What a treat it was to inspect this house built in 1750 - yes, 1750! Before we were even an independent nation. There were some issues, of course, and new additions and upgrades. But overall, the craftsmanship and quality from 270 years ago was just incredible. In addition to this home, last week I also inspected homes built in the 1920's, 50's, 90's and two new construction homes. I love seeing how styles, methods, and materials have changed over the decades. Call me or schedule online at www.dohertyhomeinspections.com and I'll be happy to check out your home too!

Gutter Guards/Leaf Filters ... do they work? What is your experience with them?
​Despite the August heat, fall will be upon us soon and with that comes what seems like 10 million falling leaves. Many homes now have gutter guards on them, ideally to prevent leaves and debris from accumulating inside the gutters. But do they actually work? We have spoken with several installation experts and although they could certainly be biased, we did get surprisingly candid responses. The short answer is - it depends. If you have just a few trees with big leaves (like oaks or redbuds) near your house, gutter guards will likely do a fine job. If your house is surrounded by pines, then these guards may not be right for your home and may actually cause more issues since the pine needles tend to get trapped in the guards and clog them, which means water just runs in sheets off your roof (eliminating the whole purpose of having gutters in the first place). Whether or not you have guards, you still need to clear your gutters/guards a few times a year for optimal maintenance and to help keep your home's #1 enemy - water - away from the siding and foundation.

​The woes of a wet crawl space... A high moisture reading of 32% was noted on the flooring structure in this crawl space. Typical industry standards state that wood flooring structures should be between 9% to 14%. High levels of wood moisture can cause warping, cracking, buckling, diminished wood strength, and fungal growth. Since crawl spaces are not usually entered very often, it is very important to periodically check the moisture levels which is something we do during every home inspection. Call us at 919-914-0606 or schedule online for your complete home evaluation.