Get matched with top chimney inspectors in North Muskegon, MI

A pass/fail home inspection is a type of inspection that a buyer pays for with the understanding that the results will not allow for renegotiation. It’s most common in situations where the buyer waives a home inspection contingency to get their offer accepted when there’s a lot of competition for the home. The buyer will accept the house as-is without requesting repairs or renovations to fix potential issues, or they will consider the inspection a fail and will back out of the deal, losing out on the cost of the home inspection.

The telltale signs that your home is ready for repointing include visibly damaged bricks, crumbling bricks, flaking bricks, loose mortar, cracked mortar, gaps between brick and mortar, leaking inside your home, and visible water damage. Consider repointing when going over brick house pros and cons if you're buying a new home. Repointing is also a good idea if you plan to paint, acid wash, or stain your brick home, as it will give you a good base for coloration and prevent repairs after the work is done.

Checking for mold yourself is crucial, as catching mold in the early stages is ideal. Mold can appear green, brown, black, blue, or yellow. It can smell musty and can feel like velvet, leather, or cotton. 

Most often, mold grows near water damage. It’s best to inspect these places for signs of mold growth:

• Basement: Look in corners, windows, carpet, closets, and around appliances. 

• Bathrooms: Check around sinks, ceilings, and around toilets. 

• Kitchen: Inspect around the sink, behind the refrigerator, and behind trash can.

• Attic: Look near the insulation and near intake and exhaust vents.

Failing to open your flue can lead to serious health hazards if you start a fire because the smoke will back up into your home. Breathing fire smoke, even in relatively small quantities, is bad for human lungs, and smoke can also irritate your nasal passages and eyes. Furthermore, smoke can cause damage to your interior fixtures and furnishings, at the very least leaving an unpleasant smoky smell for a long time. In short: If your flue isn’t open (or you’re not sure if it is or not), don’t start a fire to find out!