Chad Brewer's (homeinspectusa) Blog

The following is a list of tips show how to spot an illegal contractor: You are asked to obtain the permits. A licensed contractor who is in good standing will always obtain the permit.   The contractor is not willing to put all terms in writing and offers only a verbal contract. Never accept an ...

First-time home-buyers face an unfamiliar road and risk purchasing the wrong place at the wrong time. Here's a guide to the potholes.Buying your first home is an exercise in faith. You don't really know what you're getting into, you're awash in unfamiliar terminology and everyone you meet seems t...

MYTH: Scientists are not sure that radon really is a problem. FACT: Although some scientists dispute the precise number of deaths due to radon, all the major health organizations (like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Associati...

Why Mold Grows in Your Home Molds are part of the natural environment.  Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided.  Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible t...

Even by minimum standards, inspectors make hundreds of observations during the course of a few hours in a home. But there is plenty they probably won't -- or officially can't -- tell you about the house you're about to buy. After talking to some inspectors, we've come up with a list of eight thin...

Home inspectors simply note everything they see. It is our job to be your eyes, inspect everything in a home from the major items - heating, plumbing, electrical, foundation, roof, moisture penetration - to smaller easier fixed items like a garbage disposal malfunctioning, a leaky faucet, or crac...