What does your roof look like?
On a recent home inspection in Colorado Springs, I came across this roof that had significant hail damage. The home was a rental and the tenants were gone during the hail storm so they did not know that the damage had occurred. 

Your roof has you covered.
Your roof covering is the first line of defense in preventing moisture from penetrating your home. Its main job is to shed water to the gutters and downspouts where it can be moved away from your home to prevent foundation issues. 

Inspect it. 
No roof system is water proof but the roof coverings do need to be in good condition to work correctly so it is imperative that you inspect your roof or have it inspected to ensure your home and bank account does not suffer from water damage. 

Pro-Tip - If you are uncomfortable inspecting it or are not sure what to look for, I recommend contacting a professional roofing company to take a look. Just like your car needs maintenance so does your roof. 

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A dry home is a happy home:
With all the rain we have been receiving lately it is no surprise that the ground in our yards are wet. It may be a surprise that the dirt against and underneath your foundation may be wet. *Watch the Video Above*

Where is it coming from:
In the video above I was performing a home inspection in Colorado Springs and had noticed that the down spouts were not moving water away from the home and the landscaping was not sloped away from the home. It was not really a surprise that the crawlspace floor was wet, but the amount of moisture sure was. There was standing water in one corner, rusted columns, and evidence that this had been going on for a while. 

They called a plumber:
The sellers had actually paid a plumber to come out and see where the leak was coming from that made the crawlspace floor wet. ​It had not occurred to them that the water draining from the roof was the major cause. 

Keep it slopped and keep them down:
When doing any landscaping, make sure the land slopes away from the home and make sure your down spouts move water away from the home. 

Pro-Tip - Keep water away from everything inside and out of your home. Think about how it flows away from your home and keep it dry. Doing so will save a lot of headaches and keep your hard earned money from washing away. 

Other things to do:
As the days get longer and warmer, we are all spending more time outdoors gardening, mending our lawns, or seeing what our beautiful state has to offer. With so many more things to do we forget that our homes can use a review to ensure they have held up during the winter. 

Performing your own home inspection and four areas to check:
When I am doing home inspections in Colorado Springs, I generally will start with the exterior, then the roof, then the interior. This serves a few purposes. First, I am already on the ground and I want to see what the water coming off of the roof is doing to the exterior and then if water has entered the interior. 

• Exterior - Check the condition of the paint, caulking, siding, and look to see where the water is flowing. It is away from the home? When was the last time you painted your home? Is the siding still in good condition?
• Roof - I would not recommend inspecting your own roof, but if you do, check the conditions of the roof covering, the flashing, and any other areas that the sun and elements work hard to destroy throughout the year. Are the coverings still in good shape? Is the flashing showing any signs of rust? Have the roof jacks cracked? Don't forget your roof selfie. :-)
• Attic - Again, I would not suggest you check your attic other than poking your head up through the access. You can often get a good overall feel for the condition of the attic from the attic access. Do you notice any damp insulation? Is there any sign of animals in the attic? Are there any dark stains on the wood above you? Did you ever add that insulation your home inspector mentioned might add energy efficiency to your home?
• Crawlspace - Not many people like going into crawlspaces, but they say a lot about how the home is doing as a whole. Be on the lookout for poisonous spiders and animals. Do you notice any evidence of moisture intrusion? Have any new cracks formed in the walls? Do you see any rodent activity? Have you given the spider in the corner a name? 

Pro-Tip - Be an active participant in the maintenance of your home. The above inspection might take an hour or two on a Saturday. Reward yourself with a nice drink afterwards. Your home stands against the elements to protect you and your family 24/7 365. Show your home a little love every once in a while, protect your investment, and it will last for generations. 

Wishful Thinking
On a recent home inspection on a very nice home in the Colorado Springs, I was inspecting the HVAC system. I had noted that the outside air conditioning unit was only a few months old and had anticipate the rest of the system to be taken care of as well.

What is that?
When I entered the utility room I immediately noticed rust colored deposits around the furnace, floor, and water heater. When I opened up the inspection panel on the furnace I saw more deposits and indications of past leaks. 

Where does it come from?
When a home has air conditioning and a humidifier, a water leak or condensation can come from a multitude of sources. The humidifier can develop deposits and cease to function correctly. Condensation can form on the coil, then freeze and thaw. Condensation lines can become clogged and fail to drain correctly.

Why they need to be serviced by a professional
As you can see from the above pictures the leak had damaged the furnace, the duct work, the floor, and the base of the water heater. This was not a new leak. It had been an issue for quite a while. If the HVAC system had been serviced by a certified HVAC contractor annually the problem could have been caught and corrected prior to causing such damage. 

Pro-Tip - Inspecting and servicing your heating and cooling system once a month and having it serviced by a certified HVAC contractor annually will save you money in the long run and ensure that you and your family are enjoying the benefits of modern heating and cooling systems.

Where are they?
Part of the home inspection process is to check for the presence and function of carbon monoxide alarms. When I find an alarm that does not function as intended or is missing, a discussion often takes place. It often goes like this: "Why are on the ceiling, aren't they supposed to be at the floor level? That's why they plug them into outlets." "CO is heavier than air so that is why they put them close to the floor." Or, "One in a house is fine, it circulates with the air so that is all that is needed." 

At an outlet.....on the ceiling......where does it go?
Carbon monoxide alarms used to only be found near the floor. It is often assumed that CO is heavier than air so it settles near the floor. It is true that carbon monoxide alarms used to commonly be found near the floor, but that is also where electrical outlets are found, so for convenience CO alarms were mounted there as well. As technologies advance we often find them on the ceiling or on the wall as well as the floor. 

How many do I need?
Colorado law requires homeowners and owners of rental property to install carbon monoxide alarms near the bedrooms (or other room lawfully used for sleeping purposes) in every home that is heated with fossil fuel, has a fuel-fired appliance, has a fireplace, or has an attached garage. ​I recommend one on each floor. Alarms are relatively cheap and my family's safety is worth the price of admission.

Only one life to live. 
When researching this article I did not find any reference to any CO alarm having a life span longer than 10 years. Kidde provides a nice reference for end of life warnings at the website below. I like to follow the mantra "When it doubt change it out." 
https://www.kidde.com/home-safety/en/us/support/help-center/browse-articles/articles/what_are_the_end_of_life_warnings_on_a_carbon_monoxide_alarm_.html 

Follow the manufactures recommendations.
When considering purchase or placement of a Carbon Monoxide alarm, I recommend ensuring they are Underwriters Laboratory Listed (UL Listed) and are not at the end of their life. This will tell you that the device has been tested and that by following the manufactures recommendation you are following a tested regimen.

Pro Tip - Testing and alarm inspection takes less than ten minutes. Before you sit down to watch TV tonight, give your CO Alarms some love and give your family a hug. It is a worth while investment. 

​He is only 42 years old....
On a recent home inspection I found this relic. Relic being a retaliative term as the item in question was born around the same time some of us were introduced to the world. ;-) The poor fella was born in 1979 and has lost its charge. If the extinguisher were a person you might say, "You have a lot of life left." "You have so much more to offer." Well the sad truth for this guy is that retirement is long past. He should have hung it up and started walking laps around the mall in 1990. 

How long are they good for?
According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, disposable fire extinguishers must be replaced every 12 years.A disposable fire extinguisher has a plastic head, and a gauge that reads Full / Empty.      www.kiddie.com

​Arm yourself with the right tool for the job:
Combination ABC Fire Extinguishers are most commonly found in homes.


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​Where should I put them?
As part of my normal inspection I recommend fire extinguishers be mounted or located in the following areas:
In an easy to access cabinet in the kitchen.
In an easy to access location in the garage.
In easy to access locations on each floor of the home.

Everyone wants to be a fire fighter:
Everyone should know how to operate a fire extinguisher. I remember learning how in elementary school. The Colorado Springs Fire Department has an easy to remember set of instructions. They would probably even show your family how it you asked. 
Remember to P.A.S.S. *Pull *Aim *Squeeze *Sweep

ProTip - Taking 10 minutes right now to locate your fire extinguishers to check the charge and expiration date and make sure that your loved ones know how to use them can save lives and property loss. 

More information can be found at coloradosprings.gov/fire-department/page/fire-extinguishers.
https://coloradosprings.gov/sites/default/files/extinguisher_infographic_final_lowres.pdf

What is that noise?
Picture this, you are sound asleep and you hear a small chirp. In your sleepiness you decide to ignore it and it happens again. You think to your self, "I don't know what that is but it better stop." Then it happens again and now you are awake enough to recognize it as the dreaded sleep deprivation device......the smoke alarm. If you are married you might think to yourself "maybe they will get it." They are likely thinking the same thing. Finally you have had enough and decide the best course of action is to remove the offending life saving device by methodically hitting it with  broom until it is laying on the floor, silent. Mission accomplished and back to bed you go. 

This can be a common scenario for many households but it does not have to be. Smoke alarms are when properly maintained and tested have the capacity to help save our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Think of them as having a full time fireman that works 24/7 365 and all they ask in return are fresh batteries, be tested once a month, and to reach retirement in 10 years. They are not asking a lot in return for performing a very important task. 

Things to keep in mind:
Test each smoke detector at least once a month. If you haven't tested them recently, do it now!  
Have the batteries been changed in the past year? If not change them now. (Some alarms do not have replaceable batteries.)
Check the expiration date. Are they ready for retirement? If you can't tell, replace them. 
Note where they are in the home. Are they in every bedroom, outside of each sleeping area, on every level and the basement?
Are they wired together and all sound at once or do they operate individually? 

ProTip - A few minutes a month of preventive maintenance and testing can and has saved lives. You and your family are important to all of us. Please check your smoke alarms. 

More info can be found at:
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_alarms.html
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/infographic_2016_fpw_custom.pdf

At a recent home inspection in Palmer Lake Colorado, just outside of Colorado Springs, I was in the attic and noticed a hole near the furnace vent. There are several issues going on here. Safety, heat loss, and lack of effective attic insulation techniques.

Safety First - The first is that it is paramount that inspectors, home owners, ect. use caution when entering an attic. Always use a ladder tall enough that you enter the attic safely. Always know where you feet are and make sure you keep your feet on the truss stringer or bottom. Never step between the stringers. You will know if you are doing this correctly because your foot will not be through the ceiling of the room below you. (Watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation for good example of what not to do.) Always keep three points of contact on the trusses around you and watch your head avoiding the nails protruding through the roof decking above you. 

Heat Loss - You can see in the third and forth picture that the heat is coming from the hole and furnace vent (hole left side and the furnace vent right side. The heat is from the homes conditioned air that the furnace is continually keeping at at comfortable temperature. What that orange spot represents is wasted money and resources. Furnace vents are naturally warmer than the surrounding area because they are venting the exhaust from the furnace combustion to outside the home. 

Not Effectively Insulated - When the home was brand new and was ready to be insulated, proper building techniques would be for the the hole to have been covered by drywall, backer board, plastic, ect. Then the insulation would be blown in as it was over the other areas. In this case the whole was missed and heat loss is the result. 

Whats the solution? - Luckily the solution is fairly easy. The hole just needs to be covered up and insulation be spread over the area. A few minutes worth will save the current and future home owners heating and cooling costs. 

Pro Tip - A 5 minute inspection of your attic once a year can help you save energy, identify roof leaks, and save you time, money, and frustration. 

My name is Jake Shaw "I am a home inspector and I help people. If you ever have any questions, please give me a call.
970-361-0477
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