Relief valve discharge

"Relief valve discharge." Just try to work that phrase into everyday conversation. It's not easy! As a home inspector in the Stillwater, MN area, I often come across a small…

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Reversed polarity

Why home inspectors check every. single. outlet. At a home inspection in Hastings, I found one outlet that had reversed polarity. It's not unusual to one or two in a…

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Whole house surge protectors to the rescue!

Do you have an old house and a new TV? Consider a simple upgrade to protect expensive electrical components. I was at a home inspection in Red Wing. Many of…

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What is a dirt tee and why should I care?

It is a sediment trap, and actually, you shouldn't. A long time ago, The natural gas that came to the house had a fair amount of sediment and moisture. At…

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How safe is your sump pump basket cover?

A sump pump can keep water in your basement from thousands of dollars in damages. But there are some things to consider. In a perfect world, melting snow and rain…

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Proper landscaping slope

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…

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Stab-loc Circuit Panels

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.…

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How to inspect a chimney

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,…

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Let’s not attach a deck to a cantilevered joist

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…

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Frost heaves

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…

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