SafeHome Inspections

I think this one will resonate with some of my inspector buds.

Example: The "dew point" for 70°F air at 60% humidity is approximately 55.5°F. That means anything cooler than 55.5℉ will begin to sweat (moisture will form on those cooler surfaces).

However, mold requires more than just damp surfaces.

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Why Does Attic Decking Mold Faster in Cincinnati Than in Mississippi? Walk into enough attics and you’ll eventually hear the same debate.

“It worked great… until winter.”

I hear that line every year—about tankless water heaters, showers that won’t get hot enough, and systems everyone swears were “perfect” last summer.

Nothing broke...the conditions changed.

I wrote a short piece explaining why tankless heaters behave differently in cold weather, how shower valves react, and why this isn’t a defect—it’s physics doing its job.

If you’ve ever blamed the heater, the plumber, or yourself… this one’s for you.

The Myth of One-Size-Fits-All Upgrades Why the same technology behaves differently depending on where you live

Headline: Stop Using Your IR Gun for Delta T! 🚫🌡️

We’ve all seen it—and many of us were taught it in school: Point the IR gun at the supply, click. Point it at the return, click. Subtract the two and document your "Delta T."

The Problem? Your tool is lying to you. Look at this demonstration.

1️⃣ The IR Camera says the hair dryer nozzle is 101°F.
2️⃣ The IR Spot Reading in mid-air (where the heat is) shows 142°F (and that's just a reflection!).
3️⃣ The Meat Probe (The Truth) proves the actual air temperature is 192°F.

Why the massive 50-90 degree error? Air is transparent to infrared. Your IR gun isn't "feeling" the air; it’s looking right through it and measuring the wall, the register grille, or a reflection. If your $2,000 FLIR can’t accurately "see" 192°F air, your $20 temp gun definitely can’t measure a 15-degree AC split.

The Takeaway for Pros:
🔵 IR Guns measure surfaces.
🔵 Psychrometers measure air.

If you aren't using a probe in the air stream, you aren't getting a real reading.

Are you still using the "Point and Click" method, or have you switched to probes? Let’s discuss in the comments.

See that purple plume along the wall? That’s air failing the physics test. I’m breaking down why 'sticky air' is the secret to a comfortable home in my latest Substack article.

Watch a mind-bending video of ultrasonic levitation that proves air is a high-pressure pipeline, not a choice, and learn about the "Coanda Effect."

The Sticky Science of Comfort Understanding the Coanda Effect

The Most Dangerous Myth in Homeownership: "Set-It & Forget-It"

As a home inspector and builder for 50+ years, I see it every day: homeowners falling for the "Set-It & Forget-It" trap. They install a high-tech system, assume it’s a permanent fixture, and then act surprised when it fails three years later.

Take Cable Railings, for example. People love the look, but they don't realize these are mechanical systems. Between the Mississippi humidity shrinking wooden posts, and the cables expanding in the heat, that "safety" barrier can sag enough to fail a 4-inch sphere test in just a few months.

If you aren’t checking your tension, you aren't "set"—you’re just waiting for a safety hazard.

List the components that FAIL the "Set-It & Forget-It" rule. Here are my first three:
1️⃣ Cable Railing Systems (Need monthly tension checks!)
2️⃣ Tankless Water Heaters (Need annual descaling!)
3️⃣ Sump Pumps (Need quarterly testing!)

What else belongs on this list? Builders, inspectors, and homeowners—drop the component you've seen fail from neglect in the comments! 👇

The flashing isn't UL-listed… but it is road-tested.

Maintain your home without using tools.

Home Maintenance Tasks That Don't Require Tools Here's my list of home maintenance tasks you can perform and never grab the tool bag + a few others that require very few tools or effort. I check each one when performing a home inspection. They're incredibly simple to perform.

Summertime is just around the corner. It's time to tone up on Deck Construction—here's my lumber guide. Take care with pressure-treated wood—you can introduce a code violation quicker than a minnow can swim a dipper, and old decks could have been treated with an arsenic-based preservative, which is dangerous to work with.https://garynsmith.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Deck-Lumber-Grading-Guide.pdf

And the reports? They’ve grown with me. Not padded. Just precise. I don’t write to hedge bets. I write so the next person knows I was here, saw what I saw, and had the backbone to name it. That’s not protection. That’s witness.

I’m not here to smooth things over.

I don’t answer to algorithms or marketing departments.

I answer to the house. And it tells me things—in the silence between steps, in the tilt of a doorframe, when the color of the grass doesn’t match, and the dry whisper of settling dust tells the story.

I listen.

This isn’t about ego. It’s not about brand. It’s about standing, and telling the truth, no matter who’s fidgeting behind you.

Agents learn that over time. Clients remember it forever.

I’m not building a business. I’m building trust.

Where the House Speaks Ole men don't inspect—they listen.

When homeowners buy a new home, they often assume that every inch of it, from the shingles to the sidewalk, has undergone rigorous inspections and meets the same standards of quality and strength. After all, the city signed off, the builder gave a proud handshake, and judging from the driveway, it looks shiny and new.

https://msinspector.substack.com/p/the-potential-hidden-flaws-in-new