VA loans are a popular alternative for veterans who wish to own their own home, as these loans offer eligible borrowers benefits they could not receive from conventional financing, or even from FHA loans. To find out more about VA loans, their perks and who qualifies, check out our new article on VA loan basics.

Every year, thousands of people die and countless more are injured from falls down stairs. Many of these accidents – most of which are sustained by small children and the elderly – can be prevented through safe use practices as well as a careful inspection for defects. To learn more, check out our new article on stairway inspection.

Every year, thousands of people die and countless more are injured from falls down stairs. Many of these accidents – most of which are sustained by small children and the elderly – can be prevented through safe use practices as well as a careful inspection for defects. To learn more, check out our new article on stairway inspection.

FHA was created in response to the housing crash of the Great Depression, an era of soaring foreclosures and loan defaults somewhat similar to the real estate climate of today. Prospective homeowners and inspectors alike should be aware of FHA loans and what makes them different from conventional mortgages. Learn how FHA can make things easier – or harder – for the new homeowner in our new article on FHA loan basics.

This is a good article for inspectors to give to their clients who have young children.  Child-Proofing Windows and Stairs.

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Barbeques are inherently dangerous, but there are things that homeowners can do to make sure their families remain safe and happy. It’s important to understand the dangers that are unique to each grill type, including charcoal, propane and electric. For instance, people have been seriously injured by unnoticed leaks in propane grills and sudden bursts from charcoal lighter fluid. Also, all of these grills need to be maintained regularly. To find out more, check out our new article on barbeque safety.

Inspectors should expect to start seeing fire sprinklers more often in residences. But they won’t look like typical commercial sprinklers, as these new residential fire sprinklers can be made flush with the ceiling and colored to match any decor. And they’re very sensitive, too. The most important advantage of these systems is that they significantly reduce the amount of time required for action to be take against a fire, as fire crews may take a long time to reach the location. To find out more about these new systems, check out our new article on residential fire sprinklers.

With desperate economic times, con artists are getting even more clever. Some chase storms, arriving in hurricane-battered neighborhoods and offering cheap roof repairs, while other will solicit you on the phone and disappear with your money. Then there are the genuine tradesmen who rip you off on materials, overcharge you for services or scare you into unnecessarily increasing the size of a job. To find out more about these schemes and how to handle them, take a look at our new article on home repair rip-offs.

Parents take all kinds of precautions to protect their young children, but few consider the hazards inherent to TVs and furniture. These items can easily tip over and crush a small child if preventative measures are not taken. A dresser, for instance, can be bolted to the wall behind it, and TVs should be pushed to the back of their stands. Unfortunately, not enough parents are doing these things, because 15,000 children per year visit the hospital when TVs and furniture fall onto them. To find out more about how to prevent these accidents, take a look at our new article on furniture and TV tip-over hazards.

Termite baits are part of a new termite extermination strategy. Unlike the old “barrier” method, which required large amounts of liquid pesticide be sprayed indiscriminately, termite baits require only a small amount of poison be placed in strategic locations. The downside is that this method takes a long time and it may be more expensive than the barrier method, but it may also eliminate the whole colony without much disruption to the homeowner. As an inspector, you should be able to identify termite baits, as they represent a past or present termite infestation. To find out more, check out our new article on termite baits.

Bed bugs were a serious nuisance before they were mostly eradicated in the 1950’s, but they have once again become a fact of life in many areas. And unlike typical rodent and insect infestations, bed bugs are extremely difficult to find and exterminate, sometimes forcing homeowners to throw away their possessions and temporarily take up new residence. As a result of the extreme persistence of the bugs and the humiliation and inconvenience experienced by victims, some of the afflicted have begun to call the bug “house herpes”. To find out more about bed bug inspection and general information, check out our new article Bed Bugs: Inspecting for the New “House Herpes”

Exercise equipment are large and in motion, which is one reason they can cause physical injury to those using them – or worse yet – unsupervised children. They harbor a large amount of germs, too, especially in commercial gyms where many people use the same machines in quick succession. To find out more about gym germs and what can be done to prevent injury and sickness, check out our new article on exercise equipment dangers.

With concerns over water usage came a line of water-conserving toilet alternatives, one of which is the pressure-assist toilet. Instead of relying solely on gravity, as do standard toilets, pressure-assist toilets expel waste from the bowl through the force of compressed air. With greater force, less water is required, making these fixtures a “green” alternative. To find out more about their advantages, disadvantages and more, check out our new article on pressure-assist toilets.

International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Properties 2011 Edition