Page 4 April 8, 2021 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor
• InsideOut
Home inspection — for what you can’t see
By Shelley Widhalm The Surveyor
Michael Durante may be new to the home inspection business, but after working for 28 years in construction, he understands the ins and outs of framing, drywall and plumbing. “I built houses. I framed them. I put drywall up. I poured the foundation. I’ve done all the stuff you, as a homeowner, have never seen,” Durante said. “There are lots of things hands-on experience teaches you the classroom can’t. It can’t cover everything that happens on a construction site.” Durante founded Pandion Property Inspections LLC in April 2020, naming it after a bird of prey with brown or black and white feathers and bright, golden yellow eyes. e’s certified by the nternational ssociation of ertified ome nspectors, Courtesy photos commonly known as InterNACHI, a Boulder-based Above: Michael inspects a association and education provider for residential furnace March 14 as part of and commercial home inspectors. his general home inspecThe first uestion a home buyer or seller should tion services. ask inspectors is if they are certified in the state Right: Michael tests the of Colorado, home inspections are not regulated, Du- operation of a sump pump rante said. Then find out what is included in an in- during an inspection. spection and how it is conducted, plus if everything is charged as one fee or if separate fees are added on, he said. Durante includes everything in one price but charges extra for radon testing, recommended in Colorado, which has high levels of the chemical. “It’s pretty much like shopping for a contractor or mechanic. You get that good vibe from them,” Durante said. Durante offers general home inspections for buyers and sellers, plus 11-month warranty inspections for new homes. Those inspections are conducted 11 months after a new home purchase to identify any items the builder needs to fix or repair while the home still is under its 12-month warranty. A home inspection is a report on the condition of a home’s interior systems, insulation, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors, roof, basement and foundation. urante typically spends three to five hours conducting the inspection, though larger homes take longer he also spends another hour or more researching the property before the inspection and another couple of hours afterward producing the report. “The whole purpose is to evaluate the overall condition of the house,” Durante said. Durante starts with the exterior of the house, looking for indications of structural problems; issues with the foundation, such as cracks or water intrusion; wear and tear in places like the paint or siding; and any possible water damage. He physically inspects the roof by going on it, looking at the overall condition and if there are missing shingles or exposed nails and if the flashing for the vents is properly sealed. Inside the home, Durante heads to the attic to inspect the underside of the roof and the condition of the framing. e measures the thickness of the insulation if it’s not thick enough, it can let in cold and hot air, resulting in an increase in heating and air-conditioning costs. Durante then checks the electrical outlets, using a specialized tool that lets him know if they’re wired correctly he also checks the wiring and condition of the electrical panel or breaker. He checks the windows to make sure they open and close properly and the seals are in good condition if they are double paned, he makes sure they’re not leaking internally or the glass is fogging. He also checks the unit, removing the panels to make sure the unit has the proper filters and is burning as it should (if not, there can be an energy drain and with gas, a buildup of gas that can cause a fire in the vent . There also can be a fire potential from soot buildup in the chimney from carbon deposits. With the water heater, urante checks the plumbing if it’s electrical, he goes over the wiring, and if gas fired, he makes sure it is venting properly so that there aren’t issues with carbon monoxide. He also scans for tampering of the unit’s safety features and for any sites of potential leakage. Other things Durante checks for include the function of the doors, the effectiveness of the plumbing, and the condition of the flooring. s the laminate separating or s ueaking, or has there been a large number of spills, leading to wrinkling or swelling? Do the supply lines work to the dishwasher? Are the faucets leaking? Is there damage on the cabinet floor underneath the kitchen sink What’s the temperature of the hot water, which should be at 120 degrees or less?
If the house has a deck, Durante makes sure it’s structurally sound, has proper railing and is safe for usage. Problem areas can be with its construction, such as the use of under-sized components or the fastening of components in the wrong manner, or wood rot from lack of maintenance, improper sealing and exposure to the elements. or houses with a fireplace, urante checks the condition of the hearth and if the damper is clean or covered in soot depending on how dirty it is, he may recommend a chimney sweep and a full internal chimney inspection. “The biggest thing about a home inspection is we don’t tear your house apart. It’s what you can see,” Durante said. Durante uses several tools to do his job, including moisture meters to determine moisture levels, an endoscope to check for random hot spots that point to faulty ductwork and leaks, binoculars for roofs with a high slope or consisting of clay, an infrared camera to identify hot spots pointing to leaks, and a camera to take photos that capture things not seen by the eye due to angles and lighting. He also has a notebook for extensive notetaking, he said. “There are plenty of various tools that we use in the industry. It’s all personal preference,” Durante said. For more information about home inspections, contact Durante at 820-0121 or inspector@pandionpi.com or visit his website at www.pandionpi.com. He takes calls 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday to Friday and conducts inspections 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
