Crawlspace encapsulation, or sealing, is the treatment that building scientists recommend to turn a damp, dirty, moldy crawlspace into a clean, dry space where mold can’t grow The following article was written by the authority on building science, Joseph Lstiburek Crawlspaces continue to be a mess ever since we decided to insulate them and put […]
Buying a home? It’s probably the most expensive purchase you’ll ever make. This is no time to shop for a cheap inspection. The cost of a home inspection is very small relative to the value of the home being inspected. The additional cost of hiring an InterNACHI-Certified Professional Inspector® is almost insignificant. You have recently […]
Derived from an article written by Ted Cushman – Contributing editor Ted Cushman reports on the construction industry from Hartland, Vt. The recent pandemic has had many ripple effects on the US economy. Along with other factors, it has affected the supply of framing lumber in American lumberyards. Restricted supply of US and Canadian lumber […]
Amidst a wave of Chinese import scares, ranging from toxic toys to tainted pet food, reports of contaminated drywall from that country have been popping up across the American Southeast. Chinese companies use unrefined “fly ash,” a coal residue found in smokestacks in coal-fired power plants in their manufacturing process. Fly ash contains strontium sulfide, […]
Original article was written by Nick Gromicko, CMI®, Ben Gromicko, and Kenton Shepard. Updated and revised by Joe Boos, CPI Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at InterNACHI, we want to change that. Homeowners can make drastic reductions in heating, cooling, and electricity […]
Buying a new home is a significant investment that comes with a good amount of tax breaks. A common question often asked, “Can I Deduct a Home Inspection on My Taxes”? The short answer is “no.” While there are many tax benefits to owning a home, deducting the home inspection, unfortunately, is not one of […]
Why should I buy a radon-resistant home? Radon-resistant techniques work. When installed properly and completely, these simple and inexpensive passive techniques can help to reduce radon levels. In addition, installing them during construction makes it easier to reduce radon levels further if the passive techniques don’t reduce radon levels below 4 pCi/L. Radon-resistant techniques may […]
Polybutylene (PB) was a plastic manufactured between 1978 and mid-1995 for piping in home plumbing systems. It was inexpensive and offered plenty of advantages over other materials, such as flexibility, ease of installation, resistance to freezing. Pipes made from polybutylene were installed in up to 10 million homes in the United States during that period. […]
One way to ensure that a house is built according to its specifications is by performing a pre-drywall inspection. “Pre-drywall” refers to a phase during the homebuilding process just after the installation of certain elements – such as the doors, windows, foundation, flooring, wall and roof components, plumbing, and electrical rough-in – and right before […]