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Author: Wesley Upchurch

Posts From This Author

Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Why DIY Mold Test Kits Often Cause Confusion

DIY mold test kits are widely available and often marketed as a quick way to determine whether a home has a mold problem. While these kits may seem convenient, they frequently create more confusion than clarity for homeowners. Understanding the limitations of DIY mold testing helps explain why results can

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

How Moisture Problems Lead to Mold Growth in Homes

Mold does not appear randomly. In nearly every case, mold growth is the result of uncontrolled moisture inside a home. Understanding how moisture enters a building—and how it becomes trapped—helps homeowners prevent mold issues before they become widespread or costly. Why Moisture Is the Root Cause of Mold Mold spores

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Mold Inspection vs. Mold Testing: What Homeowners Should Know

Mold TestingWhen people hear the word mold, it often triggers immediate concern. In reality, mold-related issues are common, manageable, and often misunderstood—especially when it comes to the difference between a mold inspection and mold testing. Understanding how these two services differ can help homeowners and buyers make informed decisions without

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Common Areas Inspectors Find Hidden Mold

Mold issues are often associated with obvious problem areas, such as visibly damaged drywall or musty basements. In practice, however, some of the most significant mold concerns are found in hidden or overlooked areas of a home—places where moisture can persist unnoticed over time. Based on inspections performed throughout West

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Choosing the Right Specialized Inspection for Your Home

Not every home needs every specialized inspection. The goal of specialized inspections is not to add unnecessary services, but to target specific risks that are not fully evaluated during a standard home inspection. Knowing which specialized inspections make sense for a particular property helps homeowners and buyers focus their time,

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Home Inspection Information
Wesley Upchurch

Why Manufactured Homes Require Specialized Inspections

Manufactured homes are built under a federal construction standard, but once they are placed on a property, their performance depends heavily on site conditions, installation quality, and ongoing maintenance. Because of these factors, manufactured homes require a different inspection approach than traditional site-built houses. Across the Mid-South, manufactured housing is

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Engineering Reports
Wesley Upchurch

Load-Bearing Walls: How Inspectors Identify Concerns

Open floor plans and remodeled interiors are common in many Mid-South homes, especially in older properties that have been updated over time. One of the most frequent structural questions that arises during an inspection is whether a wall is load-bearing—and whether it may have been altered improperly. While inspectors do

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Engineering Reports
Wesley Upchurch

What Inspectors Look for in Damaged Trusses

Roof trusses are engineered components designed to carry specific loads in very specific ways. When they are altered, damaged, or compromised, the effects can extend well beyond the immediate area. Because trusses play such a critical role in a home’s structural system, inspectors pay close attention to visible truss conditions

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Exterior & Grounds
Wesley Upchurch

Cracks That Matter vs. Cracks That Don’t

Cracks are one of the most common—and most misunderstood—findings during a home inspection. For many buyers, the presence of any crack immediately raises concerns about structural failure. In reality, not all cracks are created equal, and many are a normal part of how homes age and respond to their environment.

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Engineering Reports
Wesley Upchurch

When a Home Needs a Structural or Engineer’s Evaluation

Not every crack, slope, or framing irregularity indicates a serious structural problem. Homes settle, materials move, and buildings age—especially across the Mid-South, where soil conditions, humidity, and construction methods vary widely. At the same time, there are situations where visible conditions go beyond the scope of a standard home inspection

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Interpreting Water Quality Lab Results Clearly

Water quality lab reports are designed to present technical data, not to explain what that data means for a specific home. For homeowners and buyers, this can make lab results feel confusing or even concerning at first glance. Understanding how to read these reports clearly—and in context—helps turn raw data

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Environmental Testing & Air Quality
Wesley Upchurch

Understanding Bacteria, Nitrates, and Metals in Water

When water testing is recommended during a home inspection, the results often include references to bacteria, nitrates, and metals. These terms can sound technical or alarming at first, but each tells a different story about water quality, the source of the water, and the systems delivering it. Across the Mid-South,

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