Do water and electric mix?

Hello again, I did an inspection with a very wet basement. The ceiling had leak evidence with an electrical outlet in the middle of the most wet spot! Who wants to see if this outlet is working? Ok, I will............after all it is my job! So do you think it was live or dead? It was dead, go figure! Please be careful in your home when it comes to water leaking near outlets or worse your main electric panel! Not sure where to look? Please call me for an inspection, always ready to work for you.

Take care,
Ed Romaniello

"Metal or Plastic?"

Hello fellow homeowners! The question of the week is "Metal or Plastic?" Which do you have? I'm talking about the vent piping material on the back of your clothes dryer. Take a look. If it looks like the one in this picture, you have plastic, and should consider changing it soon. Plastic dryer vents have been linked to many house fires. The best type is the solid metal ones. Please keep in mind that you should also check them periodically for dust buildup and clean as needed.

Please email or call me with any questions. eaglehomeinspections@embarqmail.com or (973) 875-0100. Have a good and productive week! Ed.

Termite Mud Tunnels

Hi Everyone, Hope you're staying cool on this hot August day! It's 105 degrees in the sun today and the humidity is hard to miss!

So have you ever seen something like this at home around your foundation? If so, you could have termites. This is a picture of a home inspection where the mud tunnels were on the interior walls of the garage coming up from the floor. If you're not sure please call me to do a pest inspection at your home. It can be an eye opening experience!!

How can I be sure my chimney liner is not cracked?

So the question is......."How can I know if my chimney liner is ok?" Sometimes it is easy! Please see above photo of a crumbling chimney liner that has seen better days! Other ways of knowing are to check the top area of the exposed liner. Do you see cracks or deterioration? If you're not sure you can always have a qualified chimney sweep clean and inspect the liner for cracks. A cracked chimney liner is a potential fire hazard.

Any questions? Please email or call me anytime. That's all for now! Ed

"Does this basement flood?"

Hello Everyone, Hope your Spring is going well! The big question of the day is how do you know if my basement floods? I'm asked this question at almost every home inspection. Part of my inspection involves investigating the potential for dampness, water seepage and water entry. I look for water stains, moisture evidence on anything in contact with the floor and also I use a moisture meter. The meter confirms my findings and tells if the problem is recent or old. Please see the above picture.

So there you have it! Old evidence, new evidence or potential problems.........call me to find out the answers!

Eagle Home Inspections....."The Home Inspector With Eagle Eyes!"

What is that smell in the basement?

Hello everyone.......Happy Spring! So there I was on an inspection in Franklin with my clients. We headed into the basement and were hit with a smell that was truely unforgetable. My client asked me....what is that smell? My eyes went immediately to the main drain pipe along the foundation wall. As you see in the picture.....it's the pipe with the failed "bandaids" on it and raw sewage in the bucket below!! I quickly said.....whatever you do, don't touch it! This is what happens when you try to play plumber. "Hey kids...grab a plastic bag and some duct tape.....why isn't it working, quick grab a bucket! Just who's job is it to empty the bucket??

Please don't mess with septic and sewer issues...get a qualified contractor to repair the problem.

Tune in for more inspection nightmare pictures from the "Home Inspector With Eagle Eyes!" and a good sense of smell!!

Does it matter where the support columns go?

Hello again & welcome to my world! Hope your week is going well. So the question of the day is............does it matter where the support columns go? The answer is..........Yes!! The distance between columns is critical and it depends on the load above. This calculation is done by the architect. The other thing is where the girder wood "breaks" are. "Breaks" are where the pieces join. There should always be a column under each "break". Please see picture. Notice a triple wood girder with 2 "breaks" and no column support here. Above this area in the home it was noted that the floor and walls were sloping out of level. Easy fix! Contact a qualified remodeling contractor to install a proper lolly column on a proper footing! Any questions or comments please email me at eaglehomeinspections@embarqmail.com or call me (973) 875-0100. Also please check out my web site: www-best-inspection-best-price.com

Take care,
Ed

Are all cracks serious?

Hello, So the question is " Are all foundation cracks serious?" The answer is.............no. Sometimes cracks are just plaster coating cracks or minor settlement cracks. If you have a basement, do you see daylight coming through when your looking at the crack from the inside? Is the crack about 1/4" in width or has any signs of movement in or out? This could be a serious issue. Is the crack new or old? Do you have other signs of movement, ie: cracking on walls/ceilings or floors inside the home above the cracks?
Remember.......if you're not sure, or would like "The Eagle Eyes" to look at your home.......please call or email me.

Have a great weekend!
Ed

"Old Sparky" Hello again. Do you have anything in your home that looks like this picture? If so.......you need an electrician before you have an electrical fire!! This home only had this one outlet in the kitchen....

Need help? I can inspect your entire home for any health,safety and structural issues that you might not even know exist. Call Anytime......(973) 875-0100 Ed

Where does the air from my bathroom fan go?

Hello everyone, A common problem I see with many homes is where the bathroom fan is venting. Many homes built in the 70's and 80's are venting into the attic only. Mold and mildew will soon follow due to all the extra moist air added into the attic. The proper way is to vent it directly to the exterior. A qualified roofing contractor is the person to take care of this job.
If you're not sure where your bathroom fans are going or have other questions or concerns, please call me for a Home Maintenance Inspection.
Eagle Home Inspection.........."The Home Inspector With Eagle Eyes!"

Window seals? Isn't it just steam??

Hello everyone, Window seals? What are they? Do I have a problem with mine? Double pane glass has gas between the layers. When the seal is compromised, the gas escapes and the window starts to look like "modern art". The only way to know if the seal is gone is to feel with your hand on both sides of the window or door. If the "cloudy look" doesn't erase, your seal is gone. The cure is either to call a glass company to replace the damaged pane, or hire a contractor to replace the complete window. The first is definately cheaper.

A common cause of bad seals is closing the windows too hard. Another is the contractor wasn't careful handling the window when installing. The last is just window failure.

Remember.....if you have a question or comment.......write me!
Take care,
Ed

Asbestos

Hello Everyone! So is it asbestos or not? Does it look like this picture? It is usually found on large heating pipes in basements. Asbestos was the great insulator of it's time, that is until the health problems were found out! Asbestos wrap can be repaired or removed by professional licensed companies. Do not remove it yourself!
Any questions?
Call or email me.
Ed

Valentine Suprise!

Hello everyone, I suprised my wife Eileen with a "singing Valentine" by the High Point Harmonizers! They sang three songs, gave Eileen a rose, card and took pictures with us!
Definately worth doing!!
Take care,
Ed

Asbestos

Hi Everyone, Hope your week was enjoyable! So the big question is Asbestos or Not asbestos...........If it looks like asbestos, it usually is! Please check out this picture. If you see any of this in your basement or crawlspace, call me. If you're buying a home with something like this in the basement or crawlspace.......you know what to do.....call us for a complete Home Inspection!

It's a wrap......asbestos that is!
Ed

Buying a home with a recent addition?

Hello again. Did you recently find that dream home with everything you are looking for? Does it have a recent addition or alteration? This week I inspected a home with a recent alteration. The client stated they didn't get proper permits from the township. When I looked in the basement and in the attic I can see why inspections are so important. The floor system was barely attached to the structure! Brackets? Nails? Do you have to put nails in the brackets?? Yes! The floor joist brackets are only effective when you nail them to the girders.

Brackets, girders, joists, bla.bla.bla. If construction terms just go over your head....don't get in over your head! Please call me for a complete Home Inspection of the property. New, old, renovated, abandoned......all the same to me!

Hope to hear from you soon!
Have to go shovel the 11" of snow that just fell!
Take care,
Ed Romaniello

"I hear something in my attic"

Hello everyone, I recently did an inspection in Essex county where the current homeowners said to me..."Be careful in the attic, there's something living in there."

As you know, I always go into every area possible in a home so I went into the attic. The evidence I saw was confirmed on the exterior as seen in this picture!

Case solved!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Ed

Termites vs. Carpenter Ants

Hello, Do you know what is worse, Termites or Carpenter ants? The answer is Termites! They do the same damage, but termite treatment is twice as expensive. Termites are the silent killer while Carpenter ants parade around making it usually very obvious there is a problem. I have been finding termite evidence in areas that I usually only find carpenter ants. I recently did inspections in Hampton and in Lake Neepaulin, Wantage. Both had termite damage in the wood framing.

Need help? I can help! Please email or call me.
Take care!
Ed Romaniello
The Home Inspector With Eagle Eyes!

Termites

Termites.........the silent home destroyers. Do you have a crawlspace or basement you haven't been in a while? Do you know what termite evidence looks like? Please email me at eaglehomeinspections@embarqmail.com with any questions.
"Honest, Professional Home Inspections at Affordable Pricing".
Take care,
Ed Romaniello

New Construction Inspect or Not?

Good morning all from Ed Romaniello, inspector for Eagle Home Inspections in Lafayette, NJ.

A good question is when purchasing a new construction home should I get a Home Inspection? What will you find wrong when everything is new?

I've recently inspected a local new construction home by a reputable builder and found the following: 1) No heat register in the large media room, only returns.
2) Windows that do not unlock.
3) Very high radon test failure
4) Improper grading near foundation which could lead to water intrusion in the basement.


So there it is! The answer to the question does New Construction need an inspection is Yes!

To answer any questions or comments or to schedule an inspection please email or call me at eaglehomeinspections@embarqmail.com or (973) 875-0100.
Please check out our web-site:
www.best-inspection-best-price.com


By for now!
Ed