PineBreeze Inspections

The Best Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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When you’re at home, it’s all about being comfortable and feeling at ease—which is why you try to make it a safe place for you and your loved ones. Stay savvy about your home’s safety with technology like smart smoke and carbon monoxide detectors—devices that protect you, your family, and your home.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Due to its odorless and colorless characteristics, carbon monoxide remains a significant danger for families everywhere. Known as the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide can be produced and released by any fuel-burning device in your home, such as the stove, furnace, and heater. Even though carbon monoxide (CO) alarms remain the most accurate means of detecting this very dangerous gas, an estimated 40% of American homes do not have any means of monitoring CO levels. This is a dangerous gamble for you and your family.

What Is a Smart Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector?

Smart smoke detectors and those that sense carbon monoxide conveniently alert you if there is a fire, where the smoke or carbon monoxide is coming from, and what action to take, wherever you are. These devices are connected to the internet, which allows them to communicate through apps to deliver alerts to your smartphone when an alarm sounds.

You’ll receive details about what was detected. For example, telling you there’s smoke in the kitchen when you’re reading in your bedroom or shopping for groceries — so you know exactly what action to take.

Top 3 Best Smart Smoke and CO Detectors

Nest Protect

Nest’s smoke alarm detects both smoke and carbon monoxide. When it does pick up something, it will not only sound an alarm but also tell you in what room the alert is coming from and the nature of the alert. An LED ring on the bottom of the alarm also changes color, giving you a visual cue.

The Nest Protect comes in both wired and battery-powered versions. If you have more than one in your home, and one goes off, the others will, too, alert you to the location of the fire.

The Nest Protect also works with a wide range of smart-home devices. For example, in an emergency, the Nest can automatically turn on your lights, making it easier to leave your house. However, this only works for those without converting their Nest account to a Google Assistant account.

First Alert Onelink Safe and Sound

If you’re looking for a smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector with tons of functionality, your best option may be the new Onelink Safe & Sound. This has an abundance of features, including push notifications, a built-in Bluetooth speaker, a customizable night light, and Amazon Alexa functionality—yes, that’s right—it lets you give voice commands directly to your smoke detector.

Overall, this smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector is packed with intelligent features and does its main job well, alerting you immediately with push notifications if it ever goes off. However, it’s quite expensive, and many of the features that command its higher price seem unnecessary. If you like the idea of using your smoke detector to play music or as an Alexa device, you can feel secure that this device will protect your home and family, but if the extraneous features don’t appeal to you, there are cheaper, equally reliable options, such as the Nest Protect.

Ring Alarm Smoke and CO Listener

The Ring listener alarm offers an inexpensive way to turn your home’s fire alarms into “smart” units. Ring is known for smart home and DIY security equipment, from its revolutionary video doorbell to its smart lights and locks. A dedicated smart listener, the Ring Alarm Smoke and CO Listener works with existing smoke and CO alarms.

Users can place the Ring Listener up to 6 feet away from their existing smoke and carbon monoxide detector. If the detector goes off, the listener senses the alarm and sends an alert to a smartphone. However, users already must have a Ring Alarm security system base station. A smart choice for renters or for those who have a hard-wired detector installed, the Ring Listener is easy to set up.

Consideration Before Selling Your Home

If you are planning on selling your home, talk to your real estate agent about the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and possibly your local fire department as well. You can save yourself time and unnecessary delays by meeting the requirements prior to your closing. The last thing you will want to do is scramble at the last minute to find an electrician to replace old detectors. Selling a home and moving is stressful enough as it is.

Experienced home inspectors, like ourselves, will test the smoke and CO detectors in the home and mark whether they are operable. Smart detectors add a layer of security for your family and peace of mind for the next homeowner.

When it comes to providing the best home inspections in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area, PineBreeze Inspections stands at the ready. Whether you need a standard home or a commercial building inspection, schedule an appointment with us today. Don’t leave it to chance; let us put your mind at ease with a total property inspection.

7 Lies You Can’t Tell When Selling Your Home

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If you’re getting ready to sell your home or have already put it on the market, it can be tempting to gloss over a few negatives. After all, does the buyer need to know about that ant problem you get in the summer months or your fight with your cranky neighbor?

Well, yes, they do. Hiding any kind of problem that will cost the new owners time and money to fix or make them regret buying the house could land you in hot water. You may even be sued for substantial damages. Here are some of the biggest offenders.

Lead-Based Paint

If your house was built before 1978, federal law requires you to disclose whether or not you are aware of the presence of lead-based paint.

If your home is listed with a real estate agent, he or she will ask you to sign a form indicating whether you know the presence of lead-based paint. If you don’t know, that’s OK—check the box that says you are unaware of any lead-based paint. But you are still required to fill out the form and sign it.

Any Asbestos In The Structure

Once upon a time, asbestos was a staple in home construction. Its fire retardant properties and excellent sound absorption and insulation made it valuable. This was until, of course, it was discovered that airborne asbestos particles can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.

Asbestos is costly and dangerous to remove, and as a seller, you typically have two choices: get rid of it through a specialized firm or disclose it and tell the new owners it’s their problem. No doubt they will want to reduce their offer so that they can pay to have it removed safely. They may just back out of the sale, too. But if you know about it and don’t disclose it, you can be sued, depending on where you live.

Drainage Issues

If you’re touring a home on a sunny day, chances are the sellers won’t point out that their home has drainage issues when it rains. To uncover signs of past or potential water problems, look for cracks in sidewalks, retaining walls, fences, and foundations. Pooling water causes many problems, so don’t let clear skies mask a dark cloud of costly repairs in the presence of precipitation.

Termite Damage

Treating a house for termites is expensive, and if fresh termite activity is found in the structure of your home, the buyer’s lender may refuse to loan money until the house has been treated and any damage has been repaired. If your house had termite damage in the past and you had the house treated, be sure to disclose the information (and show your receipts). Never try to conceal fresh termite damage. Most lenders require a separate termite inspection, so if your house has damage, they’ll find it.

Foundation Problems

The foundation of a home is a big deal, so if there are problems with it, you have to fix them or let prospective owners know what the issue is and an estimate of what it will cost to repair. Home Advisor says the average cost to repair foundation issues comes in at over $4,000, although it can go as high as $11,000 for a serious repair. That’s a big chunk of change that the new owners will have to fork over, and they won’t want to find out after they’ve moved in.

You would probably be better off getting it repaired yourself before putting the home on the market, as any sentence including “foundation problem” and “home for sale” will put a lot of people off. They may even think it will cost way more to fix than it does.

Pool Issues

If you’re buying a home with a pool, don’t assume your inspector is qualified to detect leaks and equipment issues that a seller fails to disclose. Pools have complex systems that require specific expertise to evaluate properly, and most home inspection reports include a disclaimer regarding pools. Before you take the plunge, hire a professional pool expert to review the structure and flag any costly potential problems.

Remodeling Done Without a Permit

Most communities have permit regulations, and if you remodel your home without a permit, it’s understandable that you’d be cautious about revealing that. While you might think no one will notice, failure to disclose this little fact will get you busted nearly every time. Your local building authority reports construction changes to the county Register of Deeds, so you could get caught when someone notices that your home’s existing configuration does not match the description on record. You could also be sued later if some of your remodeling was not up to the building code. To be on the safe side, disclose it now.

Don’t Sell Your Home Without A Professional Home Inspection – Contact PineBreeze Inspections Today

Our list of seven things to disclose when selling a house isn’t complete without mentioning the need for a home inspection. The master home inspectors at PineBreeze Inspections will walk you through your inspection process from start to finish, ensuring your home is ready to sell when you are. Contact PineBreeze today to schedule your home inspection, and rest easy knowing the professionals are on the job.

5 Expensive Repairs a Home Inspection Can Uncover

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Home repairs often come with a hefty price tag, so it’s essential to have a home inspection before you make the largest financial purchase of your life.

Waiving a home inspection can quickly turn your dream home into a money pit. The problem is that not all the most expensive repairs are visible to the average person walking through a home. Staging can cover up significant deficiencies, and you can’t always rely on disclosure to understand the depths of disrepair.

We’ve outlined five of the most expensive repairs below to help you better understand what can go wrong with any property and how to spot problems.

Foundation

A small percentage of foundation claims involve defects in the workmanship, such as the home’s engineering or architectural design specifications. Concrete, natural cracks and most foundations built more than 40 years ago lack enforcement to limit cracking. Some older homes have foundations made of unreinforced cinder block, which tends to crack.

When it comes to foundation cracks, size does not matter. Foundation cracks are not and should never be described as “typical.” Do not give in to the temptation to weigh into whether or not a crack is “serious” in nature. Because most foundation damage begins where you cannot see it, it’s not always possible to assess a crack’s severity by eye. Without being an alarmist, you can effectively report foundation cracks and have the home buyer seek further evaluation by a structural engineer. An evaluation or inspection can save you from facing more expensive repairs down the line.

Water Damage

If roof leaks, overflowing cooling systems, bathroom plumbing leaks, or leaks from any other source have caused visible damage to your home, have the damage repaired.

Repairing the water damage once you’ve fixed the leak can help prevent unnecessary concerns about the home. Your buyers may have enough to worry about, adding a list of unnecessary defects to a home inspection report because you neglected to repair the old water damage, which sabotages your repairs and invites speculation and anxiety.

You may ask, “Why would a home inspector write up a dry stain?” Good question. The answer is that a home inspection is a visual-only, non-destructive inspection. Inspectors work on evidence and won’t take a seller’s word that a documented water stain was a holdover from a repaired roof leak, for example.

Roof

Roofing problems can cover various issues, from a missing shingle or two to a rotten underlayment. Either way, you will want to bring in your own professional.

Your best action is to hire your professional roofer for a second opinion. Remember that home inspectors are not professional roofers! Just because they think something’s seriously wrong with your roof doesn’t mean there is. The home inspector technically works for the buyer; you need a professional.

Once your roofer gives you the scoop, you have options. You can choose to fix the roof on your dime or offer the buyer a “credit” for the repairs. You also have the option of ignoring inspection and your roofer’s repair advice, but be forewarned that anything you find out during the inspection process becomes a “material fact,” which means you have to reveal it to the next buyer who comes along should your current contract fall through.

Deck

A well-built deck will last for decades. But a deck rotting or missing fasteners or moving when you walk on it may be dangerous. Decks built by inexperienced do-it-yourselfers, not inspected when built, or more than 15 years old (building codes were different back then!) are susceptible to severe problems. Every year, people are severely injured, even killed, when decks like these fall. This usually happens during parties when the deck is filled with guests.

Septic

A septic system is designed to last 30-50 (or more) years, but mistreatment can be very expensive, with a new system costing between $20,000 and $50,000. Different types of septic systems have changed over the years. Houses built in previous decades adhered to older building codes, which are now obsolete, and new codes are adopted every few years. If a system fails and is outdated, you may be required to replace the system while adhering to the new codes.

Contact Us For Your Total Home Inspection in Colorado Springs

A total home inspection is an absolute must for both home buyers and home sellers. Contact PineBreeze Inspection today to book your inspection and learn about the home you want to purchase. We will get back to you right away. Our team is eager to help you through the home-buying journey in Colorado Springs.

Common Issues to Fix Before You Move Into the House

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So you found a home, started packing and are almost ready to move. Congrats!

Before you load up that moving truck, though, consider what you’re actually moving into. Whether the home is older or newer, chances are good that you’ll inherit a few quirks and issues. Most problems should be pointed out during the home’s inspection prior to the closing. After reviewing the issues, you may be wondering which home problems to fix before moving in and which to wait on.

After all, some issues are worse than others. Problems such as damaged window treatments and broken light fixtures can probably wait until after you move in to be addressed. However, other issues are best remedied before moving a truckload of furniture and belongings inside.

A home inspection is extremely important before you buy a house, or you will spend a lot of money fixing problems you could have identified. Some of the most common problems are plumbing issues. On the other hand, sellers may conceal a problem to secure a sale. However, even though you carefully inspected a house before buying, there are some things you should check regardless of the house. Below, we’ve included six common household problems that must be fixed before moving into a new home.

Pest-proof your house

Before you move into the new house, hire a professional pest control company to ensure you get rid of pests. Then you can start pest-proofing your house. First of all, install door sweeps at the base of all exterior doors. Caulk the bottom outside edge and sides of door thresholds and any cracks around windows and doors. Seal all utility openings where pipes and wires enter the house with urethane expandable foam, steel wool, caulk, cement, or copper mesh. Invest in wire mesh over the roof, the attic and crawl space vents and install a chimney cap.

Fix squeaking and creaking

You can de-squeak your doors by applying surfboard wax, petroleum jelly, or lubricating oil on the hinges. You can also use vegetable oils. However, avoid canola oil as it can attract pests. The main cause of creaking floors is wood shrinkage around the nails on the floorboards. You should locate the creaking floorboards and re-screw and tighten the nails.

Water pipes can become noisy due to a water hammer. Shut off the main valve. Turn on the lowest tap in the house to drain all water from the pipe. Turn off the lowest tap and reopen the main valve. Another reason for banging water pipes is high water pressure. Invest in a water-pressure regulator or a pressure-reducing valve.

Drafty Windows

Moving in the winter when drafty windows affect the inside temperature? Replacing old windows with new, energy-efficient ones might not be a bad idea. While some homeowners wait to do this, we recommend doing it before moving in. After you close on the house, enlist a window company to come to the home, take measurements and provide a quote for new windows. If you decide to move forward, arrange to have all the new windows put in the home before moving day. The reason? Removing old windows and installing new ones is a time-consuming process – one that will most certainly inconvenience anyone living in the home.

Have The Heating And Cooling Systems Cleaned

You should have the heating and cleaning systems cleaned once a year. Regarding the heating system, you should definitely call professionals if you can smell mold, if you notice excessive debris in the ducts, or if you and your family members experience allergy symptoms. You should also clean an air conditioner by cleaning and replacing a filter, keeping condenser and evaporator coils clean, and keeping outdoor equipment clear of debris.

Change The Locks

You’ll never know how many keys are floating around for your new home unless you get new or re-key the existing ones. The previous owners may have given a key to neighbors, workmen, relatives, or cleaning services, and you’ll get some peace of mind if you get new ones. This project is to be done just before or soon after you move in.

Use your inspection report as a ‘to-do’ list for maintenance

After you buy a house, address any issues flagged on your home inspection report that the seller didn’t fix. Using the report as a guide, make a list of things to repair, update or maintain for the future, ranking them from most to least urgent. You’ll want to address items that can potentially blow up and cost you money later, such as dirty gutters, leaky pipes, or doors and windows needing resealing.