Blower Door Testing by Nick Gromicko and Ethan Ward What is a Blower Door? Inspectors should become familiar with blower doors, as they can be a valuable tool in energy audits. A blower door is a powerful, variable-speed fan that can be temporarily mounted into an exterior door frame to provide controlled air flow for analysis. The way
Bidets by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard Common in much of Europe and Asia, bidets are toilet-like plumbing fixtures designed to promote posterior hygiene. Although bidet prevalence in certain regions represents a humorous cultural distinction from American-style paper wiping, bidets do sport considerable convenience and comfort advantages. Bidets are becoming increasingly common in North America
Bed Bugs: Inspecting for the New "House Herpes" by Nick Gromicko Bed bugs are small, flightless, rust-colored parasites that feed on the blood of humans and other warm-blooded animals. Inspectors should learn the telltale signs of these pests and be capable of providing information to their clients. Bed bugs were diminished to an historical footnote
Bat Infestation by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard Bats are nocturnal mammals found in most inhabited places throughout the world. Bat infestation in homes, especially in attics, can be a health hazard, as well as a nuisance, for homeowners. Interesting Facts Due to its high levels of phosphorous and nitrogen, guano (bat feces) is an effective fertilizer and
Barbeque Safety by Nick Gromicko With barbeque season already here, homeowners should heed the following safety precautions in order to keep their families and property safe. Propane grills present an enormous fire hazard, as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of more than 500 fires that result annually from their misuse or malfunction. The
Backdrafting by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard Backdrafting is the reverse flow of gas in the flues of fuel-fired appliances that results in the intrusion of combustion byproducts into the living space. Many fuel-fired water heaters and boilers use household air and lack an induced draft, which makes them especially vulnerable to backdrafting when indoor
AFCI Testers by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard What are AFCIs? Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) are special types of electrical receptacles (or outlets) and circuit breakers designed to detect and respond to potentially dangerous electrical arcs in home branch wiring. What are AFCI testers or indicators? AFCI tester indicators (sometimes called AFCI testers) are portable
Aerogel by Nick Gromicko Aerogel is a class of porous, solid materials that exhibits an impressive array of extreme properties. Invented in 1931 and used for decades in scientific applications, aerogel is becoming increasingly feasible as a building insulation, largely due to a decrease in the price of the material. Aerogel is still prohibitively costly for
Acid Rain and Inspectors: Buildings at Risk by Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko “Acid rain,” like “global warming,” is a phenomenon whose very existence is disputed by some. In fact, evidence of acid rain has been observed in industrialized cities around the world since the mid-1800s. “Acid rain” describes the mixture of wet and dry
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko 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