A visual, pre-offer, inspection is a walk-through consultation on the home you are considering putting an offer on to give you peace of mind before you commit to buying a home unconditionally.

Do you need a one-year warranty home inspection? Yes, yes you do. Not only can it save you thousands of dollars in future repairs, but it lets you know the state of your home and any necessary repairs that need completed by the builder before your warranty is over. It will also provide you with a comprehensive report that outlines the deficiencies and gives you home maintenance tips.

When making one of, if not the biggest, investments of your life it is important to choose the right home inspector. With over 20 years of construction experience and training through Carson Dunlop an Internachi, I am confident that I will be the best, most reliable, certified and insured home inspector in Calgary and surrounding area you can hire.

Attic rain is a phenomenon that occurs when water leaks from the attic of a building. It is due to frost build up on the sheathing or other areas of the attic. Most attics in our climate will experience some frost in the attic during very cold temperatures, a well ventilated attic should naturally get rid of the frost build up as the temperature gradually gets warmer. Unfortunately our climate experiences drastic changes in temperature where it can fluctuate from -30 to above 0 in 24 hours. When that happens the attic ventilation doesn’t have time to get rid of the frost buildup and it will melt and can cause water damage to your home.

This video describes what really matters in a home inspection. When you hire a top rated, certified, home inspector in Calgary they will always accomplish what matters in a home inspection.

AFCIs function by monitoring the electrical waveform and promptly opening (interrupting) the circuit they serve if they detect changes in the wave pattern that are characteristic of a dangerous arc. They also must be capable of distinguishing safe, normal arcs, such as those created when a switch is turned on or a plug is pulled from a receptacle, from arcs that can cause fires. An AFCI can detect, recognize, and respond to very small changes in wave pattern.

Between approximately 1965 and 1973, single-strand (solid) aluminum wiring was sometimes substituted for copper branch-circuit wiring in residential electrical systems due to the sudden escalating price of copper. After a decade of use by homeowners and electricians, inherent weaknesses were discovered in the metal that lead to its disuse as a branch wiring material. Aluminum will become defective faster than copper due to certain qualities inherent in the metal.

Receptacle-type GFCIs are currently designed to allow for safe and easy testing that can be performed without any professional or technical knowledge of electricity.  GFCIs should be tested right after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.  They should also be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and are providing protection from fatal shock. 

Thermostatic mixing valve, Anti-scald valves, also known as tempering valves. Also known as “whats that thing under my sink”. It is there to help protect you from burning yourself. As a Calgary Home Inspector I think its best not to burn yourself…

Proper ventilation of bathroom fans is very important to remove moist air form bathroom and prevent frost accumulation, moisture issues and mold in attic.

Thermography, Infared or Thermal Imaging, has been around for many years now. I personally think this should be a must when you are doing a home inspection as it provides so much value to my clients which is why I include it Free with every inspection.  It a great way to narrow down issues during a home inspection, and lets face it, its pretty cool as well. 

No fire extinguisher can be safely and effectively used for every type of fire. Some contain chemicals that are ineffective in certain situations and can even cause harm to the operator if misapplied. To prevent confusion, extinguishers are classified by the type of chemical agents they contain. A few of the most common extinguisher types are listed below:

Here at House to Home Inspections we have compiled a list of 10 Things Buyers Should Know About Home Inspections. Give it a read before we head out to your inspection and hopefully this will alleviate some of your jitters and give you the ability to go into your purchase feeling a bit more educated and informed.

Why should I get a home inspection?

Buying a home is typically the biggest investment you will ever make, so it's important to get a home inspection because the inspector should be able to discover and document defects that may or may not be obvious to you as a prospective buyer.  Such defects can range from simple replacements or repairs, to severe damage or safety and health concerns.

Electrical safety is very important to House to Home Inspections. When we perform an inspection we will ensure that you and your family will be safe from electrical danger.