Road to Home Inspection Inc.
165 Main Street North L3P 1Y2 Toronto, ON, Canada

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I found a foundation wall crack at a property I inspected. This was a 'temporary fix' to the problem as the patch job only sealed the crack on the surface and not all the way through. The proper way of fixing a crack requires a professional to monitor the crack to see if it is spreading, widening or moving. A foundation contractor can determine the best course of action to provide a permanent fix. Contact Dino for a professional home inspection-- 416 219 8225... www.road2home.ca See more

I inspected a home where the roof shingles required replacement. This can be an expensive venture for an unsuspecting homeowner. Average roof life for shingles is approximately 15 years. This may vary depending on quality, material and installation of shingles. Buying a home? Get it professionally inspected. Call Dino at 416 219 8225 www.road2home.ca

More useful tips to maintain your home: 1. Your FILTER for your FURNACE should be changed every season. Ensure to replace for Winter. 2. Before the weather turns too cold, have a heating professional do a maintenance and check on your HEATING SYSTEM to make sure all is in working order. It's better to discover minor issues before they become major issues and can end up costing you a lot. 3. You may consider DUCT CLEANING to ensure heating system efficiency. This will reduce... dust accumulation and assist with family members whom have respiratory problems. Looking for a Home Inspection? Call Dino at 416 219 8225. www.road2home.ca See more

During inspection, I found an electrical wire used for interior purposes only, installed on an exterior wall. There was an absence of a junction box. This can turn out to be a hazardous situation because of potential electrical shock. Need a Home Inspection? Call Dino at 416 219 8225. www.road2home.ca

A few more tips to follow to keep your home maintained and protected. 1. Locate the main water shut-off valve and ensure it is properly secured and turned to the shut position. Open the taps located on the outside of your home to drain any water left in the pipes. This will keep the water from within the pipes from freezing. 2. To keep the pipes from bursting, make sure they are properly insulated.... Looking to Buy, Sell or even maintain your home? Call Dino--Certified Home Inspector 416 219 8225 www.road2home.ca

Here are a few tips on what to do before the weather gets colder: 1. Gutters and downspouts need to be cleaned and unclogged to prevent build-up of debris. 2. Check to make sure the support brackets are firmly in place and that no water is seeping in behind the gutters. 3. Check for pooling of water--Ensure that water drains are in good working order.... Stay tuned for more tips. Need a home inspection? Call Dino at 416 219 8225 www.road2home.ca

This is a picture of clay weeping tile --generally speaking they are usually present in homes that were built a long time back. This needs to be inspected since this could be the source of a wet basement. As well, tree growth and shrubs may clog them. Buying or Selling a Home? Get it inspected. Call Dino at 416 219 8225 www.road2home.ca

In doing a home inspection, I noticed the exterior kitchen external vent duct which is not covered. Birds or rodents may end up having easy access to your home through openings like this. Recommend installing exterior vent cover. Buying or Selling a home? Get it inspected. Contact Dino at 416 219 8225. Certified Home Inspector

When inspecting this house, the mortar between the window sill was missing allowing water to access behind the brick. This eventually caused a crack and weakness in the brick wall. The cause of this situation is not obviously noticeable. When buying or selling a home, get it inspected by a Certified Home Inspector. Call Dino at 416 219 8225

During a Home Inspection, when checking the attic, it was revealed that there had been some insulation removed and that it required more to fill the gaps and voids. Always get your home inspected before signing the contract. Call Dino--Certified Home Inspector 416 219 8225. www.road2home.ca

White residue in the basement usually indicates efflorescence from water leakage. Buying a home? Get it inspected. Call Dino at 416 219 8225

Aluminum wires are known to fail under extreme heat. The issue is that the fuse is 25 Amp however, the wire going to the fuse is a 14 Gauge aluminum wire rated for only a 15 Amp fuse. This is a fire hazard. Call a Certified Home Inspector and don't leave yourself exposed to danger. Dino 416 219 8225.

Asbestos wrap is sometimes found around the furnace ducts in older homes. This may be problematic and is best to be removed by someone whom specializes in asbestos removal. Get your home inspected--when buying or selling. Call Dino at 416 219 8225.

Bathroom Renovation--recent project completed. Call Dino for a no-obligation quote on your Reno project today! 416 219 8225.

Are you looking for a great home inspector? Ensure they are certified. Call Dino at 416 219 8225.

I found this in one of my home inspections. Of course, this is done incorrectly. The washroom vent is being channeled into the attic. This is problematic as it will create mold. The proper way of doing this, in this case is to channel the vent through the attic to the exterior. All moist air must be expelled outside of the house. Never buy a home without getting it inspected by a Certified Home Inspector. Contact Dino at 416 219 8225.

Mature trees located too close to the foundation wall may prove to be problematic due to overgrown roots affecting and penetrating the drainage tile. Most homeowners are not aware of the dangers of tree root system. Call Dino for complete and thorough home inspection--416 219 8225.

I found this situation at a recent home inspection that I conducted. There are 2 issues here: The first: The orange coloured wire is for inside wall use. If it is located external to a wall, it is required to be in a conduit for protection purposes. The secondary problem is that this was the incorrect type of wire--a speaker wire was being used to turn on the 120 V Garage light. This, of course is a problem. The outcome can be electrical shock and/or fire. Get your house inspected before you buy. Call Dino 416 219 8225.

This is not a proper attic access hatch. A proper access hatch should have the following 3 components: 1. It should be insulated. 2. It should have a plywood or cardboard dam. 3. It should have weather stripping around the edges. See diagram below.... Don't purchase a home without an inspection by a Certified Home Inspector. Call Dino at 416 219 8225. See more

Have you had this problem: The basement has a foul odour. Solution: This could be because a basement 'trap' does not have enough water. What this means is that the plumbing traps which are 'u' shaped pipes beneath the basement floor, do not have adequate water and so the sewer gasses are emanating through the floor drain. A licensed plumber can add a faucet with a trap primer. Problem solved. Call Dino for all of your Home Inspection needs at 416 219 8225.

This picture is displaying and example of Laminate wood flooring curling up in the basement by the exterior wall. A possible reason for this can be attributed to water or seepage which has since dried. When purchasing a home, be aware of leaky basements which can become problematic. Have your home inspected by a qualified home inspector whom can do a Thermal inspection to check for leaks. Call Dino to get a Home inspection 416 219 8225.

Basement foundation walls from the basement side are insulated with insulation and a plastic vapour barrier. A rip on the vapour barrier will allow moisture air to condensate against cold foundation walls. This can result in mold. Dino 416 219 8225

During a home inspection, it was revealed that the furnace air ducts were wrapped with asbestos wrap. This material is known to be dangerous to your health. Don't take chances with the health of your family. Get your home inspected. Call Dino at Road to Home Inspection 416 219 8225. You will be glad you did. www.road2home.ca

During a home inspection, it was revealed that a strong, pungent odour was emanating from beneath the kitchen sink. Further investigation revealed an open waste ABS pipe without a trap. In this situation, the strong smell would rise up with nothing keeping it at bay. If done by a good plumber, this would never be an issue. Get the house inspected! Call Dino at 416 219 8225.

Mold is particularly dangerous and poses a health hazard. It is known to grow and flourish in areas with high humidity and moisture. A common problem is with mold spores which become airborne and cannot be detected with the naked eye. Special air test must be conducted. The pictures below show growth of mold on converters and on wood. Call Dino for a home inspection.

A Certified Home Inspector should have hands-on experience . Currently, I'm consulting on a foundation being poured of a home to which an addition will be added on. For peace of mind, call me for your next home inspection. Dino 416 219 8225.

It is very important that the missing mortar between sill gets replaced. Failure to replace, may mean water travelling behind the brick, becoming frozen when temperatures drop resulting in damaging the brick below. This is a really easy fix--if done right away. Call Dino for a Certified Home Inspection 416 219 8225.

Feeling very fortunate to be so blessed with all that we have. I've had the opportunity to be able to donate funds to a Third World country where the funds were used to build a water station. Knowing that my small contribution went to help so many others, is quite an indescribable feeling. Every Home Inspection that I do, I will continue to contribute towards building more water stations. Please support me by calling on me when you need a Home/Condo Inspection. Dino Biondo: 416 219 8225

The purpose of a fuse or breaker is to protect the wire from over heating and in some cases, catch fire. A fourteen- gauge wire circuit through your house is protected with a 15- AMP fuse or breaker. In the event that a fuse or breaker trips or blows, this is an indication that too many devices are on that circuit or, that the circuit has to many receptacles attached to it. Replacing the fuse or breaker with a higher Amp is a fire hazard. A good Home Inspector will compare wire gauge to the fuse size. Call Dino at 416 219 8225.

An attic inspection entails more than just checking the insulation. A good home inspector needs to check for other deficiencies such as mold, electrical issues, rodents, air circulation etc. This attic picture shows wires which are not contained within a junction box. This is screaming 'Fire Hazard!' Get the home inspected before buying. Call Dino 416 219 8225.

These pictures are of the same spot. The one on the bottom is using Infra-red camera technology. The bright orange-red colour signifies lack of insulation thus colour in camera showing heat radiating in the summer months. However, when seasons change, during winter months, the same spot, due to lack of insulation will be extremely cold and thus condensation will form eventually causing mould. The picture on the top illustrates this phenomenon. A Home Inspector can detect this. CALL DINO: 416 219 8225

WINDOW SEAL FAILURE** If the window seal fails, and the insulating gas has escaped, window seal failure means two things: 1. Most of the energy-saving features of the window are gone. 2. Condensation starts forming inside the glass panes of the window and it appears wet.... SOLUTION: Entire window replacement is not required. In most cases, simply replacing the glass will solve the problem. Check with your qualified Home Inspector to give you details. Call Dino 416 219 8225. See more

Being an a home inspector pays the bills, receiving an email from my customer is priceless.

Vermiculite insulation could contain asbestos fibres which can cause problems if inhaled. Don't purchase a home without a home inspection!!! Call me I can help 416 219 8225

It is very important to replace down spouts when they detach from your gutter. Water from your roof needs to be directed away from your foundation wall. Here is what happens when its not.....The cinder block foundation has crumbled away leaving the wall hanging without proper support. The stone wall is coming apart. This will be a costly repair. Why not avoid this situation? Call Me--I can help identify a problem before it becomes one!!

Here is one reason why it is important to get a home inspection. The kitchen hood fan is exhausting in the attic. This is a perfect receipt for mold. In the winter time, the moist warm air from the kitchen will condensate on the inner cold roof wood sheathing. Result ....mold... There are other problems with this as well. Call me and I will explain...416 219 8225

During my inspections this is one of the most common findings and its the easiest thing to fix.

When getting your home inspected, don't pass up the chance of attending the inspection.

Gutters should be cleaned a few times a year.

Great idea for storage space beside the fridge.

February Newsletter for Road to Home Inspection

Important Information on Mold

Selling your home? A good idea would be to do a pre-sale home inspection. Small fixes can save you thousands in price negotiation.

Just some of the things we inspect during an inspection.

Ensure your home inspector is experienced with checking insulation in the attic especially when purchasing older homes.

Ensure the home inspector you hire is a member of OAHI and CAHPI--Ontario Association of Home Inspectors and the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors.

As we are approaching summer, ensure that your air conditioning unit is clear of obstruction and bushes in order for it to run efficiently.

Basement leaks can become problematic. Stop them before they start. A certified home inspector can help.

Follow the bloghttp://www.century21.ca/leadingedgerealty/Blog/Meet_Dino_Biondo_Home_Inspector_Renovator:

https://www.facebook.com/leadingedgerealty#!/leadingedgerealty/posts/675028392557530?stream_ref=10 Check out our listing on Leading Edge Realty (Century 21)

A pre-delivery inspection is also a good idea.

Dino Biondo is a member of the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors

The profession of home inspection is currently unregulated. Ensure the inspector you choose is certified and has been to school for the theoretical aspect of this technical profession.

Before you buy or sell a home, get it inspected!!!