10 REASONS TO GET A MOLD AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY INSPECTION:

Do you have suspicions that you might have a mold issue in your home? If so, here are the top 10 reasons to get a mold & in-door air quality inspection:

  1. You see what you think may be mold, but you are unsure of the type of mold and what is causing it.
  2. You are experiencing allergic symptoms, such as stuffy head, headaches, scratchy throat, runny nose, coughing and not sure why.
  3. Your home has been damaged in a storm.
  4. You think you may have mold but are not sure.
  5. You have noticed musty odors that have not been present before but don’t see any obvious mold.
  6. You have experienced plumbing leaks, flooding or water/moisture issues in your home or office.
  7. You want or need air testing after mold removal has been done by you or a professional to check whether mold levels have normalized.
  8. You are a buyer or seller in a real estate transaction and need evidence whether airborne mold levels are not normalized.
  9. You a landlord or tenant and need evidence whether there is a mold problem.
  10. You are looking for a general assessment of your indoor air quality to make sure your family is breathing high quality clean air in your home.

If you find yourself in one of these scenarios and need peace of mind – Call Sentry Inspections today to schedule your mold & in-door air quality testing in Southwest Georgia:

229 449-8482

 

Why You Should Never Skip the Home Inspection Process

When you are shopping for a new home, it’s real easy to get caught up romanticizing over the esthetic features of a home – especially one you are seeing for the first time. You may start picturing yourself living there, figuring out where your furniture will fit, or you may be thinking about up-grades or renovations you would want to make. However, you may really want to wait before investing too deep emotionally, as you never know what’s lying beneath the surface of any given home.

Your home inspection is easily one of the most important – if not the most important step in your home buying process. It is the single most important step that is designed to protect your best interest as a buyer. THE TRUTH IS – While most sellers aren’t out there trying to intentionally rip you off, there is no shortage of people trying to look out for their own best interest when selling their home, and as a result, often failing to divulge important issues the house might have. Not to mention the sellers who develop full blown amnesia when it comes to “Disclosure.”

A professional certified home inspector is the single most non biased entity involved in real estate transactions. A professional certified inspector scrutinizes every detail of the house, paying special attention to the homes major systems, potential costly repairs & replacements, safety red flags and likely maintenance needs, both short term and long term . While there is a small cost for hiring a professional home inspector, we can easily assure you, it’s well worth the price…….and much, much more.

1. Know What You’re Getting Into

First, unless you’ve spent significant time as a realtor or home inspector, you don’t have the eye or the training to depict issues, big or small, with a home. As mentioned above, it’s easy for home sellers to cover small issues and try to make big ones seem less severe.

The home inspection process in Wake County will help you know what you’re getting into, should you decide to buy the house. This includes potential necessary repairs down the road, outdated electrical, and HVAC unit on its last leg, etc. Ultimately, it will help you weigh the pros and cons of investing in the home.

2. Uncover Potential Safety Hazards

When you move into a new home, you should feel safe, regardless of how much you paid or how old or new it is. This is especially important for families with children. One of the most important functions of the home inspection process is uncovering potential safety issues a home might possess.

For example, if you’re looking at an older home, you may be surprised to find that the electrical isn’t grounded, which can lead to electrical fires, constantly tripped breakers and more. Alternatively, an inspector may find hidden mold, which can be a potential health hazard. Finally, you may even find that the home has exposed lead paint, asbestos, or radon gas, which is in violation of several health and safety codes.

3. Repairs and Renovations

While most of us assume ourselves to be relatively observant, there are a lot of aspects of the home inspection process in Wake County that are far beyond our paygrade. For example, few of us are qualified to determine what kind of condition a roof is in.

Additionally, home inspectors will be able to uncover structural problems with the home. These can be anything from damaged structural supports, a sagging roof, cracks in the foundation, cracks in the ceiling, or cracks in the walls. Most importantly they will be able to tell you what items are of great concern and which are merely issues you can use as bargaining chips in the negotiation process.

Their report is especially important for your lender, as your loan or lender may inhibit you from buying a home with certain issues. In this case, the seller would either have to fix the issues first, or you would have to walk away.

4. Save Yourself Money Down the Road

While there is a fee for a home inspection, investing in could save you thousands of dollars or more down the road (and countless headaches). An inspector has a keen eye for longevity. He or she will be able to give you an accurate estimate of the remaining lifespan of a roof, major appliances, and so on.

They will point out potential issues that aren’t currently a concern but could be in the near future. This could be an outdated HVAC unit, a roof with limited years left on it, or a threatening crack in the foundation that could be indicative of bigger problems. Knowing about these issues before they worsen could save you substantial money down the road, even if you’re the one who ends up making repairs after you’ve purchased the house.

5. Appease Your Lender

Some lenders tend to be pickier than others. For that matter, some loans have greater restrictions and requirements than others. For example, VA loans are particularly choosy about what they will and will not finance and an official home inspection is required before they will approve any home.

Regardless of the difficulty of the home loan, here are some red flags that may void your loan if in the home inspection process:

  • Pest infestation
  • Chipped or peeling paint
  • Lead paint
  • Asbestos
  • A cracked and/or shifting foundation
  • A damaged roof
  • Mold
  • Water damage
  • Septic Tank Failure

6. Leverage for Negotiations

The home inspection process in Wake County can also help you in terms of saving money on the home you’re interested in. It provides you with irrefutable leverage which can serve two purposes in negotiations.

First, you can negotiate that the seller must repair or renovate any issues with the home that may either prevent you from buying it (due to your lender) or dissuade you from buying it (for your own reasons). Secondly, should they choose not to fix any or all of the issues, you would be in an ideal place to negotiate the price down. Why should you have to pay top dollar for a home that requires a ton of work upon moving in?

7. An Easy Out for Second Thoughts

When you put an offer in on a home, you’re often required to put down several hundred dollars or more in earnest money. This is a reasonable transaction that tells the seller you’re serious and won’t back out for no reason. If you do, they keep your money.

However, if the home inspection process yielded any significant issues, it would provide you a free and clear reason to back out of the offer with your earnest money returned. While most people aren’t dissuaded by small issues, a pest infestation may be all you need to drop everything and go the other way.

8. Peace of Mind

Finally, because of all the reasons listed above, the home inspection process gives buyers something invaluable – peace of mind. You know the home you’re investing in has been professionally inspected and cleared. You don’t have to worry about any major issues or financial setbacks for repairs.

You and your family will be free to move into the home knowing you’re safe and secure.

Looking to Start the Home Inspection Process?

If you’re looking into buying a new home now or in the future, contact us with any questions about the home inspection process in Wake County or schedule your home inspection today! We have over 6,000 home inspections and 21 years of experience under our belts. But most importantly, we just want to help you get the home of your dreams!

Should I Get An Indoor Air Quality Inspection?

In today’s environment where we are concerned about traveling out in public and the innate risk that brings, knowing what quality your air is in your home is even more important and critical than ever. You want to make sure that your home environment is as safe and secure as possible for you and your family. In addition to your home inspection – or as a free standing inspection if you already own your home – knowing that the air your family is breathing inside your home is one of the most important aspects as a home owner.

With the onset of COVID 19 and other air borne pathogens, it’s not hard to understand that we need to breath the cleanest air possible. Since the majority of our time is now spent indoors, we are essentially “trapped” with the quality of the indoor air that is characteristic of our surroundings. Indoor air quality (IAQ) encompasses everything that contributes to the level of the occupants comfort inside the home and most home owners don’t have a clue what the quality of their air is.

Many professional certified home inspectors also provide Indoor Air Quality inspections as an ancillary service. Besides the usual high temperature and humidity concerns in the Southwest Georgia area, home owners should be concerned about particulates, molds and mycotoxins, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, allergens, radon and other volatile organic compounds that can be present in the air inside the home. Unfortunately, unless you have a professional indoor air quality inspection performed by a nationally certified professional inspector, you can never be certain that your indoor air is safe.

Professional certified indoor air quality inspectors must consider many facets of air quality when performing an inspection. Their inspection will entail evaluating the external air, inspecting air intakes of the cooling and heating systems, air filter examination, air duct examinations, extended air pump sampling with air capture cells that are sent off to an accredited laboratory for expert analysis, visual inspections of the homes attic and foundation areas and surface sampling inside the home, ect.

If you have no clue what the indoor air quality of your home is – contact us today so we can provide you with peace of mind in knowing that your family is breathing the cleanest air possible. After all – is anything really more important in today’s environment?

At Sentry Home Inspection Services – We’ve Got Your Back!

 

What Does a Home Inspection Report Look Like?

Your home inspection is one of the most critical steps in your home buying experience. You have submitted an offer and the seller has accepted it. Now you enter the contingency phase of your contract to purchase. You have a set number of days to have the home inspected. After your inspection – you will receive your home inspection report – but do you have any idea what a home inspection report looks like?

We’ll define a few basics for home buyers and sellers and show you what a modern home inspection report should look like.

WHAT IS A HOME INSPECTION REPORT?

A home inspection report is a written document that a home inspector delivers to you after the home inspection is completed. It should include:

  • Images of issues needing attention
  • Descriptions of the issues and the potential impact
  • Recommendations as to who to contact for additional evaluation, assistance or repairs
  • A summary to highlight all discovered issues noted in your home inspection
  • A Critical Issues summary that highlights the most crucial or critical issues
  • An HTML and/or PDF version

WHAT DOES A SAMPLE HOME INSPECTION REPORT LOOK LIKE?

Many modern professional certified home inspectors will deliver you a report in both a digital and PDF format, that is viewable on a mobile device. The home inspection report should be highly visual and easy to navigate with a table of contents and summary.

At Sentry Home Inspection Services we use the most modern inspection software available in the industry – SPECTORA.

To view an example of our SPECTORA reports click here: Sample Home Inspection Report

 

Major issues and concerns should be easy to understand with annotations and descriptions.

What is a home inspection report

Simply put – our home inspection reports are state of the art. They are user friendly, packed with images and are easy to follow and understand. Our reports give you and your agent the information you need to make an informed investment decision about the house or property you are looking at. You won’t find a better home inspection report available anywhere else.

At Sentry Home Inspection Services – We’ve Got Your Back!

10 Best Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector?

So, you’ve found your dream home in Albany, Leesburg or Southwest Georgia and you are ready to have a home inspection competed on the property. The home inspector is the professional that you will be depending on to complete a multifaceted inspection on this property to make sure you are making a safe investment and not buying a bottomless money pit. Here are some great questions to ask before the inspection:

               

 

  1. What certifications do you have for inspecting homes?

While selecting your home inspector there should be one non-negotiable prerequisite you should keep in mind, only hire a certified home inspector. Certified inspectors have been trained, tested, credentialed and verified by national accreditation organizations. These inspectors are committed to their clients by renewing their qualifications annually and staying up to date with required continuing education. Certified home inspectors follow a strict standard of practice to ensure you will receive the most quality inspection possible. Finally, true certified inspectors follow code of professional ethics they do business by.

  1. Are you insured?

A home inspector generally is not required to be bonded and insured, however, it’s very wise to find one who is.  Why? That means that the home inspector has been back-ground checked and has been determined to be professionally certified by the insurance company providing coverage. Hiring a home inspector who is bonded and has Errors & Omission insurance coverage provides an extra level protection for you as a client of the home inspector.

  1. Are you a member of the Better Business Bureau or a Chamber of Commerce?

Choosing an inspector who operates an established professional business with strong ties to your local community or service area is very important. Look for a home inspection business that is a member of the Better Business Bureau as well as the local Chamber of Commerce.  Why? This likely means they are no “here today – gone tomorrow” operation and will be around should you ever need their services again. It also means they will back their business to guarantee customer satisfaction.

 

3. What do you check or not check during an inspection?

A certified professional inspector should be working for you and have your family’s health, wellbeing and safety as their top priority. They should have a detailed comprehensive list of specific features on a home included in their inspection process. Home inspections should cover everything that can be seen from the roof down to the home’s foundation.

Most professional certified inspectors adhere to a strict standards of practice code of the nationally accredited association for which they are a member. This code identifies exactly what the inspector includes in the inspection and what they omit.

Remember that a home inspection is a visual inspection completed on a specific date and time. The home inspector can only report on what is observed during that inspection. No home inspector can guarantee that your home is not going to have any unobserved issues once that inspection is completed. A home inspection is in no way a warranty on your home’s future performance. No home inspector has a magical crystal ball and they can’t see into your home’s future. All your home inspector can do is report on what is observed during the inspection process on the day of your inspection.

Going into the inspection with a clear understanding of what the inspector will and will not be checking will ensure that you walk away from the inspection happy.

  1. What ancillary inspection services do you provide?

Despite popular belief – not all home inspectors are created equally.  They do not perform the same caliper of services. Most professional home inspectors will provide an array of ancillary inspection services that can be tailored to provide the depth and comprehensiveness of the inspection you would like to have completed. Can they conduct comprehensive inspections for: wood destroying insects, mold, Radon, lead-based paint, fireplaces/chimneys/sewer scopes, septic systems, water testing, well flow testing, thermal imaging /infrared imaging, aerial roof inspections & property imaging services, etc.?  Be sure to ask or find out what additional inspection features they have available so you can tailor your own inspection that will give you a great comfort level.

  1. What do you charge for an inspection?

Generally, the average home inspection can range from $200 – +$1,000 depending on the age of the home, foundation type, roof type, size of the home, what ancillary services a buyer would like added on, travel distance, and the actual inspector.

While every buyer should make sure they are getting a reasonable price for the type of home inspection they want – don’t fall into the trap of just looking for the cheapest person available. That’s the last thing you need to do. If you are considering investing thousands and thousands of dollars into a home – don’t you think it makes sense to hire the best home inspection services available to you instead of just trying to find the cheapest service out there? Spending more for a good inspector will more than pay for itself in the long run and give you greater peace of mind knowing that you will be able to make an informed sound investment decision on the property when they are done.

Generally, you’ll pay the inspector the day of the inspection, so you’ll want to know in advance how much and what forms of payment are accepted.

  1. Can I come along for the inspection?

While any professional home inspector will always welcome you to be present for the inspection process itself – the truth is there are many things that you cannot accompany the inspector on during the inspection process for insurance and liability reasons. So, if you don’t want to stand around unnecessarily during the actual inspection – If you can make it to the house – at least at the end of the inspection – you should always do so. That way your inspector can walk you through your home and help you understand how your home functions as well as identifying any areas of concern found. You have a chance to ask questions face to face and get clarification. You will probably find out more about the home that you were aware of before. However, there may be circumstances that prevent you from being present all together. If so, make sure that the home inspector takes the time to go over the inspection report with you at least. That way you have an opportunity to ask any questions you might have. Don’t be shy – make sure the home inspector explains everything to you so that you have a comfort level with the inspection findings.  If an inspector requests that you not be present at all – RUN!

  1. How long will the inspection take?

Generally, a comprehensive home inspection will take anywhere from 2-4 hours to complete depending on the age and condition of the home itself, as well as any ancillary services added. Most home inspections take place during the work week, when the seller is less likely to be around, and you may very well be working.  Knowing how much time you’ll need to block out will keep you from having to rush through the inspection to get back to the office. Again, if you can be present for the entire inspection – at least make it to the inspection wrap up with the home inspector.

  1. Can I see a sample report?

If you are new home buyer being able to view a sample report will give you a good sense of what to expect when you get your report. It gives you a chance to get the feel of the report layout itself and helps you get comfortable with how your inspector communicates findings. Every house has problems, usually lots of them, though most generally aren’t that big of a deal. A sample report will not only keep you from panicking when you see your own report, but it will also let you know if any additional inspections need to be done. For example – your inspector will often flag potential problems in the report, and you will have to get another expert—a roofer, HVAC person, builder, electrician, or plumber—to come back and do a more detailed examination. This way you don’t get freaked out, but you have a calm understanding of why they are suggesting that to you. Most of the time – those types of recommendations are for serious safety issues only. Being able to understand the report puts you and the home inspector on the same page.

  1. Do you stand behind your report?

A professional home inspector will conduct a comprehensive inspection of your home. But sometimes, even the best inspectors may miss something during the inspection that you might catch or come across on you own but it was not addressed in your report. In such cases a professional inspector will usually come back and inspect that area for you at no additional cost.

  1. Is there a re-inspection fee?

If your home inspector makes recommendations for repairs to the home in their home inspection report and you or the seller has those items corrected – will your inspector charge an additional fee for doing a re-inspection? Most professional home inspectors will not charge you an additional fee and will be happy to come verify that those issues have been addressed and are now safe in their professional opinion – as a client follow-up. But ask – to make sure.

There are an awful lot of people out there that call themselves home inspectors in Southwest Georgia. But asking these questions and doing a little research on your own can you help you get a better comfort level with choosing your home inspector in the Albany, Leesburg and Southwest Georgia area. If you are looking for the best home inspector available to you who is going to make sure your investment is secure and the health and well being of your family is safe – then call us today.

 

At Sentry Home Inspection Services – We’ve Got Your Back!