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| Buying and selling in the present real estate market
Joseph Fleming
will be speaking at a seminar on "buying and selling in the present real
estate market" sponsered by the McBride Agency of Franklin Lakes, NJ.
The seminar will be held at the Indian Trails Club in Franklin Lakes at
7:00 PM on October 21st. Call Ron 973-809-7213 or Joe 201-263-0040 to
RSVP.
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Joseph Fleming III, PE – Owner – Home Inspector
Joseph
Fleming is a licensed Home Inspector in NJ and NY and a Professional
Engineer. He is a member/director of the Garden State Chapter of the
American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)
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Facebook
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Welcome
Welcome back to our seasonal
newsletter! After a long hot summer, fall is here. We don’t know what
the weather is going to do this fall, but we do know what you should be
doing to keep your house in good shape. Use our checklist to make sure
your house is ready for fall and winter. In this newsletter we focus on
some of the equipment we use and think you might be interested in.
If you have any questions or suggestions about our newsletter, please feel free to email us . We are always happy to hear from you.
House Talk
This fall we are starting with a pod cast called House Talk. If
you have any topical questions about your home that you would like to
see answered, please send them to housetalk@allinonehomeinspection.com.
Enjoy reading our newsletter!
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Insulation Overload
 If
insulation is good, then more is better, right? This attic had piles of
insulation batting almost to the ridge. I guess the house is cozy, but
it sure cuts down on attic ventilation.
Source: ASHI Reporter Magazine August 2010
If anyone has an interesting picture to share, please send it to us.
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| Ladder Safety
You
may be preparing to pull out the ladder to clean the gutters this fall.
If you have not used your ladder in a while, you may want to review
these safety tips to help prevent accidents. Remember that ladders are
tools. Many of the basic safety rules that apply to most tools also
apply to the safe use of a ladder:
- If you feel tired or dizzy, or are prone to losing your balance, stay off the ladder.
- Do not use ladders in high winds or storms.
- Avoid ladder use in the rain or when wet, the rungs will be slippery.
- Do
one thing at a time on a ladder. Stay on one rung and work or climb up
and down. Never climb and work or climb and look at things on the house
at the same time.
- Never jump or slide down from a ladder or climb more than one rung/step at a time.
- Wear clean
slip-resistant shoes. Shoes with leather soles are not appropriate for
ladder use since they are not considered sufficiently slip-resistant.
- Before using a ladder, inspect it to confirm it is in good working condition.
- Ladders with loose or missing parts must be rejected.
- Rickety ladders that sway or lean to the side must be rejected.
- The ladder you select must be the right size for the job.
- The Duty Rating
of the ladder must be greater than the total weight of the climber,
tools, supplies, and other objects placed upon the ladder.
- The length of the ladder must be sufficient so that the climber does not have to stand on the top rung or step.
- When the ladder is
set up for use, it must be placed on firm level ground, without any type
of slippery conditions present at either the base or top support
points.
- Only one person at a
time is permitted on a ladder unless the ladder is specifically
designed for more than one climber (such as a Trestle Ladder).
- Ladders must not be
placed in front of closed doors that can open toward the ladder. The
door must be blocked open, locked, or guarded.
- Read the safety information labels on the ladder.
- The on-product safety
information is specific to the particular type of ladder on which it
appears. The climber is not considered qualified or adequately trained
to use the ladder until familiar with this information.
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Fall Checklist
This season you need to focus on both inside and outside your house.
Use this checklist to make sure your home is ready for fall.
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Inside the house:
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System
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Check
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– Heating
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Run the heating system before it gets cold out.
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– Oil Heat
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Make sure you have oil scheduled for automatic delivery.
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– Humidifier
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Check the water panel in the humidifier. Set the ducts for heating.
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– Air Filters
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Check the filters. They may need cleaning or changing.
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– Sump Pump
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Test the sump pump to make sure it is still in operating condition.
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– Clothes Dryer
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Clean any lint build up in the dryer exhaust duct.
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– Fireplace
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Inspect fireplace fireboxes, dampers, and flues prior to having fires.
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| Outside the house:
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System
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Check
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– Yard Clean Up
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Avoid leaves building up against basement windows or the siding..
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– Air Conditioning
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Cover the top of the AC compressor to help keep debris out of the enclosure.
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– Gutters & Downspouts
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Keep gutters clean and free of debris. Install gutter screens.
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– Electrical Outlets
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Check the exterior wires, outlets, and cover plates for wear, weathering, and looseness.
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– Roof
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Inspect the roof for damage from trees, wind, and vermin.
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– Roof Vents
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Check the roof vents, attic fans, and passive attic vents for torn screens, old nests, abandoned bees nests, and signs of leakage.
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– Chimney
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A flue cap should be in place at the top of the chimney flue to keep out vermin, debris, and moisture.
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– Exterior, general
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Make siding repairs where caulk or paint is weathered or flaking.
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– Weather Stripping
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Check and repair weather stripping on windows and doors.
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– Exterior, grounds
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To help prevent leakage there should be no puddling or running water against the foundation during rain storms . |
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– Plumbing
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Turn off water to exterior spigots with their interior cut-off valves and drain piping by opening the exterior valves.
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– Sprinklers, irrigation
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Have the sprinklers professionally decommissioned for the season before temperatures go below freezing.
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– Window & Wall AC Units
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Remove window AC units and seal up wall mounted AC units to minimize cold drafts from openings.
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– Swimming Pool
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Have a professional service perform the fall decommissioning to properly secure the pool and water conditioning systems.
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For more seasonal maintenance tips, check the website from How to Operate Your Home. If you need help, call us for a referral (201-263-0040).
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 If
you are looking for a strong solid ladder that will last you for years,
take a look at this online equipment store’s website:
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Thank you
We’re
always happy to help you with any questions or problems. Please keep
referring us to your family, relatives, friends, and neighbors. If you
would like to read our previous newsletters, take a look at our website.If you have any suggestions for blog topics, please let us know.
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All In One Home Inspection provides the following services:
- Home Inspections
- Commercial Inspections
- Radon Tests
- Wood Destroying Insect Exams
- Air Quality Sampling (Mold Testing)
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Area of Coverage:
We cover the following counties in New Jersey: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union and Warren. We also cover Rockland county and the 5 boroughs of New York.
Click on the picture to enlarge it
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Our philosophy is clients for life.
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| Developed and maintained by Martha Schokker (rieneke_schokker@hotmail.com) |
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