Montreal Home Inspection Tag

Hidden Defects Let me say first that normal wear and tear is not considered a latent defect.  Regardless though, if you receive a complaint from the buyer about discovered issues after the purchase you must reply in kind and acknowledge receipt of their complaint.  Ask the Buyer to provide a written letter with the facts.  You need to know about the evidence being used against you.  This is a requirement as per the Civil Code of Quebec, Section 1739. It may also be in your interest to ask the buyer permission to visit the property with your expert to further assess the...

Mold Loves Humidity In general, mold loves humidity! Humidity levels in your home should be between 40 to 60%.  More specifically, between 20 and 40% during the winter months and less than 60% during the rest of the year. This percentage reflects the amount of moisture in the air. However, checking your humidistat level is not enough in maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Humidifiers contain water and as such, are a potential place for microbial growth.   Many homes have a humidifier attached to their furnace which releases humidity during the heating season.  There is a waterline that feeds the humidifier when...

Trust Is Gold Whenever I find myself in doubt, I hear my father’s booming voice, “Honesty is the best policy”.      Like in most fields and or specialties, what we knew when we started and what we know now is a reflection on the things we learn along the way.   We learn from the continuing education in our related fields of expertise and we also learn from the ongoing hands on work experience.  This invaluable combination hones our skills enabling us to provide a valuable service to our clients. As an inspector, we are trained to detect things that are not right...

Inspecting A Home As A System When inspecting a home as a system, we need to understand that these components are part of a system.  Plumbing components for example, could affect the roof negatively if the vent stacks for plumbing that travel through the ceiling, into the attic and out through the roof, are not sealed and or insulated properly.   Let’s say we are in the middle of winter and heat is escaping into the attic through an improperly sealed venting stack.  The warm air comes in contact with the cold attic air and forms condensation.  The condensation will accumulate into...

Inspect to Sell Inspect to sell and why it's important! When it comes to selling your property the last person you'd probably take advice from is a home inspector. But in light of what I'm about to tell you maybe I should be the first one you come to. Have you ever sold something that you knew nothing about. Or at least very little? Chances are the answer is no. When you sell a car, you know when the last time you did an oil change was, how old the tires are, and when the breaks were last checked. That old iPhone that's been...