
A-Pro Home Inspection Services • Serving Dane and surrounding counties since 2002. • Full time inspector • Radon monitor testing • Licensed & Insured • Nationwide Franchise Backing A-Pro Home Inspection Services
General Inspections and Environmental Concerns Presented by Kimberly St. Louis, Owner A-Pro Home Inspection Services A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Pictures included 120 day home warranty Computerized report—NO checklist Maintenance booklet Informational binder What A-Pro Offers: A-Pro Home Inspection Services
What A-Pro Offers Cont… • Competitive Pricing • At property for approximately 2 hours • Report is emailed approx. 2-3 hours after inspection A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Heating Cooling Insulation Plumbing Built-in Appliances* Inspection Includes: • Structure • Roofing • Exterior • Interior • Electrical A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Includes items visible at time of inspection only. Any “safely” accessible areas Does not include: Items not visible or accessible Items behind walls or under insulation Roofs & landscaping covered by snow or ice Easily removable appliances “Visual” Inspection A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Inspectors are Not Required to: • Move or disturb any insulation • Enter crawl spaces without 18 inches height clearance • Enter crawl spaces if no one else is at property • Do anything that they feel could be hazardous to them: Safety is First A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Items difficult or not able to be reported on: • Roofs that are wet, icy, or snow covered • Underground water and gas piping • Underground oil tanks • Extent of environmental materials within home • Inside of fireplaces and chimneys’ • Heat exchangers and air conditioner components A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Items not tested/inspected • Air conditioners under ~60 degrees • Outside hose bib faucets near or less than freezing temperatures • Roofing materials with ice or snow • Materials for environmental issues A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Environmental Issues of most common concern • Radon Gas • Asbestos • Carbon Monoxide • Lead • Mildew • Mold **www.epa.gov is source for environmental section of presentation materials A-Pro Home Inspection Services
What is Radon? • Invisible, odorless gas that comes from the ground. • Can enter through sump pump, cracks, or through basement walls. • Any home can have high radon levels….old or new • No way to know a home’s radon level without testing. A-Pro Home Inspection Services
* Radon is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to EPA's 2003 Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003)4. The numbers of deaths from other causes are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report and 2002 National Safety Council Reports A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Radon Gas Minimum 48 hour test Placed in lowest FINISHED level with finished ceiling Monitor obtains one result every hour Average is provided at end of test Looking for results under 4.0 pi/L
Radon Gas Cont. • Inspector can test UNfinished area if buyer directs them to. • HOWEVER… Recommend consulting attorney if issues arise due to issues arise with test not being in finished area. A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Fixing Radon • Piping installed into sump pump or basement floor. • Continues into attic or outside wall. • Fan installed in piping to “pull” the radon away from the home and discharge it to exterior. • Mitigation system installations typically cost between $850-$1250. A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Asbestos • Used to make many different materials, including, but not limited to: • Tile flooring and glue for flooring • Insulation tape (typically white) • Ceiling tiles • Attic insulation • Siding tiles and roof shingles • Typically pre-1980 materials • Can cause lung & breathing problems A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Carbon Monoxide • Invisible, odorless gas • Can cause nausa, headaches, death • Most common sources include: Gas burning appliances Fireplace ashes Improper flue configurations A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Carbon Monoxide Cont… Sources Cont: • Flue configurations from gas appliances: “Backdrafting” • Hot fireplace ashes & leaky chimneys • Dirty or restricted flames on gas appliances • Wood & gas stoves A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Lead • Mostly found in: ----Piping (up to late 1960’s) ----Paint (pre 1978) ----Water (test if concerned) A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Mildew and Mold • Needs a CONSTANT source of moisture and • Temperatures above 40 degrees F • Can be hazardous to a person’s health • Visible or hidden A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Older Homes • Typically more enviromental concerns • Electrical system may or may not be upgraded • Corrosion on piping— How bad is it? • Roofing and floor structures— Have they been altered? A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Knob & Tube Wiring • Wiring can be brittle. • If wiring has insulation installed over it, it is considered a fire & safety hazard: the original wires do not have insulation surrounding them and they have to breath. • Can be very costly to upgrade wiring. • A professional electrician should evaluate system. • House may still function, however, may not be able to handle a current living standard’s needs. A-Pro Home Inspection Services
EXTERIOR Chimneys Roofs Siding Grading Issues Rebuilding garages Window leakage INTERIOR Mold remediation Basement leaks Fireplaces Electrical upgrades Structural problems Mechanicals replacement Radon mitigation Costly Items to Repair A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Additional Information • If questions arise with report, recommend contacting inspector for clarification. • If ever not satisfied with how an inspection was performed or how it was written; recommend contacting inspector to help them improve their system. A-Pro Home Inspection Services
Thank you A-Pro Home Inspection Services