Chicago Home Inspector

Seven days left until the 2013 Toys For Tots Motorcycle Parade! If you live in Chicago, this is the real start of the Christmas season. On the first Sunday in December, over 20,000 motorcyclists will ride the length of Western Avenue, from the Dan Ryan Woods on the South, all the way up to the No...

Window Capping: Bane of the Home Inspector   What is window capping? "Window capping" is the term used to describe the process of covering up old exterior window trim with sheet metal. The sheet metal is formed and bent to cover old (and usually pretty beat-up) exterior trim. When you see windows...

Winterized Properties: Chicagoland Area Foreclosure Inspections   The house is winterized. Does that make the inspection impossible? This is a question that comes up a lot in connection with foreclosure inspections in the Chicagoland area. Winterization will limit the inspection, but it doesn't m...

I've been an entrepreneur for quite some time. As a contractor and home inspector in Chicago, I enjoy the responsibilities of running my own business and being my own boss. It has its hazards, for sure. I survived the housing recession by waiting tables and taking any side jobs I could find.  It ...

When we think about the movement of water, we usually think of it flowing downhill. Rivers flow from high to low. Raindrops roll down the window, never up.  But there are three other ways that water can move, and it's important to be aware of them when evaluating risks for moisture intrusion in a...

Reasons to tear off the old roof before putting on the new one:   1. Roofing is s system.  There's more to a roof than just shingles.  Roofs consist of underlayment, stack flashing, drip edge flashing, chimney flashing, wall flashing, valley flashing, vents, and ice and water shield. Additionall...

We're headed into the poisoning season. Cases of carbon monoxide poisoning increase during the winter months, and especially around Thanksgiving. You can't smell carbon monoxide. It's a colorless, odorless, deadly poisonous gas. Carbon monoxide (CO without the 2) is produced from the incomplete c...

I helped a friend set up his artificial tree last weekend. Way too early. I know. Next year maybe I'll beg off until after Thanksgiving. But his fiancee wanted to get ready for their first annual holiday shindig, and I was there, so I helped. As we say here in the Midwest, what the heck. You're w...

This came up a few months ago. I'm at an inspection, a foreclosure, lots of problems. The listing agent and I were chit-chatting, and he asked me if I knew about a particular inspector. Let's call him Inspector Mike.  "Yeah, Mike's terrific," he said. "Been using him for years. Great inspector." ...

"2 Cases of Legionnaires' Disease Traced to Health Club Hot Tub." -Chicago Tribune 11/14/2013   Legionnaire's disease is a type of pneumonia. Although it can sometimes be treated successfully with antibiotics, it is a very serious illness and can be fatal. It is spread through water vapor - usual...