Inspecting Wet Basements by Alan Carson, Carson-Dunlop The problem is all-too-familiar to many homeowners. It is said that more than 98 percent of all houses have had or will have basement leakage at some point. Identifying the Problem The presence of efflorescence, a whitish mineral deposit on the interior of foundation walls, indicates moisture penetration....…
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Editor’s Note: The following is a (brief) excerpt from the story Successful Report Writing by expert Alan Carson. (Find answers to these questions and others: What are you trying to accomplish with the report?; What do clients want?; Format: electronic or paper?; Should you purchase vs. create your reports?; How to build a knowledge base?;…
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Paying Attention to Planters: Telltale Signs of Water Damage by Bill Ball It was a nice little home, recently painted with a new roof. When I drove up to the curb, my first impression was the same as the buyer’s. But then I noticed the planters and when I went around to the back, I...…
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How to Date a House By Alan Carson As home inspectors, we have some tricks for figuring out the age of a house. In newer subdivisions we pick up dates from manhole covers, sidewalks and curbs. This will give you an idea of when the subdivision was built. This obviously doesn’t work in older neighborhoods....…
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Diagnosing Structural Problems Serious structural problems in houses are not very common but when they occur they are never cheap to fix. Some can’t be fixed at all. This report won’t turn you into an expert but it does provide some of the common indicators. Uneven Floors Uneven floors are typical, particularly in older homes....…
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Expert Witness Testimony: Advice from the Bench State court Judge Caroline Baker has heard just about every type of civil case from contract disputes to medical malpractice. What impresses her most about the multitudes of expert witnesses that pass through her courtroom? Experts who make themselves available to testify at trial. The judge says live…
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Meet a Mold Inspector Even in one of the driest spots on earth—the Las Vegas desert, there is plenty of work for mold inspector Vladimir Primaky. “It may be dry outside but inside there are plenty of opportunities for moisture intrusion that can cause mold to grow, such as roof leaks, leaky pipes, improperly adjusted...…
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Inspecting an Attic from the Inside Out By: Cliff Steelman The attic is one of the most important areas of the house to be inspected. Here’s why, along with a few tips to help ensure that your attic inspections are thorough and complete. To understand the importance of an attic inspection you must first understand…
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State of the Art Mold Test Now Available Lighthouse Laboratories is now providing state-of-the-art DNA testing for Stachybotrys Chartarum (toxic or black mold) through the collection of a simple dust sample. The test uses real time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methodologies developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The DNA test is considered highly...…
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In almost all cases mold grows where there is excess moisture in a building or on building materials that contain cellulose or other organic material. This means that to find mold you must first “find the water.”
Mold grows by using moisture in the form of water and vapor. Catastrophic events such a roof leak, sewage…
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