Homeowners
Once you’ve settled into your new home, our Homeowners category equips you with practical advice for maintaining and improving your property. From seasonal maintenance checklists to energy-saving tips, we provide guidance to help you keep your home safe, comfortable, and in excellent condition.
Home Safety Checklist
June is National Safety Month, an important time to take stock of what potential safety hazards you may find in your home. Take a look at our checklist of household items you’ll want to ensure are working and installed properly…
Inspect Your Deck!
10 Deck Safety Tips from Schaefer Inspection Service After months of cold, gray days, New Englanders have certainly earned their warm, sunny, spring and summer days spent outdoors. Winter’s snow, water, and wind can take it’s toll, so if you’re…
The Truth About Mold
One common worry of a homeowner is they will one day discover mold hiding in the crevices and cubby holes of their home. While mold shouldn’t go unchecked, it doesn’t have to spell disaster. For one thing, there is always…
Well Water Testing FAQ’s
Whether you’re washing dishes with it, taking a shower with it, cooking dinner with it, or making coffee with it, we all need clean water for a myriad of daily activities. How can you be sure your source is untainted, especially…
Radon Testing Tips
Keep Your Home and Family Safe with Radon Testing Your fire extinguisher is filled and ready. You’re diligent about testing and replacing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, right on schedule (a quick test once a month…
Get Toasty! Fireplace and Chimney Cleaning and Safety Tips
Expert Advice for Safe, Cozy Winter Nights by the Fire One of the best things about winter is cozying up by a warm fireplace and enjoying the woodsy, slightly spicy scent that envelopes your home. What’s not so wonderful is…
National Ground Water Awareness Week
March 6-12, 2016 is National Ground Water Awareness Week. These days it seems that everyday is “National Something Week or Day.” Some may just be for fun, like National Ice Cream Day (7/17/16), but recognizing the importance of ground water…
Choosing a Smoke Detector
Choosing a Smoke Detector According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were 2,755 civilian deaths and 12,200 civilian injuries from fires in the United States in 2013. The US Fire Administration represents that 3 out of 5 home…
Air Conditioning Maintenance
Maintaining Your Air Conditioner: One of the most often neglected systems a home inspector must evaluate in a home is the central air-conditioning system. Most central air-conditioning systems are split systems, meaning that part of the equipment is found outside…
Mold Testing – Good Idea?
Should Mold Testing be included with a Home Inspection? Should mold testing be included with a home inspection?Before you spend your money on mold testing, you may find the following information helpful. MOLD is a concern for many homebuyers and…
Aluminum Wire Corrections In Homes
Now and then we come across homes or condos that have single strand aluminum wire. Aluminum wire was installed in the 1960s and 1970s in many homes. Many of these homes need repairs for safety. The problem with aluminum wire…
Building Code vs. Recommendations for Home Inspectors
We are often asked during a home inspection whether something meets building code. For example, are GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets required by code? What kind of railing is required for decks?” The answer: it depends on whom you…