Louisville's Home Inspection Blog

This is often the first question prospective home buyers ask us. I understand the sentiment of looking for a good deal or not paying too much for a home inspection.

With all the recent news here locally in Louisville about the rash of home break in’s , I wanted to pass along some important information as it relates to home security from a home inspector’s point of view. 

Whether you are dealing with a tiny room or a massive one, you want the space to feel welcoming and comfortable. Spaces that are too small may feel claustrophobic while massive ones can seem cavernous. If you are working with a room that features high vaulted ceilings and more space than you know what to do with, here are some interior design tips to help you bring it back down to a comfortable, welcoming feel.

Leave the Walls Open: Lining the furniture along the walls in neat rows will create a huge space in the middle that can seem overwhelming. Moving the furniture away from the walls and into the center of the room will instantly bring the eyes to the center of the space. Create comfortable seating areas by grouping furniture together around an eye-catching area rug or other centerpiece. 

Defined Spaces: Along with creating seating areas, you should have defined areas throughout the space. If you can’t realistically have one seating area in the room, then consider adding a reading nook in one corner with some shelves and a big, overstuffed chair. The main idea is to make sure that all the space in the room is used for some purpose, allowing you to avoid intimidating and confusing dead zones.

Bring in the Color: Small rooms need light colors to maintain that open feeling. Large rooms, however, are the opposite. While you can do light colors and they will work well, you can also choose the hunter green or midnight blue that calls out to you. To prevent the space from becoming overly dark, be sure to balance the rich color on the walls with more neutral shades in the furniture.

Texture and Overstuffed Furniture: Rather than clean lines that are simple, you will want to bring in some texture that will help use space visually. Shaggy rugs are fun and will make the room seem cozier while rich throws made of velvet and tapestry will also help make the room seem less intimidating.

Low Lighting: It’s not how bright the lights are, but rather where they are placed in the room. Ceiling lights will illuminate the entire room, drawing attention to the overall size. Lamps placed strategically on tables will keep the eye level low, helping the room to feel comfortable. Choose darker lampshades that will reflect the light back down into the lower areas of the room.

Luxurious Window Treatments: Glass and mirrors give the illusion of space, so they’re best left for smaller areas. Choose luxurious window coverings in rich fabrics and eye-catching textures. Allow them to cover part of the window, helping the room to feel less cavernous. Avoid mirrors, opting for large pieces of artwork, instead.

Add some Life: One great way to add life to the room is with potted plants and trees. Smaller trees in pots will minimize the height of the room while also adding texture, life and interest to the space.

Go Wide: Straight lines and small footprints are a must for small rooms, but you can choose the Paul Bunyan style bedroom set if you have a huge master bedroom. Be bold with the furniture. Chose the darker wood colors, larger trim pieces and overstuffed arms that you love. All of these features will help make the area feel more inviting and they will keep everything in scale. 

Working with large spaces is not without its challenges. While you will rarely complain that a room is simply too large, making it feel cozy and welcoming can seem a bit daunting. Put these tips to work as you create a space that is welcoming, intimate and marvelous.

1. Turn Off Water. The first step is usually easy; locate and turn off the  main water shut off valve, preferably one that is outside. If the property is supplied by a well, then also turn off the breaker to the pump system.
   
   
2. Water Heater. After the water is off, turn off and drain the water heater.  There are a couple of different procedures that could  be followed to accomplish this step. Temperature  controls on gas water heaters should be set to the off position, as well as closing the gas valve. Electric water heaters should be shut off at the breaker. A  faucet or spigot will need to be opened to allow air to flow in as water is drained out.
   
   
3. Drain Supply Lines.  Water then should be drained from the entire water supply system, faucets and fixture shut off valves left open. If the house is on a well, the pressure tank should also be drained.
   
   
4. Blow Out the Water Supply Lines. Though gravity may be sufficient to drain the plumbing in many homes, standing water will remain in some pipes. Though the water is no longer under pressure, this  remaining water will freeze and may strain some fittings. CPVC  (plastic, not PEX) would be prone to cracking. We  recommend that water be blown out of the water supply lines with an air compressor. Many do-it-yourselfers skip this step, and most get lucky. If the house is to be winterized by a handyman or plumber, verify their level of thoroughness by asking if they blow out the water lines.
   
   
5. Using special fittings to connect a compressor to the house plumbing, the water supply lines would be cleared of water by systematically closing and opening faucets and valves starting with plumbing fixtures most distant from the compressor and working backward.
   
   
6. Other Items to Drain.  Water softeners, filters, and water treatment systems also need to be drained (the brine tank in a water softener can usually be ignored).
   
   
7. Anti-Freeze. Once all the water supply lines are completely empty, flush the toilets until they are empty, then winterize toilets and other drain traps by filling them with a special non-toxic RV type antifreeze solution (pink in color).
   
   
8. Other Appliances.  Keep in mind that water also runs through many appliances such as the washing machine and dishwasher, as well as the water supply line to the ice-maker in refrigerators. Each one of these will also need to be drained and/or disconnected. Some professionals also recommend anti-freeze be poured into the bottom of the dishwasher and washing machine.
   
   
9. Turn Off Electrical.  Turn off all electrical breakers to appliances as well as any other unnecessary breakers, and post a reminder note at the panel to make sure the electric water heater and other appliances aren’t turned on before the water is turned on.
   
   
10. Heating systems. You wouldn't think that a furnace would contain water, but some do. High-efficiency furnaces (also called condensing furnaces) generate a significant amount of condensation from the water vapor in the flue gases.  These systems, as well as air conditioners, have a condensate drain line. Sometimes the condensate drains into a floor drain, but if there's no drain available the condensate drains into a small pump which pumps the fluid uphill into the plumbing drain. Though there is less chance of damage, these should also be looked at.
    
    
11. Special Heating Systems. If the home has any sort of a more elaborate heating system such as a hot water boiler, heat pump, or  radiant floor heat, then we recommend VERY strongly that it be handles by a HVAC professional familiar with these systems. These heating systems sometimes circulate water instead of a freeze-resistant fluid, or may interconnect with the plumbing system and/or hot water heater. It should not be assumed that these systems could simply be turned off without danger of damage from freezing.  We inspected one house with an expensive hot water  boiler system that was severely damaged, and radiators cracked after the house had been “professionally” winterized. That professional may have understood  plumbing, but did not understand the heating system.  Caused some problems on that sale.
    
    
12. Warning. Last of all, post signs in conspicuous locations (“Winterized - Do  Not use Plumbing”) just in case there are unexpected visitors.
    
    

During a recent home inspection in the Highlands neighborhood we discovered that one of the two HVAC systems in the home was not performing properly when we tested it.

It’s a New Year. That means it's time for the ever popular list of New Year's Resolutions.

What Kind of Things Should You Be Looking to Learn From Your Home Inspection?  

Often when we receive inquiries from homebuyers looking for a home inspector, we are asked the basic interview questions about experience, rates, and availability.  But one of the best pieces of information we can offer the homebuyer is the following checklist to help understand the home inspection itself.  

This is the exterior of a townhome I was asked to inspect. During the Louisville Ky home inspection, I ran into a neighbor who told me that the roof of another garage, identical to the one pictured above two buildings down, had collapsed the previous winter under a snow load.

If you are in the market to buy a home in Louisville or the surrounding area, then it is time to understand the basics of home inspections.

Often when we receive inquiries from homebuyers looking for a home inspector, we are asked the basic interview questions about experience, rates, and availability.  But one of the best pieces of information we can offer the homebuyer is the following checklist to help understand the home inspection itself.