Ask The Tennessee Home Inspector

  I hope to clear up some confusion about what a true certification as a home inspector is versus one that is more “marketing hype”.  As real estate agents, you want to present the most professional image to your clients and the public.  As part of that image, you want to surround yourself with reputable and reliable referral sources who are bonafide experts in their respective fields.  ASHI Home Inspectors are the “Gold Standard” in home inspectors and the  “ACI”  is the highest level of certification available to home inspectors.  The “Board Certified Master Inspector” certification may sound impressive, but it is little more than a paid for certification.  There are no stringent requirements, only you pay a fee and claim you meet minimal requirements.  The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) is the only home inspector organization that has a certification that is approved by The National Commission For Certifying Agencies. ...

My wife and I live in a log home we built in Eastern Tennessee 20 years ago.  About 8 years ago, I noticed chew marks on the outside corners of my log ends and wandered what animal was doing it and why?  My dog was much too old and not aggressive enough to chase squirrels.  Then, one day I heard something chewing on the back deck, looked out, and to my surprise it was a squirrel!  Being a Builder, Home Inspector and Building Inspector in the log home mecca of Sevier County, TN; and just having a nerdy interested in such things, I did some research, asked around, and compiled a strategy to deal with the problem. I like natural solutions that deal with these type problems because I do not want to harm the environment.  I live here too!  One pest control operator I spoke with said the squirrels are chewing to get at the salt in the wood.  (This makes sense because I used a borate solution on my logs prior to staining to deter wood boring insects....

I Live In Knoxville; Do I Need A Radon Test? October 22nd, 2007 Question:I heard that Knoxville has high levels of radon gas. Is that true? And what is radon gas and how do I know if it’s in our home? Answer:It’s true that Knoxville does have high levels of Radon. In fact, Knoxville and most of East Tennessee is in either a Zone 1 or Zone 2 which are the highest probability areas for Indoor Radon. See Radon Probability Map at http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html . Radon gas is produced from a breakdown of uranium in the soil under your home. Radon gas is odorless, colorless and tasteless. The Surgeon General of the United States has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Approximately 24,000 people die each year from exposure to Radon. I would not live in a home in Knoxville without having a radon test conducted. The only way to know if you have elevated Radon levels in your home is to have a Radon test. Please see our website a...