Mark Stovall Home Inspections, LLC conducts a top to bottom visual home inspection that meets and exceeds the North Carolina Home Inspector Standards Of Practice And Code Of Ethics. When reduced to its most simplified form, a home inspection seeks to find two things: unsafe conditions, and any system in the home that is not functioning as intended. Unsafe conditions may include substandard wiring or loose handrails on stairs. Unsafe conditions may also include some less obvious situations like cracks in walkways and driveways that may pose tripping hazards, or say a gas water heater that is not vented properly and poses a carbon monoxide risk. Unsafe conditions are noted in the written report. Systems that do not function as intended, can include leaking water pipes or appliances that do not function. Other systems of the home may not be recognized typically as “systems”, yet they are. Homes have a foundation system, a siding system, and a roofing system among many others. If there is a crack in the foundation, a missing piece of siding, or a roof leak – then these systems are seen as not functioning as intended and will be noted on the report. Unsafe conditions and system defects will be noted and in verbal and written reports.
A termite inspection is a visual inspection of the readily accessible areas of a home for evidence of wood-destroying insects. The inspector will visually inspect the entire interior of a home (including accessing and entering any sub-space such as basements and crawlspaces), and exterior of the property. When conducting an inspection, the inspector will look for evidence of all types of pests, not just termites. Some common signs of termite activity that a homeowner can observe are; subterraneantermite mud tubes on a wall, visual damage to wood inside and outside of the home, and insect wings on windowsills. the findings are reported on a special wood destroying insect form, separate from the home inspection report.
Radon is a radioactive gas, which you cannot see, smell, or taste. It comes from the natural decay of Uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in your foundation. Your home can trap Radon inside, where it can build up and become a danger to your long term health. Nearly 1 out of every 15 homes in the U. S. is estimated to have elevated Radon levels.According to the EPA, Radon is the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer Deaths in the U.S. When scheduled, we will employ a state of the art monitoring system to measure the level of radon in your home over a 48 hour period – as per EPA guidelines.The findings are reported on a special Radon testing form, separate from the home inspection report.
For homes that have a well and/ or a septic system, further information about these systems may be required that is outside the normal scope of the standard home inspection. When necessary, a qualified vender will be engaged to access the well and septic systems and evaluate their function.Well water testing is available under this ancillary inspection. The findings are reported on a special Well and Septic form, separate from the home inspection report.
During some inspections and home buying experiences, it is desirable or necessary to evaluate the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system(s) in a manner that is beyond the normal scope of a standard home inspection. This may be due to the age of the system(s) or a noted substandard function noted during the regular home inspection. When these situations arise, a licensed HVAC contractor can be engaged to evaluate the system(s) and provide a written report. The findings are reported on a special HVAC report form, separate from the home inspection report.