NACHI member/CMI does radio show about home inspections.

[Nick Gromicko]

For the past 2 years NACHI member and Certified Master Inspector Kevin Grants of Residential Inspection Consultants in Lakeland Florida has been doing a radio show which includes topics about home inspections.

http://www.residentialinspection.net/RadioTips

Nice work Kevin!

[Nick Gromicko]

Radio Inspection Tips:


Tips Used:
1. Grout cracks in bathrooms. 4/24/04
2. Flashing at roof vent stacks. 5/1/04
3. Seal exterior windows. Trim plants and trees away from house. 5/8/04
4. Service A/C 1-2 times per year and change the filter. Check ductwork for leaks. 5/15/04
5. Radiant Barriers, 5/22/04.
6. Vacation home steel water supply lines and humidistat 5/29/04
7. Check GFCI outlets.
8. Exposed splices. Open junction boxes. 6/12/04
9. No call in - Vacation 6/19/04
10. Pool bonding requirements. 6/26/04
11. Keep roof gutters clean and route downspouts away from the house. 7/3/04
12. Check sprinkler system for: broken heads, broken lines, point heads away from structure & heads that need to be raised. 7/10/04
13. No call in – CE seminar 7/17/04
14. Clean clothes dryer vents. Clean lint screen after each use. Check vents for holes or separations. Vent to outside of house/crawl space. Use proper duct material. Delintz – dryer vent cleaning in yellow pages 7/24/04
15. Signs of structural problems: windows or doors that bind. Cracks in walls getting wider or longer. Trees against foundation. Termite damage to wood. 7/31/04
16. Weatherproof exterior plug-in connections (landscape lighting and water features). 8/7/04
17. Ladder safety. 8/14/04
18. Loose toilets & tanks, sewer gases and leaks 8/21/04
19. Earth to wood contact: siding, added supports in the crawl, decks on grade. Termite and moisture damage. 8/27/0/4
20. Overhead garage door auto reverse safety. 9/4/04
21. Electrical ground clamp systems and grounding metal water lines. 9/11/04
22. Keep crawl space dry. Crawl space ventilation. Do not drain A/C into crawl. Plumbing leaks. Total vent openings be at least one square foot for each 150 square feet of floor area (1500 SF house = 10 sf vent) 9/18/04
23. No call in 9/25/04
24. Drain on TPR valves 10/2/04
25. Remove wallpaper with downy and hot water. 10/09/04
26. No Call in 10/16/04.
27. Three way switches. 10/23/04
28. Chimney spark arrestor, clean flue and patch cap cracks. 11/1/04

29. My vacation home sits vacant for several months at a time. When I return, the water always has a strong sulfur smell, like rotten eggs. What could be causing this problem is it unsafe, and how can I keep it from happening? 11/8/04
30. How to prepare for a home inspection – clear pathways, put up pets, etc. 11/15/04
31. Square D AFCI Recall. 11/22/04
32. Blue roof and proper repair. 11/29/04.
33. Using the correct dishwasher soap. Run dishwashers at least once every two weeks. 12/06/04
34. Radon. What it is and how to fix it. 12/13/04
35. Fix a door that will not stay open. Bend the hinge pin12/20/04
36. On vacation- no call in. 12/27/04
37. Federal Pacific Electrical panels 1/4/05.
38. Life span of household items. 1/10/05
39. Clean faucet aerators. Talk about John 1/17/05
40. Water hammer. Cause and water hammer arrestor. 1/24/05
41. Heat pumps vs. Std A/C & heat. More energy eff. Heat air temp not as hot. 1/31/05.
42. Asbestos siding. 2/7/05
43. Wrap old galv. Plumbing joints with a raged soaked in vinegar.
44. Windows – Balance arms. Allen wrench locks not safe for quick exit. Operate from time to time to keep in good working order. 2/21/05
45. Do proper repairs: Do not caulk leaking drains, Do not caulk wood decay, Do not mess with electrical repairs, Do not pour roofers tar on roof leak. 2/28/05
46. CFL lights and Lumens. 3//7/05
47. New GFCI standards. 3/14/05
48. Temp. adjustment on single handle tub and shower faucets. / Hot - cold reversed. / Newer high tech valves save temp. settings for family members. See web site for links.
49. Ghosting 3/228/05
50. No licensed for home inspectors. 4/4/05
51. Underground fuel oil tanks. 100.00-300.00 to pump / 700.00-1200.00 to remove. 4/11/05
52. How to size a bathroom exhaust fan. 4/18/05
53. Detecting pool leaks with a 5 gallon bucket 4/25/05
54. Installing Batt insulation properly. 5/2/05
55. Clean A/C system 5/9/05
56. Energy use in the home 5/16/05
57. Programmable A/C thermostats
58. Holiday – no call in 5/30/05
59. Transfer switches and wattage use of household items. 6/6/05.
60. Composite materials for door frames 6/13/05
61. Wire protectors at the panel and overheating breakers 6/20/05
62. Fix a loose showerhead stem with expandable foam. 6/27/05
63. On vacation – no call in. 7/4/05
64. Trim trees from overhead electrical lines 7/11/05
65. Vegetable oil in drain traps. 7/18/05
66. No call in – truck accident. 7/25/05
67. On the radio show 8/1/05
68. Washing machine off of the septic 8/8/805
69. Four point insurance inspections 8/15/05
70. Test your microwave 8/22/05
71. Questions to ask your inspector before you hire him 8/29/05
72. No call in Labor Day 9/5/05
73. Rodent control 9/12/05
74. Water heat valve recall 9/19/05
75. No Radio show this week 9/26/05
76. No Call in. In Las Vegas 10/3/05
77. Check flow indicator on the water meter for hidden water leaks. Toilets, sprinkler valves & underground plumbing leaks.
78. Saving water by using your dishwasher vs. hand washing. 10/17/05
79. Noisy pipes may be from a worn out valve at the fixture of main valve 10/24/05
80. Attic ventilation: 1SF per 300SF 11/7/05
81. Space heater safety 11/14/05
82. Energy saving tips 11/21/05
83. Fireplace inspection tips 11/28/05
84. Holiday light safety 125/05
85. Electric use of holiday lights and other items 12/12/05
86. Re-key locks when moving in 12/19/05
87. Security lights 1/9/06
88. No show 1/16/06
89. Stainless steel garbage disposal parts. Min 3/4 horses for better sound insulation. Remove the drain plug for the dishwasher connection. 1/23/06
90. Comments about show topic. Houses are not always what they appear to be 1/30/06.
91. No Call in 2/6/06
92. Stains on vinyl flooring around the toilet and windows. Replace wax ring. 2/13/06
93. Installing a deadbolt. Lining up the jamb hole and drilling it deep enough. 2/20/06.
94. No tip. Thank the Real Estate Community and the Radio People. 2/27/06
95. Recirculating hot water pumps 3/6/06.
96. 3/20/06 ???
97. No call in 3/20/06
98. Put water and oil in bottom of dishwasher it not running it. 3/27/060
99. Extended vacation check list 4/3/06
100. Use spacers to to extend outlets out away from wall 4/10/06
101. Different types of pool heaters 4/17/06
102. Wood deck maint. And composite decking. 4/24/06
103. Go to web site to sign up for a e-home tips 5/1/06
104. No call in 5/8/06
105. Leak detectors 5/15/06
106. June is home safety month 5/22/06
107. Holiday no Call in 5/29/06
108. One-year home warranty inspection tips. 6/5/06
109. No Show 6/12/06
110. In Bahamas 6/19/06
111. Sistering joist to make a repair 6/26/06
112. Using the inspection report as a must be repaired report 7/24/06
113. Drilling through tile and smooth surfaces 7/31/06
114. “As Is Contracts” 8/7/06
115. Solar vs HR¨and photovoltaic shingles 8/14/06



Future Tips:
1. A/C duct cleaning – see “word” article.
2. Clean concrete oil stains with pour-n-restore
3. Sliding glass doors. Clean & lubricate tracks. Piece of wood in track for security only protects one door.
4. Sprinklers?
5. Low flow toilets.
6. Reverse polarity and other electrical stuff.