What does a Home Inspector do?

You can expect all Home Inspectors to do certain basic evaluations. We all get the basic inspection protocol from the NC Home Inspector Licensure Board Standards of Practice. Beyond the basic things which all home inspectors must do, much of what we do is left for us to fashion as we chose.

Frankly, I think you deserve a much better inspection than our Standards of Practice requires. Here is what makes our inspections much different than the average inspection.

I worry about carbon monoxide. So I actually test for it at your furnace, water heater, gas logs, or gas range. That helps to understand how well the appliance is burning fuel, but more importantly: Are the exhaust gases entering the air you breathe? I check venting draft pressure, exhaust spillage, sucking garage air into your furnace system, and any other condition which could bring CO into the household air.

Everyday safety concerns: Sharp edges on deck railings, countertops, and staircase handrails... loose blades on ceiling fans... stairs which make you trip... dark walking areas... windows and doors which don't lock... showers which can scald you... HOT and COLD faucets reversed...safety recalls on appliances and other products... Closet lights too close to combustibles...

Can you get out if the house catches fire? I note fire spread potential when there is an open attic... smoke alarms present and working?... sleeping rooms with no emergency escape route...special protection from a garage fire.

Aging parts of the home... how long will things last? The old furnace, water heater, air conditioner, the roofing shingles...are they any good? What is normal aging? Should you repair or replace a defective item?

Things that are cracked, sagged, creaking: What do cracks in the inside walls and foundation walls mean? Does the sagging, creaking floor mean that there is structural trouble? What can be done to repair these matters?

Electrical safety & integrity: Protection from lightning by grounding... non-grounded metal things near wet areas... electric ranges which can shock you...is ground fault protection present and working? Looking for signs of overloads and overheating... incorrect overcurrent protection... sub-standard wiring.

Homes which don't heat and cool very well: Finding leaky doors & windows... poorly insulated attics... poor HVAC design or functioning... the chimney effect which creates drafty conditions ... damp places in the home... poor ventilation.

Is something is wrong with the air in this home? Peculiar odors: what's the source? Natural gas leaks... formaldehyde... smoker's residue... mildew odor... sewer gas... pet odors.

I worry about allergens in your home. I respect the fact that allergens can make your life in this home miserable, so I am especially alert for them. I am wary of mold anywhere it is present, and I will alert you about this, deducing from odors, from seeing inside the furnace, from a visual inspection of the damp places in and under the house.

How accessible is this home for those who are less able physically? Getting inside from a car... climbing stairs... Will a wheel chair work here? Is the bathroom and kitchen accessible? What can be done to make the home more accessible?

Environmental contamination and hazards. Lead in the paint, radon, asbestos. What about the buried fuel storage tank; will it have to be removed? The water well may be contaminated. We can test for radon gas and water contamination.

Home design and product problems: Product recalls which you may not hear about. Issues with hardboard siding, synthetic stucco, windows which fog, cracked door panels, bad attic fans, plastic water piping, low quality wood trim, fiberglass roofing shingles, gas logs, leaky furnace ducting, high water pressure, mold and deterioration of the roof sheathing, aluminum wiring, design mistakes which could turn a home into a raging inferno in minutes.

And all those other little annoying things: Doors that don't latch or fit... windows stuck with paint or won't stay up when opened... "crunchy" sounding floors...dark stains at the edges of the carpeting... miss-wired light switches... loose wall outlets... falling-apart drawers in cabinets... a noisy dishwasher... annoying vibrations and sounds... a short supply of HOT water.

We take more time during our inspections and we are willing to talk to you about your home. Your attendance for the inspection is invited and encouraged! This is when you will hear about especially good things we notice about your home... quality choices in the components, good workmanship, things which took extra time to build-in to this home, good design features.

Who will be responsible for my inspection? John Woodmansee is the master home inspector and is personally involved in all inspections as the supervising person. He comes from a diverse experience background. Combining 15 years as an electrical contractor and a remodeling contractor with a university teaching stint of 13 years, he integrated these experiences into a full time home inspection business. This firm has been offering home inspections for over 23 years now. "Dr. Woodmansee" as he is known to his former students directs one of North Carolina's oldest and most respected inspection firms. His favorite hobby is ensemble singing with the Winston-Salem Symphony Chorale. He probably created a "first" when he once delivered a home inspection report sung in madrigal style!