Our Inspection Services
HOME INSPECTIONS
Helping others have a safe place to call home is our top priority!
We provide complete and detailed home inspections whether you are buying a new or previously owned home.
Enjoy peace of mind when you invest in your new home by having the home inspection done by a trained and licensed professionals.
Service Alberta says: “Before buying, you should know what condition the home is in and what repairs might be needed. Hiring a qualified home inspector to examine a home can help you to make an informed decision about its condition. Some homeowners also have their place inspected so they can get any defects fixed under their new home warranty before it runs out.”
At Central Alberta Property Inspections, we are proud to be a leader in the industry. Steve has performed over 2500 inspections and has earned his Certified Master Inspector designation. With a broad range of training and knowledge, we rank at the top of our class and we guarantee exceptional service with very thorough reports for our clients.
What We Inspect
Exterior
We inspect the visible siding and trim, visible exterior foundation walls, doors, windows, garages, porches and decks, driveways and walkways, grading around structures, vegetation, fence lines, retaining walls, gutters and downspouts, and more.
Roofing
We inspect roof covering materials (shingles), roof penetration points such as chimneys and roof vents, skylights, weather hoods, mast heads, flashings, and other areas of the roofline to ensure proper installation methods were employed and are leak free.
Structure
We will inspect the foundation as well as floors, including beams, columns, joists, and the roofing structure. We also inspect crawlspaces and attics when accessible.
Insulation & Ventilation
We check to ensure that there is adequate insulation in your attic space, including inspecting for vapour barriers. When this is not visible to the naked eye, we use our thermal imaging cameras to scan for any abnormalities in the walls of the structure. We also ensure that there is sufficient ventilation in every attic.
Electrical
Depending if the structure has overhead or underground services, we will be inspecting mast heads on the exterior to ensure they are safely installed and do not allow for moisture intrusion. We remove the “dead front” (cover) from electrical panels so that we can inspect the circuit wiring and overcurrent protection devices (breakers). We check for proper receptacle (plugs) wiring at all readily available receptacles, the presence of aluminum wiring, AFCI and GFCI protection devices, and that all readily accessible switches and lights are functioning properly.
Heating & Cooling
Inspecting the main source of the heat in the structure is vital, whether it is a furnace, boiler, or baseboard heater. We check to make sure the vent piping is properly installed and working adequately. We also use combustible gas detectors to ensure no harmful gasses are present. Weather permitting, we will test and inspect A/C units.
Plumbing
We check for leaks at the water heater, under sinks, toilets, and bathing units. We look for backflow prevention devices and inspect sump pits and pumps when present. The use of our thermal imaging cameras is extremely helpful when inspecting below plumbing fixtures, drain and supply lines for leaks as they are often hidden behind drywall.
Interior
Throughout the inspection process, we inspect flooring, walls, ceilings, stairways, doors, cabinets and counters. With our extensive experience in mold and asbestos testing, we know where to look in search of any evidence of water damage, mold, and possible asbestos containing materials. We also test appliances that are installed and functioning.
Commercial Building Inspection Report Scope of Work
Our Commercial Building Inspections include a comprehensive visual inspection of the building’s construction including the following:
- Building structure and foundation
- Roof condition and remaining useful life
- Building envelope
- Electrical panels and wiring
- Tenant improvements
- Pavement systems
- Plumbing fixtures and piping
- Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
- Landscape, irrigation, site grading & drainage
Pre-Sale Inspections
Home inspections are not just for Buyers. Many Sellers now rely on a pre-inspection report as a tool in today’s competitive market. The report provides the same information as a regular home inspection, but it allows for more transparency and less negotiating between parties. All information is in the open. The benefits of a pre-inspection include: fewer conditions, a faster sale, and marketing support. It also provides the Seller with a list of items that they may choose to repair prior to listing and selling the property.
Our pre-inspection report is also transferrable! The report and all insurances can be transferred to the Buyer so they are fully protected. This eliminates the fear of a bias inspection.
Thermal Imaging Services
Included with every inspection at no extra cost, we perform thermal imaging to assist in finding leaks behind walls and ceilings, missing insulation, air leaks, and electrical hot spots!
Thermal imaging can help spot:
Moisture intrusion
This works because moisture changes the thermal mass of the objects it penetrates. This means that if there is a leak in a wall or floor, this location will emit a different heat trace than the surrounding area which can then be spotted by the thermal camera.
Insulation
Most attics have insulation exposed to the naked eye, however insulation behind walls is a different story. With thermal imaging, we can detect the difference in temperatures in sections of walls where no insulation exists very easily. No need to rip out walls or flooring to try and find the location of the missing batt of insulation!
Electrical
When branch circuit wiring carry loads, they become energized and heated. With thermal imaging, it becomes easy to spot electrical areas that may be of concern. These will show up as hot receptacles in walls, wall switches, or breakers in an electrical panel.
Air Leakage
Whether in the winter or summer seasons, thermal imaging can play a crucial role in detecting locations of significant air leakage. Once the location is found, the problem remedied; the energy savings costs increase further showing the value of having thermal imaging.
OZONE SHOCK TREATMENT
ALLERGIES? ASTHMA? ODOURS?
Ozone shock treatment is a perfect chemical free and permanent way to deal with unpleasant odours in the home or vehicle, such as:
- cigarette smoke,
- animal smells,
- cooking odours,
- molds,
- smells from fire and smoke, and
- chemical vapours.
- It can also eliminate most bacteria and viruses on contact, making it a perfect solution to “sick building” syndrome
Pricing varies depending on the size of area being treated.
*Important Note About Ozone Shock Treatment
The source of any odour must be removed before ozone treatment. If the smell source is not removed (e.g. garbage, mold, dead rodents, etc.), no amount of ozone can eliminate these odours completely. The treatment areas must also be properly cleaned for ozone shock treatment to work properly.
About Ozone Treatment
Ozone is a molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms (03). Ozone or (03) is sometimes called “activated oxygen”, containing three atoms of oxygen rather than the two atoms we normally breathe. Ozone is the second most powerful sterilant in the world and can be used to destroy bacteria, viruses and odors.
In essence ozone is nothing more than oxygen (O2), with an extra oxygen atom. In nature ozone is produced by some chemical reactions. The most familiar example is of course the ozone layer, where ozone is produced from the sun’s ultra-violet (UV) rays. But ozone is also produced by thunderstorms and waterfalls. The extreme high voltages produced within thunderstorms also produce ozone from oxygen. The special “fresh, clean, spring rain” smell is from nature-produced ozone. The word “Ozone” is derived from the Greek word ozein, which means to smell.
Ozone is only produced under extreme circumstances. This can also be created by ozone generators. Ozone generators produce ozone with extreme high voltages or with UV-light.
Ozone can be used for a broad array of purification applications. For the most part, ozone is applied in municipal wastewater and potable water treatment plants (for disinfection). However, ozone is used more and more in the industrial branch. In the food industry for example ozone is used for disinfection and in the paper and textile industry it is used for the oxidation of wastewater. The main benefit of ozone is its clean character. That is, it creates almost no byproducts. This makes it safe to work with ozone.
Air Quality and Mould Detection Survey
The quality of your indoor air is important to your health and to the health of your loved ones because the average family spends 90% of their time indoors. Getting regular measurements of your home’s indoor air quality is a vital step in ensuring the health of both your family and your home.
Fast & Accurate Measurement.
Because you can’t often see or smell Mould and air contaminants, we’ll measure particulate matter, including Mould spores, VOC’s and Allergens, in every room of your house, pinpointing any issue areas. You will receive a same-day summary report, which will help you determine the condition of the air in your home and whether any areas require additional sampling.
A Cost-Effective Solution.
Mould sampling and lab work is expensive and often unnecessary. Our Air Quality and Mould Detection survey provides a thorough and inexpensive alternative. Protect Your Family’s Health – Get a Comprehensive Air Quality and Mould Detection Survey Today!
Radon Testing, Air Quality sampling and Asbestos Sampling
RADON TESTING
Radon is radioactive, silent, invisible, and (if levels are left undetected and unresolved indoors) can be life-threatening.
Health Canada estimates that over 1 million Canadian homes have very high radon levels–especially in areas that have poor air circulation. A recent study from Health Canada also found that a mere 6% of Canadians have tested for radon in their homes.
Radon can enter a building wherever it finds a gap: through cracks in the foundation and floor slabs, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, support posts, window wells, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside walls. No matter the age, construction type, or location of your residence or commercial space, the only way to be certain of radon levels is to test.
What is radon and what are the risks of radon exposure?
Radon gas is a radioactive by-product of uranium decay that exists naturally both inside and outside of man made structures. Certain properties of home construction can cause radon gas to concentrate to high levels inside homes. When you and your family are exposed to concentrated levels of radon gas over extended periods of time it significantly increases your chances of developing cancer, specifically lung cancer. If you combine concentrated radon exposure with other known carcinogens such as smoking it places you at even higher risk.
Is there any safe level of radon exposure?
The most widely accepted risk models present a linear correlation between radon exposure and risk. This means there is no level of exposure which is without risk, however because the gas is found at very low concentrations in natural settings the risk is extremely low. Radon is only a concern when it concentrates to high levels inside of structures such as your home, where in extreme cases it may reach levels thousands of times higher than levels found outside of your home.
Testing for radon
Because radon gas can’t be seen or smelled, the only way to know whether you’re being exposed to it is to test for it.
Central Alberta Property Inspections can perform your radon test for you. Call for details
If radon levels in your home are high, you can take steps to lower them. The most common method is to have a vent pipe system and fan installed, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside.
