David Valley’s Profile in Methuen, MA

Optional Home Inspection Services

INFRARED (THERMAL) IMAGING This optional service is totally amazing. I basically utilize my infrared camera to detect hidden issues behind the finished surfaces of your building. If there are finished walls or ceilings in the living areas, basement or attic that are situated on the exterior shell of the structure, my IR camera can detect insulation voids or concealed issues that can be revealed without destroying or removing the wall/ceiling material. It’s simply an infrared imaging and measurement camera that can actually "see" and "measure" thermal energy emitted from an object. I can then map out and interpret these thermal readings which can reveal serious issues that cannot be seen by the naked eye or with any conventional or digital photography. Infrared Scanning - $150.00 an hour ($150.00 for a professional IR report ) DRUG TESTING Yes, you are reading this correctly. I can actually test your prospective home for drug residues with...

LEAD PIPES AND LEAD PAINT

Lead Paint New LEAD LAWS enacted on April 2nd, 2010 All building contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes built before 1978 must now be EPA certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination throughout your home. Before you hire any building contractor that will be distrurbing suspect lead paint, please have your home professionnally tested for lead paint. If your home does have positive results of lead paint, your renovation contractor must be LEAD-SAFE Certified before touching anything in those areas that tested Positive. Simply look for the LEAD-SAFE CERTIFIED logo before you hire any renovation contractor ... LEAD - WHAT IS IT Lead has been mined, smelted, and compounded for thousands of years. Lead is a neurotoxin metallic element that was historically used in paints, gasoline and plumbing materials for many years. Lead was easy to work with for a variety of ...

My World Travels

(Click map for larger view) ARUBA - PHOTO ALBUM Baby Beach California Lighthouse California Dunes Colorado Point Guadirikiri Cave Manchebo Beach Natural Bridge - which is now destroyed Natural Pool Palm Beach San Nicolas Santa Cruz Yamonta Hill AUSTRALIA Berrima Village and Wildlife - PHOTO ALBUM Koala Encounter - PHOTO ALBUM Sydney - PHOTO ALBUM BAHAMAS PHOTO ALBUM - 2009 PHOTO ALBUM - 2019 Pig Beach - PHOTO ALBUM Swimming with the Sharks - PHOTO ALBUM Balmoral Island - PHOTO ALBUM Atlantis Compass Cay Exuma Nassau Paradise Island Staniel Cay BELIZE - PHOTO ALBUM Belize City BERMUDA PHOTO ALBUM - 2010 PHOTO ALBUM - 2018 Royal Navy Dockyard Church Bay St. George's Hamilton BORA BORA - PHOTO ALBUM Aqua Safari Helmet Dive - PHOTO ALBUM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - PHOTO ALBUM Mostar BRAZIL - Rio De Janeiro Boating in Brazil - PH...

KNOW YOUR HOME

Many homeowners will always have questions regarding their new home, so I have dedicated this portion of my website to homeowners who simply want to "KNOW THEIR HOME". I also strive to keep all my home inspection clients fully informed on just about any concern that would typically arise during their home ownership. This comprehensive list of articles are also printed within my comprehensive Manual (Know Your Home), which every home inspection client will receive with their Home Inspection report. If you are unable to locate specific information pertaining to your home, please email me . I'll gladly research your concern and add the information to this web page. ALL OF MY TOPICS ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER AIR QUALITY ALUMINUM BRANCH WIRING ASBESTOS - WHAT IS IT ASBESTOS IN YOUR HOME ASBESTOS HAZARDS ASBESTOS - REMOVING IT ATTIC INSULATION UPGRADE ATTIC VENTILATION CARBON MONOXIDE CARING FOR YOUR HOM...

Detecting Termite Damage: An Interview with David Valley of Massachusetts Home Inspections

PURCHASING A HOME WITH ALUMINUM WIRING

This picture is a perfect example of the problems that are associated with Aluminum wiring. Note letters A and B (the insulation jackets are melted), which I will explain "Why" in the third paragraph and C (mixing copper wiring with aluminum wiring on the same breaker). Aluminum wiring can not be mixed with copper wiring and breakers can not be double tapped with two wires, unless designated by manufacturer and the breaker connnection will contain a special clip for double tapping. Aluminum wiring is very easy to identify due to it's obvious aluminum color. Aluminum wiring is not to be confused with tin coated copper which looks similar to aluminum wiring but aluminum wiring has distinguishing characteristics and is a solid conductor. During the 1970's, aluminum (instead of copper) wiring became quite popular and was extensively used throughout the United States. Since that time, aluminum wiring has been implicated in a number of house fires, which caused jurisdiction...

Should a newly constructed home be inspected?

No one can build something as large and complex as a house without committing a few errors at various stages of the process. Throughout my years of inspecting, I have learned that all new homes will have their defects of one kind or another, regardless of the quality of construction or the integrity of the builder. This is because human imperfection prevents anything as large and as complex as a home from being constructed flawlessly. The belief that any new product is free of defects and necessarily flawless runs contrary to common sense and experience. The return counter at any department store provides ample evidence of this fact. When applied to new homes, the belief that new means perfect can lead to very costly mistakes. Many home buyers feel that they do not need to employ a professional home inspector because municipal building inspectors regularly inspect new homes. Let me personally tell you that a municipal inspection is not enough. The purpose, scope, time allotment and ...

Massachusetts Home Inspections

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