Inspect Solutions

09/18/2025

Great day at the Synergy convention in Nashville. Got to see a lot of our inspectors (new & old), customers (and their tech people).

09/11/2025

After nearly two years of development and refinement, our new mobile inspection application for resilient plank flooring is now live and fully integrated into our inspection process. 🎉

This is the start of a series of enhancements designed to deliver faster, more consistent, and more accurate inspection results.

✅ 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀

• 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Step-by-step guidance ensures thorough, fact-based evaluations.
• 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: At least three expansion checks and four moisture readings per room, all supported by photos and data.
• 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Issues and photos clearly documented, followed by a comprehensive summary page.
• 𝗙𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱: More reports finalized within 24 - 48 hours.

🔎 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁

This is the start of a series of enhancements designed to deliver faster, more consistent, and more accurate inspection results. We are also already developing similar tools for additional product categories.

We’re grateful for your partnership as we take this step forward.

👉 𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 (𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰@𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮 // 888.854.0946) 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦’𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵.

08/08/2025

🚫 Don’t Ignore Specific Gravity

Each wood species has its own density, and if your meter doesn’t account for it, your moisture readings might be off.

Specific Gravity (SG) is a measure of how dense a specific wood species is compared to water (SG of water = 1.00).

Moisture meters don’t actually measure moisture. They measure certain electrical properties of the wood and compare them to the results obtained by testing a wood species at fixed conditions in the lab. If the species you’re testing differs from the reference model, your readings must be adjusted to compensate for deviation from the lab model.

📟 Non-Invasive Meters

To get an accurate moisture reading with a non-invasive meter, you must account for the species being tested.

Analog Meters (like the Tramex MEP, MEP+, and ME5) use fixed SG settings, therefore, the readings, not the meter would have to be adjusted using the correction chart.

Digital Meters (like the Tramex MEX5) allow SG adjustment but must be manually set - a feature often lost in advanced settings.

📌 If you have a generic meter that doesn’t have have SG adjustment capability, it is not possible to report specific %MC values; you can only make relative comparisons on site.

Know your meter. Know the species. Use the adjustment charts. One small mistake in the settings can throw off the whole report.

07/24/2025

❗ LVT is NOT the Right Term ❗

Often, we hear the terms “LVT” and “LVP” being referred to all types of vinyl products. While these terms are widely used in the industry, they are not recognized by ASTM International as official product categories.

ASTM defines LVT as “a marketing term that is applied to resilient floor tile products.” To ensure accuracy, we must avoid using marketing terms and instead identify and document the flooring using the appropriate classification.

Three categories most often mistaken for LVT / LVP:

🔹 Rigid Core Resilient Flooring (ASTM F3261)
This includes all SPC and WPC products manufactured to the ASTM F3261 specifications. These products are often installed as floating installations.

🔹 Vinyl Composition Tile (ASTM F1066)
VCT contains a low quantity of vinyl and a high filler content. Products with vinyl or binder content of less than 34% are classified as VCT. The tiles are typically 1/8 inch thick and have uniform construction throughout. They are installed using a glue-down method.

🔹 Solid Vinyl Resilient Flooring (ASTM F1700)
Products with a vinyl or binder content of 34% or higher are classified as Solid Vinyl Floor Tiles. Solid vinyl products are often homogeneous but may also be heterogeneous, maintaining a high vinyl content, and are installed using a glue-down method.

Each of these has different characteristics and installation requirements and should not be housed under LVT / LVP or even under the broad label “resilient flooring.”

06/19/2025

🪟 Window Seal Failure: A Few Things Industry Professionals Need to Know

Today’s double—and triple-pane windows rely on seals to keep moisture out and gas in (typically argon or krypton). When these seals fail, condensation forms between the panes, causing the often-seen foggy and hazy look.
Seal failure reduces insulation, leads to energy loss, and undermines long-term performance and structural integrity.

🔧 Top causes of seal failure:

• Aging Materials. Sealants like polysulfide, butyl, and silicone naturally degrade over time.

• Thermal Stress. Daily temperature shifts, aka thermal pumping, stress the seals, gradually leading to failure.

• Environmental Conditions. Harsh climates, rain, humidity, snow, and wind can all compromise the structural integrity of the seals.

• Improper Installation. Misalignment, under-pressurized IGUs, or inadequate edge sealant application during installation can all increase the risk of premature failure.

• Manufacturing Defects. Rare, but still a factor to consider.


💡 Key Signs to Watch Out For:

1. Persistent fog or haze between panes
2. Drafts and dips in energy efficiency
3. Softened or warped frames
4. Windows that no longer operate smoothly

Whether you work in inspections, manufacturing, installation, or construction, knowing how and why window seals fail helps you improve the quality of service, prevent issues, and keep clients happy.

🔍 And should it ever happen that you do have a problem, our inspectors are here to examine and document the problem, so everyone has a clear picture of what went wrong and why. 💥

Share your thoughts below ⬇️

06/05/2025

𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 🔎

When it comes to tile inspections, a common issue that comes up is uneven tile surfaces, also known as 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 - the difference in height between the edges of two neighboring tiles.

✅ A small amount of lippage is normal and acceptable, as long as it stays within industry standards.

𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘁
Even when tiles meet manufacturing standards, they may still have a slight curve. This is called 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI A137.1) specifies allowable warpage based on the type of tile.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲? 🤔
According to ANSI standards, several factors can affect how noticeable lippage appears:

• 𝗧𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀

• 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 (wider joints can make height differences less noticeable, tighter joints can make them stand out more)

• 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 (bright or angled light can exaggerate minor variations)
Tile finish (glossy tiles reflect more light and highlight flaws)

• 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 (an uneven base makes it harder to set tiles evenly)

🧮 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲
A common misconception is that allowable warpage and allowable lippage can simply be added together. That is not correct.

The formula is: 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 + 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲.

📌 The measured warpage must still be within the allowable ANSI limits.

Perfectly flat installations are rarely possible. What matters is ensuring that the combined warpage and lippage stay within the tolerances allowed by the standards.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘕𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 (𝘛𝘊𝘕𝘈) 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 provides industry guidelines for tile installation and references ANSI standards for allowable lippage and warpage tolerances.

05/09/2025

To Blame a Beetle or Not to Blame a Beetle 🪲

You’re looking at a beautiful wood floor, impeccable installation, and… holes. No frass, just holes. You guessed it—the culprit is a burrowing insect like the Powderpost beetle. But how do we know if it’s an active infestation or if the beetles have long since packed up and left? Let’s briefly explore the curious world of powderpost beetles.

🔎 What are they?

Powderpost beetles (PPB) and other similar insects are tiny wood-boring insects (1/8”-3/4” long) that turn wood into a fine, flour-like powder. The damage is caused by larvae tunneling through the wood as they feed, mainly on starch content. The infestation is discovered when adult beetles chew their way out of the wood, leaving small round holes behind. This can occur 1-5 years after the eggs hatch into larvae, most often between April and July.

🔦 Are they still active?

Active infestations are typically identified by fresh frass (a powdery, sawdust like residue) sifting out of exit holes. Careful observation 👀 is needed to tell whether the frass is new or old.
Fresh frass is light in color and loose, while old frass often has a thin film of dust, spiderwebs, or debris on top. Another way to monitor activity is to clean the area, seal the holes, and check again later — particularly during the spring and summer months.

📸 What about the floor in the photo?

04/10/2025

When it’s not the installer’s fault......

The moment a floor fails, who gets blamed first? Usually —the installer. But the truth is, not all failures are due to bad installations. Some issues are beyond the installer’s control. Let’s take a closer look.

🌡️ Site Conditions
Flooring requires a controlled environment prior to, during, and after installation. Improper indoor temperatures, high or low humidity levels, or the absence of a working HVAC system can wreak havoc on wood and vinyl flooring. Even something as simple as missing window treatments can lead to discoloration over time.

📦 Not All Products are Created Equal
Uninstalled flooring with damaged locking mechanisms, chipped edges, out-of-squared ends, delamination, and tuft bind failure will cause problems even when the installation is flawless. If the product is defective out of the box, no amount of craftsmanship can save it.

🧹 Post-installation Maintenance
We often see damage that has nothing to do with how the floor was put down and everything to do with what happens after. Steam mops, harsh or incorrect cleaning products, and moving furniture without proper protection can cause cupping, delamination, surface wear, and scratches. Poor maintenance can destroy a perfectly good floor.

🕵️‍♂️ This is where we step in. As inspectors, our role is to look beyond the obvious (and not so obvious) and dig deeper to find the real cause, not just the most convenient one.
It takes a trained eye, technical knowledge, and a deep understanding of both the product and the site conditions to get it right. But that’s exactly what we’re here to do.

👉 We’d love to hear from others in the field:
What “non-installer” causes of failure do you run into most often?

04/12/2024

03/11/2024

Efflorescence and Sub-florescence Explained ✔

Many issues, including staining, can be linked to moisture or the presence of water. Among these are efflorescence and sub-florescence. These two issues can appear on stone tile installations, concrete, bricks, wood, vinyl, etc.. While similar, these two terms should not be confused.

Efflorescence appears on the surface as a white powdery residue made up of mineral salts from the setting bed. This phenomenon occurs when the stone is exposed to a significant amount of water.

On the other hand, sub-florescence manifests as a white haze when mineral salts migrate but fail to reach the surface. Instead, they crystallize below the surface, inducing stress within the product and leading to a condition known as spalling.

⭐ The important thing to remember about efflorescence is that it tells you that liquid water is intruding into the flooring system. Water v***r will not transport mineral residues to form the efflorescence.

03/04/2024

Ever cleaned your carpet, only to find those stubborn stains making a comeback once it’s dried? 🤔

This common issue can stem from two primary reasons.

Firstly, there’s wicking. Wicking occurs when moisture and any dissolved substances like dirt or stains move upward through the carpet fibers as it dries. If the stain or soiling hasn’t been effectively removed from the deeper layers of the carpet, it will resurface during the drying process.

Secondly, leftover residue from the cleaning solution can contribute to the problem. If the cleaning product isn’t rinsed thoroughly, the residue left behind can attract dirt, leading to re-soiling within a few days to a few weeks.

02/29/2024

I am deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Harvey Nusbaum, a dear friend of mine for over 60 years. Harvey was a good man who touched the lives of many with his kindness and generosity. His loss will be felt by all who knew him.
Harvey was instrumental in the formation of Inspect Solutions over 20 years ago.
For those who would like to pay their respects, you can find the obituary information for Harvey Nusbaum on Obituary information for Harvey Nusbaum (brewerfuneral.com). May his soul rest in peace.