Mark Aakjar

General Mechanical Maintenance of A Home: Maintenance is key to improving longevity and insuring quality operation of your mechanicals. Below is a list of some of the basic maintence you as a home owner should do: Oil boilers: Get on a service maintenance contract with your oil supply company. Just because your oil company has the cheapest oil doesn't always mean they have the best serving available. Be sure to get the correct boiler maintenance package when shopping around Steam Boilers: If you live in a home with steam you may or may not be aware that you have to drain the sediment once a month from the corotion that occurs in the pipes. What you may not be aware of is there is an additive you can put in your steam system that alows most people to go the entire year without having to teadiosly drain your sediment.  Tank Water Heaters: Most people tell me there water heaters only last seven years, this is due to poor or no maintenance. If you were to drain the sediment out of the tank once a year you would significantly improve the longevity of your water heater. A/C Systems: Winter is now uppon us and a good time to cover your outside condensing units. By covering your outside condensers you can prevent agents wear that occurs 7 months out of the year when your unit is not in use.  There are many other things you can do to prolong the life of your mechanicals this is just a short list of some of the basic essentials. Any questions or comments please feel free to contact me or visit me on my website at www.MarksInspections.com 

REALTORS...RPAC needs your help! http://www.realtoractioncenter.com/rpac/about-rpac/frequently-asked-questions.html#whycontribute

When REALTORS® join together, they have a very powerful voice that is heard loud and clear. The REALTORS® Political Action Committee exists solely to further issues important to REALTORS®. It’s the only political action committee in the country that is organized by REALTORS® to promote and protect the dream of homeownership in America.

RPAC works every day on behalf of REALTORS® so that you can practice real estate with the assurance that someone is fighting for you and the real estate industry.

A thermo efficiency audit can help identify where your Westchester home is losing heat to the environment. It enables you to identify and address insulation issues so you can keep your home warmer and spend less energy.

Take a look at this video where can see the opportunity areas in this Westchester Home.

Mark's Home Inspections Thermo Efficiency Audit Video - Westchester NY

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What is a Pre-listing Inspection?

Westchester Home Inspections

A Pre-listing inspection is an evaluation of the home before the home gets ready to go on the market. It gives the seller and seller's agent the best opportunity to find pptential problems before home goes on the market and gets final inspection. This can be helpful as you identify and address any major issues and avoid losing any potential buyers.

To learn more about Pre-listing inspections and to see an example of one, check out this video.

Pre-listing Home Inspection - Westchester NY

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What is a Pre-listing Inspection?

Westchester Home Inspections

OH MY GOD I HAVE RADON IN MY HOUSE!!!

If you've been in real estate in the past hundred years I am sure you've heard that one once or twice...

What is Radon??? Radon is a noble radioactive gas caused by uranium in soils and mainly granite. It releases Alpha decay in the air through the radioactive radon gas. It is invisible, odorless, tasteless and deadly. Radon related deaths occur every year in the upward number of 20,000 people its primary related death is lung cancer... This is a staggering amount for something that is easily abated.

Attic fan (image provided by Geoff Bolen of RTCA)

Basement (image provided by Geoff Bolen of RTCA)

Depending on logistics and levels a radon abatement system typically costs as much as a decent fridge ranging from $1,000 to $2,000. Essentially all it is, is a 4'' PVC pipe with a fan inside of it creating a negative pressure beneath the slab to vent the air to the outside. You can get pretty elaborate with flow meter and alarms.

Just to clarify some things... Simply opening a window or moving around in the home will not "significantly" reduce your levels of radon gas in the home. It has been shown to slightly reduce however it does not justify not installing a necessary system.

How do you test for radon there are several methods but most commonly used are two activated charcoal canisters placed side by side at the lowest "occupying" location in the home (this should not mean 2' crawlspace areas only accessible through a closet). They are cheap and extremely effective. I can't vouch for other states but in NYS last year all home inspectors were given notice that anyone found testing for radon using an "on site" radon analysis computer will be subject to a $10,000. This is completely understandable. For one they are not a certified testing labs and second calibration could easily be off. So next time your buyer says to you... OMG we have a radon issue!!! I hope this help you educate them.