What You Might Miss if You Don’t Accompany the Inspector
Most real estate agents strongly suggest that their buyer accompany the home inspector when touring the property. It's not necessarily required but it can make a world of difference. Think of it this way; would you buy a $300K stock that you knew nothing about?...
Exhaust Fans in Bathrooms – Why They Are So Important
Most bathrooms have exhaust fans, or they should! But, we run across many bathrooms that either have fake fans, disassembled fans, or bathrooms that have literally been built without a fan. Most codes require exhaust fans even if the bathroom has a window. Bathrooms...
Windows Could Result in Warped Vinyl Siding
Many homeowners are installing low-emissive windows, also known as low-E windows, in their houses these days. Low-E windows can limit the amount of heat transfer that takes place within windows, which can keep homes more comfortable throughout the year. However, there...
Understanding the Causes of Fogged Windows
Have you noticed that one or more of the windows in your home always seems to be a little hazy? If you have single-pane windows with just one pane of glass in them, the fog is likely being caused by the weather. When it’s warm inside and cold outside, your windows...
Improving Air Quality in Your Complex, Home, or Development
Be it our home, or workplace, most of the air we breathe in our life, we breathe indoors. That is why the quality of the air inside a complex, home, or development is incredibly important, for both the tenant and building’s health. So, for any owner or developer,...
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Still a Risk in Summer
Carbon monoxide is so deadly because it is invisible and odorless, so by the time that there’s a dangerous level inside your home or business, it may be too late. Although many of us may think that with the summer months now here and our windows open to allow in fresh...
Summer Heat and Roof Damage
Most people rate spring and summer as their favorite seasons of the year, but if your roof could talk, it would likely have a different opinion. The summer heat, in particular, can be particularly hard of your roof, especially if your home has traditional shingles....
Infrared Cameras Help Beekeepers Keep Up on Hives
Infrared camera technology – the same that we use at Pristine Inspections and Testing during every inspection– is now being used to help beekeepers to inspect their populations during the winter, reports the Fox affiliate in Salt Lake City. Previously, opening up a...
Avoiding Frozen Plumbing
One of the perils of owning a home during the freezing cold winters is the possibility of a frozen pipe. Pipes that run through unheated spaces, such as crawl spaces, attics and garages, or along exterior walls with little insulation are susceptible to freezing during...
Radon Resources – Where to Get More Information
You can’t see it, taste it, smell it or feel, but radon can cause serious health issues, and you definitely don’t want it in your home. For some folks, that’s all they need to know, but if you want to learn more about this cancer-causing radioactive gas during...
Maryland County Leading the Way on Radon Testing
We’ve discussed the dangers that radon can pose to homeowners throughout the country, but the laws that govern how and when radon is tested are not uniform across every state or even in individual counties. As we continue to look at radon as part of National Radon...
Using Etched Glass to Determine Radon Exposure
Exposure to radon has been a growing concern since the 1980’s and in Illinois since 2010. Radon, which can enter a building from the soil beneath a home or business through cracks or gaps in the foundation, has been linked to an increased risk of lung cancer. Learn...
Roof Vents and Mold
Even though we only typically see mold in our bathrooms or in our kitchen on our food, it can grow in other areas of our homes, including the attic, crawl space, and basement. That’s why the proper ventilation of our homes is so important to preventing conditions that...
Inspections and New Homes
It’s long been considered a best practice to get a home inspection when buying a home from another homeowner, but what about when buying a new home? Even if you are buying a new home, you will want to get it professionally inspected for a number of reasons. To start,...
Photoelectric and Ionization Smoke Detectors: What’s Different?
Smoke detectors are one of the most common and effective ways to keep your home or business safe. While no one wants a fire to happen at their property, these devices can help alert anyone inside to the risk and give them a chance to call for help and get out of the...
Understanding the Differences of GFCI and AFCI outlets
Electricity is a marvel of the modern world. Most of us would experience a crisis if we had to adjust to life without electricity at home or work, especially since nearly every activity in our day-to-day lives depends on electricity, whether directly or indirectly....
Certified Thermographic Inspections Offer Greater Insight
One of the most important things that sets the team at Pristine Inspections & Testing apart is our skills and knowledge when it comes to thermography. Every member of our inspection team is a Certified Residential Thermographer, CRT, but in case you aren’t...
Crawl Spaces – A Potentially Hidden Danger
The crawl space in your home has the potential for many unwanted issues, as this often unseen area can be a breeding ground for mold. The crawl spaces in many homes tend to have higher humidity levels then both the outside air and the air in the rest of your home,...
Attics, Ventilation and Mold
Mold growth is something every homeowner should be concerned about, but one of the problems with mold is that it can grow in so many different places. While you may be experiencing symptoms of mold inhalation, you may not be able to clearly identify mold as the...
After Winter, Check Your Home Completely
Most homeowners spend time preparing their home for the winter, but many don’t think to check their home again once the season has come and gone. Maybe that’s because spring is a time for hope and new life, and you are starting to do outdoor activities and getting...
Spring Storms and Water Risks
The spring season ushers in the welcoming sights and smells of gorgeous flowers in bloom, a reprieve from the ice and snow following you around all winter and the chance to get outdoors to enjoy the sunshine. However, a large part of the season is spring storms that...
Get a Home Check Up With Us
Hiring an experienced home inspector to check out a property is not only useful when you’re thinking of buying a new house, but also when your current home hasn’t been inspected for quite some time. This is especially true when it comes to some of the less traveled...
Lumber Liquidators’ Laminates Have an Elevated Cancer Risk
Whether you’re in the process of buying a new home or you’re happy with your current house, Pristine Inspections & Testing is here to make sure you live in a safe environment. That’s why we’re always on the lookout for potential threats to homeowners throughout...
Polonium 210 – A Deadly Radon Byproduct
A British court revealed earlier this year that in 2006, Russian spies murdered former KGB operative Alexander Litvinenko using polonium-210. The story blew to massive proportions as Russian president Vladimir Putin said he “probably” approved the killing, showing the...
January is National Radon Awareness Month
Radon is a radioactive gas that’s produced by the earth from naturally occurring uranium in the soil and water decaying over time. This gas is harmful to people when exposed to elevated levels over an extended period of time. In some areas in the country where radon...
What Is Radon, Anyway?
You may have been told that it’s a smart idea to have your property tested for radon, but what is exactly is radon and why is it harmful? Although many homes throughout the U.S. have some level of radon inside, many people are exposed to amounts that can cause a...