Asbestos
What Is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral fiber. It can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. You cant tell whether a material contains asbestos simply by looking at it, unless it is labeled

Biological Pollutants
Biological Pollutants in the Home Outdoor air pollution in cities is a major health problem. Much effort and money continues to be spent cleaning up pollution in the outdoor air. But air pollution can be a problem where you least expect it, in the place you may have thought was safest - your home. Many ordinary activities such as cooking, heating, cooling, cleaning, and redecorating can cause the release and spread of indoor pollutants at home

Common Definitions
home inspection, NACHI certified, home inspector, real estate inspection, property inspection, The ABCs of Home Ownership (A Glossary) Michigan inspection,

Conserve Energy
Are your energy bills too high? Is your home not as comfortable as you want it to be? Do you want to do more to protect the environment? Do you have teenagers at home giving your hot water bill a beating? Whatever your situation, this will help you to find a solution that’s right for you. This guide is primarily aimed at homeowners who are thinking of upgrading or replacing their home’s existing heating or cooling systems. It also contains useful information for people who are having a home built for them, and for those who want to reduce their energy consumption in general.

Constructed Wetlands
Economic Benefits Of Runoff Controls, A practice becoming more prevalent is to site developments around man-made ponds, lakes, or wetlands created to control flooding and reduce the impacts of urban runoff on neighboring natural streams, lakes, or coastal areas. When designed and sited correctly, artificial lakes or wetlands can help developers reduce negative environmental impacts caused by the development process and increase the value of the property.

EMFs in the Home
EMFs in the Home Electromagnetic Fields,

Home Insurance Tips
Home Insurance Tips Why You Need Homeowners Insurance The largest single investment most consumers make is in their home. The consumer can protect their home, possessions, and liability with a homeownerss insurance policy. The Homeowners insurance policy is a package policy that combines more than one type of insurance coverage in a single policy.

Lead
Did you know the following facts about lead? FACT: Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born. FACT: Even children who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. FACT: You can get lead in your body by breathing or swallowing lead dust, or by eating soil or paint chips containing lead. FACT: You have many options for reducing lead hazards. In most cases, lead-based paint that is in good condition is not a hazard. FACT: Removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family. If you think your home might have lead hazards, read on to learn about lead and some simple steps to protect your family.

Mold Information
Ten Things You Should Know About Mold, Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposures include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints.

Air Quality
Quick Facts... Indoor air quality can be worse than that of outdoor air. Problems can arise from moisture, insects, pets, appliances, radon, materials used in household products and furnishings, smoke and other sources. Effects range from minor annoyances to major health risks. Remedies include ventilation, cleaning, moisture control, inspections, and following manufacturers directions when using appliances and products. Research has shown that the quality of indoor air can be worse than that of outdoor air. Many homes are built or remodeled more tightly, without regard to the factors that assure fresh and healthy indoor air. Our homes today contain many furnishings, appliances and products that can affect indoor air quality.

Plumbing
Vents, main branch, copper, pvc, polybutyal piping, drains, water faucets descriptions

Private Wells
If your family gets drinking water from a private well, do you know if your water is safe to drink? What health risks could you and your family face? Where can you go for help or advice? EPA regulates public water systems; it does not have the authority to regulate private drinking water wells. Approximately 15 percent of Americans rely on their own private drinking water supplies, and these supplies are not subject to EPA standards, although some state and local governments do set rules to protect users of these wells. Unlike public drinking water systems serving many people, they do not have experts regularly checking the waters source and its quality before it is sent to the tap. These households must take special precautions to ensure the protection and maintenance of their drinking water supplies.

Radon
EPA Recommends: If you are buying a home or selling your home, have it tested for radon. For a new home, ask if radon-resistant construction features were used and if the home has been tested.

Roofing
Asphalt shingles are typically the most common and economical choice for residential roofing. They come in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures. There are four different types: strip, laminated, interlocking, and large individual shingles

Septic Systems
Septic systems treat and disperse relatively small volumes of wastewater from individual or small numbers of homes and commercial buildings. Septic system regulation is usually a state, tribal, and local responsibility. EPA provides information to homeowners and assistance to state and local governments to improve the management of septic systems to prevent failures that could harm human health and water quality.

Termites
treatment of, finding nests in the wall or down the foundation and in the soil around the home.

Water Quality
checking the contaminant levels of water at your tap is recommended once a year to ensure the health of everyone in the household, esspecially young children and seniors.

Building a Home
HUD inspections are different from a regular home inspection because HUD requires some code enforcement

Energy Efficiency
know the thermal value of your insulation. Do you have enough? There is a difference in R values in every differnt kind of building material and insulation. Designing and building an energy-efficient home that conforms to the many considerations faced by home builders can be a challenge. However, any house style can be made to require relatively minimal amounts of energy to heat and cool, and be comfortable and healthy.

Foundation Insulation
Homes being constructed today are more energy efficient than those built even just a few years ago, primarily due to significant improvements in building products and techniques as well as development of high-performance heating and cooling systems and other appliances. However, the benefits of foundation insulation are often overlooked. Heat loss from an uninsulated, conditioned basement may represent up to 50 percent of a homes total heat loss in a tightly sealed, well-insulated home. Foundation insulation is used primarily to reduce heating costs and has little or no benefit in lowering cooling costs. In addition to reducing heating costs, foundation insulation increases comfort, reduces the potential for condensation and corresponding growth of mold, and increases the livability of below-grade rooms

Historic Renovation
The historic renovation of homes and buildings has become a very popular movement across North America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation (http://www.nationaltrust.org/) provides grants and guidance to organizations and individuals who are interested in renovating and/or preserving historical buildings.

Log Homes
Log homes may be site-built or pre-cut in a factory for delivery to the site. Some log home manufacturers can also customize their designs. Before designing or purchasing a manufactured log home, you need to consider the following for energy efficiency: Compared to a conventional wood stud wall [31 D2 inches (8.89 cm) insulation, sheathing, wallboard, a total of about R-14] the log wall is apparently a far inferior insulation system. Based only on this, log walls do not satisfy most building code energy standards.

Rehabilitation
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), administers various single family mortgage insurance programs. These programs operate through FHA-approved lending institutions which submit applications to have the property appraised and have the buyers credit approved. These lenders fund the mortgage loans which the Department insures. HUD does not make direct loans to help people buy homes.The Section 203(k) program is the Departments primary program for the rehabilitation and repair of single family properties

Stucco
Stucco is a material of deceptive simplicity: in most cases its repair should not be undertaken by a property owner unfamiliar with the art of plastering. Successful stucco repair requires the skill and experience of a professional plasterer. Although several stucco mixes are representative of different periods are provided here for reference Each project is unique, with its own set of problems that require individual solutions

Electrical Safety
Electricity is an essential part of our lives. However, it has the potential to cause great harm. Electrical systems will function almost indefinitely if properly installed and not overloaded or physically abused. Electrical fires in our homes claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure 2,305 more. Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords.

Child Safety
Childproofing Your Home - 12 Safety Devices to Protect Your Children About 2-1/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child safety devices on the market today. Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. Its important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they re-secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them.

Holiday Safety
The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. Following these guidelines will help make your holiday season safer & more enjoyable...

Pool Safety
each year thousands of American families confront swimming pool tragedies, drownings and near-drownings of young children. These tragedies are preventable

Safety Checklist
Each year, many older Americans are injured in and around their homes. CPSC believes that many of these injuries result from hazards that are easy to overlook, but also easy to fix. By spotting these hazards and taking some simple steps to correct them, many injuries might be prevented. Use this checklist to spot possible safety problems which may be present in your home. Keep this checklist as a reminder of safe practices, and use it periodically to re-check your home.

Senior Safety Tips
Slips and falls are the main source of injury for older people in the home. CPSC recommends the use of grab-bars and non-slip mats in the bathtub, handrails on both sides of the stairs, and slip-resistant carpets and rugs. Burns occur from hot tap water and from open flame

Wildlife
Control Wildlife Damage Around the Home With Common Sense Control Methods

3 Mistakes
3 Deadly Mistakes Every HomeBuyer should avoid

Closing Process
Buying and Financing a Home

Things to Look For
Household Hazards - Things to Look For

Prebuilt Homes
The term "manufactured home" was adopted in 1980 by the the United States Congress to describe a type of house that is constructed in a factory to comply with a building code developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In the past, manufactured homes were called "mobile homes," a term that many people still use. However, "mobile" is no longer an accurate name because fewer than five percent of such homes are ever moved off the owners original site.

What Really Matters
Buying a home? The process can be stressful

Why Pay More?
Buying a home? It is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring a NACHI certified inspector is almost insignificant.

Ten Tips
Ten Tips to Speed Up Your Home Inspection