Choosing the Right Home Inspector

Buying a home? It’s probably the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap home inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the value of the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring an InterNACHI-Certified Professional Inspector® is almost insignificant.  Choosing the right home inspector can be tough with all of your options out there.

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You have recently been crunching the numbers, negotiating offers, adding up closing costs, shopping for mortgages, and trying to get the best deals. Don’t stop now. Don’t let your real estate agent, a “patty-cake” inspector, or anyone else talk you into skimping here.  InterNACHI-certified inspectors  perform the best inspections by far. 

InterNACHI-certified inspectors earn their fees many times over. They do more, they deserve more, and — yes — they generally charge a little more. Do yourself a favor… and pay a little more for the quality inspection you deserve.

The licensing of home inspectors only sets a minimum standard. Much like being up to code, any less would be illegal.  Imaginary people, children, psychics (who claim to “sense” if a house is OK) and even pets can theoretically be home inspectors.  InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, front-ends its membership requirements.

InterNACHI inspectors:

  • have to pass InterNACHI’s Online Inspector Examination, and re-take and pass it every three years (it’s free and open to everyone, and free to re-take);
  • have to complete InterNACHI’s online Code of Ethics Course (free to take after joining, and self-paced);
  • have to take InterNACHI’s online Standards of Practice Course (free to take after joining, and self-paced);
  • must submit a signed Membership Affidavit;
  • substantially adhere to InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice;
  • abide by InterNACHI’s Code of Ethics;
  • have to submit four mock inspection reports to InterNACHI’s Report Review Committee (for free) before performing their first paid home inspection for a client if the candidate has never performed a fee-paid home inspection previously;
  • within the first year of membership, have to successfully pass the following free online, accredited, and self-paced courses and exams:
    • InterNACHI’s “Safe Practices for the Home Inspector” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “25 Standards Every Inspector Should Know” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “Residential Plumbing Overview for Inspectors” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Perform Residential Electrical Inspections” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Perform Roof Inspections” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Inspect HVAC Systems” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “Structural Issues for Home Inspectors” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Perform Exterior Inspections” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Inspect the Attic, Insulation, Ventilation and Interior” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Perform Deck Inspections” course,
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Inspect for Moisture Intrusion” course, and
    • InterNACHI’s “How to Inspect Fireplaces, Stoves, and Chimneys” course.
  • have to pursue inspection-related training by taking 24 hours of additional accredited Continuing Education each year;
  • have to maintain their Online Continuing Education Log (free), per InterNACHI’s rigorous Continuing Education policy;
  • have access to InterNACHI’s Message Board for exchanging information and tips with colleagues and experts;
  • have access to InterNACHI’s “What’s New” section so that they can keep up with the latest news and events in the inspection industry;
  • have access to InterNACHI’s time-tested Inspection Agreement, which keeps them (and you) away from lawsuits;
  • have access to InterNACHI’s Report Review/Mentoring Service;
  • have to carry E&O Insurance (if their state requires it);
  • have access to a real estate agent Hold-Harmless Clause;
  • and have access to many other benefits, training, marketing tools and information to help themselves, as well as consumers and real estate professionals, provided for free by the world’s largest inspector association.
So, the next time you need a home inspector (or need to refer your clients to one), make sure that inspector is a member of InterNACHI.  https://www.nachi.org/blindc.htm
Red Horse Home Inspection is proud to service the Black Hills of South Dakota including Rapid City, Sturgis, Piedmont, Black Hawk, Spearfish, Lead, Deadwood, Custer, Hot Springs, Hill City, Keystone, Hermosa, Box Elder, and surrounding areas.  Schedule your home inspection today.
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Pre-Listing Inspection

Eventually, your buyers are going to conduct an inspection. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting a pre-listing inspection. As the seller it is a good idea to get a pre-listing inspection performed ahead of time.  This helps in many ways, such as:

  • It allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical and neutral third party.
  • It alerts you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home.
  • It may alert you to items of immediate concern, such as radon gas or active termite infestation.
  • It permits you to make repairs ahead of time so that …
  • Defects won’t become negotiating stumbling blocks later.
  • There is no delay in obtaining the Use and Occupancy Permit.
  • You have the time to get reasonably priced contractors or make the repairs yourself, if qualified.
  • It helps you to price your home realistically.
  • It may relieve prospects’ concerns and suspicions.
  • It may encourage the buyer to waive his inspection contingency.
  • It reduces your liability by adding professional supporting documentation to your disclosure statement.

Never hire an inspector who is not a member of InterNACHI, which provides the most trusted and rigorous training for inspectors in the industry.

Copies of the inspection report, along with receipts for any repairs, should be made available to potential buyers.  This article is from InterNACHI and can be found at https://www.nachi.org/sellersinspection.htm
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What Matters in a Home Inspection

Buying a home?

 So what really matters in a home inspection?  The process can be stressful.  A home inspection is supposed to give you peace of mind but, depending on the findings, it may have the opposite effect. You will be asked to absorb a lot of information over a short period of time.  Your inspection will entail a written report, including checklists and photos, and what the inspector tells you during the inspection. All of this combined with the seller’s disclosure and what you notice yourself can make the experience overwhelming. What should you do?  Here is what matters in a home inspection.
Relax.
Home inspectors are professionals, and if yours is a member of InterNACHI, then you can trust that he is among the most highly trained in the industry. Most of your inspection will be related to maintenance recommendations and minor imperfections. These are good to know about.

However, the issues that really matter will fall into four categories:

  1. major defects, such as a structural failure;
  2. conditions that can lead to major defects, such as a roof leak;
  3. issues that may hinder your ability to finance, legally occupy, or insure the home if not rectified immediately; and
  4. safety hazards, such as an exposed, live buss bar at the electrical panel.

Anything in these categories should be addressed as soon as possible. Often, a serious problem can be corrected inexpensively to protect both life and property (especially in categories 2 and 4).

Most sellers are honest and are often surprised to learn of defects uncovered during an inspection. It’s important to realize that a seller is under no obligation to repair everything mentioned in your inspection report. No house is perfect. Keep things in perspective.
And remember that homeownership is both a joyful experience and an important responsibility, so be sure to call on your InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector® to help you devise an annual maintenance plan that will keep your family safe and your home in top condition for years to come.
https://www.nachi.org/articles/articles.htm#general
Schedule your home inspection today with Red Horse Home Inspection today.  I am proud to service the Black Hills including Rapid City, Sturgis, Spearfish, Custer, Lead, Deadwood, Hot Springs, Keystone, Hill City, Hermosa, Box Elder and surrounding areas.
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5 Common Defects Found During Home Inspection

As a home inspector, we come across a lot of the same issues.  I wanted to share 5 common defects found during a home inspection.  Some of these issues could have been easily prevented with education.  Others can be fixed before they cause damage and cause costly repairs.  Let’s take a look at the 5 common defects found during a home inspection and how to fix or prevent them.

Defect #1:  Foundation Clearance to Grade

The soil around your home’s perimeter should be a minimum of 6″ below brick and 8″ below siding or stucco.  This clearance is there to prevent water from intruding during heavy rain.  It also helps water from splashing up and soaking into the siding.   Sometimes planters or gardens are installed against a homes brick or siding.  This can lead to water infiltration and cause damage to siding, sill plate, rim and floor joist, and drywall.  Make sure the grading slopes away form your home, it should slope 6″ in the first 10′.

Defect #2:  Attic Ventilation

Attics should be ventilated.  This is to guard against moisture build-up and mold formation.  It also extends the life of the roof covering.  Many times exhaust fans are not vented to the exterior of the home like they should be and are vented into the attic.  This adds moisture to the attic and can lead to a mold issue.  Proper attic ventilation can help prevent ice dams, too.  The best ventilation would be continuous ridge and soffit vents.

Defect #3:  Gutter and Downspout Placement

Gutters and downspouts carry water from the roof away from the foundation.  Downspouts should not drain onto lower roofs.  This can damage the roof and void manufacture’s warranty.   They should drain into a lower gutter or drain at least 6′ away from the home’s foundation.  These two tips will keep your basement dry and prevent damage to your roof.

 

 

Defect #4:  Structure Damaged Caused by Plumbing

Some times joist, studs, and foundations can be damaged when pipes are ran for plumbing. Lack of planning can lead to the home’s structure being modified without engineers approval.  Most of the times these issues can’t be seen, that is why a phase inspection is recommended during the construction.

Defect #5:  Lack of GFCI

Over the years the requirement for GFCI’s in your home have changed.  Most homes are not up to the current safety standards.  GFCI’s are required in garages, bathrooms, kitchens, exterior receptacles, swimming pools, wet bar, crawlspaces, and laundry areas.  If your home’s electrical system has not been updated with GFCI’s, we highly recommend it.

Schedule your home inspection today.

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Goals of a Home Inspection

At Red Horse Home Inspection LLC, we have five goals for every home we inspect.  Our first goal is to identify major defects that could lead to costly repairs for the home buyer.  No one wants to pay out for costly repairs after moving in to their new home.  Our second goal is to give the home buyer an overall condition of the home.  This could include identifying any deferred maintenance issues, pointing out issues that could lead to future problems.  The third goal is to identify safety issues. This could include pointing out trip and fall hazards around the property, identifying unsafe decks and guardrails and informing you of electrical issues that could be dangerous.  The forth goal is to educate our clients about their new home.  We make sure that you know where the main water and gas shutoffs are located.  Let you know what type of energy is used to heat and cool your home.  We will try and answer any questions you have about your home the day of the inspection or you can call us anytime and we will be happy to answer any questions you have.  Our final goal is you let you know the age of all your major components.  This includes water heaters, central heating and cooling system, refrigerator, and oven.  With every inspection we give our clients a home maintenance book which includes a life expectancy chart for almost all components of your home.  This will give you an idea on how long your components will last before needing replaced.  Red Horse Home Inspection is proud to service Rapid City, Sturgis, Spearfish, Deadwood, Lead, Custer, Hot Springs, Keystone, Hill City, Hermosa, Summerset, Box Elder and surrounding areas.  If you are ready to schedule you home inspection please call 605-490-2916 or schedule online.

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Attached Garage Fire Hazards

by Nick Gromicko, CMI® and Kenton Shepard
This article is about attached garage fire hazards and the purpose of this article is two fold. First, at InterNACHI, we’d like you to take measures to keep your attached garage free from fire. Fortunately, there are ways these hazards can be reduced, some of which are described below. Secondly, garage fires do happen, and we’d like you to make sure that a fire cannot not easily spread to the rest of your house. While you can perform many of the recommendations in this article yourself, it is a good idea to hire an InterNACHI inspector to make sure your home is safe from attached garage fire.

Why do many garages pose a fire hazard?

  • Where are you most likely to do any welding, or any work on your car? These activities require working with all sorts of flammable materials.
  • Water heaters and boilers are usually stored in garages, and they can create sparks that may ignite fumes or fluids. Car batteries, too, will spark under certain conditions.
  • Oil and gasoline can drip from cars. These fluids may collect unnoticed and eventually ignite, given the proper conditions.
  • Flammable liquids, such as gasoline, motor oil and paint are commonly stored in garages. Some other examples are brake fluid, varnish, paint thinner and lighter fluid.

The following tips can help prevent garage fires and their spread:

  • If the garage allows access to the attic, make sure a hatch covers this access.
  • The walls and ceiling should be fire-rated. Unfortunately, it will be difficult for untrained homeowners to tell if their walls are Type X fire-rated gypsum. An InterNACHI inspector can examine the walls and ceiling to make sure they are adequate fire barriers.
  • The floor should be clear of clutter. Loose papers, matches, oily rags, and other potentially  flammable items are extremely dangerous if they are strewn about the garage floor.
  • Use light bulbs with the proper wattage, and do not overload electrical outlets.
  • Tape down all cords and wires so they are not twisted or accidentally yanked.

If there is a door that connects the garage to the living area, consider the following:

  • Do not install a pet door in the door! Flames can more easily spread into the living area through a pet door, especially if it’s made of plastic.
  • Does the door have a window? An InterNACHI inspector can inspect the window to tell if it’s fire-rated.
  • The door should be self-closing. While it may be inconvenient, especially while carrying groceries into the house from the car, doors should be self-closing. You never know when a fire will happen, and it would be unfortunate to accidentally leave the door open while a fire is starting in the garage.
  • Check the joints and open spaces around the door. Are they tightly sealed? Any openings at all can allow dangerous fumes, such as carbon monoxide or gasoline vapor, to enter the living area. An InterNACHI inspector can recommend ways to seal the door so that fumes cannot enter the living area.

Concerning items placed on the floor, you should check for the following:

  • Store your flammable liquids in clearly labeled, self-closing containers, and only in small amounts. Keep them away from heaters, appliances, pilot lights and other sources of heat or flame.
  • Never store propane tanks indoors. If they catch fire, they can explode. Propane tanks are sturdy enough to be stored outdoors.
In summary, there are plenty of things that you can do to prevent garage fires from spreading to the rest of the house, or to keep them from starting in the first place. However, it is highly recommended that you have your garage periodically examined by an InterNACHI inspector.
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