SERVICES
HOME INSPECTIONS
Buying a new home is one of the most exciting times in life, with plenty to celebrate. The last thing you’ll want to experience is the additional worry and stress created by discovering the need for unexpected repairs.
A home inspection is a visual examination of all accessible components, systems and areas of a given home. I examine everything from the roof to the foundation, identifying potential hazards, defective materials, or structural issues. This includes everything from signs of water damage and wood rot to malfunctioning or inoperable HVAC Systems.
I am licensed, highly trained and experienced. I help you fully understand the property’s current condition, and answer any questions that may arise. Within 24 hours I provide home buyers with a comprehensive and user-friendly report to help homeowners take care of their most important investment.
You’ll feel much more secure in your purchasing decision after an inspection by Gordon Stephens Home Inspections.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that often enters homes through cracks in the foundation and floors. It is odorless, colorless, tasteless and is highly carcinogenic, with long-term exposure posing significant health hazards including lung cancer.
The presence of radon has increased significantly in the Southwest over the years and is a major concern. In New Mexico, the north central part of the state including Santa Fe County is considered high risk. Up to 40% of homes tested in Santa Fe have shown radon levels which exceed the EPA recommended norms.
Testing is simple and offers peace of mind. I use a continuous radon monitor. I do not send anything to a lab. I have the results right away on the monitor, average radon gas level, relative humidity, temperature, barometric pressure. The monitoring takes 48 hours.
RADON TESTING
Pests can enter a home and damage building materials or cause potential health concerns. A Pest Inspection will include a visual review of the structure and foundation of the home for the presence of pest, insects or organisms. I will access and inspect all readily accessible areas where pests and wood destroying insects may be a concern, and will document any evidence of pests and insects as well as conditions that may be conducive to infestation.
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Wood Destroying Organisms include: termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and wood boring beetles.
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Pests include mice, rats, squirrels, raccoons, birds, bats, and non wood destroying insects such as wasps, spiders, roaches, and common ants and flies.
PEST INSPECTIONS
SEWER SCANNING
With a sewer scan, I accesses the main sewer clean-out and feed a fiber-optic camera through the sewer line that runs from the house to the city sewer at the street. This sewer line belongs to the property owner, and any problems with this sewer line are the financial responsibility of the owner. If there are problems with the sewer line that routine sewer cleaning won’t solve, the repairs will be expensive.
In my experience, most sewer scans on old houses reveal tree roots finding their way into the sewer lines and slowing things down, but no major problems. It’s the situations where major problems occur that make it worth having a sewer scan done. Sewer scans are usually scheduled at the same time as the home inspection.
Unfortunately, no age of home is immune to sewer problems. While it’s unlikely, even new homes can have problems with the main building drain. As you might imagine, the potential for problems increases with the age of the home. There is no clear dividing line between homes that should and shouldn’t have a sewer scan performed. The decision will ultimately come down to the new home buyer’s tolerance for risk.
