John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

While performing home inspections in NJ Home inspectors often find rodent activity. Typically, a home inspector in NJ will find droppings or nesting, materials. These can be located in the basement, garage, attic, in back of appliances, or inside cabinets.  Although reporting on the presence of r...

New Jersey home inspectors should be familiar with the use of carbon fiber straps for horizontal foundation wall reinforcement. While performing home inspections in NJ it is likely that on occasion home inspectors will discover that the foundation walls in the home they are inspecting have horizo...

New Jersey home inspectors should be familiar with the different types of smoke detectors on the market their preferred placement and proper operation. It is true NJ home inspectors do not perform fire inspections. Fire inspections are typically   left to the municipality however it is important ...

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...