Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections

How Are You Wired?

Inspector — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 23:22:09 +0000

In many older homes, you will find that the wiring system is far from up to code. While it might feel like electricity has been around for a very long time, there are some homes still standing with wiring systems that were installed before modern, safe techniques were used. You could find aluminum wiring which could pose a potential fire hazard, or you could even have knob and tube wiring, which is a danger especially when you want to update your wiring. Many electricians today are unfamiliar with this type of wiring, and because of this, they might make mistakes when trying to upgrade your electrical system.

Even if your wiring is fairly modern, it could be that it isn’t up to handling the load that you put on it, causing tripped breakers or brownouts.

Whenever you have problems with your electrical system, it is wise to consult a licensed electrician to make sure that you don’t make a dangerous situation worse.

The post How Are You Wired? appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

Keeping Mold Away From Your Bathroom

Inspector — Fri, 31 May 2019 01:30:17 +0000

In your bathroom, there will always be some moisture. There are too many sources of water to completely control them all. You have water coming from condensation, from wet towels, possibly from a leaking pipe and steam from when you run hot water. With all of this water, there is a high likelihood that you mold could start growing in your bathroom. What can you do to prevent it? There is no way to keep mold spores away. They are basically in the air everywhere, but you can do your best to keep them from finding a good place to grow in your bathroom.

If you have any leaky pipes, you should immediately fix the problem. This might require the help of a plumber unless you’re somewhat handy yourself.

You should also avoid letting wet clothes or towels sit in a pile for a long amount of time. It might be necessary to get them out of the bathroom and hang them somewhere to dry.

It is also very important to have good ventilation in your bathroom. If possible, open up a window to get some airflow, but if not, make sure your bathroom ceiling fan is functioning.

The post Keeping Mold Away From Your Bathroom appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

When Lightning Strikes

Inspector — Sun, 26 May 2019 22:36:06 +0000

Lightning has enthralled and fascinated man for as long as history has been recorded. Even though we know a lot more about how lightning is generated and behaves, we still don’t have control over the damage it can wreak. Chances are pretty slim that you will be hit by a lightning bolt, but lightning can cause a lot of secondary damage that can pose a danger to you, as well as, to your home.

One way in which you can have damage from lightning is when lightning strikes and causes a power surge that will fry your electronics. This is why you should unplug valuable electronics when there is a lightning storm nearby.

It is also possible that lightning could hit a tree nearby, causing it to either fall down on your home or catch fire which could spread to your home. To protect yourself from this, you might want to clear out trees that are close to your home, especially if you live in an area where lightning is common.

The post When Lightning Strikes appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

Checking the Health of Your Electrical System

Inspector — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 00:45:25 +0000

How well does your electrical system work? You might not notice any major problems, but do you experience your lights dimming when your air conditioner turns on? If that is the case, it is a sign that your circuits are overloaded. It might be that you could easily solve this problem by moving your air conditioner to a different outlet, but that is not always feasible. What if you have breakers tripping regularly? While that too might be a sign of an overloaded circuit, it could also be due to a malfunctioning appliance. If you want to know for sure what causes your problems, you will need to do some detective work over a period of time. Plugging appliances into circuits that are on a different breaker or just leaving them unplugged will show if they are causing the problem.

While you might be able to figure out the problem on your own, your only solution might lie in contacting an electrician.

The post Checking the Health of Your Electrical System appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

When Ants Come Marching

Inspector — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 00:19:10 +0000

Ants. They are often just considered to be a nuisance for a homeowner, and it is true that in most cases, they aren’t harmful. However, most of us would agree that we would rather not have them in our home at all. While not common among all ant species, there is also the possibility that they chew through wood or electrical wire.

How could you make sure that you keep ants at bay when they are so troublesome? Your first step should be to make sure you’re not inadvertently attracting them. Ants love sweets, so anything sugary needs to be kept in sealed containers. The same goes for recycling. Soda cans that are almost empty, still contain a feast for an ant. If you have problems with ants, make sure you either rinse out your recycling or keep it in a closed receptacle.

If you find an ant-trail leading into your home, placing some bait next to the trail could be all that is needed to distract them and keep them away. Just remember that the bait will need to be replaced to stay effective.

The post When Ants Come Marching appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

Catastrophic Plumbing Leaks

Inspector — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 11:31:53 +0000

One of the worst things that you can experience as a homeowner is a major leak happening inside of your home. This is something that could cause major damage and cost you a lot. Maybe you had a pipe that froze on an exceptionally cold day, or maybe it was a toilet that backed up without anyone noticing until it was too late.

If there is a pipe leaking, your first step needs to be to quickly find a shutoff valve that will stop the waterflow. Once you have located that, you can get to work on fixing the leak. If the leak is from a toilet, you should be careful not to get sick from the contaminated water. It might be necessary to have a professional cleanup agency take care of it for you. If you have water that could come into contact with a live circuit, you should turn of the power to that area as well, since it could lead to shorts, or create a death-trap for anyone that comes into contact with the water.

The post Catastrophic Plumbing Leaks appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

How About a Cold Glass of Water?

Inspector — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 00:10:18 +0000

Do you enjoy a cold glass of water? If you have good quality water in your home, you might just fill up a glass from the faucet in the kitchen. However, what if the water comes out warm? Many have this problem, but the reason for it could vary depending where the water is getting heated up. One reason could be due to floor heating and cold water pipes being installed near each other without proper insulation. This might be the case if the water only gets warm in the winter months. The cold water standing in your pipes when the floor heat is on will be heated up, but once it is running, the water will get cold.

On the other hand, you will experience this problem year round if you have your hot and cold water pipes sitting too close to each other. In this case, getting insulation in between the pipes could solve the problem.

Another option is that you have pipes running through rooms that aren’t climate controlled. This means that in the summertime you will experience problems with your cold water being warm. Once again, installing insulation can help remedy this problem.

The post How About a Cold Glass of Water? appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

The Dangers With Trampolines

Inspector — Thu, 28 Feb 2019 01:02:07 +0000

Do you have a trampoline in the backyard? Your children probably love playing on it, but have you given any thought to their safety on a trampoline? It might seem like a harmless thing, but every year there are hundreds of thousands of accidents with trampolines in the US alone. Why is that the case? Very often it is because the trampoline is used improperly. So, what is proper use of a trampoline? First, never let more than 1 person use it at once. With 2 or more people on the trampoline, the risk of injury increases greatly.

It is also important to install netting around your trampoline. Falling off of the trampoline onto the ground can be fatal. You should also not let anyone jump off of objects onto your trampoline. This could cause them to bounce uncontrollably, or break the trampoline and make them fall through it.

While a trampoline can be very entertaining, it needs to be used with adult supervision.

The post The Dangers With Trampolines appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

Keeping Your Ducts Clean

Inspector — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:19:40 +0000

The ductwork in your home is essential to the operation of your heating and air conditioning system. If the ducts are full of dust and debris it can greatly decrease the amount of air that can move through them, and it can also carry with it particles that lower the air quality in your home. Unfortunately, for a homeowner, it may be difficult to access these ducts for a cleaning. Often, the ducts will be sealed away inside the walls of your home. While you could try to invest in tools that will let you get to some of the ducts, for a complete, thorough cleaning, a professional company will be your best choice. Usually, these companies will have a high powered vacuum that connects to your network of ducts and they use this in conjunction with tools that dislodge anything that is more stubborn. They can also treat your system to prevent microbe growth and further improve the air quality in your home.

The post Keeping Your Ducts Clean appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.

Can Your Walkways Be Saved?

Inspector — Wed, 30 Jan 2019 18:59:36 +0000

Cement walkways can easily become very dangerous when they start cracking and shifting. Many homeowners are worried about the cost and time that it would require to replace a walkway, so they might choose not to do anything about it. There is however an alternative to replacing it, and that is called mudjacking. Mudjacking is accomplished in such a way that the existing walkway is preserved. First, holes are drilled through the cement, and then a mix of cement, soil, water and other materials is pumped through to level the surface.

While this procedure is much easier and quicker than a replacement, it is not entirely risk free. If this is done improperly it could damage underlying pipes, power lines or gas lines. This is why you should do the research to find a reputable company to do the work for you.

While cracked sidewalks can be unsightly, the danger they present is much more serious. Mudjacking is an easy fix to the problem.

The post Can Your Walkways Be Saved? appeared first on Cal-Pro Real Estate Inspections.