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Last week, many of you probably noticed something unusual: smoky, hazy skies drifting over our part of the U.P. Air Quality Alerts were in effect across Michigan as wildfire smoke from Canada rolled in, and for a few days, you could actually see and smell what was in the air we breathe. As a home and commercial inspector, that stretch of smoky skies got me thinking about something I deal with year-round: the air quality risks we can't see or smell at all. Wildfire smoke is te

I've been doing home inspections in the U.P. long enough to know that summer storms have a way of finding every weak spot in a house. Not the obvious stuff — the stuff that's been sitting there quietly for a year or two, waiting for the right combination of wind and rain to turn into a real problem. Every summer, I get calls after a bad storm from homeowners who had no idea a certain part of their house was vulnerable until water was coming in somewhere it shouldn't. So I wan

Summer is one of the busiest seasons for real estate in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Longer days, better weather, and increased buyer activity make it an attractive time to put a home on the market. If you're planning to sell, preparation matters. First impressions can influence everything from the number of showings you receive to the final sale price. While every home is different, there are several important steps sellers should take before listing. Here's a simple seller p

As a home and commercial inspector serving Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I spend a lot of time looking at roofs, foundations, siding, and other major systems. One of the most overlooked parts of a property is also one of the most important: the gutter system. Your gutters are designed to collect rainwater and direct it safely away from your home or building. When they stop doing their job, water can end up where it doesn't belong—against your foundation, behind your siding, or