Tools of the Trade

Having the right tool for the job is important.  You wouldn't expect a carpenter to arrive at your home carrying painter's tools would you? 

Well the same is true for the home inspection, carpet & upholstery cleaning, and sign installations. Performing quality home inspections and providing superior carpet & upholstery cleaning results require more than a flashlight or scrub brush.  Our inspectors are equiped with the best tools money can buy, and our cleaning and restoration technicians employ powerful professional grade equipment.  

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Home Inspections

Most governing inspection bodies such as ASHI, NACHI, and NAHI don’t require an inspector to carry much more than a flat head screwdriver, a decent flashlight, a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) tester, a small mirror, a pair of binoculars, and a quality ladder.  Those are indeed needed, however, if our inspectors sense something wrong they are equipped with additional tools, which go beyond the basic requirements of the inspection.  Below are photos and description of some of the advanced tools our inspectors, carpet technicians, and sign installers use.  

Moisture Meter.  This state-of-the-art tool uses both probes

and non-invasive radio signals to penetrate surfaces searching

for signs of moisture. The key to this tool is that it can detect

moisture below an apparently dry surface. 

Water Pressure Gauge. Used to determine if household water pressure

is between 15-80 psi.  Attaches to a faucet or exterior hose bib.

Infra-Red Thermometer. Aim the laser beam at almost anything

and you get an instantaneous and accurate temperature readout. 

This tool is wonderful for measuring hard to reach HVAC registers to

detect cooled or heated airflow , or to detect overheated circuit breakers. 

 

Non-Contact Voltage Tester. Operates by sensing electro-

magnetic fields through insulation, and thus requires no contact with

the conductor wire.  Current flow is not necessary to locate voltage. 

This can be used to distinguish between “live” and “neutral” wires, or

even a “live” appliance whose metal frame is energized due to a short. 

In a damp crawlspace or tight attic space metal pipes or suspicious

wires can be tested for voltage eliminating the possibility of electrical

shock. 

Digital Snap-around Volt-Ohm-Amp Meter. This useful tool is used to check electric furnaces, and for proper amperage or voltage on any given circuit within an operational electrical panel.  By enveloping a single conducting wire, inspectors can tell if current (amps) is actually flowing. 

Combustible Gas Leak Detector.  If an inspector smells a peculiar

odor,  this tool can help identify the location of a gas leak.  It is

important to note that inspecting every gas pipe joint is well beyond

the scope of a typical home inspection. 

Shower Feed Machine. This is not your typical "happy homeowner" carpet machine.  This powerful machine allows our cleaning solution to reach the top of soft nylon brush, whereupon it aerates and becomes a thin layer of damp foam that is gently massaged into the carpet. This loosens soil clinging to carpet fibers and holds it in suspension until it's removed by our commercial wet/dry extractor. 

Commercial Extractor. Talk about power!  These extractors remove the loose soil and heavy grit that your regular vacuum cleaner can’t get out.  This equipment is also used after the Shower Feed Machine to remove the layer of damp foam containing the loosened soil.  This deep extraction allows your carpets to dry quickly and evenly.  The machine is also used to extract soil, dust mites, skin cells, and other damaging elements from upholstered furniture prior to our hand cleaning.