In addition to the spider, I found three wires that were charred due to arcing and overheating in this electrical panel. It goes without saying that this client was very fortunate to have not had an electrical fire.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
The only can of green beans we have in the house.. And they are way past the expiration date. I guess we’ll have to run to the store
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
When a basement wall starts to crack, and those cracks open up horizontally, it can be a sign that the wall is being pushed inward. Many times the horizontal cracks will line up with the frost line in the outside soil.
It’s no secret that the soil freezes in the winter time here in Southeastern MN. The frost expands the soil and presses against the wall, causing a lateral load. This lateral load can cause the wall to bow inward. Unstable soils, expansive clay, compressible, or improperly compacted soil can be a basement’s worst enemy.
Fortunately it is possible to rescue a bowed basement wall. There are companies in the Rochester area that can install an anchor system that can stabilize and pull bowed walls back into place. After a careful inspection and analysis, these companies can design a system that will resolve the problem for a fraction of the cost of total replacement.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Although kitchen appliances are not included in the standards of practice for the home inspection profession, it is common practice to at least check to see if they are operating properly. Typically on a refrigerator freezer unit that means checking to see that it is colder on one side than the other and that the water and ice dispenser works. Recently I came across a refrigerator/freezer unit that was heavily frosted up in the freezer unit. I took a look underneath the unit and the coils were completely loaded up with lint and dust bunnies. When the coils under a unit are all loaded and dirty up they can not operate efficiently, resulting in higher energy bills.
The answer to this problem is to give your refrigerator/freezer coils a breather. Coils should be cleaned at least once a year. These appliances have a set of coils typically in the back, or on the bottom. These coils circulate refrigerant which is cooled by air passing over them. If the coils and area is plugged then air can not flow smoothly, causing your energy bills to soar. To clean the coils, remove the clip-on cover from the bottom front on the unit and use a coil brush to loosen and remove the built up lint and dust. A vacuum cleaner with a crevice tool can come in handy too. You may need to roll the unit out to get at the back side if everything is not accessible from the front. Be careful not to damage any attached water lines for ice makers. The attached picture shows a coil brush which can be purchased at your favorite Rochester or Southeastern MN hardware or home maintenance store.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Here’s another good reason you should make sure all exterior openings are sealed. I usually discuss with my clients the importance of making sure that all exterior openings are sealed so that moisture and insects can not infiltrate.
This home had been sitting empty for quite a while. The bees found a way in through a disconnected dryer vent and built quite a large nest. Lucky for me, someone has smoke bombed the place and killed all of the bees…. there were hundreds of dead bees throughout the home, mainly in the basement.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Quite often during a home inspection I will note a gap between the concrete driveway and the garage slab on the inspection report. Taking the time to fill the gap will be worth the effort. Excess water under the slab will cause the slab to raise in the winter as the ground freezes. The gap can be closed using a filler/backer rod and a self leveling sealant filler material.
The first step is to clean the gap, blowing away all dust and debris. If there is any depth to the void you will need to fill it with a filler material, sometimes called backer rod, or backer rope. This is typically a closed cell synthetic material that looks like one of those float noodles that the kids use in the pool. But a size that is slightly wider than the opening you are trying to fill. Your local Rochester, or Southeastern MN building materials store will have these materials.
Next, force the backing materials into the opening using a putty knife until you have about ¾-1 inch below the concrete surface. The backer rod material will support the filler sealant and will expand and contract as the seasons change. It also provides a surface that will not stick to the filler sealant. If the filler sealant is attached to three surfaces, it may not expand and contract properly and pull away from the concrete.
After the backer rod is installed, add the self leveling concrete filler or urethane type caulk. This material will fill the void and is self leveling. This material is designed to adhere well to concrete and will expand and contract with the seasons. Always follow the manufacturers directions for installation and cure time. Proper installation will give you a great result that will keep the gap filled for years to come.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Sometime it doesn’t hurt to maybe take a look at the roof after a storm. This might also explain the stain on the bedroom ceiling.
I recommend that metal roof vents be used over the less expensive plastic models. Saving a few bucks when installing a roof veny may result in repairs down the road.
Rick Erickson, Home Inspector. HomePro Home Inspections. Rochester, Southeastern, MN. 507-202-8942
Very helpful to us as first time home buyers. Rick took the time to explain his findings and answer any questions we had. Very professional. We were overall very satisfied.
Vanessa N, Rochester, MN
The final walk through was great, nice and casual. Thanks for pointing out things to fix. These were things I would have missed but will help make my home nicer to live in.
Cory H, Red Wing, MN
Rick, thank you for being so personable and answering all of my questions.
Donna F, Rochester, MN