Category Archives: Uncategorized

Gutters !!!

Gutters are an essential part of any home, regardless of the region. However, in the Northeast, where heavy rainfall and snow melt are common, gutters play an even more critical role in protecting your home from water damage.

Gutters help to collect rainwater and snow melt from your roof and direct it away from your home’s foundation, walls, and basement. Without gutters, water can seep into the soil around your home and cause foundation damage, which can be costly to repair.

Water can also cause damage to your home’s siding, windows, and doors, leading to expensive repairs.

                 

 

In addition to protecting your home’s structure, gutters also help prevent moisture from accumulating in your basement or crawlspace, which can lead to mold and mildew growth and other health hazards.

Overall, gutters are essential to maintaining the structural integrity of your home and protecting it from water damage, especially in the Northeast, where heavy rainfall and snowmelt are common.

If you have suspect a mold issue or want an assessment to keep your house safe, call Kevin Michaels of Hudson Valley Property Inspections today @ 845-399-3983. Our reviews speak for themselves.

Here is a tip! Get professionally installed gutter guards to keeps you off of a ladder and safe and keep your gutters from turning into a waterfall when clogged!

Crawlspace ventilation

The Great Debate…. Crawl Spaces, To Vent or Not to Vent!   During the 20th century, before there were building scientists. Homes were built by carpenters and contractors and a quality construction job included foundation vents into the crawlspace. The thinking was that the vents allowed air to circulate under the house, keeping it dry.… Continue Reading

Are You Ready for the Polar Vortex??

Here it comes….. This President’s Day weekend also includes Valentine’s Day and for good measure let’s throw in a Polar Vortex here in the Hudson Valley. This can cause quite a few headaches — especially with our properties. When the temperature drops during the cold season, your plumbing can take a hit. It doesn’t take… Continue Reading

#1 Myth about sulfur in your water

Many times each week we have someone complain that they have Sulfur in their water. While there are probably few areas of the world where sulfur occurs naturally in the aquifers from which drinking water is drawn, the fact is there are very few. More often the source of the odor is something else completely.… Continue Reading

Home Inspections During the Winter

Home inspectors work year round. Snow can pose huge problems for home inspectors who conduct winter home inspections. If a big snow occurs the night before your winter home inspection, the home inspector will be limited in what he or she can do. Home buyers living in these areas of the country should be aware… Continue Reading

Lightning

Lightning is the “visible discharge of static electricity within a cloud, between clouds or between the earth and a cloud,” as defined by Underwriters Laboratories. Lightning is unpredictable and a serious threat to buildings and their occupants virtually everywhere. Facts about lightning: Benjamin Franklin invented the first lightning rod in 1752 –- a kite outfitted with… Continue Reading

No Ice Water for Dogs!!

Re-posted from Wendt Worth Corgi’s blog. After showing my dog Baran, we went back to our site/setup and got the dogs in their crates to cool off. After being back about 30 min. I noticed Baran was low on water. I took a hand full of ice from my cooler and put it in his… Continue Reading

Disadvantages of Solar Power

While the considerable advantages offered by solar energy move some proponents to ignore the budding technology’s comparatively minor flaws, these imperfections must be acknowledged, lest their resolutions be stalled. We should take an honest look at the system’s disadvantages and seek to refine solar energy systems into a truly environmentally friendly alternative. The most significant… Continue Reading

Safety Guidelines for Home Pools

Swimming pools should always be happy places. Unfortunately, each year thousands of American families confront swimming pool tragedies, drownings and near-drownings of young children. At Hudson Valley Property Inspections, we want to prevent these tragedies. These are guidelines for pool barriers that can help prevent most submersion incidents involving young children. These guidelines are not… Continue Reading

Barbeque Safety

With barbeque season already here, homeowners should heed the following safety precautions in order to keep their families and property safe. Propane grills present an enormous fire hazard, as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is aware of more than 500 fires that result annually from their misuse or malfunction. The following precautions are recommended specifically when using propane… Continue Reading

Why is my vinyl siding melting?

I run into many intriguing issues while inspecting homes here in the Hudson Valley. One of the more puzzling such issues that I ran across, was melting siding. I have run into this problem at least three times, and the obvious causes like, barbeques or heat lamps being too close to the siding just didn’t… Continue Reading

Ice Dams: Fact & Fiction

Here comes the Polar Vortex again! And it’s causing havoc to buildings and roofs all over the country this year. So much for Global Warming!! Here are some facts and fiction about our new friend, the ice dam. Fact: You can see ice dams from the ground.  It’s true that you can usually spot a… Continue Reading

Are You Storm Ready?

We have been lucky this winter in the Hudson Valley. I know I know…. it’s been frigid with a ton of snow. But, my friend,  snow is better than ice. Now is not the time to get complacent and ride out the coming storms without putting a Supply Kit together. Here is a Red Cross… Continue Reading

How to Minimize Energy Use in Your Home During a Polar Vortex

    Winters in the Hudson Valley can get real expensive when it comes to energy costs. The amount of energy required to heat your home increases when temperatures drop. The greater the difference between the temperature outside and the thermostat setting inside, the harder your heating system will work and the more energy it will… Continue Reading

Solar Powered Home Advantages

Home Inspector Kevin Michaels, of Hudson Valley Property Inspections, is certified in solar energy installation and design and can assist the new home buyer by answering any questions that they may have about solar energy. Solar energy offers considerable advantages over conventional energy systems by nullifying flaws in those systems long considered to be unchangeable.… Continue Reading

Damn Ice Dams !!

Ice dams on the roof can cause issues like roof leaks, mold, and it can also drain your bank account. But, stopping ice dams reallyis simple.  Just keep the entire roof the same temperature as the eaves. See, I told you it was simple. OK, ok you do that by increasing ventilation, adding insulation, and… Continue Reading

Next step….the Home Inspection

Kevin Michaels, NYS Licensed Home Inspector – Hudson Valley Property Inspections, llc So you’re buying a home. You will want to get a home inspection and here’s why….. It costs a few hundred dollars, but the information you receive is invaluable. During a home inspection, certified, licensed person will take a very detailed look at… Continue Reading

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