 Do
I have to attend the inspection?
No, but it’s highly recommended that you do. By attending the inspection,
you have the opportunity to learn about the house by staying with
the home inspector and asking questions. You will also find the report
easier to read and understand since you saw the property first hand.
If there are any major problems with the house, we will be able to
show you at the inspection so you understand the problem. This will
enable you to make a better judgment about whether to purchase the
property or not.
Are you licensed?
Yes. According to the NC General Statutes, a home inspector must be
licensed in this state by the NC Home Inspection Licensure Board to
perform home inspections for compensation. We are fully licensed in
NC as well as a member of the NC Licensed Home Inspector Association.
What is a home inspection?
According to the NC General Statutes, “a written evaluation of two
or more of the following components of a residential building: heating
system, cooling system, plumbing system, electrical system, structural
components, foundation, roof, masonry structure, exterior and interior
components, or any other related residential housing component” and
according to the NC Standards of Practice, a home inspection provides
the client with a better understanding of the property conditions,
as inspected at the time of the home inspection. A home inspector
will use their expert training and experience to visually inspect
the house and then put those findings in writing. A home inspector
works only for the client; not the buyers’ realtor, the seller or
the code officials. According to the home inspector Code of Ethics,
the inspector cannot disclose any information from the inspection
to anyone except the client without approval of the client.
What will be inspected?
Everything that can be accessed will be inspected. The worksheet we
use has more than 1,500 defects from which to choose and sometimes
we find things not on our list. A full inspection includes the foundation,
roofing system, exterior, electrical system, plumbing, heating and
air conditioning, interior, insulation and ventilation, built in appliances
and fireplaces. We go beyond the standards of practice. We check every
outlet we can get to and every window that is accessible and more.
We don’t have to provide model and serial numbers as well as other
information in the report but we do in case they are needed in the
future. We inspect every house as if we were buying it for ourselves.
What is Radon and why should I test for it?
Radon (chemical symbol Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive gas
found in soils, rock, and water throughout the U.S. It has numerous
different isotopes, but radon-220, and -222 are the most common. Radon
causes lung cancer, and is a threat to health because it tends to
collect in homes, sometimes to very high concentrations. As a result,
radon is the largest source of exposure to naturally occurring radiation.
How does radon get into the environment?
Radon-222 is the radioactive decay product of radium-226, which is
found at low concentrations in almost all rock and soil. Radon is
generated in rock and soil, and it creeps up to the outside air. Although
outdoor concentrations of radon are typically low, about 0.4 picocuries
per liter (pCi/l) of air, it can seep into buildings through foundation
cracks or openings and build up to much higher concentrations indoors.
How are people exposed to radon?
Most of the public's exposure to natural radiation comes from radon
which can accumulate in homes, schools, and office buildings. EPA
estimates that the national average indoor radon level in homes is
about 1.3 pCi/l of air. We also estimate that about 1 in 15 homes
nationwide have levels at or above the level of 4 pCi/l, the level
at which EPA recommends taking action to reduce concentrations. Levels
greater than 2,000 pCi/l of air have been measured in some homes.
How does radon get into the body?
People may ingest trace amounts of radon with food and water, However,
inhalation is the main route of entry into the body for radon and
its decay products. Radon decay products may attach to particulates
and aerosols in the air we breathe (for example, cooking oil vapors).
When they are inhaled, some of these particles are retained in the
lungs. Radon decay products also cling to tobacco leaves, which are
sticky, during the growing season, and enter the lungs when tobacco
is smoked. Smoke in indoor environments also is very effective at
picking up radon decay products from the air and making them available
for inhalation. It is likely that radon decay products contribute
significantly to the risk of lung cancer from cigarette smoke.
What does radon do once it gets into the body?
Most of the radon gas that you inhale is also exhaled. However, some
of radon's decay products attach to dusts and aerosols in the air
and are then readily deposited in the lungs. Some of these are cleared
by the lung's natural defense system, and swallowed or coughed out.
Those particles that are retained long enough release radiation damaging
surrounding lung tissues. A small amount of radon decay products in
the lung are absorbed into the blood.
How much time does a home inspection take?
The average home inspection will take an average of three hours. Houses
in poor condition could take even longer. Larger houses obviously
take more time than smaller houses and may take five hours or more.
We take all the time we need to do a thorough job.
Should the seller attend the inspection?
We don’t encourage the seller to be at the inspection but some sellers
insist on being present when someone is in their house. We understand
and can sympathize. We work for you and you alone and will not discuss
any findings with the seller. The State of North Carolina will not
allow us to reveal any findings to anyone but the client without permission.
How do I order an inspection?
Call us first to arrange a time slot or submit an order through this
website. Then contact your realtor so they can make arrangements with
the seller. We will forward the appropriate documents to you usually
via email. Then bring the paperwork to the inspection and learn about
your new house.
I’m buying a brand new house, why do I need an inspection?
Face it; houses are just not built as well as they were years ago.
Rushed to meet deadlines carpenters sometimes fail to wait for plumbers
and heating & air people. They put up beams and walls that block pipes
and air ducts. Plumbers are forced to cut through structural beams
to lay their pipes. Heating & air people do the same for vents. Time
is money and when push comes to shove, money wins every time. Have
your new house inspected while the builder is responsible, before
you close. |
