Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Deadly Defect

Charlotte home inspector Chip Sprague of Home Inspection Carolina was inspecting a home in the University area that had been flipped. The fireplace had been moved but the chimney had not.  When Chip inspected the flue he found that there was no flue, just combustible wood where the flue should be.  If the homeowners would have started a fire in this fireplace the entire house would go up in flames.  This was and extremely dangerous situation.  Its a good thing these folks decided to get a home inspection.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Missing Facia Board

Charlotte home inspector Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina recently inspected a home in Belmont NC when he noticed some missing facia.  This missing facia exposes raw wood to weather conditions.  Boxing on the facia and soffit should be secured properly to keep high winds from blowing it off exposing the raw wood to weather conditions.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

Get Some Curb Appeal to Help Sell Your House

Selling a home in today's market requires a bit of marketing, some sweat and elbow grease, and a touch of luck. But even in a competitive selling market, it is possible to turn the sign in your front yard from “For Sale” to “Sold” so you can move on to your next residence.

First, look at your home as if you were a potential buyer. Drive up to the driveway or the front curb and park, carefully looking at the home as if for the first time. Make note of the beautiful aspects of your home, and also areas that could deter potential buyers. The outside of your home is the first image they will see, both in person, and while pre-shopping online.

One maintenance project to tackle that will really spruce up the exterior of your home is refurbishing the outside woodwork that has been weathered by the sun, rain and snow. If you have a front porch, wooden window edgings or even a back deck, chances are these areas could benefit from new stain for a refreshed and clean look.

Home decks return about 70 percent of their original cost back to homeowners when a house is sold, according to Remodeling Magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report, but that's only when the decks are kept in top shape. To remove moisture and sun damage and protect your exterior woodwork from further damage from moss, mold and rot, Flood wood care offers an entire wood care system from prepping materials such as deck cleaners to stain. Before prepping your deck, consider if you need Wood Finish Remover to remove latex, oil, semi-transparent and solid stains, or if your deck is unstained, you may need Wood Brightener/Cleaner to bring the old and faded gray coloring back to a fresh new wood appearance. Finally, apply a Flood wood stain to your deck and woodwork to give it a beautiful look that will have home buyers and your neighbors impressed.

In addition to your exterior woodwork, also take a look at your siding and gutters. Vinyl and aluminum sidings can collect dirt and look dingy after a season or two. Use a power washer on the siding and gutters to wash away the grime and spider webs and bring some vibrancy back to the outside of your home. Also consider adding season-appropriate flowers, plants or landscaping or replacing gutter downspouts with decorative chains to give your home an artistic look.

Finally, take a close look at your exterior lights. Glass-enclosed lights can become filthy from all the elements, so take a quick moment to wipe them clean with glass cleaner. If your light fixtures are tarnished, or looking run down, purchase a can of spray paint in any complimentary color to the exterior of your home and freshen them up. It will make your lights appear new in no time at all.

These quick-fix projects will boost the look of your home both for prospective buyers arriving at your front door, and also in the photographs visible online. With this better exterior appearance, chances are you'll be able to sell your home much quicker.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

 

How to Choose an HVAC System

 

When you're remodeling your home it seems that there's an endless list of design and decor choices to consider. At the end of the day, your decisions often revolve around helping your home put its best face forward.

You might choose hardwood floors because of how they'll look when the sunlight hits them in a well-lit room. Or perhaps you opt for a vibrant color on an accent wall in a room that doesn't get a lot of light. Selecting your HVAC system is no different - you want the one that functions the best in your home and meets your needs for comfort.

There are a wide variety of heating and air conditioning systems available for homeowners to choose from, so which one should you choose for your space? Learning more about three common types of systems - window units, ducted central heating and air, and duct-free systems - and the types of spaces where they work best can help you make your decision.

Window units

The most basic of air conditioning units, window units do well to address a need in a specific room with minimal cost and no construction. If you find yourself comfortable most of the time, save when you're trying to go to sleep, a window unit in your bedroom may be your answer. Window units are an affordable upfront investment and can be moved from place to place, as well as stored for winter, making them a versatile choice.

Ducted central air systems

If your home already has the framework of ducts required for this type of system, it can provide both heating and cooling comfort throughout your entire home. These systems are great for larger homes and apartments, as you won't have to worry about installing and maintaining multiple window units and space is saved by moving the working parts of the air conditioner outside. Advanced systems also allow you to maintain different temperatures in different parts of the home, so everyone can be comfortable.

Duct-free systems

Many consumers may not know there is another option out there, one that is actually more energy efficient than traditional central air and still provides even temperature control. Duct-free systems still include an outdoor fan, but the outdoor unit is connected to the indoor unit via compact lines instead of large, unsightly air ducts. These lines deliver refrigerant directly to an indoor unit, and produce and distribute hot and cold air throughout the space.

LG Electronics offers customizable duct-free units, including its Art Cool series, which conceals the indoor units in a 20-by-20-inch picture frame. The new Art Cool Premier model also ranks in the top 5 percent in their category for energy efficiency, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR rankings and feature an industry leading seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 28.

Where are duct-free systems appropriate?

* Remodels and additions, eliminating the need for bulky ductwork
* As a supplement for rooms that never seem to be the right temperature
* Older homes unable to accommodate ductwork
* Design-oriented homes seeking to mask appearance of home comfort systems

By taking some time to think about which type of HVAC system works best for your home, you'll help ensure that you get the best system for your money and that you'll live in comfort for years to come. For more on duct-free HVAC systems, visit www.LGhvac.com.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Troubled Crawl Space

Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina in Charlotte NC was inspecting an older home off Crmel Rd in South Charlotte last week when he ran into some problems in the crawl space resulting from high moisture.  If you look at the picture you will see a couple of things going on here.  First there is high moisture fom a lack of ventilation.  The homeowner had put a slab addition on the rear of the house which closed off all the vents back there creating dead air space.  The next problem is that the insulation is reversed.  The paper should be adjacent to the living space.  All this moisture over the years has cause fungus and rot on the floor joists.  It's very important not to have a crawl space with hight moisture.  If you would like someone to check out your crawlspace and the rest of your home call Home inspection Carolina today.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

 

Home Inspection Carolina Supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Home Inspection Carolina of Charlotte NC is giving $10 for every home inspection performed in the month of October to Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.  Many of the inspectors in the Charlotte based inspection Company have had a friend or relative affected by breast cancer.  The charlotte home inspection company has been doing this for the past three years.  All ten inspectors at Home Inspection Carolina will also be wearing pink for the month.  Preston Sandlin the owner of HIC says this wasn't easy to do as many of our inspectors are manly men.  All the inspectors agree though that it's a good cause and have decided that "real men wear pink" If you need a home inspection and are moving to the Charlotte NC area give Home Inspection Carolina a call and not only will you get a thorough home inspection but you will be helping to fight cancer.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Uses Technology to Give Better Home Inspection

 

Home Inspection Carolina in Charlotte NC wants to give their clients the most thorough home inspections possible. With traditional home inspections the home inspector is limited to what he can see visually only. Home Inspection Carolina uses technology to see things that can't be seen on traditional home inspections. They use thermal infrared cameras that basically allows to if there is an anomally going on behind the wall, ceiling or floor. You can see in this picture that we can inspect radiant ceiling heat. Thermal infrared cameras can also be used to find missing insulation and leaks. Another tool that Home Inspection Carolina uses is a boroscope which is bsically like a camera and a light on the end of a flexible metal arm. With the borascope we can look behind walls with only a small hole. If you want the most thorough home inspection in the Charlotte NC area by a home inspection company that takes advantage of all the lates technology.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services. They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC. They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check. Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte. They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection. Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

Charlotte Home Inspection Company Gives Money for The Cure

During the month of October 2012 Home Inspection Carolina will be giving $10 from every home inspection that they perform to Susan G Komen Race For the Cure.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and many of home Inspection Carolina's home inspector have or personally know someone affected by breast cancer.  They want to do their part in helping to find a cure for this dreadfull disease.  Oh in by the way during the month of October they will be wearing pink.

Home Inspection Carolina has been providing quality home inspections  in the Charlotte NC for years and now has added thermal infrared scanning to there list of services.  They provide home inspections and termite inspections in Charlotte NC, Monroe NC, Gastonia NC, Weddington NC, Lake Norman NC, Concord NC, Fort Mill SC and Rock Hill SC.  They also provide a free 90 day warranty and free recall check.  Home Inspection Carolina has 10 home inspectors and serves a 50 mile radius of Charlotte.  They have over a 100 years of combined home inspection.  Let them put their experience and skills to work for you.

 

Charlotte Home Inspector Finds Structural Issues

Charlotte Home Inspector Preston Sandlin was inspecting a home in East Charlotte last Friday when he discovered a severe crack on the left side of the house.  This crack was much more than the normal settlement cracking that you always hear about.  The footer here has dropped signifigantly causing cracking at greater than "1 width.  This going to reequire a structural engineer.

Preston Sandlin of Home Inspection Carolina in Charlotte NC has been on HGTV My First Sale.  He has also been interviewed by Fox News and is a regular on “Your Real Estate Today” on WBT radio program.  He has also taught home inspection continuing education classes for realtors.  He has been performing, teaching and consulting home inspections for over 15 years. Home Inspection Carolina has over 10 home inspectors and over a 100 years of combined experience in home inspection and construction. They perform home inspections, termite inspections, Radon testing, and infrared scanning in Charlotte, Gastonia, Waxhaw, Monroe, Matthews, Concord, Huntersville, Denver and many surrounding areas.  Call Home Inspection Carolina and let them put their experience to work for you.