John Martino's (looksmart) Blog

Knob and tube wiring still exists in older homes today and it still can be found during New Jersey Home Inspections. Knob and Tube (K&T) was an early residential wiring that was used in homes from the 1880's to the 1940's. It is considered to be obsolete and by some unsafe. Knob and tube wire is ...

Both real estate agents and New Jersey home inspectors should know how to identify efflorescence and the important role it can play at identifying water intrusion. Efflorescence refers to the deposit of salts on the surface masonry materials such as concrete, cement block, and brick.  It has been...

Something so simple is often done incorrectly. I am talking about bathroom exhaust fans. Bathroom exhaust fans must be ducted to the exterior of the home. They can't be ducted to attics, garages, other enclosed spaces or into other venting systems installed in the attic. These other venting syste...

One issue that I often come across while inspecting older homes is asbestos pipe wrap. Asbestos pipe wrap was used from the early 1900's to the 1970's. The pipe wrap was used to insulate hot water and heating pipes. It gives the appearance of a white cloth like covering or wrap. Its purpose was t...

Many homes throughout the county are constructed on crawlspace foundations. A crawlspace foundation can be prone to dampness. Crawlspaces can be both vented and non-vented. Moisture issues in some crawlspaces can be caused by high ground water or improper grading. The New Jersey home inspector sh...

Indoor Mold Spore Avoidance Mold spore counts within a home can be managed by altering the conditions in which the mold spores propagate. Some of the precautions should include: Decreasing moisture in the home. The volume of moisture for mold growth can be lowered by correcting plumbing and roof...

Looksmart home inspections performs mold testing in NJ. More infoemation about mold testing and home inspetions can be found at the Mold testing in New Jersey Website. Mold spores found in the indoor environment:   Sometimes mold colonies can not be seen with the naked eye but they can still exi...

Molds are a diverse group of fungi, a classification which also includes mushrooms and yeasts. When the average person thinks of the term mold he or she is usually referring to fungi that appear as powdery growths on  food items or grow on moist areas of the home.  Although viewed often as food s...

Over the last several weeks I have been getting questioned as to why a home inspection in New Jersey takes three hours. I think its inappropriate for a realtor to tell a home inspector that he or she is taking too long to inspect a home especially if the inspector is working for their client. Ove...

While performing home inspections in New Jersey I come upon sewage ejector pumps often. A sewage ejector or grinder pump is designed to pump out household sewage to an area that is elevated above the pump. This elevated area can be a the city sewer system or a septic tank that is installed in a p...