by Michael Koester, Certified Master Inspector, Owner of Direct Inspections Buying a home or condo in Sarasota is nothing short of exciting! You are finally carving out your own spot in this wonderful area! However, when purchasing a home, it is smart to take a sober look at the home’s condition. Roof, plumbing, HVAC and […]

If you are buying a home, you have likely walked around the outside of the house. Many homes in the Sarasota and Manatee region have stucco cracking. It can be scary! Why is the house cracking? Well, in nearly every case it’s not as bad as you think. After a home is built, it will […]

    We recently inspected this house that had a new roof put on. Up in the attic they had used metal flexible vent for the dryer line and combined it into the bathroom exhaust line. There’s a few problems with this. First leave the dryer vent line in the attic should be constructed of smooth […]

“How much longer will the roof last?” That’s a very common did I hear almost every day on my home inspections. Everybody wants to know how many years, months and day they have left before they “need” to replace the roof. The truth is, the answer is not black and white. Roofing systems do not […]

This image shows the recommended maximum openings in stair railings to protect children from injury. If your stair railings have openings that exceed these recommended diameters, please contact general contractor to repair or replace the stairway railings.

This image shows the recommended service wire clearances above a residential home. The purpose of maintaining proper service wire clearances is so that the wiring does not become damaged or contacted by the homes residents. If the wiring around your house begins to dip below these recommended heights, contact an electrician or your electrical service provider […]

This image shows the recommended service wire clearances above a residential home. The purpose of maintaining proper service wire clearances is so that the wiring does not become damaged or contacted by the homes residents. If the wiring around your house begins to dip below these recommended heights, contact an electrician or your electrical service provider […]

This image shows the recommended service wire clearances above a residential home. The purpose of maintaining proper service wire clearances is so that the wiring does not become damaged or contacted by the homes residents. If the wiring around your house begins to dip below these recommended heights, contact an electrician or your electrical service provider […]

This image shows s-trap vs p-trap. The problem with an S-trap is that they have the tendency to siphon. This will result in an open airway from the sewer lines up through your sink which will allow noxious sewer gases to enter your home. The design of a P-trap will keep the required amount of water […]