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PostPosted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:46 pm 
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Buying a new home should be one of life's most gratifying experiences.
We can help make that happen.


For owners of new built homes -

We are new home warranty inspection specialists and will perform independent, professional and thorough Tarion New Home Warranty Inspections for our clients. Our services for new homes include 30 Day, One Year Warranty Inspections, or a package price for both inspections. Our inspections often reveal a substantial list of deficiencies that your builder is required to repair, provide or improve. We will inform you on why specific issues are a problem and what your builder should do to remedy the situation. We offer unlimited phone support and will stand by you for no charge for our local clients if conciliation between you, Tarion, and your builder is required. You will also learn how to maintain your new home.

Our specialized training, services, ethics, and experience will ensure you receive the very best value and benefit from your Home Inspection. We will provide you high quality information, exceptional service, our Home Reference Book reporting system, and all Tarion Warranty Forms.

For Buyers of resale homes -

Most Home Inspection companies market their services to Realtors because they depend on Realtors for referrals. We consider this practice to be a conflict of interest that works against the best interest of home buyers. Unfortunately, many buyers of resale homes call the home inspection company that their Realtor has suggested. This can be a huge mistake. Halton Home Inspection Service is one of the few inspection companies in Canada that does not market to, or rely on Realtors for referrals. Protect your investment, call us for your thorough and independent Home Inspection.

Renowned throughout southern Ontario for excellence and quality, Halton Home Inspection Service performs a wide range of services that include-

- New Home 30 Day and One Year Home Inspections.
- Pre - Purchase Home Inspections
- Pre - Listing Home Inspections
- Individual Consultations.


Our Inspector, Andy Shaw, lives in Milton, Ontario, and is a Certified Home Inspector and a trained Defect Recognition Specialist. He has been specifically trained by The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to identify Building Envelope Issues. He is also a Member of The Independent Home Inspectors of North America where our primary mission is to promote consumer protection for home buyers through education.

YOU are the most important person in the Home Inspection process and we encourage you to join Andy during your home inspection and feel free to ask questions.

Or, Call us direct at 905 876 4761

FOR VALUABLE INFORMATION AND TIPS VISIT OUR WEBSITE

http://www.haltoninspections.com

_________________
For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Sat Feb 08, 2020 3:17 pm, edited 49 times in total.

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 Post subject: Home Inspection Services
PostPosted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 7:56 am 
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New Home ?? Foundation Crack ?? Why not do a "Water Test".

Your new home has a foundation water leakage warranty for 2 years, yet your foundation warranty for cracks under 6mm wide (1/4 inch) is only covered for one year. Even hairline cracks in foundations can leak. If your new home is under 2 years old, and you are aware of a small crack or two, then why not protect yourself and do your own Water Test. If it results in a leak, then your builder will likely be required to fix the crack for you, even if it is to small for the one year coverage. Doing your own Water Test will force your house to reveal foundation problems while you still have warranty coverage.

The 3 paragraphs below are from the Tarion Construction Performance Guidelines Appendix 5. It is vital if you are going to do your own Water Test that you follow the guidelines exactly. Your builder may conduct his own test to confirm your results before repairing the crack.

How to Conduct a Water Test

A water test shall be performed to confirm water leaks, both above and below grade. Above grade the intent is to simulate an average, wind-driven rainfall but should never be done using full pressure in a single-stream or pressure-altering device such as a pressure washer. This can force water through building assemblies and flashings not intended for high-volume or high-pressure water saturation. Below grade the intent is to simulate natural water flow around a foundation caused by rain or snow melting where the water may inadvertently be directed towards the foundation wall. Water penetration is considered to be bulk water coming into the basement or accumulating near the point of entry, or dampness on the wall appearing as a result of the test, but excludes dampness caused by condensation or other causes.

Above Grade Test

Use a standard garden hose and sprayer attachment. The sprayer attachment should be set on shower or other similar dispersal pattern. Spray the area to be tested for not more than 10 minutes from a minimum distance of 2 m. Have another person checking inside for the point of origin and the length of time it takes for water to appear. Areas to be investigated should be kept dry prior to the test.

Below Grade Test

Use a standard garden hose with no attachments. The hose bib should be set at about half flow to simulate melting snow or rainfall. The water from the hose is to be directed along the face of the foundation to allow the water to run parallel to the wall, at grade, finding its own way down the
exterior of the wall to the perimeter foundation drains. Run the water for not more than 20 minutes checking periodically for water penetration. Identify the location and the point of entry of any water (crack, tie rod, snap tie, honeycombing) and the length of time it takes for water to appear.

Andy Shaw
Certified Home Inspector - 905 876 4761
Halton Home Inspection Service
http://www.haltoninspections.com

_________________
For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Thu Oct 30, 2014 3:56 pm, edited 10 times in total.

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 Post subject: New Home Inspection
PostPosted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:26 am 
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Not all my reviews are from clients.

imr123 wrote:
Thank you MR ANDY SHAW for your professionalism in your field of home inspection. You were God sent to us, being in my neighbourhood while inspecting another house, you noticed the mistake done to our brand new house by the builder, that saved us tens of thousands of dollars.

Thank you so much, keep up the good work.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Thu Oct 30, 2014 4:13 pm, edited 8 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:40 am 
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The power of technology helps us help you.

Our technology gives us, and you, the power to see what no one else can see.

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For many years, Halton Home Inspection Service has been using advanced Forward Looking Infra Red, (FLIR) technology to enhance our service to locate hidden defects, leaks, water damage, missing insulation, electrical defects, and other potential problems in new your home.

When problems like moisture or missing insulation are found with our Infra-Red camera, we will use the camera to take an Infra-Red image and a regular digital picture of the problem and include the images in your report that is submitted to Tarion.

During inspections we do not perform a full extensive infra red evaluation of the home but we do 1) scan 1st floor ceilings below washrooms for leaks below washrooms, and 2) scan the second ceilings below attics to look for attic insulation problems and roof leaks, and 3) check second floor HVAC registers and air-returns for air flow issues.

Everything is not always as it seems.

Below are some images showing small leaks on 2 bedroom ceilings in this one year old home. Once found with Infra-Red a moisture meter was then used to confirm the dark areas were in fact wet. These Infra-Red and digital photos showing these problems are included as part of the online PDF warranty inspection report that we send to our client who can then simply attach the report as a "supporting document" to their Tarion one year list.

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Leak to floor below door could easily go undetected.

Note the slightly darker area of the carpet just below the bottom of this front facing balcony door of a one year old home. The carpet at this area is damp and the subfloor below it is wet. This indicates that the doors threshold is leaking. Leaks like this can go undetected for years and cause more damage, mold, and rot to the subfloor.

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Some builders workers are just lazy = chilly mudroom.


This IR image shows where a lazy tile installer deliberately tiled over a HVAC floor register. Being familiar with the model of the home and where HVAC vents are required, I was surprised that this mudrooms HVAC register was missing. Infra-Red and a visit to the basement easily confirmed that the floor register was in fact covered with the ceramic tiles. The question is - why didn't the builders supervisor also realise it was missing.

ImageImage

For additional information, or to book your inspection, please feel free to call - Andy Shaw @ 905 876 4761 or visit our webite at - http://www.haltoninspections.com

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761
Halton Home Inspection Service
http://www.haltoninspections.com

_________________
For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:24 am, edited 23 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:06 am 
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Is the garage in your new home Gas-Proofed from the house?

By Andy Shaw - Tuesday Feb. 3rd 2009.

Yesterday, carbon monoxide killed a Markham man and put his wife in hospital after the CO seeped into the home after their car was accidentally left running in the garage.

The couple left the car running with the garage door open while they were getting ready to go out. They changed their minds and decided not to leave. Using a remote opener, they shut the garage door, forgetting that the car was running.

Whatever the story, this same problem repeats every year, often with tragic results. While your CO detector is good defence, it's best to find and repair the cause of the problem.

This is the issue -

When a garage is attached to a home, it must be 100% gas-proofed from the home.

This means that there can be no holes, gaps, cracks, or any other openings in any part of the garage walls or ceilings that are attached to the home. The Man-door must properly self close and be of exterior grade and weather stripped. Trim around this door must be 100% sealed. The hose bib, vacuum pipes, etc., must all be caulked. Unused vacuum pipes must be sealed with red Tuck Tape.

It is absolutely necessary to confirm that your garage is 100% gas-proofed from your home. Don't depend on your builder to do this properly as most garages that we inspect, have gas-proofing deficiencies.

Homes have negative air pressure. Even more so when exhaust fans are running in bathrooms and kitchens. If the garage is not gas-proofed, then air in the garage WILL get sucked into the home.

This is what you need to look for in your new home garage - but before you start looking, consider this question. Will a bucket, with a pin hole, hold water?

1) Is the vacuum pipe and hose bib in the garage caulked where it goes through the wall?

2) If not in use, is the vacuum pipe in the garage sealed with red Tuck Tape? NOT Duct Tape, or green painters tape.

3) Are there any cracks or holes in the drywall, or loose drywall tape?

4) Carefully inspect all around the Man Door trim. Is it completely sealed? Use a hand mirror to look at the top and bottom trim for any gaps or holes.

5) Does the closer on the Man Door work? Does it close the door every time? Does it only close the Man Door when the garage door is open? If the Man Door closer does not completely close and seal that door, then it needs to be fixed.

6) Carefully inspect all drywall. In areas that are not visible, use your hand mirror and look at the underside of these areas. There should be no gaps, cracks, or holes.

Pay attention to the walls and ceiling areas that are attached to the home. The interior walls of the garage that face the exterior of the home are not generally a concern.

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761
http://www.haltoninspections.com

_________________
For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Sat Nov 09, 2013 9:24 am, edited 13 times in total.

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 Post subject: Home Inspection
PostPosted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:51 am 
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Should I take a Home Inspector to the PDI?

This is a great question. Even most Home Inspectors get this one wrong.

Here is my answer.

You could take a Home Inspector with you for your PDI, but NOT for a Home Inspection.

A home inspection is a specific process. It is a top to bottom complete examination of the home and the functional equipment in the home. In order to benefit from your Home Inspection, you will need to live in, and use the house for at least 25 days.

The purpose of the PDI is for your builder to show you your new home in it's completed state, and to make note of scratches, dents, chips, or any other damage to counters, floors, doors, walls, cabinets, cupboards, mirrors, toilets, tubs, windows, glass, etc. It IS NOT the time to do a complete home inspection as your builder, who owns the home during the PDI is not required to allow a Home Inspector to crawl around the roof, open the furnace or electrical panels, examine the attic etc. This can and should be done later.

The Builders Rep is responsible for, and controls the PDI process. It usually takes one hour for every 1000 square feet.

Note everything that is incomplete, damaged, and items that are in good condition. Note areas that are dirty as this dirt, IE- on a hardwood floor, will make it impossible to do a thorough inspection of that floor.

Before your PDI, review the Construction Performance Guidelines on Tarion's website for all issues that will not be covered after the PDI if not detected during the PDI.

Be very diligent and carefully examine all hardwood floors and stairways. Not just for damage like chips and scratches, but also for cupping or crowning.

If after you move in, you notice a dent on your front door and a big scratch on the hardwood floor, then you have a problem. Even if this damage was not done while moving in, it is still, at this point, not covered by the builder and they will not be required to fix it unless you can prove that the damage was there during the PDI.

During the PDI, take your list of upgrades, a digital camera, and a notepad. DO NOT take children. The PDI is not the time to show friends or family the home.

Our company, Halton Home Inspection Service has developed our own unique service called PDI Assist. For information on this service visit our website at http://www.haltoninspections.com or call us by phone.

Andy Shaw - Halton Home Inspection Service - 905 876 4761

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:39 am, edited 16 times in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 7:57 pm 
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We always appreciate notes and emails from customers.

Hi Andy

As you know, our one year anniversary in our new home was coming up and as with everyone, we had some issues and many questions.

We are so glad we hired you to do our one year inspection because there was so much that we didn't know about our home.

The cost of your inspection paid for itself many times over.

Thanks Andy for spending the time to explain every bit of detail.

Baraa & Alaa

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:50 am, edited 7 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:20 am 
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BVM posted -

We had Andy Shaw complete our home inspection for our one-year and were thrilled we did!

Andy found over 30 items that we would never have thought of or found on our own. From electrical to insulation, to roofing and foundation, he really covers all bases.

Also, Andy was very professional and informative. My husband and I are first-time home buyers so our knowledge is quite limited. I wasn't there but my hubby did tell me that Andy really took the time to explain his findings, like what the risks are, why it should be fixed/improved, what to look out for in future, how certain things happen, etc etc etc...

Our neighbours, all on their second and third homes, have book Andy or intend to do so, once they discovered all the things Andy found for us.

We definitely recommend going with an independent home inspector...and recommend Andy Shaw without any hesitation!

Also, as for the "independent" angle...I've heard that the some of the inspectors employed or contracted out by some real estate agencies may be biased or not as thorough. I can't really explain more as I don't have much knowledge on this, but it's something to consider, keep in mind, or look into when searching for an inspector.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Tue Feb 11, 2020 11:52 am, edited 14 times in total.

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PostPosted: Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:24 am 
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From Ecuador.

Id like to take the time to say "thank you" to Andy Shaw. If you are looking for a good knowledgeable inspector please contact Andy. He responded right away to one of my concerns that I had posted a week ago. I had condensation in my dining room. Andy was here the next day and read the temperature of my interior walls. He found some areas that needed more foaming. Sad to say that builders these days are no longer putting as much effort. One of our walls had very little insulation. Andy will take the time to answer any questions that you may have. I have contacted other inspectors and when asking questions I felt rushed. Andy was the only one who took his time to explain in full detail.

Thank you Andy and we will see you in April for our one yr.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:01 pm, edited 7 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 07, 2008 12:14 pm 
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From DK.

We hired Andy as well for our home inspection in preparation to do our 30 day warranty claim...

We are really happy that we hired him...this is our first house and we were not sure about several things that we though might be an issue...

Andy took extra time to verify several details and explain very clearly any questions or concerns that we had. He find several MAJOR issues that we did not even realise were wrong like sump pump, garage isolation, attic insulation, cold cellar ventilation, ice on gas meter...and so on...believe me list is long.

Would highly recommend his services.

DK

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From Janet.

Andy was Awesome

My husband and I just completed our 30 day inspection today and we too are so glad that we hired Andy to help us. He also was there to help us with our PDI.

He noticed things that my husband and I would have never picked up on, like a shower that wasnt even sealed under the step. Im just glad my husband and I didnt use it before the inspection or we would have had big issues to deal with.

Andy treated our house like it was his own. He took his time and was very complete and thorough. He is very resonably priced and in my opinion worth every penny and more. If anyone has any questions feel free to pm me.

Thanks Andy for your help!

Janet

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Andy Shaw - Halton Home Inspection Service - 905 876 4761
http://www.haltoninspections.com

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Tue Feb 11, 2020 12:00 pm, edited 5 times in total.

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PostPosted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:20 pm 
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The Carbon Monoxide Sick Houses. Many houses in fact, all along this street.

By Andy Shaw - Feb 22 / 2010


Some builders of new homes wonder actively encourage buyers to not get a good independent inspection of your new home. They say the house is looked at many times during the construction process, so what could be wrong they say. But think about it. If a builder has nothing to hide then what's their problem ??

The fact is, that many things are wrong, code violations abound, and many things are not installed properly or are completely missing.

The photo below is of a HRV Tandem Vent at the back of a home. This dual HRV vent is a single unit that sucks air in from the bottom to the HRV, and the exhaust air from the house goes out the top of the vent. Note that it's directly above a gutter and right beside the white exhaust pipe vent from the homes gas water heater. As well, the intake at the bottom of this vent is missing a screen that is required by code to prevent vermin and insects from entering the duct of this ventilation system.
Imagine a nest of mice and their waste inside the intake vent to this ventilation system. This would not be a good situation at all.

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In this case the bottom of the vent is too close to the gutter which is considered a "permanent horizontal surface". An 18 inch clearance is the Ontario Building Code minimum requirement for this height rule.

And, the most serious issue, is that this HRV Vent is required by the Gas Code to be 6 feet away from the white exhaust pipe beside the HRV Vent.


In conclusion, this HRV Vent installation in the photo violates 2 Ontario Building Codes and one Gas Code. One of the violations is a health safety matter.

Andy Shaw - 905 876 4761
Halton Home Inspection Service
http://www.haltoninspections.com

UPDATE After this post was made, this issue was repaired. However, the repair was not done promptly.

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


Last edited by Halton Home Inspector on Sun Feb 28, 2016 9:16 am, edited 12 times in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Sep 06, 2008 10:22 am 
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We just had an inspection done by Andy.. he was very detailed and precise.
We were very pleased with our inspection.

Thanks again Andy


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:43 am 
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Thank you Sean C. and Jen for your comments.

Andy Shaw
Halton Home Inspection Service

905 876 4761

http://www.haltoninspections.com

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


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 Post subject: Halton Home Inspection
PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:47 pm 
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Andy did an excellent job at out home. He spent extra time and took care of additional items! We would recommend him.
Atiq


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PostPosted: Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:25 pm 
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Thanks Atiq

Here is a link to the type of sump back up pump that we were talking about. It requires no electricity or battery. All you need is normal water pressure and it will function.

http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10292153&whse=bcca&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-CA

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For Home Inspection services call Andy Shaw at Halton Home Inspection Service. 905 876 4761


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