Get matched with top home inspectors in Flemington, PA

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!

To determine if you’re being overcharged, request an itemized price breakdown of the project. Check for hidden fees or project expenses, from parts to labor, that are clearly overpriced. However, the easiest way to know if a contractor is overcharging you is by getting an estimate for the same project from another professional. Negotiating with a contractor if you have another bid for a lower price is possible.

You shouldn’t see a difference in your home’s value from your local property assessor if you have asbestos. Does asbestos affect home value when you are selling the home, though? If you are planning to sell the home, most jurisdictions require you to legally disclose the presence of asbestos to any buyer. Most buyers would have reservations about purchasing a home with asbestos, so they may offer less for the home. If you hire a pro to completely remove the asbestos, you do not have to disclose to buyers that the home once had asbestos.

The same conditions that can generate creaking sounds in your home can also create a whole range of other sounds, many of which are just as strange. When the materials your house consists of move in any way and any amount, they can rub against each other or the fasteners that hold them in place. A random cracking sound from time to time is usually just a response to these movements.