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Preston Sandlin

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Welcome to The Termite Buffet!

02-25-09
Preston Sandlin
Last week one of my inspectors inspect the house here in Charlotte, North Carolina and ran across one of the worst cases of termite damage that I have seen in a long time. Please see the video. Since termites come from the ground and a return to the ground for moisture. They usually eat the wood that's closest to them first. As you can tell from the video these termites admitted above doorways and made it to pictures and picture frames. In Charlotte, North Carolina we have the eastern subterranean termites which aren't as aggressive as the formotion termites they have a little for their South. Eastern subterranean termites do not do a lot of damage in a short time. So as you can tell from this video these termites have been here a long time. This damage could have been prevented if the house would have been inspected on a yearly basis and treated a few years back. The sad thing is there is probably a lot more hidden damage that we can't see. If you have any questions about termites or inspections please go to http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com
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Do You Have Something Deadly Learking in Your House

02-11-09
Preston Sandlin

Real Estate Agents are very good at what the do. They are good at marketing showing, selling, and setting up the home inspection. Although real estate agents are good at recommending professionals including home inspectors, they need to know a little about environmental hazards around the house them. The home inspector will be better at assessing environmental risks in the real estate transaction. I am Preston Sandlin, a licensed home inspector in Charlotte NC and I have come up with a list of the common environmental hazards that I have run across in my 12 years of being a home inspector.

  1. Asbestos. Asbestos comes from a Greek word that means "inextinguishable" Asbestos was very popular up until the 1960's. It was popular due to its resistance to temperature change, its durability, and its fire resistance. The common areas that I find asbestos are in exterior siding, ceiling tile, floor covering and insulation wrap on ductwork. What is the danger with asbestos? If its fibers become airborne people can breathe them in causing a host of respiratory problems. Asbestos can be professionally removed or encapsulated. Encapsulation is the process of sealing up or sealing over the asbestos so that it does not become airborne or friable.

  1. Radon. Radon gas comes from the breakdown of radioactive material in the earth. Levels of Radon are measured in picos/liter. The EPA mandates that levels 4.0 pico/liter is dangerous and in need of a Radon mitigation system. Although Radon is found everywhere it more predominant in mountain areas, the Northeast, North and Northwest. Recently Radon has been found in newer construction that is coming from the concrete. Radon exposure has been linked to lung cancer.

  1. Lead. Lead has been used in construction prior to 1978 for pipe and in paint. The biggest problem is the lead paint was in the paint. If lead paint peels or the dust is ingested or swallowed it can lead to brain and neurological problem. If a house was built prior to 1978 there is a good chance that lead was used in the paint particularly in the trim paint.

  1. Carbon Monoxide. Carbon Monoxide is a byproduct of combustion. Carbon Monoxide inhibits the blood's ability to transport Oxygen to the brain. If exposed to Carbon Monoxide for a period of time fatality will occur. There was an incident a couple of years ago here in Charlotte NC where someone left a car running in the garage under the condos down by the Carolina Panthers practice fields. The Carbon Monoxide built up and it killed 4 people.

There are many more environmental hazards out there but these are the top four that I often run into. For more information on environmental hazards around the house, contact Home inspection Carolina http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com and the EPA http://www.epa.gov

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Time for Remodel Projects

01-23-09
Preston Sandlin

While new home construction has come to a grinding halt throughout the US, smaller home-renovation projects are still a viable option for homeowners. In fact, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently reported a increase in minor remodeling projects in its third-quarter 2008 Remodeling Market Index.

What does all this mean for homeowners? It spells opportunity. And for those who want to invest in their house, it's tough to beat bathroom additions and remodels, which rank high on NAHB's list of the most prevalent remodeling jobs.

Bathroom upgrades still provide a solid investment return, even in the present tightening economy, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value" report. The magazine estimates that a midrange bathroom redo will recoup nearly 75 percent of its cost; a bathroom addition recoups just under 65 percent.

Get the most for your money. Thinking about a new or improved bathroom? If so, avoid the high cost and hassle of creating under-floor plumbing connections -- one of the most expensive and time-consuming aspects of any bath project. Instead, use macerating technology, an above-floor plumbing system that can be installed right on top of an existing floor in any part of the house in only 1/2 a day.

With this type of installation, waste and water are pumped away and up from the plumbing fixtures through small-diameter piping into the sewer or septic tank. No more digging to set plumbing drainage lines. "This technology is easier, more convenient and less invasive," says plumber Mike Sikorski of East Taunton, Mass., who installs Saniflo brand plumbing products. "It saves my customers an average of $1,100, and that's on the low side."

Mike Coletto, another Saniflo installer and an independent plumbing, HVAC and electrical contractor in Illinois, agrees. "If a bathroom is on your project list, consider above-floor plumbing -- especially if you're planning a basement remodel," he says. "Saniflo makes installing a basement bath a snap."

Here are some additional ways to keep your home bathroom remodel low-cost:

* Improve vs. Expand: Instead of knocking down walls, gain space by replacing a hinged door with a pocket door. Put in a recessed medicine cabinet. Install a bowed shower curtain to increase the interior shower space.

* Fix up vs. Replace: Instead of buying new cabinets, resurface or paint them; update handles and drawer pulls. Repair damaged walls and redo the caulking around sinks. Tile only halfway up the wall.


* Think Green: Replace old windows with energy-efficient models and you may qualify for a federal tax rebate. Replace leaky faucets with low-flow models.

* Lighten and Brighten: Repaint, using neutral colors. Repair damaged flooring, or install tile right over the floor. Place task lighting over the vanity, instead of installing a window.

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Time for Remodel Projects

01-23-09
Preston Sandlin

While new home construction has come to a grinding halt throughout the US, smaller home-renovation projects are still a viable option for homeowners. In fact, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) recently reported a increase in minor remodeling projects in its third-quarter 2008 Remodeling Market Index.

What does all this mean for homeowners? It spells opportunity. And for those who want to invest in their house, it's tough to beat bathroom additions and remodels, which rank high on NAHB's list of the most prevalent remodeling jobs.

Bathroom upgrades still provide a solid investment return, even in the present tightening economy, according to Remodeling Magazine's Cost vs. Value" report. The magazine estimates that a midrange bathroom redo will recoup nearly 75 percent of its cost; a bathroom addition recoups just under 65 percent.

Get the most for your money. Thinking about a new or improved bathroom? If so, avoid the high cost and hassle of creating under-floor plumbing connections -- one of the most expensive and time-consuming aspects of any bath project. Instead, use macerating technology, an above-floor plumbing system that can be installed right on top of an existing floor in any part of the house in only 1/2 a day.

With this type of installation, waste and water are pumped away and up from the plumbing fixtures through small-diameter piping into the sewer or septic tank. No more digging to set plumbing drainage lines. "This technology is easier, more convenient and less invasive," says plumber Mike Sikorski of East Taunton, Mass., who installs Saniflo brand plumbing products. "It saves my customers an average of $1,100, and that's on the low side."

Mike Coletto, another Saniflo installer and an independent plumbing, HVAC and electrical contractor in Illinois, agrees. "If a bathroom is on your project list, consider above-floor plumbing -- especially if you're planning a basement remodel," he says. "Saniflo makes installing a basement bath a snap."

Here are some additional ways to keep your home bathroom remodel low-cost:

* Improve vs. Expand: Instead of knocking down walls, gain space by replacing a hinged door with a pocket door. Put in a recessed medicine cabinet. Install a bowed shower curtain to increase the interior shower space.

* Fix up vs. Replace: Instead of buying new cabinets, resurface or paint them; update handles and drawer pulls. Repair damaged walls and redo the caulking around sinks. Tile only halfway up the wall.


* Think Green: Replace old windows with energy-efficient models and you may qualify for a federal tax rebate. Replace leaky faucets with low-flow models.

* Lighten and Brighten: Repaint, using neutral colors. Repair damaged flooring, or install tile right over the floor. Place task lighting over the vanity, instead of installing a window.

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Crazy Stuff Seen on Home Inspections 2

01-04-09
Preston Sandlin

By far the funniest or craziest thing I have ever seen on a home inspection was back in 1999 when I was inspecting a house in Charlotte NC near Garinger High School. On this particular inspection everybody was there including the buyer, seller, buyer' agent, seller's agent, an uncle, an aunt, some kids, and a dog whose ownership I was not sure of. Anyway I am inspecting the crawl space of this house doing my usual circular crawl when coming back down the back stretch my flashlight beam caught something odd. It was hair and some dingy looking fleshy colored skin maybe. I thought Oh my God! It's a body. As I got closer, I noticed it was a body alright but not won that was ever alive. It was a deflated inflate-a-mate doll! I pulled that doll out of the crawlspace and with everyone looking announced that someone's missing her. Everybody laughed except the seller. I ask him if he had anything he would like to share but thought better of it.

Once I was inspecting an old Queen Anne House built in Dilworth around 1902. One thing for sure when inspecting a house this old, you can't go back on the builder. Anyway while inspecting this beautiful old house the seller was following me around everywhere. Home Inspectors hate this because it's hard to focus. I mean I actually ask him to leave the bathroom once as I really had to use it and I really didn't know him all that well. Well anyway since I couldn't shake I thought I might as well talk to him. Since this was a really old house and every other one I had inspected had rumors of the supernatural I thought of something to talk to him about. I asked him if they had any ghosts. He didn't say anything. I reassured him that we don't put anything like that on our report. He still didn't say anything. Finally I said "You know in most cases they say that ghosts make the house more valuable." He said "Well in that case we have five"

I have also seen many crazy repairs and improvisations including automotive hoses used for plumbing lines. I have seen duct tape used for just about everything including patching holes and cracks in the tub. One seller in Huntersville used pantyhose for supports for all the ductwork under the house. That was very creative but not very durable. They all had runs in them. I have seen a garbage can used for a rain cap on a chimney. Now that is creative. I'll bet his neighbor has been wondering where his garbage can got too. Basically I want to say that in a lot of places creativity is good thing, unfortunately home repair isn't one of them.

No collection of home inspection stories would be complete without the snake sightings. I have seen many. There is one house I have to inspect yearly that has so many snake skins under it that I take my dog with me. I hate going under that house. I will only go after I have had a strong drink and I can take my dog. I have seen many snakes including one hit with my flash light and then he proceeded to come after me. I have seen them in all different parts of the crawl, attic and around the house. Once on a million dollar house in Piper Glenn I moved some firewood to get to an outlet. I went to get another log and almost grabbed the fattest copperhead I have ever seen. I screamed like a little girl. The scariest snake experience came from a house I was inspecting once near Carowinds. We home inspectors always pull the insulation back at front dirt filled porches because this is a hotspot for damage. At this house I pulled the insulation back and a snake feel on my arms. I freaked out. I liked like Scooby Doo and Shaggy with all four limbs circling like wheels to get out of there. Once out the real estate agent asked me about the snake and I told them "You know that saying that they are more afraid of you than you are of them, well that is a lie!"

This is only the tip of the iceberg of stuff I have seen during inspections. I have said Jeff Foxworthy should ride around with me for awhile and he would have plenty of material. For more information about home inspections please go to http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com or visit my blog at http://www.askthecharlotteinspector.com

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