Just recently the HB 1217 which set up the licensing of Home Inspectors in Georgia was pasted by both the House of Representatives and by the Senate. Governor Perdue chose to veto HB 1217. What does this mean to the average consumer? It means that anyone can claim to be an inspector without any training or knowledge. It also means that you as a consumer may call one of these inspectors and you will have no clue of their knowledge until they finish the report.

All four of the organized home inspector groups fought for this legislation because they understand that they cannot prevent harm coming to the consumer by untrained inspectors.

When calling an inspector for your home inspection, be sure and ask the questions located in our “7 Ways to Avoid the Blind Home Inspector” report.

I have been trained through Kapland ITA and passed the National Home Inspectors exam. I am a member of Nachi (National Association of Certified Home Inspectors) and attend continuing education classes often. I may not be the cheapest inspector in town, but I’m very comparable when you compare my pricing to others who have been trained and certified.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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I was surfing the web and found this interesting site www.trulia.com for real estate professionals and it is where you can ask a question and the real estate professionals will answer the questions. Pretty neat. I was looking to see if there was any home inspectors on the site and so I did a search and the first thing that came up was the above question. I thought it would be interesting to see what the pros had to say. I checked and there was 27 answers and each one was a yes, it is worth the money. I thought it was neat to see a lot of them say that a pre-listing inspection is a great idea also. Here is the link to that question http://www.trulia.com/voices/Home_Buying/Are_home_inspections_worth_the_money_-4463–

To schedule your own home inspection go to www.ihihomeinspections.com

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Atlanta Home Inspector gives you several reasons why you should never buy a new home without a home inspection. So many times we think we’re getting the best home possible without the issues that an older home would have. I mean, let’s face it “it’s a brand new roof, and a reputable builder with great contractors.”

Well I just had the privilege of doing a home inspection on another brand new home and one of the main issues was the painters failed to finish painting the area around the upper roof line and it would not have been seen if I had not walked the roof. But the roof alone once again had several small issues and I ended up with over 25 pictures. Now nothing that I found was a deal killer, but it was definitely issues that the home owner needed taken care of. When I inspect a new home I go out of my way to let the new home owner know that I am gong to point out even small stuff, so that the builder is not stuck with it later on, right now the contractors are still around, who knows what will happen in a year, the contractors may still be there or they may not. So let’s take care of things right now.

Please let me encourage you, to encourage your new home buyers to have an inspection done. It is such a great way to have your check list ready.
David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia. Be sure to visit us at www.AskYourGeorgiaHomeInspector.com

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today!

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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David Lelak, an Atlanta Home Inspector was out doing an Alpharetta Home Inspection and found the issue where the electric wire coming directly into the home had a large gap all the way around where the wire came in. This is not a big deal; it is more of a maintenance issue. There are two reasons that you would want to seal around wiring or plumbing coming from the outside to the inside.

The first reason is to prevent entrance to insects and rodents. You don’t want these critters sharing your living space. The second reason would be to prevent heat or cooling loss, especially if the hole is in a conditioned area. A simple fix for this is to use a foam spray called Great Stuff. You simply spray it in and it expands to fill the cracks and holes.

Getting your home inspected by a certified home inspector can not only help with the major safety issues, but it can help with maintenance issues and energy efficient issues also.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.  Be sure to visit us at www.AskYourGeorgiaHomeInspector.com

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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If you’re like most home owners and have a busy family and a crazy household schedule, there’s isn’t a “good” time to reseal tubs, showers, sinks and countertops.Waiting 24 hours for traditional caulk to dry before using their tubs, showers, sinks and counters, is not a luxury most people have. Because of this they simply overlook this inexpensive home maintenance project. Overlooking this can turn a small maintenance task into a major repair project.Here is a couple of signs that will give you a clue that it is now time to reseal:

1. If the caulking around the tub, shower doorframe, shower handles, stall base, toilet, countertop or sink is cracked, shrunken, missing or moldy, it’s time to recaulk.

2. Current caulk has mold, mildew or soap scum on it. Old or severely discolored caulking should be completely removed and the area properly cleaned and dried before new caulk is applied. Knowing when to recaulk can help busy homeowners quickly and easily update the seal around bathroom and kitchen fixtures. The key is to keep a well-maintained, clean and tight seal around water-prone areas to prevent big repair bills down the road. And to help homeowners and remodelers do this, Polyseamseal has introduced a new, fast-dry silicone system. Polyseamseal EST Speed Seal creates a durable, flexible and watertight seal that will withstand water contact only two hours after application, allowing you to shower in two hours, which is 12 times faster than traditional sealants.

Here is two benefits that I really liked:Fast-Dry Silicone System withstands shower and water contact in two hours so you can “Shower in 2 Hours”Cured Sealant is Mold & Mildew ResistantFor more information on caulking the kitchen and bathroom, or for product information, visit www.polyseamseal.com.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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As an Atlanta Home Inspector I have seen alot of things, and I have always been amazed at someone who could tear something apart and put it back together again without having any parts left over. My brother in law who lives right here in Canton is someone who can take any piece of equipment apart and put it back together in working order without any trouble at all. But for those of us who seem to be left scratching our heads and wondering why we have pieces left over here is a great idea to help solve the problem.

Use your digital camera to take pictures of the process while taking the item apart. This way if time lapses or you can’t remember exactly which order things go in, you have your digital pictures as your memory.

I did this with a barn that was located in Cumming, GA that we decided to tear down and rebuild on our property up in Canton. Needless to say, without the pictures, there is no telling what my barn would have looked like. It took me quite a while to rebuild it and there is a shed area that I still need to get back on. It’s a good thing I have the pictures.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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I want you to know that we are keenly aware that the real estate market has slowed down. And I know that You need to close every transaction you get so that You can achieve Your goals.

When choosing IHI Home Inspections to do your home inspection you can count on me to do 7 key things and they are as follows:

1. I convey MY inspection findings in a Neutral, Non-Scary manner.

2. I go out of my way to say Nice things about the house.

3. I make sure the client is 200% Satisfied with their work.

4. I ask myself; Does This Comment Have To Go On The Summary Pages?

5. I look sharp and have my vehicle looking sharp, so that I present the proper image to your client.

6. To be sure you get Zero Callbacks!

I guarantee you that you can count on ME to do everything possible to help You move your transactions forward!

So Give me A Call Today at 404-788-2581 or schedule online at http://www.ihihomeinspections.com & Let’s Get Your Next Inspection Scheduled!

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As an Alpharetta Home Inspector I see things all the time that could be done to help the Sellers with the home inspection process. Sellers can speed up their home inspection by following these suggestions.

The inspection will go smoother, with fewer concerns that may delay their closing.

1. Confirm that water, electric and gas service are on, with gas pilot lights burning.
2. Remove any items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces.
3. Unlock areas the inspector must access – fence gates, attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, and crawl spaces.
4. Make sure pets won’t hinder the inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from premises. Tell your agent about any pets at your home.
5. Replace burned out bulbs to avoid a “Light is inoperable” report that may suggest an electrical problem.
6. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and replace dead batteries.
7. Clean or replace dirty HVAC air filters. They should fit securely.
8. Attend to broken or missing items like doorknobs, locks and latches; windowpanes, screens and locks; gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.
9. Lower the grade 6″ all the way around the home.
10. Trim tree limbs to 10′ from the roof and shrubs from the house to allow access.

Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property. Your real estate agent will thank you!

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

Alpharetta Home Inspector, Canton Home Inspection, certified home inspector, Ask your Georgia home inspector, home tips

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David Lelak, an Atlanta Georgia Home Inspector protects himself and your investment by wearing protective gear into the attic. You might ask “How does wearing protective gear in the attic protect my home.” He protects your investment by not tracking insulation all over your home. If he tracked insulation out of the attic and down into your home, it is now in the air and settling onto your valuables. He wears a protective suit also to protect himself from getting the fibers into his skin. He goes to each and every corner of the home to look for things that would decrease the value of your home.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today.

We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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So your purchasing a brand-new home and you don’t think that you need to have it inspected. You might want to think again. I’ve been on several home inspections lately where I have spotted several issues that may or may not have been caught at the walk through. One of the main issues that I have found is defects up on the roof. These defects would not have been found if I had not walked the entire roof area. Most of the time people can’t believe that I would even get up on this type of roof but if you look closely you can see my shadow in the picture.

In the picture to the right you can see where there’s a cracked shingle that may not look like much, but on a brand-new home it could be considered a big deal. Shingles are layered for a reason, when installing a shingle roof the bottom shingle has nails and then the shingle on top of it is supposed to cover those nail holes so the water does not penetrate the roof.

While the builder had the roofing contractors come back to redo the shingles on the peak of this home, this is the way that they repaired this. This repair is simply a Band-Aid and over a period of time, the caulking that they have put up here will deteriorate and break down allowing water to begin to seep into the home unnoticed. While this doesn’t look like a big issue would you want your brand-new roof to look like this and to possibly have these types of errors in the future?

This is only one instance that I found while inspecting brand-new homes.

Stay tuned more more bloggs about The common found errors on brand-new homes.

This is also one of the first homes that sold in this neighborhood. It’s not like they were on the last home and rushing to get done. It was caught in the very beginning of a new subdivision. Lucky for this homeowner they chose to go ahead and do a home inspection on their brand-new home. This also helped the builder because he can still go back to the roofing contractors for them to fix the situation.

David Lelak of IHI Home Inspections serves Canton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming, Woodstock, Atlanta and all of North Georgia.  Be sure to visit us at www.AskYourGeorgiaHomeInspector.com

You can also schedule your own home inspection online today!
We create Peace of Mind ONE Home Inspection at a time.

Also download our free report “How To Avoid The Blind Home Inspector” and a sample of our inspection report.

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