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

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

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-

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

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,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My infrared camera helps me to see potential issues other inspectors cannot. That's why I use an infrared camera on every inspection - at no cost to you. Some issues are invisible to the naked eye. But a thermal camera can reveal underlying problems. Whether the issue is missing insulation,  an active moisture leak that could lead to mold or even hidden wiring problems, thermal cameras are a must for every home inspection. Following are just a few examples of what an infrared

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

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

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

Missoula home sales were down in October from a year ago but were still at healthy levels compared to that same month during the last six years. One hundred and twenty-four homes were sold in the Missoula urban area during October, according to the Missoula Organization of REALTORS. While 135 homes sold during that same month a year ago. The organization's latest Market Trends report can be viewed here. County-wide, the slight downward pattern continued. In October 2018, 160