Redoing your home's siding is not just about aesthetics; it's also an investment in your home's structural integrity and value. The choice of siding material and the quality of installation can dramatically affect the lifespan and appearance of your home. Knowing what...
Home Improvement
Types of Pests That You Need to Keep Out of Your Home
Keeping pests out of your home is essential for maintaining a safe and comfortable living environment. Certain pests pose significant risks, ranging from health concerns to structural damage. Understanding the types of pests that can infiltrate your home and taking...
Common Attic Issues and How to Deal With Them
Most houses have attics. Attics are supposed to help your home’s temperature stay more consistent by providing a large pocket of slow-moving air, making them advantageous to homeowners. Despite their benefits, having an attic means you are susceptible to common attic...
What You Can Do About Water Leaking From Your Roof
Don't let a leaking roof go unattended--it can cause major destruction to your home and its contents. Fortunately, there are preventive measures you can take as well as repairs for existing water leak issues that will get the job done quickly. We'll explore potential...
How to Make Sure Pests Don’t Infest Your Home
Don't let the threat of pests disrupt your peace! Taking proactive steps to protect your family and home is essential. Here are three ways to keep pesky critters out: maintaining your landscape, sealing off exterior entry points, and ensuring a clean living...
Major Systems in an Old Home That May Need Replacing
If you are the owner of an older home, there are some major systems that you may need to replace. While these systems may still be functioning, they may not be up to date with today’s standards. Replacing these systems can help improve the efficiency and comfort of...
Why You Should Catch Maintenance Issues Early
How familiar are you with your home’s condition? Do you keep up on home maintenance religiously? Or are you one of those homeowners who wait for something to be obviously wrong before you start thinking about addressing it? While there is a certain appeal to the...
How to Make Your Home More Resilient to Weather
Are you tired of finding leaks in your roof each year when the rainy season comes along? Or have you noticed your power bill skyrocket during the winter due to poor insulation? Your house can take a beating if you live in an area with drastic weather changes. Here are...
15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own
The following items are essential tools, but this list is by no means exhaustive. Feel free to ask us during your next inspection about other tools that you might find useful. 1. Plunger A clogged sink or toilet is one of the most inconvenient household problems...
Plumbing Terms
Plumbing may be defined as the practice, materials and fixtures used in the installation, maintenance and alteration of all piping, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances in connection with sanitary and storm drainage facilities, the venting system, and public and...
Roofing Information and Types
Roofs play a key role in protecting building occupants and interiors from outside weather conditions, primarily moisture. The roof, insulation and ventilation must all work together to keep the building free of moisture. Roofs also provide protection from the sun. In...
Central Air-Conditioning System
A building's central air-conditioning system must be periodically inspected and maintained in order to function properly. While an annual inspection performed by a trained professional is recommended, homeowners can do a lot of the work themselves by following the...
Septic Systems: How They Work And 10 Steps To Keep Them Working
Septic systems treat and disperse relatively small volumes of wastewater from individual and small numbers of homes and commercial buildings. Septic system regulation is usually a state and local responsibility. The EPA provides information to homeowners and...
10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home
Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at Tennessee Inspection Services, we want to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which...
How to Insulate and Air-Seal Pull-Down Attic Stairs
Pull-down attic stairs are super-sized attic hatches that just beg homeowners to store more stuff in their attic. Besides the air-leakage and insulation problems stemming from having a particularly large hole in your ceiling, pull-down stairs creates a potential...
Residential Foundation Insulation
Homes being constructed today are more energy-efficient than those built even just a few years ago, primarily due to significant improvements in building products and techniques, as well as development of high-performance heating and cooling systems and other...
How Do I Keep Up on My Rental Property Maintenance?
Is your home's curb appeal beginning to look a little worse for wear? It might just be time to start not only improving your curb appeal but also put a system in place that requires less maintenance. The following suggestions include some methods and strategies that...
Myth or Truth: Will Running an Air Conditioner in Cold Weather Damage It?
Air conditioning is near-ubiquitous in many parts of the country. Householders run their units a lot during the summer months, but they’ll get far less use in the winter. There are some instances where you might want to run your air-con during the winter months. For...
Groundwater Control
Water managed foundation systems prevent the build-up of water against foundation walls, thereby eliminating hydrostatic pressure. No pressure, no force to push water through a hole. Groundwater Control Water managed foundation systems rely on two fundamental...
Crawlspace Insulation
Crawlspaces should be designed and constructed as mini-basements. Crawlspaces should not be vented to the exterior (see FAQ on Crawlspace Venting). They should have their floors uninsulated, the ground vapor sealed, their walls insulated and air sealed, and their air...
How You Can Keep Your Home in Tip Top Shape
Keeping your home in great shape is hard. When you have kids, it’s harder. But working in some different home care habits into a regular schedule can make keeping your home nice a bit easier. Inspections One of the first things that you should think about when it...
6 Steps to Get Ready for a Home Inspection
Home inspections are notorious for their ability to turn a seller's expectations into frustration. When trying to sell your home, nothing is truly certain until the home has gone past the inspection phase. This is true even when you have a buyer with whom you have...
How to Protect Your Home as Winter Approaches
Winter is coming, and this means that a fresh chill is in the air. Sometimes, though, that fresh chill can start sneaking into your home as well. Winterizing your home can save you money and maintenance in the long run! But, while most people understand that...
What You Should Do if You Discover Mice in Your House
To some, mice can be cute and make a great pet. For others, mice are just pests. You can tell that you have mice if you notice small droppings around the house, holes in the walls and furniture, tiny teeth marks in your food, and shredded food packaging. Mice can be...
8 Areas of Your Home That Can Benefit From an Upgrade
Whether there's an area of your home you're just tired of or you really do need to take care of a repair, you can radically upgrade your space in a short time. There are several DIY changes you can make to your home that will brighten the space. Start with the big...
How to Be an Environmentally Conscious Homeowner
If you’re like most everyone in the United States and even the world right now, you have most likely spent the last few couple of months in your homes due to stay at home orders or lockdown orders. Now that we’re moving into the summer, the temperature is going to...
4 Unusual Backyard Ideas That Could Save You Money
Have you ever thought of using your backyard to save you money? Check out these four easy and unique ways that will put that real estate to work for you. Solar Panels The popularity of generating your energy has been growing for years as the cost goes down and the...
What Types of Wood Are Best for Roofing?
Wooden roofs are an elegant and aesthetically pleasing addition to any home. Some people prefer roofs made of wood because wood is a renewable and biodegradable resource. It is important to understand the differences between wood types before beginning the roofing...
Home Improvements That Will Enhance Your Curb Appeal
Is your home's curb appeal beginning to look a little worse for wear? It might just be time to start not only improving your curb appeal but also put a system in place that requires less maintenance. The following suggestions include some methods and strategies that...
Kickout Flashing: Essential Protection Against Water Infiltration
As experienced roofing inspectors at Tennessee Inspection Services, we understand that a well-maintained and water-resistant roofing system is crucial for the longevity and structural integrity of your home. One often overlooked yet critical component in this regard...
Safeguarding Your Foundation: The Crucial Role of Proper Downspout Extension
We're here to shed light on a foundational (pun intended) aspect of home maintenance that often gets overlooked: downspout extension. You might wonder, why the fuss about downspouts? Well, current standards have a good reason for insisting on diverting downspouts at...