Home Buyers

A home inspector’s discovery of a heavily rusted water heater in Shawnee homes, with replacement costs, melted heat traps, and end-of-life warning signs. Friday afternoon during the plumbing inspection in the basement of a 9-year-old 2-story home in the Arbor Lake subdivision of Shawnee, I found a heavily rusted water heater with melted heat traps. … Read more

A home inspector’s reflection of worn roof shingles on Leavenworth and Kansas City metro apartments, with replacement costs, warning signs, and repair timelines. Worn Roof Shingles in Leavenworth Apartments: Replacement Guide A home inspector’s reflection on worn roof shingles in Leavenworth apartments, with replacement costs, warning signs, and repair timelines. Tuesday afternoon during the roof … Read more

A home inspector’s guide to identifying mismatched roof shingles in Kansas City homes, with costs, resale impact, and replacement timelines. Monday morning during the roof inspection of an 81-year-old ranch in Kansas City’s Brookwood subdivision, I found two completely different roof sections. The south side had weathered, granule-depleted shingles that were roughly 20 years old … Read more

A home inspector’s guide to understanding blown fiberglass insulation depth in Raymore attics, with costs, installation standards, and energy savings. Friday afternoon during the roof and attic inspection of an 8-year-old split-level in the Eagle Glen subdivision of Raymore, I climbed into an attic that showed exactly what proper insulation installation looks like. The wood … Read more

A home inspector’s guide to identifying flat roof alligator cracking in commercial buildings, with repair costs, warning signs, and replacement timelines. Friday morning during the roof inspection of a 121-year-old mixed-use 2-story commercial building in historic downtown Adrian, I found large open seams where the rolled roofing membrane had pulled away from the parapet walls. … Read more

A home inspector’s guide to identifying zinc oxide on furnace vents in Kansas City homes, with costs, carbon monoxide risks, and repair timelines. Thursday afternoon during the HVAC inspection of a vacant 58-year-old ranch in Kansas City, KS’s Cedarholm subdivision, I found white powder leaking from the seams of the furnace exhaust vent. The powder … Read more

A home inspector’s guide to common foundation repairs in Kansas City homes, with real costs, warning signs, and what makes repairs reliable long-term. Thursday morning during the foundation inspection of a vacant 58-year-old raised ranch in Kansas City’s Norfleet Acres subdivision, I found tieback braces on one of the garage walls. There was also an … Read more

A home inspector‘s guide to identifying and understanding rusted water heaters in Polo homes, with costs, warning signs, and replacement timelines. Tuesday afternoon during the plumbing inspection of a vacant 25-year-old reverse 1.5-story home just off SW State Rte T and SW Longhorn Dr in Polo, MO, I found an 8-year-old water heater that looked … Read more

Yesterday morning during the electrical inspection of a vacant 52-year-old ranch-style home in Spring Hill, KS, I discovered a 5-foot service mast sticking up above the roof with no guy wire attached. The mast was bent from the sheer weight of the service lines, ice, snow, and tree branches, but it wasn’t causing any immediate … Read more