John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

New Jersey home inspectors should be familiar with basement water control systems and what makes for a well-designed system. By installing a drainage system on the interior of the perimeter of the basement along the walls, you can capture and direct water at the most vulnerable entry point which ...

New Jersey home inspectors should have an understanding of footing drains and why they fail. Footing drains are a primary cause of basement water infiltration problems in homes. When a home is constructed, there are two things that help keep water out of the basement. A coating on the exterior of...

New Jersey home inspectors should understand the importance of the stack effect in winter months in homes that they are inspecting in NJ. As warm air rises in a house it exists or leaks out of the upper floors and especially the attic. New air must enter to replace the upper air loses. In the ave...

New Jersey home inspectors should understand the importance of building permits and educate their clients about when permits are needed and how to check for open and closed building permits in homes they are purchasing. Building permits are official Municiple documents that are required to legall...

According to New Jersey home inspector regulations, home inspectors are required to identify and report on material defects found during the home inspection process. The material defects that are to be reported are of the accessible structure, systems and components of the property being inspecte...

Rusting describes the process of corrosion of iron and steel. New Jersey home inspectors and homeowners should have a basic understanding of how rust develops and how to take steps to help manage it. Rusting is more than just a cosmetic problem. Rusting can lead to serious structural problems and...

Although it is not required or part of the New Jersey home inspector regulations in New Jersey. New Jersey home inspectors should inspect for duct leaks in HVAC systems. The majority of homes in New Jersey are equipped with central forced air systems that rely on ductwork to deliver conditioned a...

The typical lifespan of a natural draft water heater is about 10 years. There are factors that should be considered that pertain to its lifespan that can provide the New Jersey home inspector and also the buyer with information about potential expenses that would be needed when replacing the wate...

Home inspectors in New Jersey are required to evaluate and inspect insulation in the attic. We are not required to describe the insulation or determine its depth however this is a and added benefit to our New Jersey home inspection clients if we could determine if the insulation is sufficient eno...

New Jersey home inspectors inspect heating and other appliances that operates on both propane and natural gas. Home inspectors in NJ should understand the similarities and the differences of both fuels so they can provide useful information to their clients.Natural gas is a fossil fuel that comes...