Bedrooms: Sleeping Safe and Sound

Many of the homes I have inspected over the past year have living areas in basements or attics. In older homes, the basements and attics have been converted from basic storage areas into finished bedrooms. In real estate terms, these rooms may be defined as "non-conforming bedrooms;" that is, rooms that do not fit the legal description of a bedroom. A room with no a closet space, without a safe means of exit in case of an emergency, or lacking heating or ventilation can be classified as a non-conforming bedroom. Typically, such a room was added without the benefit of a city or county building permit.

Safety is my first and foremost concern when doing a home inspection. As a father of two young children, it is my responsibility to ensure their safety and that carries over into my work.

If you have a bedroom or living area that could be classified as non-conforming, please read the following article on the safety concerns associated with these areas. In an emergency, you don't want to find out an area of your home lacked the access emergency personal needed to get to someone in your home.

The following article reviews the minimum requirements, if you suspect an area of your home does not meet these requirements, I urge you to meet with a qualified licensed contractor to bring you home to code and more specifically, to the level of safety you want for you family.

FAQ: How did you come up with the name All Angles Home Inspections?

Frequently Asked Question:

How did you come up with the name All Angles Home Inspections?

The Last of the April Showers -- Be Careful of Flooding

Over the last few days, we've gotten crazy amounts of rain in our area. In fact, while today seems to be a beautifully sunny day, this morning there are still flood warnings in Camden County, Cumberland County Gloucester County, Ocean County and Salem County.

Travelling around Buena, Hammonton, Millville and Vineland the past few days, I've seen many homes with hoses running out of the basements. As I've posted in the past, water isn't kind to homes, as a home inspector, I'm constantly telling my clients, friends and family to be sure they take the necessary steps to move rainwater away from the foundation of their homes. (See my previous posts on gutters and downspouts, rainwater drainage systems and waterproofing for basements.)

Today, I thought it would be important to share how important it is to do a thorough clean up after flood damage and make the necessary repairs to prevent flooding from happening again.

Below is an article provided by InterNACHI, the international certification board for home inspectors (to which I am a member). It provides great information for what I'm looking out for when doing an inspection in a flood damaged building along with advice for homeowners (and home buyers).