John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

When you are buying a home in New Jersey, you are making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. The home inspection is your chance to really understand what you are getting into. But not all inspections are equal. A big part of the difference comes down to the experience level of th...

If you are buying a home in New Jersey, the home inspection is one of the most important steps you will take. A good inspection is not just a formality. It is your chance to find out what you are really getting into before you sign on the dotted line. I have been doing NJ home inspections for mor...

When I am doing NJ home inspections, one of the most common water control problems I find is downspouts that dump the water right next to the house. It seems like a small thing. The gutters look fine, the water is going into the downspout, so it must be working. But the truth is, if the water is ...

As a NJ home inspector, I spend a lot of time on roofs or looking at them from a ladder. One of the most common sources of water entry I find is around chimneys. In most cases, the problem is with the chimney flashing.Chimney flashing is the metal that seals the gap between the roof and the sides...

If you are buying a home in New Jersey, choosing the right home inspector is one of the most important decisions you will make. Not all inspectors are the same. Some are quick and cheap. Some do just the basics. And a few actually give you the kind of inspection that protects your investment and ...

If you are buying a home in New Jersey, and especially if it is an older one, you may come across two-prong outlets or notice that some outlets have three holes but no actual ground. This is what we call ungrounded outlets, and I see them often during NJ home inspections.To the average buyer, thi...

What I Look for When a Home Has a Retaining WallRetaining walls are one of those things that people usually overlook when buying a home. Most folks are focused on the roof, the heating system, the electrical, and all the stuff inside the home. But outside the home, especially if the lot is sloped...

If you are walking through a basement and see rust on a metal column or beam, you might wonder if it is just cosmetic, or something serious. As a full-time NJ home inspector, I see this issue all the time. Rust on support columns might seem like a small thing, but it should never be ignored.Let m...

If you are buying a home in New Jersey or already own one, you may come across the term double tapped breaker in an inspection report. It sounds technical, but this is one of the most common electrical issues I find, and it can be a real safety concern.Double tapped breakers are easy to miss, but...

Most people do not think much about their dryer vent. They clean the lint trap now and then and assume everything is fine. But after inspecting homes thousands of homes, I can say that dryer vents are one of the most overlooked fire risks in a home. And it is not just about cleaning some lint.The...