​Are you selling your home?  Have you been told it would be a good idea to have a pre-listing home inspection done?  No doubt you have done a lot of work already to prepare your home to sell and get the best price you can, so perhaps you’re wondering if it is really necessary to pay for a pre-listing inspection on top of everything else.
 
The following video is a valuable tool in determining whether or not to have a pre-listing home inspection.  You will see why it can be so beneficial.  If you are wondering if it is a good option for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.  We are here to help you through this most stressful process. 

​We are all aware of how critical is it to have safe and reliable drinking water.  We often take this for granted here in this country, but did you know that well water can contain all kinds of dangerous bacteria?
 
Are you about to move to a home that has a well for its water source?  If you are, or if you live in a home with well water, then the following video is for you.  It explains why it is so vital to have your well water tested, and how often this should be done. 
 
The safety and well being of you and your household is of utmost importance to us here at Left Coast Inspections.  Please contact us with any concerns you might have

Ceramic tile has become a very popular material to use in a home. Its hard wearing, durable nature, and easy to clean surface means it is a great option for use in many floors of the home. Ceramic tiles are very hardy, but as is the case with most building materials, over time they can have problems that will need to be addressed.


What are some of the issues we might encounter?


Cracks in the ceramic tile are a very common issue that can occur. If you live in an area that experiences extremes in temperature, the home can start to expand or contract which can cause the cracks in the tile. Incorrect installation of the tiles could also cause this. As with most kinds of flooring, all types of wear and tear could also cause the tile to crack. To fix the issue, small cracks could be filled in with a little grout, but if the cracks are a bit too big to fill in this way, they will need to be replaced.


Another typical maintenance issue is that the grout can start to crack or crumble or become discolored. This will likely occur if the grout has not been sealed correctly, and so will start to absorb moisture. It will become more apparent around tiled areas that experience a lot of wetness, such as bathrooms. If the grout starts to become too bad, you will need to remove it and redo it.


On occasion, when the tiles have not being been installed properly, they become uneven. It may be very noticeable, but check if you can see any unevenness. If this is the case, you will likely need to do the job again.


In summary, as we have considered from this brief overview, on occasion ceramic tiles do require some maintenance, as is the case with all areas of the home. Overall though, they are a good, durable option.

We have seen how pesticides can be very hazardous to health. What can we do to limit our exposure to pesticides? Various steps can be taken to keep ourselves safe if we have to use pesticides in and around the home.


First of all we want to make sure we have the appropriate clothing. Try not to have your skin exposed, so wear long sleeve shirts and gloves. If you normally like to use leather gloves, keep in mind that pesticide will remain on the leather. Continuously using them, will expose you to the pesticide every time. The best thing to do is to throw them away after handling the pesticide. This would happen in the case of other leather items as well, like watch straps, so if you value them its best not to wear them while performing this task.


Try to mix or handle the chemical outside of your home, or in a well ventilated area. Its important to ventilate the area after application also.


It may seem an obvious thing, but always keep any type of pesticide out of the reach of children.


There are also some preventative measures you can take to limit the need for pesticides. Certain types of plants act as natural deterrents to some bugs and insects. Try planting some of these around your house.


In the home building process, certain types of materials can be used that would be a deterrent for termites or carpenter ants. This would greatly reduce the need for pesticides used to treat them.


As you can see, we can take certain measures to keep safe when using pesticides. Please contact us for more information.

Pesticides are used to get rid of things like weeds and insects. Although they contain different chemical ingredients based on what they're designed to get rid of, they are all still a hazard to humans and pets.


Here are a few health problems to be aware of when it comes to pesticides.


The type of health problem you could face when being exposed to pesticides depends on the type of pesticide used, as different ingredients cause different problems.
Pesticides can cause anything from cancer to problems affecting your nervous system. Hormonal problems can arise too from this.
While some symptoms can be apparent immediately, other problems might take years to develop.
Symptoms of pesticide poisoning can also range from very mild to very severe. These include anything from headaches, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea and fatigue to very serious symptoms like chemical burns, difficulty breathing and being unable to control muscles. Keep in mind though that these are only a few of the possible symptoms of pesticide poisoning, and these symptoms could be the result of many other health issues, not related to pesticides. The important thing to think about is whether you think you might have been exposed to dangerous pesticides.


In our next blog we will look at ways to limit our exposure to pesticides with some helpful hints and tips.

So many things in our home nowadays are electric, from kitchen appliances to iPads and phones, everything requires an electrical outlet. In many older homes, there are simply not enough outlets, so a power strip seems the obvious choice to keep up with the demand, but how can we make sure that we are using them safely?

Consider the following:

• Never interconnect power strips, even if the power strip has a surge protector. These can become overloaded and cause a fire hazard. It is also a violation of OSHA and NEC regulations.
• You may think that old power strip you've had for years with its exposed wires and scorch marks is still in workable condition, but it is not safe and should not be used.
• Stop use immediately if power strip becomes hot to the touch
  
• When plugging in your device, make sure that none of the metal prong parts are exposed as this presents a danger aswell
  
• Power strips are not intended to be a permanent solution, but only for use temporarily.

As you can see, power strips can be very useful, but only if used correctly.

Please give us a call here at Left Coast Inspections with any questions you may have about electrical outlet safety in your home.

Backflow in a water system can happen very easily and ensuring that it won't happen to you, in your water lines is a key step to having safe water to drink and to use in your home. 

Backflow is a term referring to the backtracking of normal water, causing waste water to enter the lines meant for clean water.

Backflow will occur in an improperly installed connection of pipes between a public source of potable water and a pipe with polluted or contaminated water. 

Backflow can occur in pipes in different ways, such as when the use of water exceeds the amount of water that is supplied, or when something causes the water flow to reverse due to the creation of a vacuum for one reason or another.  There be various causes, such as when there is a break in a water main, when firefighters are using a water source, or maybe some pipes are being repaired or flushed.

​Obviously, the causes of backflow are unavoidable and can't be controlled, but can easily be prevented, and that’s why it's so important to have a backflow preventer installed when necessary.  For tips to find out if one needs to be installed or inspected, and that it's the right type, don't hesitate to contact us.

If you have considered installing new windows in your home you may have come across one type of window that is on the market called "low-E windows". A first look at these windows may seem like buying or installing them is a "no-brainer", but the advantages aren't the only thing to consider while looking at low-E windows.

The term 'low-E' comes from the type of glass used in the windows which is low-emissivity glass. This type of window uses an almost invisible metal added to the pane, and the energy savings achieved can be up to 50% when compared to that of the average window. Sounds great right? Certainly an attractive aspect to new windows, but what are the disadvantages to these windows?

Low-E glass works very well, but sometimes the effectiveness of the glass reflecting the rays from the sun actually has been reported to be a hazard in some instances. Due to the reflection of the sun from these windows, the heat emitting from them can become so intense that it can burn or damage a neighboring house or structure that is up to 20 feet away. Vinyl siding has been reported to melt from its heat. Four house fires have been blamed on the reflection of low-E windows. A hotel in Las Vegas reported the reflection from these windows has burned the guests swimming in the nearby pool.

For an inspection of your windows or anything else in your house don't hesitate to contact us.




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We have all experienced that annoying burst of hot or cold water in the shower when someone else in the house turns on a faucet or flushes a toilet. While for many of us, it simply requires a quick maneuver out of the way of the flowing water, for others, such as the elderly or very young, it could result in scalding or shock from the sudden change in temperature.
An answer to this could be installing an anti-scald valve. Anti-scald valves work by keeping water at a safe temperature, even when water pressure fluctuates in the pipes. An advantage to this also, is that hot water drains slower from the hot water tank, so you won't run out of hot water as quickly.
Anti-Scald valves are usually simple to install and not too expensive. To protect the whole house, they can be installed at the hot water heater, or if you only want to regulate certain areas they can also be installed in specific places.
After installation, the temperature you set the anti-scald valve at may need to be adjusted to compensate for pipes that aren't insulated or defects in the valve.
Please contact us for more information on anti-scald valves