​Water, as we are well aware, is a vital part of our life.  Having a steady supply of water that is safe and reliable, then, is crucial, but how much do we actually know about our household’s water supply?  Do we even know what source it comes from? Considering how important it is to our health, it’s worth finding out.
 
As to the source of your households’ water, that really depends on where you live, whether you live in a rural location or a more densely populated area such as a city or large town.  For those living in highly populated areas, the most likely source of water is a reservoir.  This could be located some miles away and is referred to as a “surface” water source.
 
What about if you live in a more rural location?  Your water supply would most probably be from a well which is filled by an underground reservoir, or aquifer. 
 
How can you tell if this water is safe?  A lot depends not just on the water itself but also the surrounding land and what it is being used for.  For example, is it used for industrial purposes or is it farmland?  The term used when referring to the surrounding land is “the water shed”.
 
While you may find this information useful, perhaps your wondering how you can find out about the water source for your specific location.  It is possible to find out about your areas water supply by contacting your water supply company.  Since 1999, suppliers of community water are required to have this information available to its consumers by providing an annual report.  In this report you will find information on where the water comes from and also what kinds of contaminates might have been found in it.  In this way, you will be able to make informed choices for you and your household.

​If you have recently moved into your new home, you will likely be recovering from the whole stressful process.  We are aware it takes some time to settle into your new home and unpack, but after that, what comes next for the maintenance of the home?  Before buying the house, you will have had a thorough home inspection performed on it, so maybe you feel there is no need to worry about it for a while.
 
The following video will help you to have a better idea of what types of home maintenance you will want to start thinking about.  Getting into a good routine straight away will help to prevent bigger maintenance jobs in the future.  If you would like more advice on this or any home inspection question, please feel free to contact us.
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​Who doesn’t love summer time, relaxing by the pool.  Children in particular are happy to spend hours swimming and playing in the pool.  However, if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, how can you ensure the safety of any children who will be using it?  
 
Too many small children perish each year from drowning.  Those at greatest risk are children under 5yrs of age.  Why? Because a child can drown so quickly, in any body of water and usually silently.  This means a child could have drowned before anyone realizes they are even missing.  So, what are some safety measures that must be taken to protect children?
 
Pool barriers are an important safety factor if you have a swimming pool on your property.  Whether it’s some kind of fence or wall, a pool barrier must meet specific guidelines provided for pool barriers.  They must be of adequate height to prevent a child from climbing over.  If the barrier is a fence, there should be the correct amount of spacing so as to prevent a small child from squeezing through and it should not be possible for a child to be able to get under it.
 
Even in the case of above ground pools, hot tubs and spas, there must be some safety measure in place to prevent a child accessing the water when no one is around.
 
If the walls of the home act as the pool barrier, make sure any doors that have direct access to the pool are fitted with an alarm that will sound when the doors are opened.  It is best for the alarm sound to be distinguishable from any other sound heard in the house and loud enough to be heard throughout the home.  In this way it will be easy to detect when someone has opened the doors.
 
We know you’ll agree that nothing is more important than a child’s safety and by following the regulations for pool barriers you will help protect your precious family members.

​Do you need to have some work done on your home?  Perhaps you are looking to hire someone for the job but are worried about whether or not they will be honest.  How can you find a trades person that is trustworthy?  Here are a few tips on what to look for in an honest worker:
 
While you may need to pay a small deposit for the work up front, you should not be asked to pay for the whole job or even a large deposit before the work has even started.
 
The job should be the same price whether you live in a wealthy neighborhood or a not so wealthy neighborhood.  Sometimes people living in wealthier areas are quoted a higher price than others.  If you are calling around for quotes, try to avoid giving out your address before you get the price.
 
Be wary of being charged for “unforeseen extras” with a job.  The best thing to do is to get a fixed price ahead of time for the whole job and have it all written down in a contract.
 
An honest tradesperson will not mind producing their credentials.  You want to make sure the person is qualified and insured for the job you are hiring them to do.
 
Scam artists like to prey on those most vulnerable, such as elderly ones.  Be careful of tradespeople who are too pushy and try to convince you to have the work done there and then.  Ask them for their address and ask for details about their previous jobs and the locations of these.  If the person is honest, they will have no problem giving the information you require and will not try to get you to make a decision about the job straight away.
 
You can find good, honest workers out there and by following some of these suggestions, you can avoid those who are not so honest.

​It’s a wonderful feeling to move into your brand-new home and be the first people to live there.  You also have the added benefit that most builders provide with their new construction, and that’s a 1-year warranty that will cover you for any issues that may come up.  What happens, though, if there is a problem with the house that you are not aware of and may not be until after the warranty expires?
 
An 11-month home inspection is an ideal way to find out any problems with the home before the warranty expires.  The highlighted video will help you to see the benefits of getting this type of inspection performed.  You may save a lot of money in the long run.
 
We are here to help you with all your home inspection needs so please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. 
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​Perhaps you have seen properties on the market for sale “as is” and wondered if it is a good idea to purchase a home in this way.  Let’s look at some of the ways you can be successful when purchasing a property like this.
 
Very often a seller will want to sell a property this way so as to avoid being liable for any potential defects or because they don’t want the expense of fixing it up to sell.  If the price is right for you, this could be a great investment but there are some things you should do before you hand over your hard-earned cash.
 
Hire a home inspector to take a look at the property.  Although it comes “as is” its good to know exactly what your letting yourself in for and, while you will be able to see the obvious problems, you will need a more thorough inspection to see those hidden issues.
 
But what about those States that require a seller to give you a written disclosure which shows the condition of the home?  Surely its not necessary to have the home inspected as well is it?  Very often, a seller will omit important information regarding the condition of the property so, even if you receive a written disclosure, it might not be all you need.  A home inspector will find out if anything has been left out of the disclosure.  If you find this to be the case, you might want to walk away from the deal.
 
Yes, buying a property “as is” can be a great option but, be cautious, have a home inspection performed first.  Although it may seem like a needless expense, it could end up saving you thousands.

​Due to the below grade positioning of basements, they are the most likely place to experience damp and flooding in the home.  As we know all too well, this can lead to a variety of issues such as poor air quality and mold problems, even rotting of the foundations.  Although there are many reasons why a basement could be damp (some of which are harder to treat) what are some ways we can prevent water from entering a basement? 
 
Pooling water around the homes foundation is a major reason that basements become damp.  This pooling is often caused by leaking gutters and downspouts.  Check that they are properly installed and that gutters are cleaned out regularly.  It’s important that water is diverted away from the foundation, so downspouts need to be positioned to drain away from the house in order to prevent pooling, 10 feet away is best.
 
Another reason for water to pool around the foundation is if there is an uneven or inadequate grade (or slope).  To fix this problem, you may need to even out some of the uneven areas.
 
If your home is situated at the base of a hill or incline, water may need to be diverted away from the house.  One way of doing this is with small ditches known as swales.  These swales ideally need to be about 10 to 15 feet away from the house in order to prevent water runoff from getting to the houses foundation
 
While there are many options for treating water damage in a basement, doing whatever we can to prevent it is the best kind of treatment.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions or if you would like to schedule an inspection of your basement.

​Most of the time we don’t even think twice about the doors in our home.  While much care and attention are taken when installing and inspecting an exterior door, there is not as much notice taken to the interior doors.  This is probably because interior doors are usually not considered as serving much of a purpose other than privacy. 

But, what is some red flags we can look at with regard to interior doors, that could lead to a valid concern in a house? Well to start off, you should look, not at the doors of the house but the foundation.  If there has been movement in the house or the floor are uneven this usually means that the door frames will not be square or even, which means the doors will have a challenging time closing or opening.

 It is also important to take notice of the quality of the doors and the installation.  If installed improperly, it could affect the energy costs and the sound containment.  Other aspects that will be affected without proper installation would be the shape of the door, it could be warped, or the hardware is not functioning properly. 

Another concern to be aware of is to ensure that all areas of the door are properly finished.  If one of the edges is not painted or varnished (which happens often with the top of the door) this would affect the moisture intake and could warp the door over time. Another factor that raises a red flag with interior doors are the safety issues that could arise.  Especially if you have kids, it would be a good idea to have pinch protection hardware installed on some of the doors in order to prevent accidents.  It is also important to ensure that all doors can be easily opened and walked through, in case of an emergency.

​These are some red flags that are often overlooked with interior doors.

​Do you currently have your home on the market?  Perhaps you are about to sell it.  When selling your home, you have to be prepared for a lot of work, and sometimes inconvenience.  What happens then, when you have a potential buyer for your home?  They will, no doubt, be arranging to have a home buyer’s inspection performed on your property.  How can you make sure you are thoroughly prepared for this?
 
Please enjoy the following short video which will guide you through the steps you need to take to prepare for the home buyers inspection.  Remember that the easier it is for the home inspector, the easy it will be for you.  Please feel free to contact us with any questions.

We are fast approaching the end of the year and doubtless you have thought of which home improvements will need doing next year.  If you have well water, have you thought about getting it tested?  This may be something often overlooked, but the reality is, it is a vital step to the health and well being of you and your household.


Please watch this brief video that highlights the reasons why it is crucial that you have your well water tested.  It also lets you know how often this should be done.


We want you all to stay safe in your homes, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.