Home Inspection and Construction White Papers
Decker Home Inspection Service
Here are some helpful and informative papers and articles about houses and home related issues.
Electro-Magnetic Field Inspections. A real problem or just a scam? (Are electromagnetic fields really a problem)
Building Codes are not guaranteed to keep you safe (Local building codes are only a bare minimum standard)
Homeowner Responsibility (What home owners have to do for themselves.)
Mold Problems (and Solutions) in Houses (All about mold in in your home)
Split Faced Block Construction, New Problems (Will we see structural collapses in thousands of Chicago buildings?)
Problems with masonry building envelopes in Chicago (Why do Architects get it wrong?)
What is Efflorescence? (A growing problem in the Chicago area)
Evaluation of Masonry Residential Buildings (Water Intrusion in Chicago Condominiums)
Split Faced Block Construction in the Chicago Area (A big problem with an even bigger one on the way!)
How Chicago's Old Brick Buildings Are Being Destroyed (Modern masons are not well trained)
The truth about general contractors, sub-contractors and home repairs (How to avoid costly mistakes in home repairs and remodeling)
How to keep your basement from flooding, and what do do after it floods.
Adjustable Steel Column Problems
Ice Dams. Their causes, dangers and cures
Fiberglass insulation, its problems and solutions
Bathroom Exhaust Fans (Usually improperly installed and can cause mold formation)
Proper Deck Construction (Illustrated. Many decks are unsafe! Also applies to wooden porches.)
National Association of Home Builders - Appliance Life Expectancies.
OSB vs. Plywood. Which is better? Comparing OSB to Plywood in home construction.