Here is a straightforward way to determining the proper slope for the ground around your house. As a home inspector in the St Paul, MN area, I know how hard…

Federal Pacific Electric was a company that make circuit panels. They developed a new type of breaker, and applied for approval from the United Laboratories. The UL turned them down.…

Here's what to look for when inspecting a chimney Nearly 75% of the chimneys built before 1990 are in need of some kind of repair. That's according to Randy Sloss,…

Deck safety starts with a good design, and that starts with understanding building codes. The 2015 IRC (International Building Code) states clearly that decks are not to be attached to…

At an inspection in Woodbury, I saw that the deck sloped toward the house. Was it built that way? Nope. The footings had been pushed up by frost heave. Frost…

Sewer pipes are on the roof s of homes, and are usually PVC (white plastic) or cast iron. They allow air to enter or leave the sewer system in the…

Those little white balls are frost that has formed on nails At a home inspection in Stillwater, MN, I found evidence of frost. Finding it is easy during the winter because the frost forms on the nails from the shingles.…

You need to install a water line for your ice maker, but you don't consider yourself a plumber. The idea of sweating  joints is a bit intimidating to folks without…

Who's gonna cut the trees around the power lines? According to Excel Energy, the person who owns the land that the tree is on is expected to keep the tree branches…

What's a missing ground jumper? A long time ago, water pipes were used for grounding electrical components in the house. The idea had merit; the pipes were metal, and came…