When you schedule a northern Michigan home inspection with North Point, you can expect a thorough check that covers all major systems, from roof to foundation. But some problems hide where no inspector can see them with eyes alone.
That’s where specialty home inspection services help. These add-ons go deeper than standard visual checks. They find hidden issues that can affect your health, safety, and budget.
Let’s look at four valuable extras to consider adding to your northern Michigan home inspection. These complement our comprehensive work at North Point Home & Property Inspections to bring you extra peace of mind.
1. Radon Testing: Detecting an Invisible Danger
Radon is a silent threat. This gas has no color, odor, or taste. It comes up through soil. It enters homes through cracks, drains, and gaps.
Radon causes serious health problems. It’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in America. The EPA reports it causes about 21,000 deaths yearly. From Indian River to Grayling, Charlevoix to Johannesburg, Northern Michigan’s geology makes local homes very vulnerable.
Why Test for Radon
In some Michigan counties, one in four homes tests above safe levels. Areas around Gaylord, Petoskey, and Traverse City show high radon risk. Our local geology creates this problem.
The good news? Testing is simple and fast. Professional radon testing gives you answers in 48 hours.
Our professional monitors track radon for two days straight. Store-bought kits often give wrong readings. Professional equipment provides accurate results you can trust.
High radon levels aren’t the end of the world. Radon mitigation systems can be installed quickly and typically reduce radon levels by 90-99%. But you need radon testing first to know if there’s an issue.
Consider adding radon testing to your northern Michigan home inspection if you’re:
- Buying property in northern Michigan
- Living with basement or ground-level spaces
- Finishing a basement for more living area
- Concerned about the health effects of radon gas exposure
- Getting ready to sell your home
Adding radon testing helps you protect your family’s long-term health. It’s a smart addition to your northern Michigan home inspection.
2. Thermal Imaging: Seeing Hidden Problems
Thermal imaging isn’t x-ray vision. But it’s close. Thermal imaging technology uses infrared cameras. These cameras detect heat differences across surfaces. Temperature changes reveal problems the eye can’t see. Think of it like an early detection health screening for your home.
What Thermal Imaging Finds
Hidden moisture and leaks: In northern Michigan, freeze-thaw cycles and heavy snow create roof leaks and ice dam damage. Water from these issues doesn’t always leave obvious signs right away. Thermal imaging can spot moisture behind walls, under floors, or in ceilings, even before the tell-tale signs of water stains or mold have a chance to develop.
Electrical dangers: Loose or overloaded connections make heat. Thermal cameras show these hot spots clearly. We find overheated breakers, failing outlets, and bad wiring. These look fine otherwise. But they’re fire hazards waiting to happen.
Missing insulation: Cold spots in walls or ceilings show where insulation is missing or compressed. In our cold climate, these gaps waste energy. You’re heating the outdoors. Finding these problems cuts your heating bills.
Air leaks: Thermal imaging shows exactly where cold air enters. It finds drafts around windows, doors, and outlets. You get a clear map for making your home more efficient.
When Thermal Imaging Helps Most
Add thermal imaging to your northern Michigan home inspection if you’re:
- Buying an older home where problems hide
- Worried about energy costs
- Investigating water damage
- Dealing with high utility bills
- Planning renovations
Thermal imaging is a perfect technology for Northern Michigan’s cold winters. The bigger the temperature gap between inside and outside, the clearer the images. Adding thermal imaging to your home inspection gives you an extra layer of certainty about the condition of your home that a standard home inspection just can’t touch.
3. Sewer Scoping: Avoiding Underground Surprises
Your sewer line sits underground, out of sight. But problems here lead to messy, very expensive repairs.
Sewer scoping uses a waterproof camera on a flexible cable. This camera checks your sewer line from inside. It travels through the pipe sending back live video, so you can see exactly what’s happening underground.
Problems Sewer Scoping Reveals
Tree roots: Roots are the top cause of sewer problems. They grow toward water. Your sewer line provides steady moisture. You know what that means! When roots enter tiny cracks and joints, they cause major blockages or break pipes. Northern Michigan’s wooded neighborhoods make root problems common.
Sagging pipes: Soil settles unevenly over time. This creates pipe sections that sag. These “bellies” collect waste and create repeated clogs.
Cracks and breaks: Older clay tile or cast iron lines crack, break, or rust with age. Our freeze-thaw cycles add extra stress to underground pipes.
Pipe condition: Knowing your pipe material helps predict its lifespan. Clay tile and cast iron have short lifespans. PVC pipes last much longer.
Why Sewer Scoping Saves Money
Replacing a sewer line costs $5,000 to $15,000 or more. This depends on depth, length, and landscaping. If you find sewer problems after buying, you’re stuck with the bill.
But finding problems during your northern Michigan home inspection gives you options:
- Ask the seller to repair the line
- Request a price cut
- Walk away if problems are too bad
For a small cost during inspection, sewer scoping saves thousands later.
Add sewer scoping if the home:
- Is over 20 years old
- Has large trees near the sewer path
- Has a history of slow drains
- Sits in clay soil areas
- Never had the sewer line checked
4. Mold Testing: Protecting Your Indoor Air
You can’t always see mold. But it affects your health and home value.
Visual checks spot obvious mold. But professional mold testing goes deeper. It uses lab tests to detect spores in the air and on surfaces in your home. Testing finds specific mold types and measures how much is present.
Why Mold Matters
Mold needs moisture – and we know all about moisture in Northern Michigan. We deal with humid summers, ice dams in winter, lake effect snow, fall rains, and spring floods. Homes in Petoskey, Boyne City, Kalkaska, and across northern Michigan face steady moisture challenges all year round.
Mold exposure causes health problems:
- Breathing issues and asthma attacks
- Allergic reactions and skin problems
- Headaches, fatigue, and sinus congestion
- Worse allergies and breathing conditions
Mold also damages property. It breaks down wood, drywall, and insulation. Unchecked mold leads to structural damage, big repairs, and lower property value.
Professional Mold Testing Includes
At North Point, we follow IAC2 standards for mold testing:
Visual checks: We look at areas for visible mold, moisture, and conditions that help mold grow.
Air sampling: We collect several air samples from different areas. We also take outdoor samples for comparison. Mold spores naturally exist outside.
Surface sampling: When we find visible mold, we take direct samples from suspected mold using tape or swabs. This confirms it’s mold and names the species.
Lab tests: We send all samples to an independent, certified 3rd party lab. They examine the samples under a microscope to identify mold types and measure spore levels.
Full reporting: You get detailed results, health risk notes, and fix recommendations if needed.
When to Add Mold Testing to Your Northern Michigan Home Inspection
Think about mold testing for your home if:
- You smell musty or earthy odors
- The property shows water damage or staining
- There’s been recent flooding or leaks
- You have mystery symptoms that worsen indoors
- The home has high humidity or condensation
- You’re buying near water
- The home sat vacant for a long time
Professional mold testing as part of a northern Michigan home inspection gives you scientific proof. You know whether there’s a problem and what type. Then you can make smart choices to address the issue – or walk away if that’s a better choice for you.
Choosing the Right Services for Your Property
Every home is different. Not every northern Michigan property needs every specialty home inspection service. But knowing your options helps you make smart choices.
When you work with Scott Frakes, CMI®, you get northern Michigan’s most qualified home inspector. He brings over 12 years of experience. Scott holds elite Certified Master Inspector® credentials, and has 24+ specialized certifications from the world’s foremost home inspector training school.
Scott’s background as a licensed Michigan builder since 1997 gives him unique insights. He doesn’t just find problems. He understands why they happen and how to fix them right.
Questions to Consider
Not sure which services you need to add to your Northern Michigan home inspection? Think about:
- Home age and condition: Older homes often need thermal imaging and sewer scoping.
- Property history: Past water damage suggests mold testing. Drain problems point to sewer scoping. An older home can benefit from thermal imaging to determine whether you will need to budget for energy efficiency upgrades.
- Your comfort level: Want complete peace of mind? Multiple specialty services are worth it.
- Local geology: In northern Michigan, radon testing is almost always smart.
- Health concerns: Family members with breathing issues or allergies make mold testing more important.
Scott is always happy to discuss your situation. He’ll suggest which services make sense for your property. Just call (989) 370-3683 to talk through your options.
Protect Your Investment with Complete Information
Does adding specialty services costs more upfront? Of course. But this is a time when you want to consider not just price, but value. Adding these services to your northern Michigan home inspection can potentially save thousands in surprise repairs and health issues later. In some cases, they can more than pay for themselves almost overnight in negotiating power on your real estate transaction.
Think of it this way: you’re already getting a professional northern Michigan home inspection. These specialty services take that protection further. They reveal hidden issues that affect your family’s health, safety, and money – and put you in the driver’s seat when it comes to protecting your loved ones and your assets.
Whether you’re buying real estate in Traverse City, Charlevoix, or Gaylord, these services give valuable information. They help you negotiate repairs or plan future expenses. Or they just give you the peace of mind you need to move forward with your home purchase or other plans with confidence.
Don’t leave anything to chance. When you schedule your inspection, ask Scott which specialty services fit your needs. His knowledge and honest guidance help you make the best choices.
Ready to schedule your northern Michigan home inspection with specialty services? Contact North Point Home & Property Inspections today:
📞 Call: (989) 370-3683
📧 Email: scott@northpointhomeinspections.com
🗓️ Schedule Online: Book your inspection now
Serving Gaylord, Petoskey, Traverse City, Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, Boyne City, Kalkaska, Grayling, and all of northern Michigan with professional inspection services you can trust.