Other Posts by: Bill Zoller

A recent fast moving snowstorm expected to bring heavy accumulation of snowfall had XCEL Energy (natural gas supplier) warning radio listeners of making sure exterior vents were not blocked by snow buildup.  Xcel's concern, obviously, was a safety issue that if venting was not properly maintained, indoor carbon monoxide levels may increase due to inadequate combustion and venting of gases.

I came across this situation recently and am wondering if any of my readers, inspectors, engineers, or otherwise, have seen this as well.

During every home inspection I begin by covering with my client the scope of the inspection. It’s very common to run into misconceptions about the purpose of the home inspection. 

But it is also important to understand what a home inspection is not. Generally speaking, the home inspection is general in nature. That’s why it’s referred to as a General Home Inspection. 

The average home inspection ranges between $200 and $500 (roughly 1/10 of 1 percent of the cost of the average home).  Another way cost is determined is by square footage of the home and the year of construction.  You may also want to ask what services this price includes.  What are additional costs of radon testing, well flow, septic walks, etc?  Also, is there a surcharge for travel out of the inspectors area of coverage?