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Raleigh Home Inspector: ASHI Survey – Home Inspections Boost Confidence

October 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector: ASHI Survey – Home Inspections Boost Homebuyers Confidence

ASHI SURVEY REVEALS HOME INSPECTIONS BOOST HOMEBUYERS CONFIDENCE IN 88 PERCENT OF U.S. RESPONDENTS Results indicate people are more likely to purchase a distressed property, including foreclosures and short sales, following a professional home inspection.

• 88 percent of respondents say home inspections increase their confidence about the condition of any property.

• More than four in five think foreclosures and short sales can be good deals.

• 84 percent of respondents say they would be more likely to purchase a distressed (foreclosed or short sale) property after a home inspection deemed it in good condition.

• Consumers are uncertain of the services traditionally included in a home inspection.

• The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) is the Gold Standard of Home Inspectors.

Raleigh Home Inspector provides confidence for Home-Buyers

Your Raleigh Home Inspector will assist you in making a confident purchasing decision

To see the entire survey, visit ASHI.org……

We know that confidence leads to success and to satisfaction in many endeavors and purchasing a home is no different. If you know that you made a great decision, then you’ll feel great about you purchase.  A Home Inspection is just one of your due diligence tools that you should use to ensure a confident decision.

Let the Raleigh Home Inspector assist you with your confidence level in your home-buying decision. We’re good at it….and we look forward to helping you.

Contact the Raleigh Home Inspector today at 919-848-4833 to schedule your home inspection today. Or Schedule Online….

 

 

 

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Raleigh Home Inspector On: What To Do About Home Inspection Repairs?

May 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector On: What To Do About Home Inspection Repairs?

Your Raleigh Home Inspector often gets asked what to do about repair or correction of items that might have been discovered during a Home Inspection.

So, your home inspection is complete and you’ve just received your Home Inspection report. What to do, now?

Inspection reports should identify issues relating to the condition of the home that are safety items, items that aren’t functioning as intended, or items that either warrant further investigation by some other professional or that are in need of being monitored over time for any future change. Any or all of these might warrant your attention as an item that might need to be repaired. The questions then become which items are going to be repaired?… And who is going to pay for those repairs?

Raleigh Home Inspection Repairs

What Items will be repaired? And who will pay for those repairs?

As for which items are going to be repaired, that’s often directly stipulated by your real estate Offer To Purchase contract…the agreement that you have between you and the seller of the home. Keep in mind that some of the items contained in your inspection report might not correlate with items that are able to be requested of the seller to be repaired. It all depends on the laws, in your local area, that pertain to real estate transactions. Your best bet is to consult with your professional real estate agent or attorney…they’ll be familiar with the particulars of your contract. Another consideration is your comfort level with the repairs…some people are comfortable making some of the repairs themselves…others might not want to tackle any of the repairs. Some repairs, such as those involving structural, air conditioning and heating, or electrical concerns are most always best left to the professionals.

Now…who is going to pay for those repairs? This is often the most contentious of topics in the transaction. There are usually a few different ways to handle it:

You could choose to pay for the repairs yourself and not ask the seller to do anything – this is usually dependent on how good of a deal your got on the sale price of the home.

You could accept a consideration of the purchase price in the anticipated amount of the repairs and then contract for those repairs yourself…the repairs would get completed by your contractors under your direction

You could ask the sellers to make the repairs – with this option, you generally have no direct input or control over the quality of the repairs

Know the pertinent legalities, determine your comfort level, consult with professionals, and…enjoy your new home!

 

Contact Quality Residential Inspections and your Raleigh Home Inspector to get a top-of-the-line professional Raleigh Home Inspection from Gary Gentry…a Certified ASHI Inspector!

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How Long Will It Take For Your Raleigh Home Inspection?

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

How Long Will It Take For Your Raleigh Home Inspection?

Your professional Raleigh Home Inspection can’t be completed in just  a few minutes…it takes time to go through a home and make assessment of the function, configuration, and condition of all of the various materials, components, and systems that comprise the residential dwelling.

So how long does it take? Here are a few factors that directly relate to the time it will take for a Home Inspection to be performed:

The size of the home – Obviously, larger homes will take longer to inspect. There is, simply, more real estate to cover and more systems that need to be evaluated. A small home in excellent condition can be inspected much more quickly than a very large mansion in an equally as good condition. The age of the home – This factor is very important. Older homes take longer to inspect because there are more potential issues that might be present…and there has been more time during which problems could develop or for the effects of deferred maintenance to become apparent. While older homes are usually somewhat more difficult to inspect, they are often very interesting to inspect. Older homes take longer to inspect than newer homes.

The previous use of the home – A home that has been used as a rental property often has more defects because of a general neglect of the property that is often apparent. While this is not always so, it’s quite common for rental properties to be in less than pristine condition. The same rationale is able to be aptly applied to many homes that have entered foreclosure.

The experience level of the Home Inspector – An experienced Home Inspector can perform a Home Inspection faster than one that may not have a great deal of experience…this just stands to reason, right? Generally, though, the time it takes to accomplish an inspection is not directly related to the quality of the inspection.

On average, the inspection of a 2500 to 3000 square foot home, that’s less than 25 years of age will typically take an experienced inspector somewhere around 2.5 to 3 hours to inspect. This time, though, often does not include the time it will take to generate the resulting inspection report. That 2.5 to 3 hour number can be used as a baseline to which some of the other noted considerations can be applied to arrive at close estimate.

For more information about what you might expect from your Raleigh Home Inspection,visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

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The Raleigh Home Inspector Asks: Do Those Light Bulbs Convey?

April 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I was inspecting a home not too long ago, which isn’t all that unusual given that it’s what I do as a professional Raleigh Home Inspector, when I made an observation that set me to thinking.

We all know that the ”Green” movement is in full swing. We’re aware that things are changing, that things are moving in a direction where energy efficiency and the use of environmentally friendly products are becoming more the “norm” than the exception. We’re all more environmentally aware than we used to be…and that’s probably a good a good thing.

Recently, I was performing a home inspection when I made an observation that set me to thinking; my observation concerned the type, quality…and quantity…of light bulbs that were installed in this particular home.

Consider the newer types of light bulbs as they relate to energy use and efficiency. Newer types of much more energy efficient light bulbs are now available and in common use in the residential setting. What’s the big deal about that you might wonder. Well, lets consider those light bulbs on a different level than you might have previously considered.

There are three basic types of light bulbs in common residential use:

The Raleigh Home Inspector on 3 Different Types of Light Bulbs

Do Those Expensive LED Light Bulbs Convey With The Property?

1) The vast majority of bulbs in use today are incandescent bulbs, They come in various wattage ratings and are relatively very cheap; they can be bought just about anywhere (for now at least) and will last from between 1000 and 2000 hours depending on quality. A 60 watt bulb, which is a very common size, can be bought for as little as $0.50 each…less than that if you buy them in bulk and on sale.

2) You are likely familiar with the newer compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. These are bulbs that are quite a bit more expensive but that will last considerably longer. A 15 Watt CFL bulb, which is the equivalent of that 60 watt incandescent bulb, can last for as many as 10,000 hours of use and can cost anywhere from $3.00 to as much as $15.00 depending on quality.

3) Then we have the much newer Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs. These bulbs can last a very long time…25,000 to 100,000 hours or more…and that’s a very long time. They are, though, considerably more expensive to purchase. LED bulbs can cost from between $20.00 to as much as $80.00 each for high quality bulbs, again, dependent on size and design.

Which brings us back to that house about which I made reference earlier. In this particular house, just about every light bulb…and I mean most all of them in the house with the exception of maybe a few in closets or storage spaces that see little use…had been replaced with very high quality, and very expensive, LED light bulbs. Now, I didn’t go around and count each individual light bulb, but I hypothesized that there were over 50 such light bulbs in the home. If one were to assign a very conservative median value of, say, $25.00 to each light bulb, then there would be at least $1250.00 worth of light bulbs in the home. The total value of the installed bulbs, therefore, was much more than a typical water heater…or a built-in dishwasher. In fact, for that amount of money, one could easily replace the water heater and the dishwasher in the average home and still have a few dollars left over. I suspect that negotiations during real estate transactions have become…heated…over far less dollar amounts than that.

I was left wondering whether or not the presence of those light bulbs had been considered as a value added to the home. Because, certainly, they do provide a long term value and benefit both in reduced energy consumption on a daily basis and on a replacement value basis as well since some of them may not have to be replaced for a very, very long time. Were those light bulbs going to be there when the new buyers moved in? Had they been a part of any discussion? From a Home Inspection perspective, if electricity flows and the light fixture functions when the wall switch is operated, then all is usually well.

At the end of the day, though, and on an entirely different level, I couldn’t help but wonder…do all of those expensive LED light bulbs convey with the sale of the property?

This original article was written by Gary Gentry, Owner of Quality Residential Inspections…your Raleigh Home Inspection firm, as a guest post for the good folks at Fonville Morisey Realty for publication in their Faces of Fonville blog.  Fonville Morisey Realty is a leading real estate company, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, that provides a wide range of  professional services to people engaged in the process of buying or selling a home.


 

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Raleigh Home Inspector Asks: Is Your Clothes Dryer Quietly Trying To Kill You!

February 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The following original article was written by Gary Gentry, The Raleigh Home Inspector, as a guest post for the good folks at Fonville Morisey Realty for publication in their Faces of Fonville blog. Fonville Morisy Realty is a leading real estate company, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, that routinely provides important professional assistance to people engaged in the process of buying or selling a home. Many thanks to Lisa Sullivan for allowing Quality Residential Inspections to be a contributor!

Raleigh Home Inspector Asks: Is Your Clothes Dryer Quietly Trying To Kill You?

A rather startling question posed by the Raleigh Home Inspector considering that most of us, an estimated 8 out of 10 households, have a clothes dryer in our home and that they’re used on a regular, consistent basis without too much thought. What mighty fine pieces of modern marvel they are, too…those ole’ trusty clothes dryers! They certainly make life easier and they’re generally safe to operate. Let’s be honest, though…we take our clothes dryers for granted! We wash our clothes, toss em’ in the dryer, and expect that the end result will be an uneventful load of nice, dry, clean-smelling laundry. Indeed, that is the usual result. However, as with many of the relatively complex systems that comprise a home environment, there are some safety considerations to ponder and of which we need to maintain an awareness.

Again, clothes dryers are generally safe…as long as they’re properly installed, well vented, and receive periodic maintenance. Maintenance, you say? You mean like changing the oil in the family car? Well, yes…precisely that sort of routine maintenance albeit on, perhaps, a less frequent basis. The clothes dryer and its venting system need…no, require, periodic maintenance to keep you safe and to dry your clothes as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. Let’s examine those two concepts as they relate to clothes dryers…those of safety and of monetary efficiency.

As for the safety aspect, it’s really fairly simple. Your clothes dryer has the potential to catch fire and burn your house down. And, most unfortunately, a resulting house fire can kill you! Have I acquired your attention? Between 2004 and 2006, according to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), there were an estimated 15,600 related residential fires that required a fire department response. Those fires caused an estimated annual monetary loss of $99 Million, 400 injuries, and 15 fatalities. The leading cause of those fires was determined to be a failure to maintain the system. What causes these expensive, and sometimes deadly, clothes dryer related fires in the first place?

Clothes dryers do their job by forcing heated air through a rotating drum that contains your load of laundry. As the moisture is released, lint is created from the fibers of the content…clothing, towels, etc. Most of the lint is filtered by the clothes dryer filter…the one we are familiar with that’s usually located inside the door or on top of the unit; most of us are familiar with the need to clean that filter after every load of laundry. But some of that lint makes it past the filter and can collect in the ductwork between the clothes dryer and the exhaust hood (the discharge end of the duct that should…should, I say, be located be at the exterior of the building). The accumulation of lint inside the ductwork, or in an uncleaned filter, serves to create a restriction to the airflow and a concentration of lint which is a very combustible fuel source.

The Raleigh Home Inspector On: Clothes Dryer Duct Types

The Raleigh Home Inspector knows some types ofclothes dryer ducts are better than others

As a Raleigh Home Inspector and owner of a Raleigh Home Inspection firm, I routinely observe and report on clothes dryer ducts that are in very poor condition. Often, the types of installed ducts are conducive to venting problems. There are generally four different types of ducts. There are rigid metal ducts that are smooth on the inside; these are by far the safest types of ducts because they aren’t prone to sagging and are relatively easily cleaned. There are semi-rigid, semi-flexible ducts that are not quite as “good” as rigid metal ducts but are also a reasonable choice. And then there are the other two types…flexible foil and flexible plastic. These latter two types account for the majority of deficient issues that I see relating to clothes dryer ducts. They are thin, are prone to sagging and to physical damage, are not able to be readily cleaned, and should just plainly be avoided. Those plastic ducts will not only do absolutely nothing to contain a fire should one start in or near the duct, they will actually readily burn themselves…bad, bad, bad! Then there’s the “failure to clean” aspect where the duct is mostly blocked with lint. It’s these conditions of improperly installed ductwork, the use of unsafe or improper ductwork, or a failure to maintain the cleanliness of the ducts that cause the most troublesome issues. It’s worthy of note that most all manufacturers of clothes dryers disallow the use of those horrid plastic flexible ducts; nonetheless, they continue to be used in many homes…even in newer homes! Also worthy of note is that, in most jurisdictions, those plastic flexible ducts have never been allowed to penetrate floors or walls… but that’s a commonly observed configuration as well.

Raleigh Home Inspector On Clothes Dryer Duct Safety

The Raleigh Home Inspector routinely observes damaged clothes dryer ducts

Even when an acceptable material has been installed, ductwork can be damaged e.g. that portion of the duct that is behind the dryer between the dryer and the wall. Dryer duct hoods can get bent or become clogged with lint. Or, the back-draft damper of the hood can be incapacitated such that it doesn’t fully close; when this occurs, vermin such as rodents and insects can enter the duct or birds can enter the duct and build nests that can severely restrict or block the airflow.

As for the monetary efficiency of the operation of your clothes dryer (meaning the amount of money you’ll spend to operate it), that’s fairly simple, too. A dryer that’s not well vented, that has a clogged filter, or that has a partially or wholly clogged vent duct has to work all that much harder, and longer, to dry your clothes. Any or all of those conditions will contribute you to having to spend more of your hard-earned money to operate the dryer and can directly (and quickly I might add) lead to outright failure of the dryer. Simply put, it’ll cost you more money to do your laundry while your clothes dryer approaches its pending failure. Then, when it quits, you’ll have the unanticipated opportunity to plunk down a considerable amount of money to replace it. Now, to me, that doesn’t sound like a pleasant scenario. Does it to you?

So…what can you do to prevent potential catastrophe and operate your clothes dryer as efficiently as possible? First, clean your clothes dryer duct, or have it cleaned, on a regular basis; annually might be good starting point but some systems might require more frequent cleaning. Second, make sure that the duct system is in a safe and fully functional condition. Have a professional assess the condition and configuration of the system in your home. Such a professional might be a licensed Home Inspector or a licensed Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) professional…either of these types of professionals should be able to assess your system and make pertinent recommendations. In many instances where flexible foil or flexible plastic ducts are installed, a recommendation to replace those types of ductwork with a more suitable product, one that is both safer and is more readily cleaned, would not be unreasonable.

In summary, clothes dryers are great inventions that make our lives easier on a daily basis. However, we tend to take them for granted and, if not well installed or properly maintained, they can be problematic. An improperly configured duct system, or the use of certain types of dryer ducts, or a failure to maintain the system can lead to an excessive consumption of your money. Much worse and of greater import, these deficiencies can cause a house fire that can take your life or cause significant damage to your home. Inspect your system and its installation, or have it evaluated by a professional and repaired or corrected as needed…the condition of your wallet, and maybe even your very life, may depend on it!

To read other articles written by Gary Gentry, your Raleigh Home Inspector, visit his eZine Expert Author Page.

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Raleigh Home Inspector Earns Master Inspector By Review Designation

January 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Raleigh Home Inspector Gary Gentry has earned and been awarded the highly regarded Master Inspector By Review (MIBR®) designation from the North Carolina Chapter of The American Society of Home Inspectors (NCASHI). Gary is the owner of Quality Residential Inspections, a Raleigh Home Inspection firm.

Raleigh Home Inspector Gary Gentry Quality Residential Inspectons Master Inspector By Review

Raleigh Home Inspector Gary Gentry - Owner of Quality Residential Inspectons; Master Inspector By Review

The MIBR® designation is awarded to a Home Inspector who demonstrates superior home inspection skill and knowledge as judged by a panel of his or her peers.  In the Peer Review process, a panel of experienced Home Inspectors simultaneously inspect a home to assemble an extensive list of the items that, in the collective opinion of the panel, are items that are considered to be “must-find” items. Must-find items are those deficiencies that are judged absolutely necessary to be included in any proficient, professional Home Inspection report such as that provided to a paying customer.

Gary Gentry - Quality Residential Inspections | NCASHI Master Inspector By Review

Raleigh Home Inspector Gary Gentry, Owner of Quality Residential Inspections, is an ASHI Certified Inspector (ACI) and has earned the prestigious NCASHI Master Inspector By Review (MIBR) designation

The Peer Review pits the skill set and knowledge of a single Home Inspector against the combined skill and knowledge of a group of six to eight experienced Home Inspectors. The  Peer Review is conducted under conditions that are much more stringent and laborious than those encountered during a typical Home Inspection. The candidate is allowed only two hours to complete their assessment of the home. Failure to observe and report on even a single one of the conditions, determined to be a “must find” item,  is disqualifying.

While attaining the MIBR® designation is a highly regarded achievement,  it’s not really about attaining a new designation. The exercise is, and is intended to be, an educational tool to be used by a professional Home Inspector to better their inspection skills.

It is rare that a Home Inspector is able to gain direct input regarding their knowledge, inspection methodologies, and their reporting habits. “A Home Inspector, no matter how experienced or knowledgeable they might be, is always able to improve” says Mr Gentry. “And, with a dedication to improvement comes an increased real value for home-buyers or other clients who contract for their service. Who among professionals isn’t interested in providing a better value for their customers? This Raleigh Home Inspector is always willing to participate in any activity that might serve to make me a better Home Inspector. The NCASHI Peer Review program provides a most valuable learning experience for any North Carolina Home Inspector wanting to better themselves and their offered service. But it isn’t for the thin-skinned or the faint of heart…candidates are told to check their egos at the door because they will be closely, and sometimes harshly, scrutinized”. To learn more about the NCASHI and the Peer Review process, visit them on their website.

Should you be in need of a professional Raleigh Home Inspector, then contact Quality Residential Inspections at 919-848-4833 or schedule your Raleigh Home Inspection right here on this website. Quality Residential Inspections provides Home Inspection and ancillary testing services to the entire Triangle region of North Carolina.

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Raleigh Home Inspector: Reduce Your Winter Energy Useage

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Some Tips From The Raleigh Home Inspector On Saving Some Money This Winter

The Raleigh Home Inspector wants everyone to be a bit more energy conscious…to reduce your winter energy use and save some money in doing so. Who doesn’t want save a few dollars these days, right?

With winter just around the corner, our energy bills are likely to rise in correlation with the fall of the mercury of the thermometer. I can almost hear the cacophony of groans as the envelopes from the utility companies are opened on a monthly basis during the winter heating months. There are however, some common sense actions that are conducive to some savings on your utility bills…things that we sometimes ignore, or take for granted, or that we just haven’t considered as costing us a bit more money than we otherwise have to spend. And, as it has been said by the wise Mr. Benjamin Franklin, “A penny saved is a penny earned”.

Furnace/HVAC Systems

Keep your furnace well maintained. If your furnace is working at peak efficiency it will use less energy and cost less to operate.

Clean or replace the filter every 30 – 45 days – a dirty filter reduces the airflow and forces the furnace to work harder and to run longer to heat your home. When it comes to heating systems, its all about efficiency. When it comes time to replace an existing system, consider purchasing a new ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace with a variable speed motor. Each year, an average home can save over $500.00 in natural gas and/or electricity costs  when upgrading from a standard efficiency natural gas furnace to a 95% efficiency furnace with a high efficiency variable speed motor.

Raleigh Home Inspector Programmable Thermostat

Programmable Thermostats Are Installed In The Home Of The Raleigh Home Inspector

  Thermostat

This one is really easy.. simply lower your thermostat by 7 – 9 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re sleeping at night and when no one is at home. The Raleigh Home Inspector has ones like the one shown installed, manufactured by the Trane,  in his personal home.

You could also install a programmable thermostat. You can save 2% on your heating bill for every 2 degree F. you turn down your thermostat. With a programmable thermostat to consistently lower your heat when you don’t need it, you could save up to $60 a year!

There is one caveat…to realize the potential savings, one must learn and understand how to efficiently operate the thermostat; some of the thermostats on the market can be a bit daunting to learn how to operate. But persevere…it will be worth it in the end!

Laundry

Start using cold water when doing your laundry. 85 – 90% of the energy used to wash your clothes is used to heat the water. By switching the dial to the cold water setting  on your washing machine, you help the environment, save energy, and save money.

Wash full loads.

Only wash full loads of clothes…I know, I know…you don’t want the washer too full. But operating the clothes washer once for a large load rather than twice for two small loads only makes good sense, right. It will cost you less to do so.

Weather-stripping

Apply weather-stripping to operable windows, exterior doors, garage doors, and doors that lead to the attic spaces that abut conditioned space.

Windows, door frames, sills and joints

Apply a sealant or caulk around windows, door frames, sills and joints. On a windy day feel for leaks or use a couple of incense sticks to help identify leaks around windows, electrical outlets, vents and exterior doors. As well look for spider webs – if there is a web there is a draft.

Make Sure exterior doors close and latch tightly against their weather stripping

Make sure the bolt of the hardware secures the door in a position that is tight against the weather stripping; if there is excessive air transfer around the door when it is closed, consider adjusting the strike plate to provide tight closure. This is a very common item observed by the Raleigh Home Inspector while performing a Home Inspection.

Basement

If you have an unfinished basement or crawlspace, check for leaks by looking for spider webs. Where there is a web, there may be a draft. A large amount of heat is also lost from/through an uninsulated basement.

Pipes, ducts, fans and vents

Plug gaps around pipes, ducts, fans and vents that go through walls, ceilings and floors from heated to unheated spaces.

Shower-heads and faucets

Install low-flow  and faucets; you’ll use less water and, especially, less hot water.


Dishwasher

Always wash a full load in your dishwasher and air-dry your dishes on the “energy saver” setting; this is akin to the principal of  “less is more” as with the operation of the clothes washer.

Fireplaces

Close the damper of drafting fireplaces (when not in use, of course) to prevent warm air from escaping up the chimney, and ensure that the damper fits/closes properly and fully.

If you are in need of a professional Home Inspection…A Quality Residential Inspections type of Home Inspection…then contact the Raleigh Home Inspector at 919-848-4833. Our friendly office staff will answer any questions or concerns that you might have and make sure that your Raleigh Home Inspection is scheduled to your satisfaction.

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Raleigh Home Inspector On: Stretching Your Energy Dollar

September 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

We are all concerned with being energy efficient because to not be concerned directly costs us our hard-earned dollars. As the owner of Quality Residential Inspections, a Raleigh Home Inspection firm, I get asked about ways to save energy consumption dollars and ways to be generally more efficient when it comes to the operation of a home. This really good article touches on some really important points that help you save money and be more environmentally friendly at the same time. Now, what’s wrong with that?

Get The Most Bang For Your Energy Buck

(ARA) – With demand for electricity and natural gas rising along with energy costs, American homeowners can easily spend hundreds of dollars a month on utility bills.

“From air conditioning larger homes to powering today’s high-tech electronics, we are using more energy than ever and that is certainly hitting many homeowners in their pocketbooks,” says Victor Gonzalez-Maertens, an energy efficiency expert with Lennox Industries – a leading manufacturer of home heating and cooling equipment. “But there are ways to stretch your dollar further by evaluating how you spend money on energy and learning how to control those expenses.”

Gonzalez-Maertens explains that there are four key areas of energy consumption for the typical household: heating and air conditioning, appliances, water heating and lighting. Here is his advice for getting the most bang for your energy buck in these areas:

Heating and air conditioning

Heating and cooling accounts for about 46 percent of the average home’s utility bill and is typically the largest energy expense. To cut down on climate control costs, be sure to schedule annual routine maintenance on your heating and cooling system to ensure it’s running as efficiently as possible.

If the air conditioning system is more than 10 years old or the furnace is more than 15 years old – the average life spans of cooling and heating units – consider replacing them with a new, Energy Star-qualified system that will be more energy efficient and can help lower utility bills. For example, by replacing an old 10 SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) cooling system with a Lennox 21 SEER system, which is twice as efficient, homeowners can save more than $1,500 over a five-year period.

Raleigh Home Inspection Firm On: Getting The Most Of Your Energy Dollar

The Raleigh Inspector knows that installing a programmable thermostat is one way to be efficient when it comes to your homes HVAC energy consumption

Programmable thermostats are another way to maximize energy efficiency. These devices automatically control the temperature to use less energy at certain hours of the day, such as nighttime or when homeowners are away from home.

Household appliances and electronics

Household appliances and electronics, such as refrigerators, clothes washers and computers, are responsible for about 28 percent of a home’s energy bill, according to Energy Star. Make sure appliances are clean and free of dust and lint to ensure proper ventilation and to increase their efficiency. In addition, check refrigerator and freezer doors to ensure they are sealed tight to prevent cool air from escaping.

When washing dishes, use the air-dry setting on automatic dishwashers rather than heated drying to conserve energy. Finally, be sure to unplug TVs and other digital devices when not in use, as they consume energy even when they’re turned off.

Water heating

Heating water is another major energy expenditure and accounts for about 14 percent of a household’s energy bill, according to Energy Star. Consider insulating the water heater with a water heater jacket that can be purchased at most hardware stores. Homeowners also can lower the temperature setting on the water heater to save energy. Some water heaters come from the factory already set at 140 degrees or higher, but a setting of 115 degrees can provide comfortable hot water for most uses. Finally, consider replacing a water heater if the existing one is more than 10 years old, as the average life span of a water heater is 10 to 15 years.

Lighting

Twelve percent of the energy budget for an average household goes to lighting, according to Energy Star. Switching out traditional incandescent lights with more efficient fluorescent lighting is a quick and easy way to save on utility bills. In fact, by replacing 25 percent of lights in high-use areas with fluorescents, the California Energy Commission says homeowners can save about 50 percent on lighting-related energy expenses. Energy Star-qualified fluorescent lamps also last six to 10 times longer. For exterior lighting, be sure to use compact fluorescent or high-pressure sodium fixtures – which are more efficient – and consider motion sensors that operate lights automatically.

For more information about how to stretch your energy dollar further, visit www.itpaystolivesmart.com, www.energystar.gov or www.lennox.com.

 

Call Quality Residential Inspections for all of your Home Inspection and ancillary testing needs.

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The Raleigh Home Inspector On: Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems

September 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As a Raleigh Home Inspector and owner of Quality Residential Inspections, a Raleigh Home Inspection firm, I am often asked about issues relating to safety in a single family residential environment. Fire sprinklers are not found in the vast majority of homes and I have often wondered why that is so. It is understood that they cost allot of money to install in any building…but if absolute safety and protection from caused by fire is a paramount consideration, then a fire sprinkler system has to be considered as an option. This excellent article delves into some of the myths surrounding fire sprinkler systems.

Raleigh Home Inspector On Fire Sprinklers And Safety

The Raleigh Home Inspector Suggests That A Happy Home Is A Safe Home

(ARA) – Some misconceptions are merely inconvenient. And some – like the many myths that surround the use of fire sprinklers in homes – can be deadly.

The federal government and more than 400 local governments – not to mention the national model building code authority, the International Code Council – have all recommended that all new homes offer this life safety system. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find a business that is not protected by fire sprinklers. Yet misconceptions persist about the cost, convenience and effectiveness of home fire sprinklers, where 80 percent of all fire deaths occur.

“As a volunteer firefighter, I regularly see the devastation to families and their property due to home fires,” says Eric Skare of Lakeville, Minn. Skare, who works for fire-safety systems maker Uponor, is a fire safety expert. “Many of these people live right in my own community, and their losses are seared in my memory.”

Whether you’re building a new home or renovating an existing one, it’s important to know the truth behind some common fire

Raleigh Home Inspection On Fire Sprinkers And Safety

This Raleigh Home Inspection Firm Suggests That A Home Fire Has Every Potential of Being Absolutely Devastating

sprinkler myths:

Myth: Installing home fire sprinklers is too expensive.

Reality: On average, installing a stand-alone fire sprinkler system – the kind that runs off a separate, dedicated system of water pipes – in a new construction home adds just 1 to 1.5 percent to the total building cost, according to the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition.

That expense drops even lower when adding a multipurpose system, which combines the cold-water plumbing and the fire sprinklers into a single, efficient system. Installation costs for a multipurpose system, like those made by Uponor, averages 57 cents less per square foot than traditional stand-alone systems – a savings of $1,368 for a 2,400-square-foot home, according to the Fire Protection Research Foundation. What’s more, the foundation reports, home insurers give an average premium discount of 7 percent to homes with fire sprinkler systems.

Myth: Smoke alarms alone are enough protection against fires.

Reality: Smoke alarms can alert you to the presence of smoke, but do nothing to put out a fire. Home fire sprinkler systems act quickly to reduce heat, flames and smoke from a fire, giving you valuable time to get out safely. “Sprinklers put out most home fires in seconds, before the fire department arrives and before there’s major damage,” says Jayson Drake of Uponor North America.

Functioning smoke alarms reduce by 50 percent the risk of someone dying in a home fire. That risk decreases by 80 percent when sprinklers are present, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Myth: Fire sprinklers can cause excessive water damage to your home and belongings.

Reality: Fire sprinklers actually minimize damage. Fires cause more than $8.5 billion in direct property damage every year, according to the NFPA. Fire hoses discharge up to 250 gallons of water per minute into a burning home, causing significant damage as firefighters work to control and extinguish the fire. Sprinklers, use just 15 gallons of water per minute. Fire damage is far less in homes with sprinklers; a 15-year study in Scottsdale, Ariz. put the average loss for a sprinklered home at $2,166 compared to $45,019 for a home without sprinklers. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Home Safety Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Is That Home You’re Purchasing Really As Described And As Represented? Ask Your Raleigh Home Inspector…

August 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

A few days ago, Quality Residential Inspections and I happened to be performing a Raleigh Home Inspection where I was shown some printed advertising material regarding the home. What caught the eye of this Raleigh Inspector was a stated claim that the exterior of the home had been “meticulously maintained”. This was a statement, in writing, that was held out to the public and any potential buyer as a representation of the “quality” of the home. It was there right along with other marketing exclamations such as “Absolutely Stunning!” and “This One You Don’t Want To Miss!”.

The fact of the matter is that the the home was not exactly “stunning” although it had no major structural or mechanical issues and may very have been of reasonable value if all things were to be considered. The exterior of the home, most precisely and pointedly though, had not been “meticulously maintained.

Raleigh Home Inspector Damaged Hardboard Siding

This siding was represented as having been "Meticulously Maintained"

The hardboard siding, which is a particular type of exterior wall cladding that has had its fair share of issues in the past and one that we Home Inspectors routinely determine and report to be in poor condition, was in awful shape. It was severely decayed around windows and doors,  it was soft and decayed at siding “butt” joints where siding ends meet and at bottom edges, and had been so generally and poorly maintained that it was in need of being replaced…and at considerable expense, I might add.

Raleigh Inspector Damaged Hardboard Siding

The Raleigh Inspector thinks that this siding has not been so meticulously maintained, eh?

When the very poor general condition of the siding was brought attention and pointed out to those present, it was suggested that the condition was one of cosmetics rather than of any structural/mechanical issue, to which my reply was “Well, Not exactly…”.

Our clients, the home-buyers, were really terrific people…they did not, however, know how to identify deficient hardboard siding (or of just how expensive it can be to replace it) and had been fully reliant on the representations of the selling party. Had they not been so wise as to have hired Quality Residential Inspections  to accomplish a Home Inspection for them, they might well have taken ownership of that “meticulously maintained” exterior to the surprising tune of many thousands of future dollars in unanticipated replacement expenditures…meaning that they would have had to dig deep into the pockets and fork over a goodly sum of money to make the repairs. Not a happy thought.

While this was certainly not my first encountered occasion where the “qualities” of a home have been grossly misrepresented and over-exaggerated it did get me to thinking about just how often a home is misrepresented and about just how important it is for a home-buyer to know all that can be reasonably known about the physical condition of the home before they purchase that home.

The fact is that that many aspects of a home can be mis-represented… and not even intentionally so. Having a complete, thorough Home Inspection can go a long way toward making sure that the home is as it is being represented… and prudent home-buyer will always, as part of their due diligence, attain the services of a professional Home Inspector.

When a home is represented as having a super-duper Balcony View, and that the patio furniture conveys, you would do well to make sure that those statements cannot be classified as misleading. You want to make sure that you are purchasing a home that is right for you.

Raleigh Home Inspection - Balcony With A View

Is This Your Idea Of A Balcony View? Quality Residential Inspections Can Help You To Purchase The Home That Is Right For You...Or Help You Avoid One That Isn't...

Call Quality Residential Inspection and Schedule Your Home Inspection today…speak to a real, live person when you call 919-848-4833. Or, for your convenience, you can you can begin to Schedule Your Home Inspection right here on our website.

To watch any of our InspectBits series of videos on varied issues regarding Home Inspections, visit us on our Raleigh Home Inspection YouTube Channel.

Filed Under: Buying & Selling Tips Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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