Fred Sweezer Sr.'s (sweezer) Blog

      Upgrading a Fuse System should involve a licensed electrician. Homeowners want all the technology and modern appliances that require an upgrade. I recently inspected a home that had a 60 amp fused system in good condition. All wiring is in good condition. There is no knob and tube wiring. ...

  The home inspection is a visual inspection. and many of the problems will show up in the digital photos that are taken doing the inspection. As with the photo here walking on this roof will crumble this very dry roofing material and this digtal photo will more than give a idea of the roof condi...

Why Are 203k Loans So Terrible? by Fred Sweezer Sr. 4 FHA 203k Myths Explained  Paperwork. Time. Bids. Big loan. These are all things we hear that are keeping people from taking advantage of the FHA 203k loan for home improvements, renovations and repairs. They also keep real estate agents from s...

RUN THE NUMBERS     The national average cost for an upscale bathroom remodel is roughly $26,052, according to Remodeling Magazine's 2005 Cost vs. Value report but how much a homeowner actually spends will vary. To find that magic figure, first conduct a thorough and honest examination of your fi...

The word foundation is a timeless metaphor of strength and security, and people quite naturally have genuine concerns about the foundations on which their homes rest. For this reason, people need to be educated about foundations in general and specific types in particular, and I include such info...

  FHA 203k Makes Financing Your Home Improvements Simple   Unless you have the cash in your bank account, paying for serious home improvements can prove a bit difficult in the current housing market. With falling home values over the last 4 years or so, not many people have equity built up in the...

Homeowners looking to remodel have a few options for financing the work. Most of the options, though, are more difficult to get in the current housing market. Home equity loans are rare because few homeowners have enough (if any) equity to pay for anything more than an estimate on the home improv...

Galvanic Corrosion in Long Beach older homes plumbing systems  By Fred Sweezer Sr. The Long Beach Home Inspector 1-562-234-2689 mobil  www.thelongbeachhomeinspector.com  Galvanic corrosion (also known as bimetallic corrosion or dissimilar-metal corrosion) is an electrochemical disintegration that...

Seller download our ebook on how to sell your home for a profit!   Aluminum Wiring   Due to implications in numerous house fires, the once-common practice of using aluminum wiring during the 1970s is no longer permitted in new installations in most jurisdictions. If your house has aluminum wirin...

My service area is more than 150 years old (Los Angeles) and most of the homes that I inspect have this as an issue:   Lead-based paint remains a serious threat to children’s health and well-being.  Consider the following facts:   ·         An estimated 890,000 U.S. children have too much lead in...