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Pocono Home Inspections

PO. Box 2179
3.50(
2
)

Pocono Home Inspections

PO. Box 2179
3.50(
2
)
Customers say: Quick response
21 years of experience

Property Inspections for Home and or Buildings, Private Commercial or otherwise

"We asked our realtor for a “pit bull” inspector and she recommended this company. We were present with the inspector and asked a lot of questions and listened intently to his concerns and observations. We left feeling like we had some issues but nothing major. Well, after settlement it became clear that the inspector missed a huge carpenter ant infestation that damaged the entire back of the house including walls and beams. He missed leaking windows and pipes that had cause mold and mildew damage in two separate areas of the house. He missed several areas of roof damage and a decaying rotting exterior chime to structure. When I pointed to the ceiling and said is that brown spot a leak he said no, that’s just a missed paint spot! We made settlement after what we thought was a good inspection report. It turns out that we had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on critical repairs that the inspector missed or assured us were minor. The roof and window leaks were severe. The carpenter ant infestation was critical. Needless to say we were very angry and extremely disappointed that these things got missed and we got misled. We would not recommend this inspector to others."

Trish S on October 2020

Property Inspections for Home and or Buildings, Private Commercial or otherwise

"We asked our realtor for a “pit bull” inspector and she recommended this company. We were present with the inspector and asked a lot of questions and listened intently to his concerns and observations. We left feeling like we had some issues but nothing major. Well, after settlement it became clear that the inspector missed a huge carpenter ant infestation that damaged the entire back of the house including walls and beams. He missed leaking windows and pipes that had cause mold and mildew damage in two separate areas of the house. He missed several areas of roof damage and a decaying rotting exterior chime to structure. When I pointed to the ceiling and said is that brown spot a leak he said no, that’s just a missed paint spot! We made settlement after what we thought was a good inspection report. It turns out that we had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on critical repairs that the inspector missed or assured us were minor. The roof and window leaks were severe. The carpenter ant infestation was critical. Needless to say we were very angry and extremely disappointed that these things got missed and we got misled. We would not recommend this inspector to others."

Trish S on October 2020

Earthquake Retrofitting questions, answered by experts

Hearing or feeling vibrations in your house can be unsettling, but there are a few possible causes for a vibrating noise in your wall or floor. Light bulbs and fixtures, circuit breakers, loose pipes, or faulty wiring could all cause vibrations. If you’re not sure what’s causing the vibrations, you can call a contractor to assess your home and narrow down the cause.

Some cities or states may require you to have an earthquake gas shut-off valve. Your insurance provider may also have requirements for installing this valve. Even if you don’t have to have one by law, it’s wise to have a natural gas plumber install one anyway. These devices can be lifesaving and prevent fires or explosions in the event of a gas leak.

An earthquake retrofit is essential for safety in an earthquake-prone area. Without proper retrofitting, your home is at risk of sliding off the foundation, shifting, or collapsing.

You may also require a retrofit if your home was built before 1980 when building codes began requiring reinforcing, bracing, and bolting for new construction. You may not be eligible for insurance to help pay for earthquake-related damages without a retrofit.

First, you can expect the project to be loud. If you have pets, you might want to take them to a friend's house during the day so they are not disturbed by any of the loud noises. In addition, you’ll need to provide the retrofit team access to areas of the house that will need to be worked on, meaning you’ll need to relocate personal items, clear clutter, and make pathways for the crew. Once the project is complete, a local building inspector will conduct a final inspection to ensure that the retrofitting is up to code.

Grounding is a great first step to prevent electrical shock, but you can take it further with GFCI outlets and AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters). In particular, AFCIs help protect against the type of electrical arcs that cause fires, like if a mouse chews on a wire or your laptop starts overheating at the wall. These are required in some areas of your home.

The Drums, PA homeowners’ guide to earthquake retrofitting services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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