Connecticut CT Home Inspector

Electrically heated homes may experience a higher level of indoor humidity because of a lack of a chimney, and therefore, have lower rates of air exchange. Also, since the heat is only dispersed primarily through natural convection it's dispersal can be uneven. The uneven heating through an elect...

The heating flue is a pipe connected to your hot water heater, furnace or boiler that exhausts carbon monoxide to the exterior of the home. The fumes produced by combustion need to go outside or a dangerous condition exists. The pictures below show flues that are not properly connected to the chi...

The infrared camera has become a valuable tool to home inspectors. While not needed on every inspection it proves to be useful when analyzing the following: Looking at insulation inside of walls and ceilings: The camera can note gaps or missing insulation inside wall cavities not seen by the nake...

Ice Dams An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow from draining. As water backs up behind the dam, it can leak through the roof and cause damage to walls, ceilings, insulation and other areas. How do ice dams form? Ice dams are formed by an interacti...

As a Connecticut home inspector a phase I hear pretty often is "what's that pipe on my roof?" Clients usually can't imagine that checking their plumbing system is one of the things I do while climbing on their roof. The plumbing vent pipe allows sewer gasses to exit to the exterior rather than in...

Next time you find yourself in the garage take a few moments to look around and make sure the following safety features are in place: Photoelectric sensors - A photoelectric sensor consists of a photoelectric beam that extends across the garage door opening. This sensor is designed to detect an o...

When looking to purchase an older home keep an eye out for knob and tube electrical wiring (see picture, knob and tube is the round connector on the right). You may be able to spot this in an unfinished basement or attic. Knob and tube is a type of branch electrical wiring that was installed in o...

When looking at a house for sale pay some attention to the exterior siding and the landscaping. While you should always have a wood destroying insect inspection done before buying the home (commonly called a termite inspection) you can get some idea of potential problems by taking a quick look at...

For a quick read on the state of your prospective new home's heating system take a look at the maintenance tag affixed to the boiler or furnace. Heating contractors attach a tag to the heating unit upon installation and when performing a repair or tune-up. This service tag could tell you when the...

Home Inspection Tip #12Garage Doors Next time you're house shopping take a quick look at the garage area and the doors. This can give you some idea of safety concerns and repairs that could be needed: Electric garage doors should have photo-electric sensors installed at the bottoms. when the beam...