Foundation Maintenance: Should I water my foundation?

Texas summers are known for its brutal heat. The heat causes your soil to contract when hot and expand when it gets wet again. Over the course of time this will lead to foundation issues. Due to the soils never expanding back to its original position the home will naturally begin to settle, causing cracking […]

Fire Hazards: Smoke Alarms

According to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) around 4,000 people die from house fires each year. A way to drastically decrease the chances of a fire, we at At-Ease Home Inspections recommend the installation of smoke alarms throughout the house. Where are smoke alarms needed? On every level of the home In every habitabal room […]

Drainage: Are gutters needed?

A gutter system is vital to protecting your home. While some might thin gutters are purely for cosmetic reasons, they are not. The purpose of gutters are for a number of reasons. They allow rainwater a place to go instead of staying on the roof or running down the siding of your home. They divert […]

Foundation Maintenance: Root Barrier

If a big enough tree is located close to your home, sidewalk, or structure over time it can begin to wreak havoc on your foundation. Roots will often spread in search for water, while doing so this can cause severe damage to your foundation over time.   How to prevent foundation problems? To prevent roots […]

Electrical: Can GFCI’s save my life?

What is a GFCI? A GFCI is a ground fault circuit interrupter. It’s purpose is to protect people against electrical shock. The way it works is by monitoring the electrical current, when the outlet notices an influx or excess in current flow down an unintended path the gfci will trip causing the outlet to lose […]

What is a Corner Pop?

A corner pop is what you will often see at the corner of Texas homes. It’s caused by Texas heat that makes the brick on top of the foundation wall expand and contract. Over time the movement will cause the corner to pop out of place and that’s where you get the term corner pop.  […]