Orphaned Hot Water Heater – Hot Water Heater Safety & Home Inspections

Orphaned Water Heater: A Hidden Chimney & Carbon Monoxide Risk in Wisconsin Homes By Donn Anderson, Certified Master Inspector — Anderson Home Inspection LLC (serving Waukesha, Milwaukee, and Southeast Wisconsin) Original older metal vented furnace When an older metal-vented furnace is replaced with a high-efficiency PVC-vented furnace, the furnace no longer exhausts through the chimney. Instead, combustion gases leave the home through white PVC piping. That change can create a common but overlooked problem: the chimney flue was originally sized to vent both the furnace…

Do Home Inspectors Check for Gas Leaks?

I returned a call to a real estate agent a while ago regarding a statement allegedly made by someone from the utility company stating the home inspector should have found gas leaks. "If" the statement was made, it was made by someone who does not know the Standards of Practice for Home Inspectors and does not know that Home Inspectors are not qualified to check for gas leaks any more than the average homeowner. Checking appliances and checking for gas leaks is beyond the Standards…

Is your home inspector looking out for you?

Late fall of 2021, I received a call from a young couple who had just been through a home inspection. Their inspector indicated that there were problems with the concrete in the garage, driveway, walkways and at the stoop. The couple were first time homebuyers and were nervous about whether the problems included basement structural issues. The couple were first time homebuyers and were nervous about whether the problems included basement structural issues. I went the home and there were quite a few significant trip…

FAQs about home inspections

Why Hire Anderson Home Inspection? We hear these questions several times a week: Why should I hire Anderson Home Inspection? What’s the advantage of you and your reports over other inspectors? Our advice is simple: Evaluate credentials and experience. Credentials help home buyers and sellers evaluate qualifications. Experience helps buyers and sellers manage expectations after discoveries are made. All Wisconsin Home Inspectors Follow the Same Minimum Standards All home inspectors in Wisconsin are required to follow the State Standards of Practice (SoP). That means every…

Video: Gas Fireplace Operation During a Home Inspection

Going Beyond the Minimum: Helping Home Buyers Understand Their Home As Wisconsin Licensed Home Inspectors, our required scope of inspection does not mandate that we operate every appliance or verify that each one turns on and functions properly. The Standards of Practice focus primarily on evaluating major systems and identifying visible defects that could impact safety, structure, or significant financial concerns. However, whenever possible, I believe in going beyond the minimum. Buying a home can be overwhelming — especially for first-time buyers. Many clients are…