Charlotte NC Home Inspection Reveals a Dangerous Hazard

Charlotte NC home inspector Preston Sandlin was doing a home inspection Waxhaw NC yesterday when he noticed an open junction box going to a power ventilator.  If there is a surge or spark in the line here at this connection it could catch something combustible on fire.  This is why all junctions should be housed in a jnction box. 

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Is It Just Me or Do You Like a Little Privacy in Your Bathroom Too.

 

Charlotte home inspectot Chip Sprague of Home Inspection Carolina was recently inspecting a home in Davidson NC when he found a slight problem.  You couldn't close the door all the way because the toilet blocked it.  Now I I know what your thinking.  Why don't you just drop the pins out of the hinges and move it to the outside of the toilet.  Yes you are right.  You could do that but hen you won't be able to open the dorr all the way.  Now we could do a rather redneck repair and notch the door so it will open and close.  :)

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte NC Home Inspector Show's How to fix Cracked Chimney Cap

How_to_Repair_a_Cracked_Chimney_Cap.wmv Watch on Posterous

 

Do you have cracks in your chimney?  This could lead to a situation where you could get leaks in your chimney.  In that case this video is for you.  Watch Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection show how to resurface the chimney cap.  You need to use mortar with fiberglass or polymers in the mortar mix in with the mortar.  This will help hold the mortar together and seal it.  If you ever wondered how to patch your chimney cap then this video is for you.

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 the No.1 Reason for HVAC Problems

Charlotte Home Inspector Preston Sandlin finds a multitude of problems at most homes where he inspects most homes.  One of the most common problems he finds on HVAC systems is dirty filters.  When the filters are dirty they will clog and bend in.  When this happens dirty air is introduced to the system.  With this dirty air introduced to the system it cam clog the AC coil and cause the condensation line to back up and overflow.  This is why it so important to change your filters on a regular basis. 

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 Finds Dangerous Double Electrical Problem

Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin found a dangerous situation on a recent Charlotte home inspection where he found two wires going into the same breaker causing a situation where the the wires could heat up and cause a problem.  Square D is the only breakers that are made to allow for two wires into one breaker.  If it isn't the specially made sqaure D it is probably going to be a double tab that is illegal and is a fire hazard like the one you see here.  If you have a double tap you should call a lisensed electrician.

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds bad Rafter

Charlotte Home Inspector Chip Sprague of Home Inspection Carolina found a bad rafter on a recent home inspection where the tin roof had been leaking for awhile.  The nail hole in the tin roof caused the leak that caused the moisture to come in and get to to the rafter.  If you have a tin roof all of the nail holes should be sealed to prevent water penetration which leads to wood rot and deteriation of the rafter.  This will now have to be sealed and the wood will have to be replaced.

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Infrared Inspector Finds Missing Insulation

Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina can find missing insulation without opeening up any walls.  He does this by using and infrared camera.  In the picture above you can see that there is no insulation under the kitchen sink area.  This is a picture from Winter time and you can see the heat is escaping under the kitchen cabinet.  From the outside of the house you can see this heat escaping.  What is so great about this is that we can see more than the normal eyes.   If you want the most thorogh home inspection you can get make sure your home inspector uses  an infrared camera and uses a a home inspection checklist.

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Uses Infrared Camera and Home Inspection Checklist to Find Hidden Moisture

Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina use a home inspection checklist and an infrared camera to find hidden moisture damage.  By using an infrared camera to scan the interior and the exterior of the home Home Inspection Carolina can see things that can't be seen by the naked eye.  Ussually this is in the form of missing insulation or moisture.  If you want the most thorough inspection you can get make sure your home inspector is using an infrared camera and a home inspection checklist.

If you need home inspection information or you are in need of a great home inspector in the Charlotte, Huntersville, Concord, Fort Mill or Rock Hill areas contact Home Inspection Carolina.  They have performed over 23,432 home inspection and will not let you buy the money pit.  We have over 100 years of combined home inspection and construction experience.  Please give us a call (704) 542-6575

 

Preston Sandlin

Home Inspection Carolina

Ask the Charlotte Inspector

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Uses Home Inspection Checklist to Find Problems

Charlotte home inspectors Home Inspection Carolina uses a home inspection checklist to find problems on the houses they are inspecting.  By using a home inspection checklist their inspector are able to provide a thorough quality home inspection and keep a routine.  If you are having a home inspected make sure your inspector is using quality home inspection checklist.

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 NC Home Inspector Reveal Dangerous Problem in Panel Box

Home Inspection Carolina Inspector Matt Ciccolella was performing a home inspection recently in Charlotte NC when found a danger problem in the panel box.  The homeowner had double hitched or double lugged one of the breakers in the panel box.  If the breaker is not made for this and right now squared D is the only breaker we know that is.  He should have added a whole new breaker instead.

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 NC Home Inspector Reveals Danderous Deck

When ever you have block supports under a house or under a deck the blocks should be turned in such a way that the hole are verticle and not sideways.  If the block is on its side that is actually the weak part of the block like you see on this picture.  This is an impopper support. Check the supports under your deck and under your house to make sure they have a footer and the blocks are turned the right way.  If it looks a little off don't hesitate to call a professional home inspector.  If you live in the Charlotte NC area call Home Inspection Carolina (704) 542-6575

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 NC Home Inspector Explains Trim Damage

 

One of the most common problems we see daily on our home inspections is trim damage.  Trim damaged is caused moisture gets to wood on your house where it is not primed or painted.  Wood is porous and will wick up water.  Usuallly the exposed wood is primed and painted and can handle weathering.  The problem comes once moisture gets in behind the the wood and it gets wicked up.  This is why you have to keep all wooden joints caulked.  Areas that are most likely to get moisture damage are trim joints and places where wood meets other other materials like where the garage trim is like in this picture.

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

 

Why is a Firewall Important

Firewall in residential construction is usually drywall or gypsum board.  You usually see this in garages between the garage and th the heated living area.   You can also find them in appartments or condominiums between units.  The purpose of the firewall is to slow down a fire if one starts. The idea is to keep a fire from quickly spreading and giving people time to get out.  Its more likely that a fire could start in the garage than other parts of the house.  This is why it's code in mosts parts of the country to have a firewall like you see in this picture.  Make sure your home inspector checks for this.  The firewall on this Charlotte NC home has been compromised and should be fixed.

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

Why is a Firewall Important

Firewall in residential construction is usually drywall or gypsum board.  You usually see this in garages between the garage and th the heated living area.   You can also find them in appartments or condominiums between units.  The purpose of the firewall is to slow down a fire if one starts. The idea is to keep a fire from quickly spreading and giving people time to get out.  Its more likely that a fire could start in the garage than other parts of the house.  This is why it's code in mosts parts of the country to have a firewall like you see in this picture.  Make sure your home inspector checks for this.  The firewall on this Charlotte NC home has been compromised and should be fixed.

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

 

The Upside and Downside of Siding

There are many different types of sidings or veneers used for houses.  There are some advantages and disadvantages of each one.  Being a home inspector in Charlotte NC I have seen them all over the last 15 years inspecting.  Brick siding is my favorite but it is probabaly the most expensive as well.  It doesn't take much settling for brick to crack either.  Vinyl siding isvery popular now because its relatively inexpensive and you don't have to paint it.  The bad thing about vinyl though is it has very little insulation value and it can melt or crack in very hot or very cold conditions.  Masonite is what you see in the picture above and it also is relative inexpensive and has insulation value but it too has some downsides.  If moisture gets in behind it it will deteriorate it like you see in the picture above.  There is a relative new siding out there hardiplank which is a composite that seems to have good durability and "R" value but may not hold paint on it very well.  We will have to see over time how it holds up.  When choosing a siding for your home just remember the pro's and con's of each.

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.