What Does a Home Inspector Do?

Posted by Dave the How To guy | do it yourself | Posted on December 29th, 2009

Congratulations! You have put an offer on a house. Your next step should be to get the house inspected. A home inspection will tell you if there are any problems with the house you are buying. A home inspector performs a visible inspection of the house’s internal and external systems.

What a home inspector should inspect: these are general areas and things he should be doing but is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

- Building Interior walls, floors, ceilings, doorways, etc: for integrity, soundness, cracks, maintenance issues, etc.
- Kitchen & Laundry Areas and Fixtures: for leaking, age, plumbing issues, age of cabinets and condition, etc.
- Bathroom Interiors and Fixtures: here again he should be looking for age and condition, for leaks or maintenance issues, etc.
- Fireplaces & Chimneys: for integrity, functionality, condition, cracks etc.
- Garages & Carports: for functionality, integrity, structural soundness, electrical, general condition.
- Building Exterior walls, foundation, windows, etc: for integrity, structural soundness, cracks, maintenance issues, problems of leaking, insulation etc.
- Roof, Attic and Gutters: for age and condition of shingles, insulation quantity and quality, condition etc.
- General Foundation: for structural soundness, condition, for leaks and dampness on the inside, insulation etc.
- General Drainage: If there is dampness in the basement looking for a potential cause.
- Fences & Gates, Driveway, Patios and Covers, Decks & Balconies, Exterior Stairs: looking at each for general condition, possible maintenance issues, any safety issues, etc.
- Plumbing: anything we have not already covered.
- Electrical: size and condition of the service, any visible issues with switches or fixtures etc.
- Heating and Air Conditioning Systems: looking for the age and general condition,

After the inspection, the home inspector will create a report listing all defects found in the home and present it to the home’s potential buyer.

However, a home inspection is not a guarantee; rather, it’s a thorough professional inspection of the houses visible interior and exterior. A home inspector does not inspect a home to make sure it’s up to code, but he should be able to give you some feed back on it. He/she inspects for damage such as water damage, malfunctioning electrical switches and outlets, non-functioning fixtures, cracks in ceilings and visible structural imperfections etc.

An honest home inspector should not suggest contractors or repairmen to make repairs on any of the defects he/she finds. This would be a conflict of interest. If a home inspector is inspecting your home for imperfections and defects, and then refers you to a specific repairman who can make these repairs for you, you have to think whether or not the home inspector is being honest with you regarding the specific defects he/she found.

A home inspector is a trained professional who knows what to look for. Small cracks, water stains, and minor electrical problems could be an indication of much larger problems. To you and me, a malfunctioning electrical switch is just a minor annoyance. A home inspector knows how to interpret these defects and determine if the problem is much larger.

If a home inspector offers to make repairs himself or suggest a “friend” who can make the necessary repairs, I would not trust him.

A home inspection helps you establish the structural integrity of your home. However, even though it is a professional analysis of your home’s internal and external systems, it is not a guarantee. That’s why when you choose a home inspector you need to be sure to check his/her credentials. A quality and honest home inspector will be insured, educated, experienced, and certified by a top home inspection association.

Good ones are well worth the cost of the inspection.

What Is An Air Hammer?

Posted by Dave the How To guy | do it yourself | Posted on December 27th, 2009

Handyman or not, you need the right tools to get the job done, and for most small around-the-house jobs, a hand tool will do fine. Air tools, also known as pneumatic tools, are very popular among do-it-yourself (DIY) enthusiasts today. Although they have been used in the industrial and manufacturing sectors for years, over the last several years the prices have come down so that even the average homeowner can have one.

These tools are easy to use, all you need to do is plug in the hose of your air tool to your compressor and begin the work! There is an air tool for almost every job. Air brushes, grinders, pneumatic hammers, lubricators, air nailer, air paint sprayers, air blasters, air saws, tire inflators and pneumatic wrenches are some of them.

Today no handyman or professional’s tool box is complete without an air hammer. An air hammer is a type of hammer that is powered by compressed air. This type of tool is very convenient for any household projects including repairs, home improvements, or new construction where a hammer is needed.

Air hammers require no swinging so they are easier on the arm and don’t make marks on the wood when you miss the nail. The convenience of pressing the hammer to the surface in order to deliver the nail and pressing the trigger is much easier than traditional hammering. Not only that, but finish nailers set the nail at the same time, saving that extra step in finishing the project.

There are several different types of air nailers.
- The largest is a framing nailer and will drive nails up to 3.25” and as you might imagine is used for nailing framing members to each other.
- There are also framing nailers that will shoot nails up to 2” and these are used for nailing plywood sheeting or 1” boards like in fencing.
- There are finish nailers that shoot 16g nails up to 2.5” long and are good for heavier trim work.
- The 18g finish nailer will take nails up to 2” and is good for light trim work.
- Even smaller trims nailers are available that can be used for very fine work.
- Staplers are also available and are used for many different types of jobs.
- And there are plenty more

Air hammers are safer than traditional hammers. Because it is not necessary to hold the nail in place with your hand, this reduces the risk of hitting your finger and bruising or even breaking a finger if you miss the nail head. There is still some safety issues though, like if you get your fingers to close while holding two pieces together that you are nailing, you can put a nail through a finger faster than you can blink..

Using an air hammer will allow your project to be completed faster. Manually hammering nails is tiring work that can take a lot of time. With an air hammer though, this process is sped up considerably.

Air hammers can be found in home improvement stores or hardware stores. They are also readily available online for convenient shopping from the comfort of your own home. There are many different brands available with various features. Decide the types of projects you will work on and how frequently the air hammer will be used to determine the brand and features needed. I have used both cheap imports and domestic models and there certainly is a difference in the quality which affects both the quality of work they do and the longevity of the tool. So if you are going to be using it a lot and want a good quality tool that will last for years buy from a known brand.

When doing any home improvement projects, it is important to have the right tools. Air tools are an invaluable asset to any serious tool collection and an air hammer is one great tool to have around the house. With a compressor and a few air tools, nearly any home improvement or DIY job is complete and finished in no time at all.