Check for Radon Before Buying a Home in Dallas

Radon is a colorless, tasteless, naturally occurring radioactive gas. It’s typically found in rock and soil, and in a few cases, can be found in well water.

While radon is safe in low levels, it is not something you want your home to be built on top of. Once it spreads along the surface of an area, it can travel beneath the floors, seep through the foundation, and spread throughout the home. Because homes are closed spaces rather than open, it is easy for radon to get trapped once it finds a way in.

Toxic radon levels are more likely to buildup during the winter when everyone normally keeps their doors and windows shut tight to stay warm. Radon is also likely to accumulate in the basement because there is a higher level of uranium there.

Radon is responsible for an array of health issues and the chemical can increase your chances of getting lung cancer. There are over 20,000 lung cancer related deaths due to radon annually.

What Should You Do About Radon When You’re Ready to Buy?

Educating yourself and knowing the radon risk level is important. High radon levels are more common than you think and are found across all 50 states in America. If you want to see if your home, or the property you’re considering, contains unsafe levels of radon, give us a call.

A radon level of least 4 picocuries per liter of air is the most dangerous and requires a radon mitigation contractor. Levels between 2-3 picocuries of air is still a concern too. If dangerous levels of radon are found inside a home, it should be cleared out immediately so a professional radon mitigator can come correct the problem.

Knowing the radon levels on a home can also be used as an argument to reduce the cost of purchasing a home. Alternatively, it can make a difference in getting the seller to pay for radon remediation so you can move in the home without worry.

Don’t Skip the Home Inspection if You Want to Save Money on Your Dallas Home Purchase!

People, by nature, are hunters and will exclude doing or paying for things they don’t believe are important. However, what is and what isn’t important can easily be construed at times.

Buying a home is expensive, and there is often a budget involved, but omitting a home inspection can have major repercussions in the end. For example, if and/or when you discover unsettling things about the home, you’ve essentially waived your right to ask the previous homeowner for repairs.

Although, in many states, the seller is legally required to disclose potential issues with their homes, but how can you prove the home owner didn’t know? An experienced home inspector knows what to look for and it works to your advantage to hire one who knows exactly what to look for while inspecting the property.

Inexperienced buyers can easily lose out on a lot by not getting an inspection. Reliable Home Inspections never look at just the surface when evaluating homes. All customers are given a complete analysis of any and all problems that are found, as well as those that may become a problem in the future. For example, the roof on a home may be durable enough to last another 1-2 years … wouldn’t you want to know that when negotiating the terms of the purchase?

Inspections are important for safety reasons just as much as they are important for calculating your overall costs. Hiring a home inspector will also increase overall confidence in buying a home. A study, conducted by the American Society of Home Inspectors, found that nearly 90% of people stated that deciding to hire an inspector was an excellent choice. It gave them more confidence about purchasing a home after having total insight on the condition of a home and the surrounding property.

Over 80% of people from the study mentioned they were more likely to go through with a short sale or foreclosure deal only if an inspector stated the place was in good condition.

Home inspections help you determine what you’re willing to jump into as it relates to the property. Dream home or nightmare? Let us inspect your Dallas property and present you with the facts you need to determine how you wish to proceed!

What Do Dallas Home Inspectors Really Do?

Home buyers may avoid hiring inspectors a lot of the time because they do not understand what they do. What exactly are home inspectors looking for when they slide into the crawl space, investigate the basements, or climb on the top of the roof ? Why do they do it?

There are numerous things inspectors have to look at both inside and outside the home. Dallas home inspectors are handy for accessing and diagnosing issues that are found. Still, people can only really appreciate the cost they pay for an inspector when they understand what the job entails to see the true value.

Inspecting Major Systems in the Home

• Plumbing: The plumbing in the house is evaluated to ensure the lining was setup properly, if it supplies adequate water throughout the home, and to check to see if it drains properly. We’re checking the water pressure in the home and we’re also checking out the water heater too.
• Air Conditioner & Heater: Making sure the A/C and heater turn on is only half the work. Our inspectors check to see if both systems are sized to serve the home efficiently (which saves on electricity)and circulates throughout the home evenly.
• Electricity: The electrical system is looked at to see if it is capable of providing the house power. It should also be properly installed, bonded, and grounded. We’re looking to see if everything is compliant.

A home should also have proper ventilation for the water heater as well as the gas appliances and dryers. Gas buildup is the most dangerous and can build up fast in the home if it does not have a proper exit funnel. Dryers are inspected to see if they dry clothes properly and expel hot air so fires do not occur.

Safety

The foundation is one of the most critical things to look at in the house. You can consider it as your anchor, and the house can sink if things weren’t properly done. If the house has stairs, they need to be looked at to see if it is at a safe height, angle, and is uniform. The same goes for the hand and guard rails if there are any.

Ground fault interrupters are the interesting plugs you find, or at least should find, in your bathroom and kitchen whenever water and electricity are close. Homes are also scouted to see if they have a smoke detector that are correctly installed and distributed in the right areas.

The Perimeter and the Roof

The roof of the house protects you from the weather and inspectors verify its durability and check to see whether or not it was installed properly by a professional. The perimeter around the roof should also have a proper drainage system for water when it rains. Inspectors also check to see how the walls intersect with the roof of the house to see how waterproof it is. If the home has openings (skylights or a chimney), they are checked too.

There is a lot involved in the process to ensure the home you buy is a safe one. It is our duty to look out for your best interests.

These are just a few of the things we do when inspecting a property. Do You Need an Experienced and Qualified Dallas Home Inspector?

Dallas Home Inspection Warning:

Your dream home could be a nightmare in disguise … You could easily lose thousands of thousands of dollars if you don’t hire an experienced Dallas home inspection professional to inspect the property you’re considering to buy.

One of the most exciting aspects involved in purchasing a home is the hunt … This is when you’re browsing listings, hopping in the car to browse various neighborhoods and so on. When you finally find that perfect home, it can be tempting for some to put an offer out on the house immediately. Esthetically, there may not be any issues with the house from what your eyes can see, however, the BIG problems are the ones that are usually unseen.

What if you discover all the bad qualities about the home only after you moved in? Sellers, a majority of the time, only care about what fattens their pocket, and that’s why you need a home inspector that looks out for your best interests.

A seller’s job is to sell the house and to entice you with all of the good. While it’s helpful to know the perks that come with a house, you also want a genuine critique. Homeowners are not likely to tell you about their damaged pipes, clogged sewers, obsolete outlets, or mold infested air conditioning vents if you don’t notice them.

In many cases, the homeowners are well aware of these issues, and do not make it known when selling their home. Knowing this type of information can work both ways and it can be a deal breaker or deal maker for you.

It’s easier to get a seller to lower the price when big issues are found after a thorough home inspection. The money you save on the house can be used to fix or replace any of the damages. In the end, you don’t want to be surprised and stuck with fixing expensive damages on your own.

Never be afraid to speak and ask the seller questions, especially if something bothers you. Our Dallas home inspection company can help you with this process.

Give us a call today to discuss your home inspection needs.

Remove That Ugly Popcorn Ceiling!

Want to change out your tacky and outdated popcorn ceiling for a more modern look? Here’s the process you’ll need to do it yourself.

1. If your ceiling was done pre-1980, you will want to get it tested for asbestos first. Popcorn ceilings, or acoustic ceilings as they are sometimes called, may contain asbestos which can be hazardous to your health. If your ceiling does contain asbestos, don’t worry! Either have it removed by a professional, or you can paint over it with an airless paint sprayer.

2. Clear your room out. You’ll want to take out all the furniture, area rugs, or anything else below the ceiling that you don’t want to get covered in the popcorn texturing. Lay down plastic sheeting on your floors to make clean up even easier. You’ll also want to wear a mask and goggles, so that you don’t accidentally breathe in or get any in your eyes.

3. Spray down the ceiling with water. Popcorn texturing is very porous, so it will soak up the water easily. This will make it easier to remove.

4. After the ceiling has been soaked, use either a ceiling texture scraper or a large putty knife to scrape away the texture. This can be a laborious process, so it’s best to soak small sections at a time, scrape those off, and then move on to the next section so that you don’t wear out your arms. Long handled poles make this step a bit easier on your body.

5. Sand down your ceiling after everything has been removed. This gives you a flat surface to work on. Repair any cracks or scuffs using joint compound.

6. Use a paint primer to coat your ceiling, let it dry, and then paint the ceiling in whatever color you want. A neutral color like white will help make your room seem bigger, but a bold color like blue or red can give your room a “pop” and look visually appealing.

Acoustical ceiling texture may be outdated, but with a little work and a little time, you can create a dramatically different look to your room by redecorating the ceiling.

Simple Tricks To Remodel Your Home WITHOUT Breaking Your Budget

Living in the same old boring home can get stale after awhile. But not everyone has the budget to move, or even the money or time to take on an ambitious remodelling project. So what can you do? Have no fear, here are some great ideas to remodel your home for cheap, and make it feel brand new.

1. Rearrange Your Furniture

One of the simplest yet most effective things you can do is rearrange your furniture. It might sound simple enough, but changing the flow of a room can really make a huge difference in your perception.

The easiest way to start is to come up with a floor plan to experiment with ideas before you start the heavy lifting. There are plenty of room arrangement programs available online, or you can simply use a piece of paper to represent your space, and smaller pieces to represent each piece of furniture. Make sure everything is to scale though!

Choose what you want the focal point of your room to be, whether it is the tv, a window, or a fireplace. Then arrange your seating spaces around your focal point. Then make sure there are accessible flat surfaces for each seat, such as coffee tables or end tables. Finally, decide where you want accents such as flower pots or table decorations. Have fun with it! Try many different arrangements on paper, such as a large flow area or a cozy nook area centered around your focal point.

2. Change Up Your Boring Walls

This is another simple yet powerful change you can do to really make your living spaces pop.

Try some new wallpaper or a new coat of paint. One trendy trick is to choose one “accent wall” to paint a bold color, such as red or a bright blue. Even better, choose an accent color that is featured in your throw pillows, to bring the room together. The accent wall works great to draw attention to wherever the focal point is in your room.

Another easy yet elegant change is the plate covers for your switches and electric outlets. They can be found for cheap, and in a wide variety of colors and styles. This is another great place to choose a matching accent color from your household accessories (such as throw pillows or flower vases). They are simple to replace on your own, no electrical knowledge needed, just a handy screwdriver!

A third idea is just like rearranging furniture, try rearranging your picture frames. You can replace your boring old frames with some new ones, in a wide variety of colors and styles. Or choose a new arrangement, try grouping them into a pattern or spacing them out differently. Add some mirrors to your walls. This not only adds more eye-catching decorations, it can also make rooms appear bigger!

3. Embellish Your Entryways

Entryways such as doors and windows are major focal points for rooms and transition you from one place to another. They can be changed up to make not only the inside of your home look brand new, but the outside as well.

One dramatic change is to switch out your doors. These can be bought at any home improvement store or building surplus store. Choose a new color or a new style. You can even have opaque windows in interior doors for a unique, fun look! This is another fairly simple task, just make sure to measure the new door to fit the opening, and replace both the door and the jamb. Alternatively, you can just switch out the door handles for a new set.

Window treatments are another cost effective change you can make to your living spaces. Change out your curtains to a bold color, add a valance, or even switch out your curtains for some festive shutters, the possibilities are endless. Again make sure to measure the size of the windows before you purchase new window treatments to ensure a good fit.

4. All The Small Things

Want to make your kitchen look brand new, but don’t want to bust your budget? The little embellishments around your home can go a long way to making things feel fresh again.

Start with changing out your cabinet doors, or even just the pulls and knobs themselves. A fresh coat of paint or even new cabinet doors can be done in a few hours, and make a huge difference in the look of your kitchen. Replace the door pulls on cabinets or drawers in kitchens, on cabinets, or even ones in your living room and bedroom drawers. There are a vast variety of styles to choose from, and many can be had for a fraction of the cost of completely replacing cabinets and furniture.

5. Make A Splash!

Similar to changing out the embellishments on your cabinets, a small change that goes a long way is to switch out your faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms. This project is a little more ambitious, but it can be done in a day if you are handy with a wrench (just be sure to shut off the water supply first!) A new faucet can make your kitchen look sleek and modern, and a new showerhead can make every day feel like a day at the spa.

6. The Sky’s The Limit

An often overlooked element that can make a dramatic change to your home’s looks is the ceiling. There are a variety of options for sprucing up this often neglected area to transform your room.

Much like painting an accent wall, using an accent color on your ceiling can add a splash of color and liven up your home. Choose a bold color such as red or dark blue to create a more intimate atmosphere, or a bright color such as yellow to open up the room.

Another option is to add crown molding. This helps to give your room definition and create an elegant look for a fraction of cost. There is a vast variety of options, styles, and colors to choose from at your local home repair store. You can also use molding to section off areas of your ceiling in a pattern for another dramatic effect.

If you want to go a little more ambitious, installing new light fixtures is a great DIY project. Add a chandelier in an unexpected room. Replace your boring old ceiling fan with a more modern look. Or even install a dimmer switch to set the mood for a room. Just make sure to shut off the electricity to the room before you start!

7. Under Your Feet

Just like redecorating your ceiling, changing out your flooring is a small but dramatic change you can do yourself. Adding new area rugs is an inexpensive simple option for any room. There are even peel and stick vinyl tiles you can get at any home improvement store for pennies, that are easy to install and come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Be sure to measure the square feet of your kitchen, and trim the tiles to fit around cabinets and fixtures.

8. Make The Old New Again

Getting tired of your old furniture, but don’t want to spend thousands? Slipcovers and throw pillows can be used instead! For throw pillows, choose something with an accent color featured in other areas of the room, such as flower vases or area rugs, in order to tie the room together. Slipcovers are a cheap but easy option if you want to cover an old or stained couch, and if you’re handy with a sewing machine it can make a fun DIY project. You can also purchase them from any furniture store, and they come in many different materials, sizes, and styles. Elastic linings within make them fit to your furniture as if it was part of it.

As you can see, it doesn’t take hiring an interior designer or spending thousands in new furniture to make dramatic, elegant changes to every room in your house. Even the smallest modifications can make a boring every day room into something new and modern. Experiment and have fun!

Reliable Home Inspections Presents: Real Inspection Problems

The inspectors at Reliable Home Inspections are professionals who will always do a thorough inspection to make sure nothing is overlooked. Here are some examples of real issues that have been discovered by our company in the Dallas – Fort Worth area.

As you can see in the pictures to the left, the stairwell balusters and / or spindles are installed too far apart. Under current building standards, guardrails should have intermediate rails or ornamental closures which do not allow the passage of an object more than 4 inches in size. This can be very dangerous.

In the two photos below, the balusters are missing completely! Current building guidelines require guardrails on the open sides of stairways, raised areas, balconies, and porches. Be careful going to the pool at night!

5 Reasons to Get a Reliable Home Inspection on New Homes