Hi, I'm David Lord and I own and operate HomeTech Home Inspections. Buying a new home is probably one of the biggest investments you'll ever make. Its a decision that can affect you for years to come. The searching and buying process can be extremely stressful and confusing and there is always considerable risk involved when making such a large purchase decision. A professional inspection by HomeTech Home Inspections give you a clear understanding of the condition of the home your planning to purchase. 

WARNING: ALL HOME INSPECTORS ARE NOT THE SAME!

There are absolutely no requirements for home inspectors in the state of Florida. Anyone can go down to the county courthouse and purchase an occupational license for $22.00 and call themselves a home inspector. There are huge differences in home inspectors. The majority are average at best. A few are really really bad. And an even fewer are very good. Obviously the later is the one you want.  

Don't choose your home inspector based on the lowest price for the inspection. We all want a good deal but a cheap inspection fee will ensure that you are hiring an unqualified, inexperienced, uninsured, inspector that could end up costing you thousands of dollars.  

Lets talk about credentials and experience a little bit. There are a number of home inspection organizations these days. The majority of these associations require no experience whatsoever only that you send a check and this will entitle you to call yourself "certified,certified bestest super master inspector, master inspector, grand pooba", or whatever. Be wary of statements such as " 30 years construction experience, or in construction since 1961". Swinging a hammer or toting shingles up a ladder does not make you a home inspector. There are also a number of contractors out there that "do home inspections" on the side. Don't make one of life's biggest decisions on the advice of a part timer.

• I have been in the home inspection business since 1999 as a full time home inspector.
• I have personally inspected over 2500 properties.
• ICC Code Certified. Member of the International Code Council (ICC) as a Certified Residential Building Inspector (B-1 5298426).
• Certified Member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) #204658.
• Registered Professional Inspector of the Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI) RPI-036  

TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED

HomeTech Home Inspections has now introduced infrared thermal technology to further enhance our services. The use of infrared thermal cameras is the latest advancement in building diagnostics. These amazing cameras can detect hidden problems that are normally not visible to the naked eye such as moisture intrusion, plumbing leaks in walls, ceilings, and floors, missing and displaced insulation, roof leaks, air infiltration around windows and doors, HVAC leaks, and the list goes on.

Our Fluke TiR with Fusion Technology is the very latest in thermal camera development. The Fusion technology allows the image to be viewed as a picture in picture making it very easy to see and understand the image. The two images below are areas of missing insulation in an attic knee wall.

This is just a cool image of my dog.

Thermography is the use of an infrared imaging and measurement camera to "see" and "measure" thermal energy emitted from an object. Thermal, or infrared energy, is light that is not visible because its wavelength is too long to be detected by the human eye; it's the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that we perceive as heat. Unlike visible light, in the infrared world, everything with a temperature above absolute zero emits heat. Even very cold objects, like ice cubes, emit infrared. The higher the object's temperature, the greater the IR radiation emitted. Infrared allows us to see what our eyes cannot. Infrared thermography cameras produce images of invisible infrared or "heat" radiation and provide precise non-contact temperature measurement capabilities. Nearly everything gets hot before it fails, making infrared cameras extremely cost-effective, valuable diagnostic tools in many diverse applications.

Infrared technology is not magic and its not x-ray vision however, in the hands of a trained inspector the use of an infrared camera will greatly reduce the chances of hidden problems going undetected. What's your inspector looking at?

ST AUGUSTINE'S MOST EXPERIENCED HOME INSPECTOR

While being a member of a reputable association is well and good, nothing takes the place of real world experience. No amount of studying and training can take the place of experience. Experience is the difference. You need to verify that your home inspector has been in business as a home inspector (full time) for at least five years. I have been providing home inspections in St Johns and surrounding counties full time since 1999 and have personally inspected over 2500 homes. I have inspected every type and condition of property out there from new construction to the old historic homes and have seen just about every possible defect you can think of.

We strongly encourage all of our clients to accompany us during the inspection. You should feel free to ask the inspector any questions you may have during the inspection process. The inspector will point out problems and explain them to you. Plus, we will explain what routine maintenance is needed to keep the house in top condition. This will help you to get the most benefit from the inspection and gain the most understanding of the systems that make up your home, and how to maintain it.

You'll get the industry's most comprehensive report that is easy to understand, straight to the point, and also includes digital photographs to help explain problem areas.

Armed with the information our service and report will provide, you can make your decision with confidence.

Look around the website and be sure to check out one of my inspection reports on the "What Kind of Report" page. Our professionalism, experience, and moral and ethical standards are just several of the reasons that make HomeTech Home Inspections the inspection company for you.  Give me a call to schedule your inspection.