All About Green Home Inspections
With all the attention being given to green building over the past few years, home inspectors have been looking for a way to tap into this interest. A lot of people are wondering what’s included in a green home inspection. In order to answer that question, we...
VA Loan Programs
A VA loan is a mortgage loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Like FHA loans, VA loans are backed by the federal government in order to protect lenders against default, an assurance that removes barriers to home buying...
Safety For Seniors
Each year, according to estimates by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly 1 million people over age 65 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with the products they live with and use everyday. The death rate...
Holiday Safety
The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more...
Fire Safety Tips
The U.S. Fire Administration reports that more than 403,000 home fires occurred in the U.S. in 2008, causing 2,780 deaths and more than 13,500 injuries. Some fires are caused by issues related to the structure, such as lightning strikes, faulty wiring, furnace...
FHA Loans
An FHA loan is a federal-assistance mortgage loan offered by qualified lenders and backed by the Federal Housing Administration. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, soaring foreclosure and default rates led lenders to tighten their loan requirements to the...
Carbon Monoxide Dangers
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas that forms from incomplete combustion of fuels, such as natural or liquefied petroleum gas, oil, wood or coal. Facts and Figures 480 U.S. residents died between 2001 and 2003 from non-fire-related...
Burglar Resistant Homes
There are a number of measures that homeowners can take to ensure that their homes are not attractive to burglars. If clients are concerned about break-ins, inspectors can pass on to them basic strategies for burglar-proofing their homes. Some interesting...
Asbestos Danger
What is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat...
Anti-Scald Devices
Anti-scald valves, also known as tempering valves and mixing valves, mix cold water in with outgoing hot water so that the hot water that leaves a fixture is not hot enough to scald a person. Facts and Figures Scalds account for 20% of all burns. More than 2,000...