you make an offer on a foreclosure, get a complete home inspection of the property. The house may be in worse condition than you expect. And, a distressed-property specialist is quoted as saying, "The buyer has to be twice as diligent."

You'll have leverage if you can prove that the property's condition justifies a lower price. New information on the current condition of the house could affect the property's appraised value and you'll be armed with a written inspection report, photos, and a summary page of suggested repairs. Plus, you don't want to be surprised to discover that the previous owners angrily ripped out flooring, appliances, and copper pipes. The magazine goes on to suggest that, after your offer is accepted, you have some "specialty" inspections done on the property, including a mold test. The bank may still be willing to fix problems at this point.

Make a thorough inspection by Complete Home Inspection a part of your home-buying process, particularly if a distressed property is involved. That's the best way to get peace of mind throughout the process.

Whole house inspections, condo inspections, radon testing, mold testing and more, we do it all for you. Call today to schedule your Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222. Or send us an E-mail through http://www.completehomeinspectionkc.com/.

Ice dams

With all of the snowfall in Kansas City so far this season, pay close attention to the gutters on your house.

Icicles may look pretty and seasonally appropriate, but they're also a sign that heat is escaping through your roof and causing the snow cover to melt. As the melting snow refreezes, it can block the gutters and keep water from draining away as it should. This can lead to the water seeping into your walls or dripping onto your house's foundation instead. And that can lead to many different problems.

Consider using a broom to brush away the snow from lowest few feet of your roof. You may feel silly being out in the cold "sweeping" your roof, but giving the snow melt room to drain unobstructed can help you avoid costly problems with mold, a cracked foundation, and damaged soffits, fascia boards and walls.

To prevent ice dams from occurring, you may need to improve the insulation and ventilation of your roof and/or install a heat strip along the lower edge of the roof or in the gutter. For now, sweeping the snow away will help the situation. And then, when it warms up a little, you can consider your other options.

Mold Testing

As you refinance your current home to take advantage of lower interest rates, you may be asked to have a mold test done as part of the process. Just give us a call and let Complete Home Inspection take care of the mold test for you. You can have either a swab test done where we swab visible mold in your home, or have an air quality test done. Either way, results are usually available from the lab in only two days. You'll find out if you have mold in your home and what type of mold it is. Plus, Complete Home Inspection will give you some tips on what to do about any mold we find.

Whole house inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we can do it all for you. Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Mold problems

Again this school year, a school building in the Greater Kansas City area opened late because of mold issues. That just underscores the importance of checking the air quality in your home. An elementary school in Liberty, MO, was found to have higher-than-normal levels of mold in the air. Since that could irritate existing asthma conditions, the school was kept shuttered until the situation was resolved.

If it's important enough to force students to attend class in another building, it's important enough to find out if mold is a problem in your home. Let Complete Home Inspection do your air quality test for you so that you'll know what type of mold might be in the air you're breathing and how much of it there is. Whether it's an air-quality test or a swab test, you'll know, in just a couple of days, if your family's respiratory health is at risk.

Whole house inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we can do it all for you. Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222, www.completehomeinspectionkc.com.

Clean out the gutters

With all of the rain in the Kansas City area this season, it's very important to keep the rain gutters on your house free of debris.

It's easy to remember to do this in the Fall with all of the falling leaves clogging things up. But, it's just as important to do in the Spring with all of the "helicopter seeds" from maple trees, Sugar Gum balls, and the like.

Clogged gutters and downspouts lead to overflows and back ups that can put water in your basement. The clogs keep rain water from flowing away from your house's foundation. It, instead, seeks out the cracks in your basement walls.

Just a maintenance reminder for you so that your basement doesn't end up becoming a "cement pond".

Whole house inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you. Call today to schedule your own Complete Home Inspection, 913-268-0222.

Rain, rain, go away...

As the rainy season continues in Kansas City, you may end up with some water in your basement. Regardless of how the water found its way into your home, just sucking it up or drying it out may not be enough for your family's health.

Moisture often leads to the development of mold, even in the cleanest of homes. You can't clean what you can't see, and if water has gotten in behind paneling, drywall, or in the attic, you may not even know that it is there. Wet carpeting, wet drywall, and other items damaged by incoming water can develop mold spores. And that can end up sickening your family.

Once the water has been dried, it's a good idea to do a mold test. The test itself takes only a couple of minutes and you'll have a complete result report back from the lab in just a few days. It's a rather inexpensive way to get peace of mind regarding your family's respiratory health.

Call today to schedule a mold test for your home, 913-268-0222, Complete Home Inspection. Whole house inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we do it all for you.

Rental Property Inspections

Call us today to schedule your Rental Property Inspection. Families are relocating prior to the beginning of school and college students are moving into their new digs prior to the beginning of classes. Your Rental Property Inspection by Complete Home Inspection gives you peace of mind, as an owner/manager or as a renter, whether it's a house, condo, townhome, or apartment. And, consider adding a mold test to check for hidden damages and health hazards.

For landlords/managers, it gives you independent, third party documentation of the condition of the property before or after leasing, a great way to help protect your investment. Your inspection also documents normal versus abnormal wear and tear when done both before and after a tenant's lease.

For renters, it's a great way to ensure that you don't overlook something when you fill out your damage list and then end up getting charged for a pre-existing condition when you move out. You have so many other things on your mind, let us handle the thorough inspection you need to do to protect yourself. Also, we can take you through the property and explain how to use the various appliances and systems you'll be living with.

Whether you're the landlord or the tenant, you'll receive a written report, with pictures, that includes repair and maintenance recommendations.

Call today to schedule your Rental Property Inspection, 913-268-0222. Whole house inspections, radon testing, mold testing, and more, we can do it all for you. Complete Home Inspection.

"This house makes me sick!"

Mold is everywhere when we get our Spring rains in Kansas City, but you really don’t want the mold INSIDE your house. Whether it’s the house you currently live in or one you’re thinking of buying, call to schedule a mold test for the health of your family. A recent documentary on the BBC chronicled a family of five where each family member suffered from respiratory problems, headaches, chronic fatigue and other health issues. The cause was simply the mold in their house. Once the mold was eliminated, so were their health problems.

When we test for mold, we look for visible mold to sample and we also check the air in the house for invisible mold spores. The key is to find the cause of the mold. Mold needs moisture to grow, so we look for moisture entry points like leaky roofs, basements, or water pipes, anything that could add moisture to a mold problem.

Having a mold test done, perhaps along with your home inspection, gives you added peace of mind for your family’s health and safety. Call today to schedule your inspection and/or mold test, 913-268-0222. Whole house inspections, radon testing, and mold testing, we can do it all for you.