Atchison Home Inspections

Okay, this one we did NOT want to disturb. 🐰

Baby bunnies, tucked into a gap under the brick ledge. Cozy. Adorable. Also — a gap under your brick ledge.

Because here's the thing: that same little opening that makes a perfect nursery is also a perfect entry point for water, insects, and rodents. Cute today, moisture problem later.

We note it. Gently. 🧡

Cutest thing Brett's found on the job? Maybe. 👀⬇️

Look who was waiting for us on this one. 🐍

A rat snake, sunning himself right where we needed to walk. Non-venomous, actually great at keeping rodents out of your attic — but still not what you want to meet on a Tuesday morning.

Here's the real takeaway: critters get in the same way water and air do — through gaps. Loose siding, unsealed penetrations, gaps under the brick. If something can crawl in, something can leak in.

We check for those gaps. Every time. 🔍

Would you have kept walking? 👀

🌡️ Why we bring a thermal camera to every inspection:
At a glance, this wall oven looks totally normal. But the door wasn't closing flush. Thermal imaging showed exactly what that meant. Heat pouring out around the door seal, hot enough to light up the frame (in a thermal image).
That's wasted energy, uneven cooking, and heat escaping into a cabinet that was never designed to take it. 🌡️
Thermal doesn't see through walls (that's a myth 😅), it sees temperature differences. Missing insulation, air leaks, moisture, overheating breakers, and yes, appliance seals that aren't doing their job.
Same house. Same room. Two very different pictures. That's the full picture. 🏠

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.rene

Top 5 Summer Tips from your Helpful Home Inspector

🏡 Water Your Foundation
Our North Texas clay soil shrinks when it dries out in the summer heat, and that movement is what causes cracks in drywall, sticking doors, and the foundation worries everybody dreads. The fix is cheap. Run a soaker hose about a foot from the foundation on a timer, and keep the moisture steady all summer. Consistency is everything. You are trying to avoid the swing from soaked to bone dry. A few dollars of water now can save you thousands later.

❄️ Care For Your AC
Two simple things make a real difference. First, change your filter on schedule, because a dirty filter makes the system work harder and runs up your bill. Second, find the condensate drain line, the little pipe that carries water away from your indoor unit, and pour a cup of vinegar down it a couple of times over the summer. That line clogs with algae, backs up, and the first sign is usually a water stain on your ceiling. Two minutes of maintenance prevents a very bad afternoon.

🌞 Love Your Attic
Our Texas attics can pass 104 degrees in July. Good ventilation and solid insulation keep that heat from radiating down into your living space, which keeps your AC from running nonstop and your roof from aging early. Take a peek up there. If your insulation looks thin or your vents are blocked, those are affordable upgrades that pay you back every single month on your energy bill.

🏠 Check Your Roof, Gutters, and Downspouts
After every hail storm, and we get plenty, take a few minutes from the ground to look for dented vents, dinged gutters, or shingle granules washing out of the downspouts. If you see signs, get it inspected, because most insurance policies have a window for filing a claim. Clean your gutters and downspouts of leaves and debris. Make sure downspouts drain away from the house, not toward it. That ties right back to tip one and your foundation.

🦋 Watch For Uninvited Guests
Summer is termite season. Warm, wet weather is when they swarm. Walk your foundation and look for mud tubes climbing the slab, or little piles of discarded wings near windows and doors. Keep mulch, firewood, and wood fences away from the hou