Attached Garage Fire Hazards

by Nick Gromicko, CMI® and Kenton Shepard from InterNACHI The purpose of this article is twofold. First, at InterNACHI, we’d like you to take measures to keep your garage free from fire. Fortunately, there are ways this can be done, some of which are described below. Secondly, garage fires do happen, and we’d like you to make […]

Asbestos: Facts and Tips for Home Inspectors and Homeowners

From InterNACHI What Is Asbestos?Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. InterNACHI inspectors can supplement their […]

15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own

by Nick Gromicko, CMI® and Ben Gromicko from InterNACHI The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask an InterNACHI inspector during your next inspection about other tools that you might find useful. 1.  PlungerA clogged sink or toilet is one of the most inconvenient household problems that you will face. […]

10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home

Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at InterNACHI, we want to change that.  Drastic reductions in heating, cooling, and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. Of course, for homeowners who want to take […]

How to Sell Your House in 2020

So, you’ve evaluated your finances, thought about your lifestyle, and made the big decision to sell your home. Maybe you’re downsizing because the kids have finally left the nest, or you’ve gotten a job in a new city and need to relocate, or maybe you’ve just retired and want to head south to warmer climates. Whatever […]

Should You Fix Your House Up or Sell Now?

Are You Ready to Move on from Your Home? As time goes on, for many families, children are growing up and moving out of the house, maybe leaving for college or taking a leap into the working world. Parents are finding themselves as empty nesters for the first time. The question inevitably arises: is it […]

Restore Your Plastic Laminate Countertop

Restore Your Plastic Laminate Countertop After twenty years of soft drinks, coffee and wear and tear, a plastic laminate kitchen countertop can become discolored and worn. Small scratches dull the finish. There may be areas where the laminate is coming loose from the substrate. There are a few different ways to repair a laminate countertop: 1. Repair Laminate […]

Candles, Yes…Soot, No

Candles, Yes…Soot, No If you’ve noticed ghostly smudges and stains on your walls and ceilings, the culprit may be something you’d never suspect: candles you burn indoors. Most candles produce soot, which can create stains on walls and ceilings. Just a few candles burned in a brand new home can leave soot deposits on surfaces. […]

Clothes Washer Filling Slowly

Your washer has always worked well. In fact, it still does, but the cycle time seems to drag on longer and longer. Hard to tell what’s wrong, but you notice the water doesn’t seem to spray into the laundry tub like it used to, and it seems to take longer to fill the tub. Why? […]

Foundation Problems? Check Your Gutters

In homes with basements and crawl spaces, we always need to be concerned with water flow from the roof. An overflowing gutter will dump water next to the foundation and create a water leak into the crawl space or basement. In homes with concrete slabs, the water next to the foundation can cause movement and […]