Midlands Home Inspections, Inc

Buyers Seminar

2011-02-03T15:22:00.000-08:00

Feb. 23 6-8pm at Keller Williams on Giles in LaVista! Come out and recieve some great information about buying a home! Should not miss this one!

National Radon Month

2010-12-28T06:02:00.000-08:00

January is National Radon Month! You can't see, smell, or taste radon and the only way to determine if your house has high levels is to test for this leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Nebraska is the second leading state only behind Iowa with high elevated levels. Tell your family and friends of the health risk and have them test their homes also, you just might help save a life!

Cold Weather and Furnaces

2010-01-09T11:35:00.000-08:00

With the cold weather we are having let me remind you that your furnaces are working overtime to keep your homes warm and comfortable. Make sure to change your filters to help the furnace run more efficient and if you have a high efficient model make sure that the snow outside is not covering your vents, this will cause your furnace to stop working by not allowing the proper venting of the system. Stay warm!

Free PIE!

2009-11-30T09:40:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves pie, so book an inspection with Midlands Home Inspections, Inc and recieve a free Village Inn Pie of your choice. Recieve a great inspection and a great pie, what more could you ask for!

Tax Credit

2009-11-05T15:02:00.000-08:00

The home buyer tax credit passes the house and senate, President just needs to sign it!

The tax credit has been extended until April 30, 2010 and expanded to include others than first time buyers. This is great news for the economy and people looking for a new home. Lets hope this gets the higher dollar homes moving.

Free 90-Day Warranty

2009-10-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

Starting Novemeber 1, 2009 Midlands Home Inspections will be offering a free 90-day warranty with every whole house inspection in the Omaha area. This warranty is provided through ServiceOne.

ASHI Leadership Training

2009-10-21T12:08:00.000-07:00

Brent Simmerman of Midlands Home Inspections, Inc just returned from Chicago, IL. where the spot light was on ethics. As a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors, he is committed to conducting business in compliance with the ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics. ASHI inspectors understand the need for homebuyers and sellers to be able to trust the professionals they deal with during what can be both an exiting and stressful transaction. Brent is a member of the local Greater Omaha Chapter of ASHI and is qualified to deliver superior customer service combined with the highest level of technical expertise offered within the profession.

WCR Member

2009-10-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

Midlands Home Inspections, Inc is proud to be a new member of the Woman Council of Realtors in Omaha, NE.

Insulation

2009-09-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Air moves in and out of your home through every nook and cranny it can find. The majority of the air escapes through the ceilings, walls and floors of your home.
The easiest way to stop the escaping air is by insulating those areas. Take a look up in your attic, if there is less than R-22 (7 inches of blown in insulation) then you would benefit by adding more. The recommend R-Value for the Omaha area is R-49 for attics, R-25 for floors, R-18 for walls, and R-19 for crawlspaces.
Insulation comes in 4 basic types. Batt Insulation fits between studs and joists in the ceiling, floors, and walls. Rolls or blanket of insulation lay over the floor in the attic. Loose-fill insulation is blown into the attic or wall spaces with a machine that you can rent or use free of charge from where ever you purchase your insulation from. Last is Rigid Foam Board insulation used in confined spaces like exterior walls, basements, foundations and crawl spaces.
Insulate crawl spaces walls only if the crawlspace is dry all year, the floor above is not insulated, and all ventilation to the crawl space is blocked. A vapor retarder should be installed on the ground to reduce moisture migration into the crawl space.

Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2009

2009-08-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

The study, “Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States for 2009: Rebuilding American’s Economic Power,” evaluates and ranks states based on 33 factors, including taxes, human resources, right-to-work legislation, energy costs, infrastructure spending, workers’ compensation laws, economic incentive programs and state economic development efforts.
According to the study, the top 10 most business-friendly states are:
1. Virginia
2. Utah
3. North Carolina (2008 winner)
4. Wyoming
5. South Carolina
6. South Dakota
7. Kansas
8. Georgia
9. Florida
10. Nebraska
For the sixth consecutive year, California ranked last in the study.
Pollina Corporate Real Estate is a Park Ridge, Ill.-based brokerage and consulting firm, representing corporations in real estate matters on a national and international basis.

Smoke Detector Recall

2009-07-16T12:27:00.000-07:00

ON JULY 9 THE U. S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION announced that Kidde has issued a recall of one of their models of smoke detectors.The Walter Kidde Portable Equipment Inc. of Mebane, N.C., has initiated a voluntary recall of 94,000 units of their PI2000 Dual Sensor Smoke Alarms. : The firm has received two reported incidents of smoke alarm malfunctions involving electrostatic discharge during installation. No injuries have been reported. An electrostatic discharge can damage the unit causing it to malfunction and not sound the alarm when a fire occurs.The device was sold through all common retailers nationwide and was manufactured from August 2008 through May 2009.For additional information, contact Kidde toll-free at (877) 524-2086, or visit the firm’s Web site at Kidde Residential Home

Extension Cord Safety

2009-06-15T07:16:00.000-07:00

We use extension cords almost every day both at work and at home. These are very useful devices, but they can present a fire or shock hazard when either worn out or used improperly.

Extension cords must be treated with care and checked regularly for damage or deterioration. The cord itself should never be pulled to disconnect it from an electrical source; remove it by the plug. They should not be placed under rugs or furniture and should never be strung through doorways, windows, walls, ceilings, or floors. Damaged cords present a potential fire or shock hazard and should be destroyed and replaced immediately.

An extension cord should never be used as a substitute for permanent wiring. They should not be fastened to a building or structure, even though staples are sold for this purpose at many hardware stores. Avoid plugging two cords together to make a longer one. It's best to use one cord in a continuous length from the receptacle to the appliance or tool. Extension cords that are either connected together or are too long will reduce operating voltage and operating efficiency of tools or appliances and may cause motor damage.

Extension cords are convenient devices we often take for granted in our everyday activities, but which need proper care and attention. Use good housekeeping practices at home and at work, to keep extension cords from being a tripping hazards or becoming damaged. Inspect them regularly for wear and replace defective units.

Chinese Drywall

2009-04-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

The shortage of drywall and the construction boom in 2004/2005 resulted in the USA importing Chinese made drywall that is not up to the standards of American made drywall. Imported first to Florida and the Gulf Coast to help rebuild after the Hurricanes, and then out to non-coastal areas to help make up for the shortage.

The problem area is mostly concentrated in the Southeast but is expected to move outward as more information comes out.

Does your home have Chinese Drywall?

· Rotten-egg smell – grows worse with heat and humidity
· Home built in 2004 – Present (concern here is the stock piling of product in warehouses.)
· Corrosive off gassing responsible for damage to:
o Copper Water Lines
o Electrical wires
o AC Evaporator Coils
o Metal Studs
o Nails/Screws

Besides the signs listed above you need to look at the drywall itself to help determine if you have Chinese Drywall in your home. If you can view the back side of the drywall by going into your attic, garage, or getting behind a wall somewhere, look for the markings:
· China
· Made in China
· KNAUF Tianjin
· Taian Taishan
· ASTM C36

You can also find these markings on the tape side of the drywall. Think of the cost of total replacement of the drywall in your home, and then if corrosive damage has started, replacing the AC/Furnace units, Electrical wires, Plumbing pipes, and it can go on from there to actually rebuilding a home if nails and screws have been affective. Lawsuits are already started with home owners suing their builders and builders suing their sub-contractors who are suing manufactures. This truly is going to turn into a huge financial burden for the home owner, not to mention the health problems that are not yet identified. Scams are already starting to surface, so make sure you do your research or consult a qualified home inspector to help out in determining if you have Chinese Drywall in your home.

Street Creep

2009-03-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

Street Creep occurs as a result of the unpredictable movement, shift and expansion of concrete streets. Extreme pressure, due to traffic and natural settlement, pushes the concrete street against the driveway moving it into the home's foundation producing serious cracks in foundation walls. This problem affects homes with concrete driveways and attached garages. Homes located at the end of "T" intersections, at the end of cul-de-sacs, and on the outside of a curve are especially susceptible to Street Creep damage.
Street Creep repairs are not cheap. It can range from $2,000 on up depending on the extent of the damage and the repairs involved. Sadly, homeowners can't expect any help covering that bill. Most homeowner insurance companies indemnify themselves with what is called "Earth Movement Exclusion." Earth Movement is defined as: earthquake, landslide, mudflow, earth sinking, rising or shifting, or mine subsidence. This exclusion is usually part of your homeowner's coverage and it allows your insurance to deny you a claim for the extreme costs of repairing your foundation walls and driveway damaged by Street Creep.

The most common preventative fix for street creep is installing an expansion joint between the slabs to absorb the flex. Luckily, street creep doesn’t happen overnight. You can catch the signs of it with simple tests before it ruins your foundation. Conduct a basic test of your own driveway and foundation for signs of street creep like this:
Check expansion joints: If the joints seem unusually tight or compressed -- you might say, "squeezed" or "crushed" -- you may have a problem. Take a screwdriver or flat kitchen butter knife, and trying to tamp it down between the expansion joint and the concrete. You should be able to drive the screwdriver or knife blade down a good 4-5 inches. But, if you're hitting concrete at just 2 or 3 inches, your might have "creep."
Check garage floor/foundation: If there are cracks in the foundation, outside or in, or if the garage floor slab is pulling away from your garage wall (foundation) then you may have a problem.
If you have any questions or concerns contact Midlands Home Inspections or a local foundation repair company.

Popcorn Ceiling Asbestos

2009-03-04T12:27:00.000-08:00

Popcorn ceilings were very popular from the late 50s to early 80s and almost always contained asbestos. Removing a popcorn ceiling built during these years should be done professionally since the risk of asbestos exposure is high. Popcorn / Acoustic Ceilings Popcorn ceilings (also known as acoustic ceilings) were extremely popular in most homes built from the late 1950s right through the early 80s. It is uncertain as to why popcorn ceilings got to be so popular, but some explanations are that - it was easy to apply, it was a good noise damping agent, it hid imperfections in the ceiling, and a host of other reasons. Popcorn ceilings had certain drawbacks such as difficulty in cleaning, but the biggest drawback today is the presence of asbestos in it. Almost all building material including cement, roofing, tiling, insulation, and paint from the 1930s right through the mid 80s contained asbestos in them.