Before You Move In You Better Check.....

So you have bought the new house and picked out the colors and the window treatments, you had the home inspected and the repairs have been made are you ready to move in?  Well one thing you might not realize is that there are about four diferent types of dyer plugs out there and depending on the year your house was built and the year your dryer was manufactured they may or may not match up.  What can you do?  Actually it's a pretty easy fix as you can go to Lowes or Home Depot an buy the chord that will fit your plug.  Installing it on the dryer is a simple affair as it has four wires that are color coded and can be easilly installed with a small screwdriver.  You just want to make sure you know which one of the four your plug is before you go to the store and don't do like i did and have to buy all of them and take back the one's that it's not.  At Home Inspection Carolina we actually take a picture of your outlet so you will know which chord to buy.  It is some much easier to install before you move the dryer in.

There are many home inspection companies you can choose from when you need a home inspector in Charlotte NC.  Let me tell you why Home Inspection Carolina is your best choice.  These guys have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  They fix the small things like rubbing doors and sticking windows instead of putting them on the home inspection report like other home inspectors.  They have a preinspection program designed to help you sell your house by offering you a discount on the inspection and providing you with multiple copies of the report to give out.  They also put out a just inspected sign in the yard of your Charlotte NC home.  Home Inspection Carolina then sends out a "just inspected" email to their data base.  They like to think of it as a premarketing inspection instead of a prelisting inspection. 

Two new things that Home Inspection Carolina has started doing are home maintenance videos and customer coupons.  They have a large library of home maintenance videos on youtube so they link to these within the appropriate points in the report.  They also have established relationships with many vendors and contractors that allow them to give coupons to their home inspection clients.  The idea is to provide am entertainment book or citi pass book for new homeowners.  These are just some of the benefits of using Home Inspection Carolina.  If you are buying a home near Charlotte NC call them today. 

Home Inspection Carolina

(704) 542-6575

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Mold in Crawl Space

 

Over the years as building technology has evolved houses have gotten larger and larger meaning larger and larger crawlspaces.  Although we all enjoy this new square footage in many of these "mini mansions"  there is a downside.  The downside is that with these new large crawl spaces ventilation is not nearly as good causing moisture to get trapped. This problem is compounded by AC ducts running throught the crawl that are cold attracting condensation.  All this adds up to wet crawl spece which can add up to mold, termites or wood rot. 

The e question then becomes how do we fix this moisture and this mold.  Well traditionally we would add extra vents and/or plastic to increase the ventilation.  The problem with the mini mansions is that it doesn't work if there just aren't places to put the ventilation.  Many of these houses have a three car garage going down one side of the crawl and a large porch running down the other side.  Some of these house will need and enclosed crawl space.  If done properly the enclosed crawl space will work.  The downside is thought that enclosed crawlspaces are not cheap.  You just don't want to wind up with mold like you see in the picure above from Charlotte NC home inspector Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina.

There are many home inspection companies you can choose from when you need a home inspector in Charlotte NC.  Let me tell you why Home Inspection Carolina is your best choice.  These guys have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  They fix the small things like rubbing doors and sticking windows instead of putting them on the home inspection report like other home inspectors.  They have a preinspection program designed to help you sell your house by offering you a discount on the inspection and providing you with multiple copies of the report to give out.  They also put out a just inspected sign in the yard of your Charlotte NC home.  Home Inspection Carolina then sends out a "just inspected" email to their data base.  They like to think of it as a premarketing inspection instead of a prelisting inspection. 

Two new things that Home Inspection Carolina has started doing are home maintenance videos and customer coupons.  They have a large library of home maintenance videos on youtube so they link to these within the appropriate points in the report.  They also have established relationships with many vendors and contractors that allow them to give coupons to their home inspection clients.  The idea is to provide am entertainment book or citi pass book for new homeowners.  These are just some of the benefits of using Home Inspection Carolina.  If you are buying a home near Charlotte NC call them today. 

Home Inspection Carolina

(704) 542-6575

 

What You Need to Know about Masonite Siding

 

There are plus' and minus' to every type of siding.  There is brick , vinyl, hard board, and masonite.  Brick is prbobaly my favorite but it also has draw back.  Masonite has "R" value but if water gets behind it and causes it delaminate and deteriate.  Vinyl has some advantages because you don't have to be painted and doesn't deteriate.  The downside is that there is no "R" value and they they brittle and can crack.  Hardboard is relatively new and the jury is still out on it.  Stucco has "R" valu but is bad about trapping moisture.  Just remember that each type of siding has plus' and minus' 

There are many home inspection companies you can choose from when you need a home inspector in Charlotte NC.  Let me tell you why Home Inspection Carolina is your best choice.  These guys have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  They fix the small things like rubbing doors and sticking windows instead of putting them on the home inspection report like other home inspectors.  They have a preinspection program designed to help you sell your house by offering you a discount on the inspection and providing you with multiple copies of the report to give out.  They also put out a just inspected sign in the yard of your Charlotte NC home.  Home Inspection Carolina then sends out a "just inspected" email to their data base.  They like to think of it as a premarketing inspection instead of a prelisting inspection. 

Two new things that Home Inspection Carolina has started doing are home maintenance videos and customer coupons.  They have a large library of home maintenance videos on youtube so they link to these within the appropriate points in the report.  They also have established relationships with many vendors and contractors that allow them to give coupons to their home inspection clients.  The idea is to provide am entertainment book or citi pass book for new homeowners.  These are just some of the benefits of using Home Inspection Carolina.  If you are buying a home near Charlotte NC call them today. 

Home Inspection Carolina

(704) 542-6575

 

Charltte Home Inspection Revealed Damage Around Chimney

 

Charlotte home inspectors Jonathan Buttery and Preston Sandlin Found some moisture damage around the chimney of the house the inspected in South Charlotte NC.  There had been some leaking around this chimney for quite a while.  The flashing had failed and water had gotten down into the wood.  This will need to be repaired.

There are many home inspection companies you can choose from when you need a home inspector in Charlotte NC.  Let me tell you why Home Inspection Carolina is your best choice.  These guys have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  They fix the small things like rubbing doors and sticking windows instead of putting them on the home inspection report like other home inspectors.  They have a preinspection program designed to help you sell your house by offering you a discount on the inspection and providing you with multiple copies of the report to give out.  They also put out a just inspected sign in the yard of your Charlotte NC home.  Home Inspection Carolina then sends out a "just inspected" email to their data base.  They like to think of it as a premarketing inspection instead of a prelisting inspection. 

Two new things that Home Inspection Carolina has started doing are home maintenance videos and customer coupons.  They have a large library of home maintenance videos on youtube so they link to these within the appropriate points in the report.  They also have established relationships with many vendors and contractors that allow them to give coupons to their home inspection clients.  The idea is to provide am entertainment book or citi pass book for new homeowners.  These are just some of the benefits of using Home Inspection Carolina.  If you are buying a home near Charlotte NC call them today. 

Home Inspection Carolina

(704) 542-6575

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Termites Under the Deck

Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin was inspecting a home in Weddington NC when he found active termites in a stump underneath the rear deck.  The space under the deck is considered part of the crawl space.  If you have a deck be sure to keep it free of wood and debris including firewood.  Also if you add a deck be sure to remove trees and stumps like the one you see in this picture.  Unfortuanately this home owner did not rmove this stump out from under the deck and now they will be faced with a rather expensive termite treatmeant  after the home inspection.

 

Preston Sandlin and Home Inspection Carolina have providing thorough quality home inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 15 years.  Preston has a masters’ degree in Education and has taught Home Inspection classes for years.  He also is a certified infrared thermographer.  Home Inspection Carolina has  been on TV many times and has a Charlotte Home Inspector radio show .  So you are in need of a home inspection in Charlotte NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Mooresville NC, Fort Mill SC or Rock Hill SC call Home Inspection Carolina (704) 542-6575.

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Reveals Termites in Sealed Crawl Spaces

See the full gallery on Posterous

Charlotte Home Inspector Scott Walker was inspecting a 4 year old home Friday with a sealed crawl space when he found active termites coming up behind the walls of the insulation of the foundation wall.  Normally termite treatements involve trenching treating an rodding the inner and outer foundation walls as well as drilling and treating each of the piers with hollow voids.  The problem with the sealed crawl are that this type of treatment now becomes impossible without taking down some of the plastic compromising the sealing.

With that being said I have to say I am a big fan of sealed crawl spaces.  I have seen hopelessly wet moldy crawl spaces transformed to dry clean safe crawl clean enough to eat off of.  Also being a home inspector I would much rather crawl a sealed crawl space much rather than one that was not.  There is a downside to the sealed crawl space though.  If they get termites it become very hard to treat but it is possible.

Preston Sandlin and Home Inspection Carolina have providing thorough quality home inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 15 years.  Preston has a masters’ degree in Education and has taught Home Inspection classes for years.  He also is a certified infrared thermographer.  Home Inspection Carolina has  been on TV many times and has a Charlotte Home Inspector radio show .  So you are in need of a home inspection in Charlotte NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Mooresville NC, Fort Mill SC or Rock Hill SC call Home Inspection Carolina (704) 542-6575.

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Large Snake Found on Charlotte Home Inspection

Charlotte home inspector Chip Sprague got quite a surprized when he did his inspection off Rocky River Rd today near Concord NC.  He was performing his normal routine checking along the crawl space foundation wall when out pops this large king snake who was not to happy to have an intruder in his crawl space.  Chip said after he regained his composure to get his camera out and take a picture the snake was about 7ft long and about 2-3 inches in diameter at his thickest.  Chip said "You know that thing they alows say about them being more afraid of you then you are of them?  Well that's a lie"  The potential buyers say they are not moving forward on this deal until Critter Control has come out and freed the crawl space of any and all snakes and screens are put on the crawl space vents.

Preston Sandlin and Home Inspection Carolina have providing thorough quality home inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 15 years.  Preston has a masters’ degree in Education and has taught Home Inspection classes for years.  He also is a certified infrared thermographer.  Home Inspection Carolina has  been on TV many times and has a Charlotte Home Inspector radio show .  So you are in need of a home inspection in Charlotte NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Mooresville NC, Fort Mill SC or Rock Hill SC call Home Inspection Carolina (704) 542-6575.

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Reveals that Termite Sheilds Do Not Work

Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin has been in over 20000 crawl spaces.  He has seen a lot in his over 15 years of being a home inspector in Charlotte NC.  He has seen damage to crawl spaces and crazy repairs.  By far the most damage done to crawl spaces is done by water and termites.  Termites come from the ground and have to return to the ground for moisture.  There are several ways or attempts to stop termites.  Some work and some don't.  On theing that they used to use back in the 1950's and 1960's is the termite sheild.  The termite sheild was this sheet metal sheild that went over the top of the foundation.  It was thought that the termites tunneling up from the ground would hit the sheild and then stop.  It was a nice idea but it didn't work.  Termite will either find the seam or just tunnel around the sheild like they did in this picture here.  If you need a termite inspection or a home inspection and are considering moving to Charlotte, Waxhaw, Monroe, Gastonia, or Lake Norman give Home Inspection Carolina a try.

Preston Sandlin and Home Inspection Carolina have providing thorough quality home inspections in the Charlotte NC area for over 15 years.  Preston has a masters’ degree in Education and has taught Home Inspection classes for years.  He also is a certified infrared thermographer.  Home Inspection Carolina has  been on TV many times and has a Charlotte Home Inspector radio show .  So you are in need of a home inspection in Charlotte NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Mooresville NC, Fort Mill SC or Rock Hill SC call Home Inspection Carolina (704) 542-6575.

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector