CT Home Inspectors

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA.org), fire prevention week is from October 7th through October 13th, 2012. In lieu of this, we thought we’d bring you the very important public service announcement from Fire Marshall Bill Burns, above. Seriously though, was there any funnier character on In Living Color than Fire Marshall Bill? I think not.

Anyway, now that you’ve had a few chuckles, let’s talk about preventing fires in your home. While smoke alarms cannot actually prevent a fire from igniting, they are still an important defense against injury or death in house fires. In fact, the NFPA states that nearly two-thirds of home fire fatalities happen in homes with non-working or missing smoke detectors.

Kinda hard to believe isn’t it? In 2012, you’d think that all homes in America would have smoke alarms by now right? Not the case!  We’ve inspected hundreds of homes in Connecticut and even now, in this day and age, occasionally we’ll find a house with no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors. Admittedly, they’re far and few in between.

However, we find plenty of homes where batteries have died in smoke detectors, leaving the homeowners with a false sense of security. Technology is only as good as the humans that control it.

Fortunately, most building codes now require smoke detectors in all residential structures, which has resulted in a steep drop in fire- and smoke-related deaths. So in light of fire prevention week, here are 7 tips for fire safety:

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Has there been a recent addition to your family? Has one of your parents or one of your in-laws moved in? In life, there are times when you’re forced with the decision to either create some additional living space in your home OR move into a larger home.

If moving into a larger home is not an option for you at this time, an attic renovation is a financially smart decision and can be an inexpensive way to add living space to your home.

The following six tips will help you plan for and overcome many of the challenges of remodeling an attic into living space.

(1) Plan carefully.
Remember that the order in which inspections must be obtained will dictate your schedule. Think through every aspect of both the design and the project, consider possible challenges, and devise plans to overcome each challenge.

(2) Design the space for the type of room.
The way you design and remodel the space will vary with the uses you plan for the finished room. For example, a bedroom may have different requirements than a playroom.

(3) Plan access to the new room(s) carefully.
Creating access to the new space is challenging in some homes. If you are trying to reduce costs for your project, you will want to find and construct the stairs in the best point of access and in a way that involves the least modification of the existing structure. You will also need to check local building codes with reference to exit points.

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So you’re thinking about selling your house, huh? Well, before you open up your home to a bunch of strangers, first consider completing needed repairs and addressing any issues revealed in your pre-listing home inspection. Once you take care of this first step, then it’s on to sprucing up your home’s appearance to have maximum impact on your prospective buyers.

“Staging a house” should be thought of as creating an appealing but neutral space that will encourage your potential buyers to imagine themselves living in your home. Naturally, it’s difficult to look at your own home objectively; it’s yours, after all. So consider enlisting a friend to help you evaluate your space, or you may wish to hire a professional home stager to make your home the star of the show.

Here are nine tricks to consider:

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Summer is a great time to tackle projects around your house that can reduce your environmental impact. Even if you are not making big changes such as replacing old leaky windows or installing ceiling fans, there are still small things that you can do around your house to minimize energy consumption and reduce your carbon footprint.

Here are seven easy ways to go green in your home.

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Help for all you homeowners! How to choose a Handyman.

Whether it’s a big project such as a bathroom remodel, something small like putting up shelves, or repairs and routine maintenance, you can turn to handymen to get the job done.

It used to be that everyone knew “a guy down the street” (in my case, it’s my husband) who could do everything, but these days finding a qualified, professional, and reliable handyman can be a real challenge. Here are some tips for you to ensure that you have the right person for the job:

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Realtors: When you refer your client to a home inspector in Connecticut, are you protected?

When you refer your clients to our Pillar To Post® franchise, you are. Unlike some other home inspection companies and many independent home inspectors, all Pillar To Post home inspectors must carry Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance.

In the process of completing the inspection and delivering our industry-leading inspection report, we take seriously our responsibility and our accountability to provide to your clients – and therefore to you – a home inspection experience that does not put you at legal risk for wrongful referral.

So why take an unnecessary risk when you don’t have to? If the home inspector you refer does not carry E&O insurance…

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Many value-enhancing home improvements can be accomplished in a weekend with minimal cost and effort. So if your weekend is free and you have the energy to put towards a series of small jobs, why not work on projects that will add value to your home?

We’ve compiled a couple of weekend projects that will add value to your home without breaking the bank.

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Ah the smell of spring is in the air and summer is soon to come! This is the time of year when your  yard and garden retake their rightful places at the center of your attention (or at least a “close second” to grandchildren if you’re anything like us!)

In light of this, we’re gonna show you a few steps that you can take to make your outdoor spaces and your home live compatibly a.k.a A Symbiotic Home, Yard, and Garden.

Rule #1: Keep water away from your house

Be sure that the ground slopes away from your house all the way around the perimeter. This ensures that any moisture from rain and sprinklers will be directed away from the foundation.

Obviously this is much easier to ensure when your home is being constructed. Even so, shoveling dirt and planting grass to create slightly higher ground close to your house is easy to do.

In addition, ensure that the base of your shrubs and other plants are kept at least 2 feet away from the foundation to avoid potential problems with roots and drainage. Keep your window wells free of debris and lined with gravel to help water drain out into the ground.

Finally, don’t leave your sprinklers on for too long. Too much water won’t do your plants or lawn any good (take it from someone who’s accidentally drowned a plant or two in her day). Plus, it may cause problems if there are drainage issues in certain areas.

Rule #2: Install the right plant in the right place

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With springtime here and warm summer weather looming on the horizon, parts of Connecticut, especially along the Long Island Sound, begin to get pretty humid. So we thought we’d talk about why controlling moisture in your crawl spaces is so important.

Now we realize that if you’re like most homeowners, you rarely pay any attention to your crawl spaces. However, moisture in crawl spaces can have serious negative effects on your home’s structure as well as your family’s health.

Moisture in crawl spaces is a common problem that can contribute to rotted sills and rim joists, mold problems, and insect infestation if not controlled. It has also been associated with health issues that can accompany mold, mildew, and other problem organisms.

So here are a few steps that you can take to reduce moisture levels in your home’s crawl spaces. Consider the following:

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Spring is in the air once again and along with it, is pollen. While many people suffer from outdoor allergies, there is also a growing number of allergy sufferers in the home. If you’re constantly sneezing coupled with sinus irritation and watery eyes, you may be thinking: “Jeez! Am I allergic to my house!?”

Household allergens can cause a variety of symptoms including sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, and shortness of breath. Allergens may also be a contributing cause of asthma, especially in your children. However, you can minimize the effects of such allergens by taking steps to control their presence and dispersal in your house. You don’t have to be allergic to your house!

The most common household allergens include dust mites, mold, mildew, pollen, and pet dander (dried flakes of skin shed by pets, particularly cats and dogs). To effectively control them, try the following combination of suggestions that, when used properly, will reduce the levels of allergens.

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