NEWS AND VIEWS > Home Inspection Technical Articles   HOME INSPECTION TECHNICAL ARTICLES   Please browse our list of informative and helpful home inspection articles, presentations and other resources. We hope you'll find these materials useful and directly applicable in your business. Articles on The Web – Change is on the Horizon!     Bill Gates preps Microsoft for "disruptive services wave" Web 2.0 article from Rich Internet Microsoft Unveils Web 2.0 Strategy New Wave of Wireless Connectivity  Home Inspection Articles, Presentations and Advice from Carson Dunlop   Home Inspection Report Writing White Paper on Report Writing - By Alan Carson The Real Cost of Report Writing – What may affect the cost of your report writing system.  Home Inspection Complaints Resolving Complaints  – Our widely acclaimed article in its entirety When Things Go Wrong – Our mantra to homeowners about what happens after they move in to their new house. Home Maintenance & Improvement Saving Money While You Save The Planet! – Saving energy now makes a lot more financial sense, because several levels of government and several utilities are participating. Priority Items for New Homeowners – There are so many home maintenance and repair items that are important; it can be confusing trying to establish which are the most critical. Home Improvement Costs   – Life Cycles and Costs Home Repair Guide – This report will deal with the simpler topic of home repair--basically replacing things that are worn out or fixing things that are broken. Your New Home – It makes sense for you to learn about the qualities of your investment before putting your money on the line. Inspect Before You Renovate – A professional building inspection by a qualified engineer can help you separate the NEEDS from the WANTS.    Home Inspection Technical Articles - Structures  Structures – Serious structural problems in houses are not very common, but when they occur they are never cheap to fix. Some can’t be fixed at all. This report won’t turn you into a home inspector, but it will give you some of the common indicators. Foundation Types – Overview of the many types of foundations. Truss Uplift – Truss uplift has nothing to do with plastic surgery or under- garments. It is a phenomenon common in homes built with roof trusses as opposed to rafters. Grow Houses – With an estimated 50,000 grow houses in Canada, there is growing concern about health, fire, safety, and structural implications for home buyers. But what risk is there in owning a grow home?  Wet Basements - The words are all-too-familiar to many homeowners. It is said that more than ninety-eight percent of all houses have had, or will have, basement leakage at some point. Home Inspection Technical Articles - Insulation and Ventilation Vermiculite – Our informative article on Vermiculite, a naturally occurring mineral worldwide. Condensation – A brief, non technical article about controlling Condensation in the home.  Home Inspection Technical Articles - Heating  Water Heaters (Gas and Oil) – All about gas and water fired water heaters. Tankless Water Heaters  – As the name suggests, these water heaters have no storage capacity at all. Insulation Materials – The purpose of insulation is to slow the rate of heat transfer. Gas Burners – This article focuses on the atmospheric or natural draft burner. Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing – What to look for in houses with Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST). Air Filters – While you’re in the basement unpacking the Halloween costumes, take a moment to consider your furnace. Humidifiers – While an ideal humidity for homes can be as low as 5%, people prefer about 60% humidity. And because people are more powerful than homes, we add humidifiers to have it our way.  Carbon Monoxide – Low concentrations of CO can go undetected and can contribute to ongoing, unidentified illnesses. At high concentrations, it can be deadly.  Heating Efficiency – High efficiency heating systems have become popular because they save fuel and, one would suppose, save money. But what do they mean when they talk about efficiency? What is furnace efficiency? Fireplaces – Fireplaces are no longer used as the primary source for heating homes, but the magic of a fire stills makes a fireplace a valued part of any home. A Fall Furnace Primer - Homes like the dry environment, but dry air makes people uncomfortable. While an ideal humidity for homes can be as low as 5%, people prefer about 60% humidity. Home Inspection Technical Articles  - Exterior  Asphalt Shingles – The most common roofing material used at present. Wood Siding – Life expectancy depends on maintenance  Synthetic Stucco – EIFS stands for Exterior Insulating and Finishing Systems. It is sometimes referred to as Synthetic Stucco.  Brick Houses – What most people in Ontario don't realize is that there are two very different types of brick houses, brick veneer and solid masonry.   Home Inspection Technical Articles - Electrical Electrical Service Drop – Getting electricity safely from the utility into your house. 60 Amp Services – Many homebuyers are discovering that insurance companies are not only concerned about knob and tube wiring; they are also worried about 60 amp services. Knob & Tube Wiring – A significant number of insurance companies now consider knob and tube wiring unsafe or a significantly higher risk. We disagree.  Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters – The outlets with the colored "Test" and "Reset" buttons are specially designed to better protect people than ordinary outlets. GFCI's have been used in houses since the 1970's.  Home Inspection Technical Articles  - General Windows – Windows can add to the architectural appeal of the home, and can provide emergency exits. Waste Plumbing – Analysis of waste plumbing types. Central Air Conditioning – Air cooled air conditioning systems usually work in conjunction with a forced-air furnace. Household Glossary –  Common Building Technical Terms Explained Dating Houses – As home inspectors, we have some tricks for figuring out the age of a house.  Vague Real Estate Terms  – Here are a collection of vague real estate terms that can get real estate salespeople into trouble. The Perfect House – The engineers of Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd. have conducted over 50, 000 home inspections and we haven’t found a perfect house yet. Since perfection is not an option, what should you expect? Pre-Listing Home Inspections Pre-Inspected Listings – Home inspections have traditionally been for the benefit of the purchaser. Pre-inspected listings benefit all parties - purchasers, vendors and Realtors. Consumer Advice Re: Inspectors No Guarantees – Over the last few years, we have seen a steady shift in clients' expectations. Their demands are higher, which is fine, but the number of clients with unrealistic expectations has grown from maybe one in a thousand to one in fifty. Fifteen Questions to Ask – When shopping for a Home Inspector.  Business Partners Inspectors Edge Home Inspection Industry Resources Here are some links to home inspection related sites and information. U.S.A. www.ASHI.org ASHI Standards of Practice ASHI’s position on State Regulations for Home Inspectors www.nahi.org (National Association of Home Inspectors) National Home Inspector Examination CREIA FREA www.workingre.com Canada National Certification Program for Home Inspectors www.cahpi.ca (Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors)   Back to top << Home Inspection Testimonials  || Home Inspection Newsletter >>