Cockroach Inspection by Nick Gromicko and Rob London Cockroaches are one of the most commonly encountered household pests. Homeowners and inspectors can learn about ways to eliminate these insects and the conditions that encourage their infestation. Cockroaches have a broad, flattened body and a relatively small head that covers their mandibles and other mouthparts. They have
Ant Inspection by Nick Gromicko and Rob London Ants are among the most prevalent pests in households, restaurants, hospitals, offices, warehouses, and virtually all buildings where food and water can be found. While mostly harmless to humans, ants (especially carpenter ants) can cause considerable building damage. Inspectors can expand their knowledge base by being able to identify some of
Knob-and-Tube Wiring by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard Knob-and-tube (K&T) wiring was an early standardized method of electrical wiring in buildings, in common use in North America from about 1880 to the 1940s. The system is considered obsolete and can be a safety hazard, although some of the fear associated with it is
How to Determine the Age of a Building by Nick Gromicko and Rob London Building technologies and fashions have followed well-known trends that allow inspectors, clients and anyone else interested to roughly determine when particular buildings were constructed. Here are some methods based on a building's materials, components and styles. Estimates of Building Age Based
Aluminum Wiring by Nick Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard Between approximately 1965 and 1973, single-strand aluminum wiring was sometimes substituted for copper branch-circuit wiring in residential electrical systems due to the sudden escalating price of copper. After a decade of use by homeowners and electricians, inherent weaknesses were discovered in the metal that lead
Aging in Place by Nick Gromicko and Rob London "Aging in place" is the phenomenon describing senior citizens' ability to live independently in their homes for as long as possible. Those who age in place will not have to move from their present residence in order to secure necessary support services in response to their
Advantages of Solar Energy by Nick Gromicko and Rob London Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be unchangeable. Solar power for home energy production has its flaws, too, which are outlined in another article, but they're dwarfed by the advantages listed below. The following are
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own by Nick Gromicko and Rob London 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. Plunger A clogged sink or toilet is
Thermostats by Nick Gromicko and Rob London Thermostats are devices designed to control the heating and cooling systems in a building so that air temperature remains comfortable. According to InterNACHI’s Standards of Practice, inspectors are not required to verify, inspect or determine thermostat calibration, heat anticipation, automatic setbacks, timers, programs or clocks. It is wise, however, for
10 Easy Ways to Save Energy in Your Home by Nick Gromicko, Ben Gromicko, Rob London and Kenton Shepard 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