What To Look For In A Home Inspector

Finding the right home inspector for your house’s home inspection is no easy feat. From price to training and experience, there is a variety of variables one should consider when it comes to choosing a home inspector. Choosing the right home inspector can be the difference between having a quality home inspection and having a subpar inspection. But in order to find the right home inspector, you must know what to look out for. Here are a few things to look for in a home inspector. 

Certifications 

Every home inspection agency should have a variety of certifications that prove their efficiency in home inspections. These certifications can be earned in various fields, such as certifications to inspect homes in certain states, mold certifications, and even a certification for a radon inspection. Over the past several years, Sound Structure Home Inspection has earned a number of certificates that prove its efficiency and experience within the home inspection field. Their certifications include but are not limited to: 

  • Florida Home Inspection License 
  • Certified Mold Inspector
  • Community Association Manager 
  • Florida Wood Destroying Organism Inspector 
  • Home Advisor Certified 
  • HVAC 2-Year Certification 
  • Wind Mitigation Inspector 

These certifications prove that Sound Structure Home Inspection is truly an industry leader when it comes to home inspections. 

Don’t Let Your Real Estate Agent Sway You 

Sooner or later, everyone will need a real estate agent to help them sell their house. But that doesn’t mean that real estate agents always have your best interests in mind. When it comes to selling a home, real estate agents only want to make a final successful deal, and sometimes this involves choosing a home inspector. A home inspection may bring up issues that may not have been discussed or realized previously. This can sometimes delay the sale of a house and thus delaying your real estate agent’s payday. Unless you deeply trust your real estate agent, you should choose a home inspector on your own. 

Consider The Services Offered 

Usually, home inspectors offer a variety of services that exceed the initial home inspection. From mold testing to radon testing, home inspectors can be certified in a number of areas. Sound Structure Home Inspection offers numerous services for its clients. These areas are service include: 

  • Initial Home Inspection 
  • Mold Inspection
  • Radon Inspection 
  • Wind Mitigation 
  • Home Advisement 
  • HVAC Maintenance 

These services further prove the amount of hard work and experience that Sound Structure Home Inspection has in the world of home inspections. 

Pricing 

A home inspection shouldn’t break the bank or put a dent in your wallet. Taking pricing into consideration when choosing the right home inspector is incredibly important when examining the worth and value of your home. Sound Structure Home Inspection offers a variety of financing options that will help you get the best possible home inspection at an affordable and reasonable price. Pricing changes depending on the amount of square footage for your home, but they always come in at an affordable price. 

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Fireplace Safety Tips For Families

When winter comes around, there’s nothing quite like gathering around a breathing fire to keep warm. It’s the perfect setting for a romantic night in or for some late-night smores with the entire family. And while a fireplace is a perfect centerpiece for any living room, it can also bring a handful of hazards and dangers to your home. From a potential fire to tainted air supply, a fireplace needs to be taken care of in order to avoid certain risks. Here are a few fireplace safety tips to keep you and your family safe and secure. 

Keep A Window Cracked Open 

It’s no secret that fires create smoke. And it doesn’t take a genius to recognize that it’s harder to breathe in a room filled with smoke. It’s usually recommended to keep a window close to the fire cracked so that the smoke from the fire has some sort of exit within your house. Keeping a window cracked open while starting a fire is an excellent way of keeping your home’s air clean and safe to breathe in. 

Inspect Your Chimney Periodically 

You can’t have a fireplace without a chimney. This is why your chimney should be checked and inspected on a regular basis. Before winter comes around, it’s usually recommended to have your chimney inspected for any cracks in the foundation, loose bricks, or even missing mortars. If not appropriately inspected, all of these problems could lead to future hazards for both your chimney and fireplace. A roof inspection is typically included in most home inspections. 

Trim The Limbs Off Your Wood 

Most homeowners use tree branches and outside twigs as firewood to fuel their home fires. But while this is a free option that can save you money on firewood, most branches come with multiple limbs hanging off the central branch. It’s important to trim these limbs off before placing your wood in the fireplace due to the fact that they can result in a fire hazard as well as restricting proper draft airflow in your fireplace. Trimming the limbs of your firewood is highly recommended when it comes to using outside branches as firewood. 

Use A Fireplace Guard 

Sometimes, while tending to a fire inside, embers and pieces of wood will fly out of the fireplace, resulting in a possible fire. A fireplace guard is used to keep your home safe from these wayward embers. It is usually recommended that you never burn wood without a fireplace guard to avoid a possible fire hazard. A fireplace guard acts as a sort of protection for both your house and your fireplace. It eliminates the possibility of embers or pieces of firewood from falling out of your fireplace and into your house. This reduces the chances of a possible fire or any other hazards. 

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