HomeStar Inspections

Metal roof inspection in South Florida — solid shape overall, but bare metal costs more than most homeowners realize. A metal roof that isn't white absorbs Florida heat all day instead of reflecting it — your electric bill climbs, your AC works harder and wears out faster, and your waterproofing materials break down sooner than they should. We also found solar panels on the roof (condition only, not tested for function), tight screw spacing around all roof penetrations, and an abandoned weatherhead that an electrician needs to evaluate. In South Florida, white standing seam is the right call for a metal roof. Every other color is just paying more for less.



Electricity is dangerous. Never attempt any review, repairs or installation. Always have your electrical serviced and repaired by licensed and insured electricians.

Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

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NOTE: ALL deficiencies or issues noted in this video are referred to professionals licensed and insured in their respective fields. They are recommended in my report to first verify my findings for accuracy and then to repair as needed. Often, these issues are corrected after the fact. As such, this video is for educational purposes only and should not in any way serve as the current condition of this property.

Old Condo Lots of Mold is what we found inside this hallway AC handler closet in a multi-story beach condo. This older condo, built in the 60s or 70s, was not originally designed with a proper dryer hookup, so the dryer is being vented directly into the AC closet. That means lots of lint, cotton fibers, and organic material are collecting on the evaporator coils and surrounding surfaces, creating the perfect food source for mold growth. But the mold is only the symptom. Holes in the AC closet walls are pulling in dirty wall-cavity air, and the closet door is not sealed from the hallway, which can allow additional contaminated air from the building or nearby mechanical spaces to enter the closet. Proper mold remediation is needed, but remediation cannot just clean the visible mold. It also has to correct the cause: improper dryer venting, dirty coils, open wall penetrations, and air leakage. In an old condo like this, lots of mold problems keep coming back when the conditions that created them are ignored.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

An electrical panel destroyed by a hidden scupper leak — this 1920s home looked fine from the curb, but the panel was quietly cooking itself behind the cover. The main breaker had overheated and cracked, screws and breakers were rusting, and the whole electrical panel was corroding because a scupper (a roof drain) directly above was dumping water down the wall every time it rained. This kind of hidden electrical hazard is one of the most common ways a house fire starts, and a scupper leak above the panel almost never shows up on a casual walkthrough. If you're buying a home with the electrical panel on an exterior wall, this is exactly the situation to check for before you sign.



Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

Rainbow Bus Bar: A Color You Don’t Want in Your Electrical Panel — In this inspection, I’m reviewing a 1990 Westinghouse electrical panel with the recognizable blue and red breakers, but the real concern is inside the panel itself. One of the bus bars shows that rainbow discoloration you can see when metal has been overheated, and that is evidence of a potentially serious electrical issue. Given the age of the panel, parts may be obsolete or difficult to obtain, and replacement may be a smarter long-term option than trying to repair an aging system. I’m calling this out for further evaluation by a licensed electrician, because overheating inside an electrical panel is not something to ignore. This is exactly why a thorough inspection matters — the small details can reveal the big problems.



Electricity is dangerous. Never attempt any review, repairs or installation. Always have your electrical serviced and repaired by licensed and insured electric electricians.

Remember, the only thing more expensive than hiring a professional is hiring an amateur! Be sure to hire well qualified, properly insured inspectors and contractors.

Happy Hunting!

Toby