Are Regular Home Maintenance Inspection Services Important?
What comes to your mind when you hear the word home? Comfort, relaxation, peace, tranquility are only a few. A home is your private place where you can relax and unwind after a long workday. Our homes provide us privacy, but they also shelter us from the harsh weather conditions outside. So why a home needs regular inspections shouldn’t even be a question. Just like your car needs regular fuel, oil change, and service to provide you the maximum benefit it is meant for, so do homes.
When built, a new house may be a static piece of building, but only till you start living in it. To call a place a home, it has to be made functional and comfortable for its inhabitants. A functional home is a livable space only when all its systems function. Imagine a home without air conditioning, no stoves, no water in the bathrooms. Would you still want to call it home?
Importance Of Home Inspections For Existing Home Owners
Home Inspections are vital for homeowners and people about to purchase their first home ever. Existing owners benefit from home inspections because:
- They get an analysis of every part of their home and its present condition at inspection.
- They can save up for future replacements that the inspector might forecast.
- Home inspections give you peace of mind your family is living in safe conditions.
- Home inspections can catch problems that may not come to a homeowner’s notice and help avoid potential harmful events.
- Regular home inspections give a buyer transparency about the home’s history at the time of sale. Knowing a home has been regularly inspected and maintained can be a bonus for buyers.
- A home inspector reports which parts need to be updated and allow you to upgrade your home with updated features.
Benefits of a Home Inspection For A Buyer
- A buyer can avoid having his home inspection done if the seller provides him with a recent inspection report.
- Adds transparency to the inspection process; the buyer knows the exact current condition of the home and what he is getting into.
- Speeds up the transaction, saving everyone’s time.
- The buyer can negotiate the price further if defects are found.
- The buyer can use the contingency clause and back out from a bad deal.
- The buyer gets peace of mind knowing the place he will call home for the next couple of years is free from defects.
What is a home inspection?
A home inspection analyzes the present condition of a house and its components. This includes its structure and functioning systems. Although a home inspection consists of an assessment of around 1600 parts in a home, a regular inspection will consist of inspecting the following:
- Foundation
- Walls
- Ceiling
- Roof
- HVAC
- Plumbing systems
- Electrical Systems
- Basements
- Attics
- Doors
- Windows
At times a home inspector finds defects and faults that he fears may lead to more significant issues. To investigate them further, a home inspector will call for advanced inspections. Advanced inspections are not included in a standard home inspection and come at an added cost. These include:
- Radon Inspections
- Mold Inspections
- Pool And Spa Inspections
- Air Quality Testing Inspections
- Electromagnetic Field Testing
- Infestation Inspections etc.
There are times people live for years in homes, oblivious that problems are lurking inside. The issues are only detected when the health of the inhabitants starts getting affected. For example, a Colorado home resident recently got diagnosed with cancer, which was thought to be caused by EMF exposure (electromagnetic field) in his house. In another case from 1979, researchers investigated the causes of childhood leukemia in Denver, Colorado, and found high-current configuration electrical wiring to be the culprit.
So What Are Electromagnetic Fields?
In simple terms, electromagnetic fields consist of electric and magnetic waves traveling together at the speed of light. Electromagnetic fields are shallow frequency, radiofrequency fields created in the surrounding environment by all the electrical equipment we often use in our daily lives. These fields are higher in frequency near cables or transformers that supply electricity.
Micro shocks that you receive at the workplace are often associated with these electromagnetic fields, although low humidity levels in buildings may cause them.
Electro-Magnetic field Sensitivity Symptoms
Low levels of exposure to electromagnetic fields can cause non-specific health issues in some individuals. They are known as Electromagnetic sensitivity issues. Some of these are:
- Learning and memory deficits
- neurological disorders
- concentration difficulties
- headaches
- insomnia/sleep problems
- anxiety
- depression
- irritability
- chronic fatigue
- nausea
- cellular damage
- allergy stress responses
- increased cancer risk
- DNA damage
- heart palpitations
- leukemia
- tumors
- low sperm count
- compromised reproductive system
- compromised immune system
- chemical sensitivities
What is an acceptable EMF level?
Research shows that magnetic fields for occupational exposures should be limited to less than 0.5 mg. People at workplaces are at a higher risk of emf exposure because of the number of electrical devices. That is why people often suffer from what is known as the Sick Building Syndrome. Sick Building syndrome workers show signs of allergies, headaches, lethargy, and these symptoms get better the minute they leave the building.
What Electrical Appliances In My Home Emit Electro Magnetic Fields?
EMF is emitted by many electrical appliances you use in your home, these include
- Microwave Ovens
- Computers
- Bluetooth Devices
- Cellphones
- Powerlines
- House energy smart meters
- Wi-Fi routers
- Lighting
- Baby monitors
- Electric cars
- Wiring
Does My Home Need An EMF Inspection?
Any home can be a possible EMF source and lead to many health problems. Electromagnetic fields are known to influence the cells in our body and cause serious complications. Electromagnetic fields as group 2B possible carcinogen by the WHO in 2011. Get a licensed company providing Electromagnetic services in Colorado. Children are at a greater risk of absorbing EMF rays. A licensed electromagnetic radiation expert will conduct thorough inspections using calibrated state-of-the-art electromagnetic detection meters and determine whether your home is within safe electromagnetic range. Once a report is available and is positive, he will suggest possible mitigation solutions and options for shielding materials needed to reduce electromagnetic ray exposure