The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends radon testing on the sale of all new or old homes. Radon is a deadly gas emitted from decaying Uranium and enters a house through small cracks and openings. Radon levels are especially high among areas where granite is present. Hargrove Home Solutions conducts a 48 hour radon test. We leave a continuous monitor in the house, and return two days later to pick it up. Results of the radon test are ready shortly thereafter.
Toxic Mold & Indoor Air Quality Testing
The presence of mold, fungus, and mildew can create a health hazard in a home, and homes should be tested to determine the type of mold growing in a home. Our inspectors can perform swab, air, and carpet samples to determine the type of mold and the amount of mold growing in the home. The samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis and the results are generally available in five business days. It is also important to understand why mold is growing in a home. Our inspectors can tell you possible reasons why the home is experiencing a problem with mold growth and what repairs are needed to eliminate mold growth in the home.
Light commercial inspections are a general overview of all the major systems and components present in the building including the structure, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, exterior and interior (similar to the regular inspection). Light commercial inspections include low-rise office complexes, apartment complexes, investment properties, restaurants, warehouses, etc.
Energy Audits and HERS Ratings
We are proud to provide rating services to qualify new homes for the ENERGY STAR® label. Learn more about ENERGY STAR qualified new homes at www.energystar.gov.
An Energy Audit is the first step in assessing how much energy your home consumes and in evaluating what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. During the audit, Hargrove Inspection Services can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. A variety of techniques and equipment are used to determine the energy efficiency of the structure, including blower door testing, duct blast testing, and an infrared camera. Blower door testing measures the extent of leaks in the building envelope, a duct blast test measures the extent of leaks in the duct system outside of the building envelope, and an infrared camera can reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation.
HERS (Home Energy Rating Systems) ratings performed by RESNET-certified Home Energy Raters provide a standardized evaluation of a home's energy efficiency by calculating the relative energy use index, called the HERS Index. A HERS® Index of 100 represents the energy use of the "American Standard Building" and an index of 0 (zero) indicates that the Proposed Building uses no net purchased energy (a Zero Energy Building). In short, a HERS rating is a more complex evaluation of the home compared to a simple energy audit.
See our Builders page for more information on Energy Audits and HERS ratings.
Hargrove Inspection Services is now offering the latest in home inspection technology!
With the use of an Infrared Camera, we can now:
Here's how it works: An Infrared Camera produces thermal images. All objects emit infrared radiation as a result of their temperature. An Infrared Camera has the ability to produce an image of invisible infrared light emitted by objects due to heat or lack of heat, otherwise known as an object's Thermal Condition. The camera produces a picture similar to a television picture of heat radiation. In layman's terms, an IR Camera can 'see' where the naked eye cannot!
There are countless other uses of Thermography. Our military uses it for surveillance. Firefighters use the camera to locate people in burning buildings and it has security applications as well.
If a home has a septic tank, how do you know if there are any problems? Where is the septic tank and drain field? What type of regular maintenance is needed? What type of system is installed? There are lots of questions homeowners may have regarding a septic system, and these questions can be daunting, especially for a first-time home buyer. Hargrove Inspection Services can perform a Septic System evaluation, and will walk the homebuyer through the system. We will get copies of all documents on file with the Health Department.
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