Radon Testing in Daycare Centers
The odorless radioactive gas known as radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, should be the last of a parent’s concern when dropping their child off at daycare; this is supposed to be a safe and loving space for a child when they are away from...
Radon Levels in South Korean Homes are 2nd Highest in the World
As the cause of 21,000 deaths each year in the U.S., radon gas is a carcinogen that is officially the second most common cause of lung cancer, right after cigarette smoking. When it comes to radon exposure, there are levels which are considered to be acceptable by the...
How Do you Choose the Right Home Inspector?
Whether you are in the market for a new home or are looking to purchase additional property, real estate is a hefty investment. For this reason alone, it is imperative that you are educated on what your purchase entails. An investment in a home inspector is not nearly...
Is Testing for Radon a Health or Financial Decision?
When it comes to testing for radon, there is a big divide between those who believe in its negative effects on health and those who are convinced that the effects are either non-existent or very minimal. The primary reason why I first began testing homes was due to...
Home Inspections Can Prevent a Future Mess
Most people go looking for homes that are move-in ready. While there are some people who are willing to invest the time and energy into fixer-uppers, the majority of house hunters want something they can walk right into and start living. For many of these people, the...
Get a mold inspection before it’s too late
Having mold in your home can be a major nightmare. It can spread like wildfire, from damp places like your basement, up through your kitchen and living area. It can also spread downward from the roof boards in your attic down to bedrooms and bathrooms. Before it’s too...
Common home inspection problems
When perspective buyers get an inspection done a home, they’re usually looking for, “Ok looks great, nothing is wrong.” That, though, rarely happens. There’s always something that’s needed to be improved or something that isn’t up to code. Here are some common...
Selling your home? Get a Pre-Sale Inspection
When you’re very interested in buying a home, one of the first things you mark off from your checklist is getting a home inspection. But what about getting an inspection before you sell your home? First, it’s never a bad idea to ever get your home inspected, even when...
New Radon Data from IEMA
The Illinois Emergency Management agency has now released their new website which includes all of the radon test results and radon mitigation installations in Illinois. It is a great website and has data up to 2011. Check it out here . Just click on your county and...
New law requires Illinois day cares to post radon test
We harp on this blog sometimes about the dangers of radon, and how Illinois residents should test their homes for radon. Well state legislation has taken note. Beginning Jan. 1 2014, day care center across Illinois will have to show proof their facility has been radon...
January is National Radon Month
The US Environmental Protection Agency has named January National Radon month. During this month, the government agency has put on various events to inform more and more people about the dangers of radon gas. You can participate by purchasing a radon test at your...
A bad foundation is a bad problem
Cracks in foundation aren’t very uncommon, and can sometimes be really small -- but it could lead to really unwarranted problems. The foundation of your home is kind of like its backbone, holding and securing the building in place. But if it moves, like the earth does...
How to fend off radon or remove it
There’s a few different ways you can either, A: remove radon from your home, or B: fend it off so it doesn’t enter our home. Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that is radioactive. It’s not an instantaneous killer like carbon-monoxide, but radon is the...
New High reading found in Champaign county
Based on our testing in Champaign, have found a new high radon level of 63.1 pCi/L. That is like smoking 6 to 8 packs of cigarettes a day! Since radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, get your house tested.
An inside look at home inspections?
Part of the reasoning of this blog is to give consumers an in-depth, more personal look at some of the inherent challenges of being a licensed home inspector, and the top issues trending in the industry today. There are many problems we as home inspectors run in to on...
Pristine at Illinois Association of Realtors in Chicago
I had the pleasure of working the Radalink booth at the Illinois Association of Realtors annual meeting in Chicago. I was the only down state affiliate asked to help with the booth and support Radalink, the only company with a Certified Radon Report. Thank you Jason...
Presence of mold can result in harmful side effects
Ever wonder what the effects might be from that little bit of mold developing in your bathroom, or perhaps concerned if the moisture from an air conditioning system can also be producing mold not visible to the naked eye? According to the Centers for Disease Control...
Here is your Sign!
When inspecting a house, you are looking for clues to help understand the condition of the house and identify items of concern. Sometimes things are obvious and even the untrained eye can spot an issue. Hopefully, this is one of the obvious ones. ...
Pristine Receives Angie’s List Superior Service Award
Each year, Angie’s List honors companies that have achieved and maintained a superior service rating from Angie's List members with the Super Service Award. This is the highest honor given annually to companies by Angie's List, who have achieved and maintained a...
Falling Foundation
The inner portion of the brick foundation has fallen down on this house. The seller didn't think the crawl space was deep enough to crawl and didn't know how I would be able to fit. The buyer was very glad that I could get in and crawl the entire crawl space. I...
Looking for the barricade?
Some people take road signs and street signs, but have you ever wondered what happens to road barricades? Someone used them for floor joists!
Clogged Drain – Try Infrared
Infrared thermography, IR, allows you to see inside your PVC drain lines. IR cameras see light which has a longer wavelength and a lower frequency than visible light so you can see temperature differences not visible to the naked eye. By doing an infrared scan on...
New Construction – Why pay for an inspection?
Most prospective buyers of new construction homes feel that since the house is new, they will have a builder's warranty, so there is no need to do a home inspection. If the warranty covers anything that goes wrong for a year, why worry? The average homeowner will...