What is Radon?
What Causes High Radon Levels?Modern building practices strive to achieve higher energy efficiency, sealing homes tighter and reducing ways for conditioned, indoor air to escape to the outside. Due to this, there is little exchange of the air between the inside and outside. When radon rises through the ground, it becomes trapped in the envelope of a home like an air-tight bubble. The better sealed a home is, the harder it is for radon to escape. This leads to higher concentration and may need mitigation methods. Call our office to schedule your testing - (941) 773-1144
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![]() When insuring a home in Florida, insurance agents may require a Wind Mitigation report to be provided. This report identifies the building features of the home that contribute to protection against hurricane force winds and preventing them from lifting the roof from the house. While this report may not determine if the home can be insured, it will contribute to the credits that impact insurance rates. The higher the level of hurricane protection, the more credits and potential discounts may be applied. Roof Deck AttachmentThe first category of the wind mitigation is the roof deck attachment, which addresses how the roof decking is attached to the roofing trusses. There are three common levels in this category, with C having the highest rating against hurricane uplift. The most common attachments in each category are as follows:
Roof to Wall AttachmentThe next category is the roof to wall attachment, which addresses how the roofing members are secured to walls of the home. This is achieved with nails or metal brackets which are embedded in the exterior walls and attach near the ends of the roofing members, near the soffits.
Roof GeometryThe roof geometry section identifies the wind deflection properties of the shape of the roof. These are categorized into being a Hip, Flat, and Other.
Secondary Water ResistanceA Secondary Water Resistance barrier is an adhesive, Modified -Bitumen roofing layer that is applied to the roof sheathing. It is an additional waterproof layer to provide protection in the event of the loss of the roof covering. The wind mitigation simply asks for verification of if this layer is or is not present. Opening ProtectionThe opening protection is an identification of the types of openings into the home as well as the impact ratings of the doors or windows in these openings. This category is an all-or-nothing credit. If any opening is not hurricane rated, the entirety of the structure is no longer considered to be impact rated. In order to consider an opening to be impact rated , the inspector will need to verify the rating, most likely through the rating sticker or label the manufacturer places on it.
Purchasing a home can be one of the largest and most stressful investments many people will ever make. In order to assist buyers in making this investment with the utmost confidence, a home inspection helps identify the items that may need to be repaired. This helps prevent being blindsided by costly repair bills once moved in. Home inspectors can also note items that may need to be maintained, informing buyers of ways to keep the home in good working order for longer. The home inspection is a non-invasive, visual evaluation of the components of a home. The inspector will review and note observed defects in accessible areas, such as the exterior walls, roof, attic, garage, HVAC units, water heaters, plumbing, electrical panels, pools, pool equipment, appliances, interior rooms, and more. On an average house, inspections can take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours to complete. A common misunderstanding of a home inspection is that a house may pass or fail the inspection. The goal of a home inspection is not to approve the house, but instead to simply give the home buyer a concise, professional opinion of the state of the home, empowering them to make a fully informed decision. Do I Have To Be At My Inspection?Buyers are encouraged to attend their inspections to be able to discuss particular concerns with their inspector and for the inspector to be able to show them issues located in person. However, it is not required for a buyer to attend the full duration of the inspection, or even to be there at all. The inspector will fill out a full inspection report, detailing their findings with photos, locations, and descriptions of the issues found. They are always happy to answer any additional questions after the inspection, whether through a call or email, to provide the client a full understanding of the home.
Damage to sewer lines can impact your health, your home, and your pocket book. However, having a sewer scope inspection can help identify issues before they become a much larger problem. A snake-like cable with camera is used to examine the home’s sewer line to identify issues such as damage to the pipes, blockages, etc. A Sewer Scope allows homeowners, buyers, and sellers to act before extensive damage occurs resulting in very expensive repairs.
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