Here we answer questions about getting a home or commercial property inspection, give tips on home maintenance, and share our knowledge about common home and commercial property issues. We are here to help you. If you can’t find an answer to your questions here, you can always contact us via our contact page.
Most water heaters don’t die of old age. They die because nobody ever checked the one part that’s designed to be sacrificed. That part is the anode rod — and it’s quietly doing the ugliest job in your house. What an Anode Rod Actually Does Inside your water heater tank
This is one of those things that looks fine… until it really, really isn’t. Gas water heaters don’t complain loudly when something’s wrong. They don’t leak right away. They don’t trip breakers. They just keep burning — and if the exhaust isn’t leaving the house the way it should, that’s
From the street, stucco and EIFS can look identical. Same texture. Same color. Same clean lines. From an inspection standpoint, though, they live in completely different risk categories — and confusing the two is how moisture problems turn into structural ones. Stucco and EIFS Are Not the Same Thing Traditional
Homes built in the 1980s and 1990s often feel like a safe middle ground for buyers. They’re newer than mid-century homes, usually have more open layouts, and tend to look familiar. Many buyers assume that because these homes aren’t “old,” the inspection will be straightforward. From experience, this is where
Items Hitting Transition Points Together One of the defining features of early 2000s homes today is timing. Many major systems—roofing, HVAC, water heaters, appliances—are now reaching the end of their expected service life around the same time. Individually, none of this is surprising. Collectively, it can be overwhelming. Buyers often
Flipped homes can be some of the most emotionally persuasive properties buyers walk into. Fresh paint, new flooring, updated kitchens, modern fixtures—everything looks clean, current, and move-in ready. For buyers who don’t want a project, a flip can feel like the perfect answer. From an inspection standpoint, though, flipped homes
Not all renovations are created with the same goal in mind, and during inspections, that difference shows up quickly. Buyers often use the word “renovated” as if it automatically means improved, but who did the renovation and why matters far more than how new something looks. At Upchurch Inspection, we
Buyers often describe homes as either “builder homes” or “custom homes,” and there’s usually an assumption baked into that language. Tract homes are seen as generic but safe. Custom homes are seen as higher quality and better built. From an inspection standpoint, neither label tells the full story. Both tract
“Affordable” is one of the most misleading words in real estate. Buyers usually mean it in terms of purchase price. Lower monthly payment. Lower upfront cost. A number that fits comfortably within a lender’s approval range. On paper, the home makes sense. During inspections, though, we’re often looking at affordability
One of the questions we hear most often during inspections sounds simple on the surface: “How long do you think this will last?” Buyers ask it about roofs, HVAC systems, water heaters, and almost everything in between. It’s a fair question. People want timelines. They want to plan. They want
It’s common for buyers to open an inspection report and feel a moment of panic. Page after page of issues. Photos with arrows. Language that feels serious. Even when the house felt solid during the walkthrough, the report can read like a catalog of problems. We hear it all the
One of the first things buyers notice when reading an inspection report is the language. It can feel cautious. Sometimes repetitive. Occasionally frustratingly noncommittal. “This may indicate…”“This could lead to…”“Recommend further evaluation…” To someone who isn’t used to inspection reports, that wording can sound evasive. Like the inspector is hedging
