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Most home inspection websites have a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section covering the basics: What is a home inspection? Can I attend? (Absolutely!) How long does it take? (Most inspections are around 2 to 2.5 hours on site, depending on the home.) Do home inspectors tell you whether to buy a house? (No, that decision is always yours.)
Those are important questions, but over the years I've noticed there are a few interesting questions that almost nobody asks. Here are some of my favourites: Why Don’t You Offer Short Term Radon Tests? In other words: "Why don't you offer the quick 48-hour test?" The simple answer is that I don't believe it provides my clients with the most reliable information. Although I have the training to perform radon testing, Health Canada recommends long-term testing—ideally between 3 and 12 months, with a minimum of 90 days during the heating season—to accurately determine a home's average radon level. Radon concentrations naturally fluctuate from hour to hour and day to day based on weather, barometric pressure, ventilation, and how the home is used. Short-term tests can sometimes be useful in limited circumstances, but they should never be considered a substitute for a properly conducted long-term test. They also require strict "closed-house conditions," meaning windows must remain closed and exterior doors opened only as necessary. In the middle of a Nova Scotia summer (which is when the bulk of inspections are performed), that's not always practical or comfortable. While a 48-hour test is generally better than no test at all, it can produce misleading results. A falsely low reading may provide an unwarranted sense of security, while a high reading often needs to be confirmed with a longer test anyway. Rather than offering a service that may not provide meaningful answers, I prefer to recommend testing methods that give homeowners the most accurate information possible. What Does “Independent Home Inspector” Mean? People sometimes assume that being an "independent" inspector means being opposed to real estate agents. That couldn't be further from the truth. Many real estate professionals throughout Nova Scotia are dedicated advocates for their clients, just as I strive to be for mine. We often work together toward the same goal: helping buyers and sellers make informed decisions. Being independent simply means that I work for you, not for a real estate brokerage, contractor, or any other third party with an interest in the transaction. My responsibility is to provide an objective assessment of the home's condition without pressure to make a report more favourable (or more alarming) than the facts warrant. Whether I'm performing a pre-purchase inspection, a pre-listing inspection, or a maintenance inspection on the very same home, my observations and recommendations are consistent. The condition of the house doesn't change based on who hired me, and neither should the report. What’s the Most Interesting Personal Items or Décor You Have Seen in a Home? Honestly? Nothing I'd ever talk about. One of the things I take most seriously as a home inspector is respecting my clients' privacy. While I'm trained to carefully examine the home's systems and components, I'm equally careful to look past people's belongings. My focus is on the house, not the people living in it. In fact, if there were a way to temporarily make every piece of furniture and personal property disappear during an inspection, I'd be thrilled. It would certainly make my job easier! Several years ago, I read a news story about an inspector who found a homeowner's long-lost personal belongings while searching an attic. Many people saw it as a heartwarming story, but it raised an important professional issue for me. Home inspectors should avoid moving, opening, or searching through personal belongings unless it's absolutely necessary to inspect an accessible component of the home. If personal property prevents access to an area, I'll discuss it with the homeowner before proceeding rather than simply moving their belongings myself. Trust is Everything Inviting a home inspector into your home requires trust. Whether you're buying, selling, or simply maintaining your property, you're allowing someone you've likely just met to spend several hours examining one of your biggest investments. I never take that responsibility lightly. My goal is to provide an honest, thorough inspection while treating every home, and everything in it, with respect. I strive to leave nothing behind except a detailed inspection report and, hopefully, no evidence that I was ever there beyond the photographs needed to document the home's condition and occasionally some loose attic insulation. At the end of the day, home inspection isn't just about finding defects. It's about earning trust, providing clarity, and helping people make informed decisions with confidence.
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I had an incident recently where our kitchen sink was suddenly not draining. Before this event, we had no issues whatsoever when using the faucet. I tried the usual methods: snaking both sides of the sink, using drain cleaner, and pouring hot, soapy water down the drain. Nothing seemed to work, and the slow drain continued. Eventually it became clear that the entire drain system visible under the sink would have to be completely removed and replaced, as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (aka ABS) is not generally feasible to repair. Upon dismantling the plumbing I quickly found out what the problem was. I was going to post detailed pictures of the issue, but I want you to hold onto your lunch today.  Trust me, you don't want to see what was inside! Essentially, the top of this p trap (where the black pipe meets the part with white paint) was nearly completely clogged with a disgusting brown sludge known as a fatberg. This should not happen under normal operation, so I went to investigate further. I quickly discovered that the previous owners of our home had washed what appeared to be 2 long bamboo sticks down the sink. Over time, these sticks grabbed onto food and other particles and led to a reduction in water velocity going to the main drain line. As a direct result, the sludge was not forced down to the main line and slowly built up over time. Much like Radon and Asbestos, being careless about putting items that don’t belong down the sink, such as grease or sticks, isn't likely to cause any short-term issues. However, the cumulative effects can come years down the road, often with little to no warning. If you were to tell me the week before I took the drain apart that it was full of sludge, I would not believe you, but the evidence was clear as it was obvious why our sink was not draining properly. The plus side is that we now have a clean slate, where we can be careful not to have this incident repeat. While it wasn’t an expensive fix (about $100 total), it was not fun having to spend a Monday evening (and into Tuesday morning) making this emergency repair, all while having a counter full of dirty dishes. Many homeowners believe that small, careless decisions or neglect of their home won’t make much difference to them in the long run. This may be true during their time of ownership of the home, however it will eventually result in issues. Our clogged sink started slowly building up years ago and although we could not have seen this when we moved in, many other preventable surprises can be detected with a home inspection.  A successful repair! If you ever do research on how to become a home inspector or what makes a great home inspector, you will find lots of information on the benefits of having things like a construction, engineering or trades background or a strong eye for detail. One thing that rarely is discussed is the importance of communication: not only to explain potential issues we find but to put them into the proper context using our skills and knowledge. Here are some examples of statements that are 100% true, yet are very misleading:
Electric Heating is 100% Efficient No high efficiency furnace or boiler can compete with electric heat, but this ignores the simple fact that electricity is usually produced by generators which are about 30% efficient. Overall, electric heating is the most inefficient and expensive way to heat a home. Electrical Heating is the Most Inefficient and Expensive Way to Heat a Home Again, this is correct on the surface but is misleading. There are a few advantages of electric heat: no oil or propane tanks are needed, they are easy and inexpensive to install, and they can be relatively easily added to cold areas of a home. They are also great for distant areas where heat is only needed sparingly, such as in a garage or workshop. In short, all heating sources have advantages and disadvantages and that is why there are so many different examples seen in homes. Radon is a Radioactive, Tasteless, Odourless Gas That is Everywhere and There is No Safe Limit You can also substitute "Carbon Monoxide” and this statement would again be true but misleading. Every single home has radon and while there is no agreed safe limit the Canadian guideline is 200 becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq/m3) and no action is recommended unless the long-term levels in your home exceed this. I have discussed this in depth in a previous blog post, but the bottom line is radon can indeed be dangerous but, in many cases, it is not a concern. Inside Edge Home Inspections Ltd. Uses an Unlicensed Home Inspector Sounds shocking that I would admit this is true until you learn that in Canada ALL inspectors outside of British Columbia and Alberta are unlicensed: a license not only is not required but does not exist. Furthermore, as of 2021, there are absolutely no requirements to anyone calling themselves a home inspector in any of the Atlantic Provinces. Our website demonstrates my impressive credentials and extensive experience, including completing 340 hours and counting of continuing education just in 2021 alone. If licensing becomes available our company will be first in line to sign up and I run our company to the point getting a license would be very easy if available. The reality is we are fully incorporated in Nova Scotia, our company is a certified member of InterNACHI, the world’s largest home inspection organization, and I am a Certified Professional Inspector with InterNACHI. Our passion is providing quality, independent home inspections and we fully support all efforts to raise the standards in our industry.  Don't forget to regularly clean the entire filter! Radon is a radioactive, invisible, tasteless, and odorless gas created by the breakdown of uranium deep below the Earth’s surface. It is widely known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in North America. So, how many homes in Nova Scotia have this dangerous gas in them? All of them! No need to panic though. The Canadian guideline for the maximum exposure to radon in a home is 200 becquerels per cubic metre (200 Bq/m3). The level of radon varies according to what area of Nova Scotia your home is in and changes from home to home, day to day, and community to community. The only way to know your risk of exposure is to perform a long-term test and therefore I do not offer short term (48 hour) radon testing as they are not reliable. While all homes in Nova Scotia can potentially have dangerous radon levels, there are a few locations in our service area that generally need extra attention as they are in high risk areas. They include:
Thankfully, libraries in Nova Scotia now offer radon testers on free 6-week loans so you can perform your own testing. I used one in my own home and determined that despite being in a low-risk area, I still had an average of 151 Bq/m3: acceptable but I still wanted to lower it without contacting a Radon mitigation specialist. I have heard mixed opinions on whether Radon can be filtered so I thought I would test it for myself. I replaced the activated carbon filter (the thin black strip seen here) in my heat pumps and checked again a week later. After only a week, the level of radon detected in my basement dropped significantly, both on a weekly and daily basis. As can be clearly seen below, the average radon level dropped from 151 to 66, with a further drop to 58 Bq/m3 on the final day of my month-long test. While this is not a solution to extremely high radon levels it can be an inexpensive, short term solution for those who have levels nearing the recommended maximum of 200 Bq/m3. It is highly recommended that all home and property owners use a radon monitor for a period of at least 1 and ideally 3-12 months to collect data to determine the next steps. In addition to professional radon mitigation, there are several steps that can not only reduce radon levels but provide a healthier indoor air for you and your family. These include:
With this knowledge you can take the appropriate action to keep radon to a safe level in your home. Health Canada currently recommends remediation within two years if the radon level is between 200 to 600 Bq/m3 and within one year if levels exceed this threshold. |
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Inside Edge Home Inspections Ltd.
Halifax, NS 902-209-9921 [email protected] Proudly Serving the HRM & Central Nova Scotia |
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