RIVER CITY INSPECTIONS, LLC

Serving Missoula, MT, and the surrounding area

406-555-1212

406-555-1212

406-555-1212

RIVER CITY INSPECTIONS, LLC

406-240-7940

Serving Missoula, MT, and the surrounding area

Gabe Semenza

Certified professional inspector

  • Home

  • Services

    • Real Estate Inspections
    • Infrared Inspections
    • Radon Testing
    • Water Quality Testing
  • Buy Back Guarantee

  • About

  • Blog

  • Testimonials

  • Contact

  • More

    Use tab to navigate through the menu items.
    Gabe Semenza River City Inspections Missoula home inspection home inpecto
    • All Posts
    • Radon Testing
    • Home Inspections
    • Fun
    • General
    • Common Issues
    Search
    Know your plumbing terms
    Gabe Semenza
    • May 28, 2019
    • 13 min

    Know your plumbing terms

    Plumbing may be defined as the practice, materials and fixtures used in the installation, maintenance and alteration of all piping, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances in connection with sanitary and storm drainage facilities, the venting system, and public and private water supply systems. Plumbing does not include the trade of drilling water wells, installing water-softening equipment, or the business of manufacturing or selling plumbing fixtures, appliances, equipment o
    19 views0 comments
    Spring is coming: So is runoff
    Gabe Semenza
    • Mar 14, 2019
    • 2 min

    Spring is coming: So is runoff

    By Gabe Semenza Have you seen that big yellow thing in the sky? I believe scientists refer to it as a sun. I distinctly remember seeing it sometime last October. Oy ... Ah, spring. I can already smell the flowers. And the bear scat. Missoula meteorologists predict a warm-up during the next seven days. Temperatures could reach the mid-50s by next week. As KPAX notes: "As a result of warming daytime temperatures, snow melt will begin in the lower elevations. With the ground sti
    55 views1 comment
    Ever consider a panic room?
    Gabe Semenza
    • Mar 12, 2019
    • 6 min

    Ever consider a panic room?

    By Nick Gromicko A safe room, also known as a panic room, is a fortified room that is installed in a private residence or business to provide a safe hiding place for inhabitants in the event of an emergency. Safe Rooms Around the World In Mexico, where kidnappings are relatively common, some people use safe rooms as an alternative (or a supplement) to bodyguards. In Israel, bullet- and fire-resistant security rooms have been mandated for all new construction since 1992. Since
    13 views0 comments
    Pre-listing inspection for sellers
    Gabe Semenza
    • Feb 21, 2019
    • 1 min

    Pre-listing inspection for sellers

    Eventually, your buyers are going to pay to conduct an inspection. You may as well know what they are going to find by getting your own first.  Having an inspection performed ahead of time helps in many other ways, such as: It allows you to see your home through the eyes of a critical and neutral third party. It alerts you to immediate safety issues before agents and visitors tour your home. It may alert you to items of immediate concern, such as radon gas or active termite i
    12 views0 comments
    Log home basics
    Gabe Semenza
    • Feb 19, 2019
    • 6 min

    Log home basics

    Log homes may be site-built or pre-cut in a factory for delivery to the site. Some log home manufacturers can also customize their designs. Before designing or purchasing a manufactured log home, you need to consider the following factors for energy efficiency. The R-Value of Wood In a log home, the wood helps provide some insulation. Wood's thermal resistance (or resistance to heat flow) is measured by its R-value. The higher the R-value, the more thermal resistance. The R-
    30 views1 comment
    Former Olympian blames radon for lung cancer
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 31, 2019
    • 2 min

    Former Olympian blames radon for lung cancer

    By Gabe Semenza Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United states, behind only smoking. Children are especially susceptible. It kills an estimated 21,000 people per year. Apparently, Olympic athletes aren't immune either. According to a news story published this week, Rachael Malmberg, a former U.S. Women's Olympic hockey team member, fell ill with stage 4 lung cancer, which she blames on dangerous levels of radon in her home. According to the story: The 3
    7 views0 comments
    House numbers: They could save your life
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 29, 2019
    • 3 min

    House numbers: They could save your life

    By Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard Ever wonder about your house number? Often, the previous owner installed the number and the new owner never had to think about it, leaving them clueless as to why it was placed where it is or why a particular color or size was chosen. These numbers are more important than you probably realize, and a lot of thought goes into making sure they are visible. House numbers should be clear enough so that police, the fire department, paramedics,
    34 views0 comments
    Re-roof or repair?
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 22, 2019
    • 5 min

    Re-roof or repair?

    Roof and Drainage System Maintenance and Replacement By Michael Chotiner of The Home Depot Roof assessments are among the most valuable observations a home inspector can provide for a prospective home buyer in the pre-purchase inspection report. Authoritative judgments about if and when a roof may need replacement can have a significant impact on price negotiations and/or the buyer’s planning. The primary reasons for replacing a shingle roof include: Age. Standard-weight 3-ta
    25 views1 comment
    10 best places to hide valuables
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 15, 2019
    • 5 min

    10 best places to hide valuables

    By Nick Gromicko and Kate Tarasenko Burglary is a crime of opportunity.  And burglars don’t want to spend a lot of time looking through a home to find things of value to steal, which is why there are obvious locations that they always check.  That means that there are ways to outsmart them by hiding your valuables in not-so-obvious places, and sometimes even in plain sight. Depending on the size and type of item, the best places to hide valuables are those that burglars don’t
    13 views0 comments
    Smoke detectors, alarms systems and upgrades
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 10, 2019
    • 3 min

    Smoke detectors, alarms systems and upgrades

    By Michael Chotiner of The Home Depot The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 2013 72) has set standards to transition away from smoke alarms powered by removable 9-volt batteries and encourage the adoption of new technologies.  The most recent version of the code requires smoke alarms to be hard-wired, interconnected, and backed up with a 10-year sealed battery. It also reinforces requirements for the placement around the home of smoke alarms, namely: in all bedroom
    23 views0 comments
    Business boom continues in Missoula
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 8, 2019
    • 1 min

    Business boom continues in Missoula

    While 2017 was a record year for building permits in Missoula ($277 million worth, according to the Missoula Current) 2019 appears to be financially promising, as well. Consider the various projects planned for or continuing this year: The Riverfront Triangle Project could begin physical development this year. This project could include a 60,000-square-foot conference center, 10-story hotel, underground parking and seven acres of office, housing and commercial space. At an es
    3 views0 comments
    Top 5: Fast fixes for faulty windows
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 3, 2019
    • 5 min

    Top 5: Fast fixes for faulty windows

    By Joseph Truini for The Home Depot There’s a common misconception that if your home has older windows that are in less-than-perfect condition, you must replace them with new windows. But as long as the window is structurally sound, you can fix most problems and extend the window’s service life by many years. Of course, there are instances when a window is so badly damaged that it’s beyond repair, such as when the entire frame is rotted, or if there’s extensive termite damage
    11 views0 comments
    VA loan basics
    Gabe Semenza
    • Jan 1, 2019
    • 3 min

    VA loan basics

    By Nick Gromicko A VA loan is a mortgage loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Like FHA loans, VA loans are backed by the federal government in order to protect lenders against default, an assurance that removes barriers to home buying for prospective homeowners when they attempt to get a mortgage. This loan guarantee has its origins in the Servicemen's Readjustment Act (more commonly known as the G.I. Bill), passed by U.S. Congress in 1944 to provi
    5 views0 comments
    Electricity 101: Understanding the service panel
    Gabe Semenza
    • Dec 19, 2018
    • 5 min

    Electricity 101: Understanding the service panel

    By Fran J. Donegan of The Home Depot Many homeowners who are unfamiliar with construction and wiring are timid when it comes to electrical work. It makes perfect sense to have a healthy respect for electricity—it can be dangerous if you don't understand it. To give you confidence and a little knowledge to help you discuss electrical problems with an electrician, let’s explore how the service panel (or panel box) controls your home's electrical system. The Service Panel After
    7 views0 comments
    Protect your property from water damage
    Gabe Semenza
    • Dec 12, 2018
    • 4 min

    Protect your property from water damage

    Water may be essential to life, but, as a destructive force, water can diminish the value of your home or building. Homes as well as commercial buildings can suffer water damage that results in increased maintenance costs, a decrease in the value of the property, lowered productivity, and potential liability associated with a decline in indoor air quality. The best way to protect against this potential loss is to ensure that the building components which enclose the structure
    10 views0 comments
    Wildlife control at home
    Gabe Semenza
    • Dec 10, 2018
    • 8 min

    Wildlife control at home

    Montana is Ground Zero for wildlife. Here's how to control wildlife damage around the home with common-sense control methods. By Nick Gromicko Whether you are a home gardener, enjoy landscaping around your home, or just own your own home, there are times when certain species of wildlife can become a nuisance and cause damage to plants, and even greater economic losses. Wildlife damage can occur throughout the year, but the fall and winter months are times when food supplies a
    4 views0 comments
    10 easy ways to save money, energy in your home
    Gabe Semenza
    • Dec 6, 2018
    • 8 min

    10 easy ways to save money, energy in your home

    By Nick Gromicko, Ben Gromicko, and Kenton Shepard Most people don’t know how easy it is to make their homes run on less energy, and here at InterNACHI, we want to change that. Drastic reductions in heating, cooling and electricity costs can be accomplished through very simple changes, most of which homeowners can do themselves. Of course, for homeowners who want to take advantage of the most up-to-date knowledge and systems in home energy efficiency, InterNACHI energy audito
    7 views0 comments
    The Buy-Back Guarantee
    Gabe Semenza
    • Nov 26, 2018
    • 1 min

    The Buy-Back Guarantee

    If you hire me to inspect the home you are considering buying - and I miss something I should have found - the home will be purchased back from you at the price you paid. How many inspectors can say that? As a Certified Professional Inspector trained by the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), I'm able to offer not just a thorough inspection and reliable report but something no one else in the industry does: InterNACHI's Buy-Back Guarantee. Thi
    8 views0 comments
    Holiday home safety tips
    Gabe Semenza
    • Nov 23, 2018
    • 4 min

    Holiday home safety tips

    The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. InterNACHI recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable. Holiday Lighting - Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials. - Keep candles away from decorations and other
    5 views0 comments
    Asbestos: Facts and tips
    Gabe Semenza
    • Nov 19, 2018
    • 11 min

    Asbestos: Facts and tips

    What Is Asbestos? Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can be positively identified only with a special type of microscope. There are several types of asbestos fibers. In the past, asbestos was added to a variety of products to strengthen them and to provide heat insulation and fire resistance. How Can Asbestos Affect Human Health? From studies of people who were exposed to asbestos in factories and shipyards, we know that breathing high levels of asbestos fibers can lead to an i
    13 views0 comments
    1
    2

    HELPFUL LINKS

    About

    buy back guarantee

    Testimonials

    Blog

    SERVICES

    real estate Inspections

    Infrared inspections

    CONNECT WITH ME

    • Facebook Social Icon
    • Twitter Social Icon

    radon testing

    water quality testing

    CONTACT

    406-240-7940

    gabe@InspectMissoulaMt.com

    © River City Inspections LLC 2018