From your friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc.! Small business has always been the backbone of the American economy, and today's entrepreneurs are as diverse as American culture itself. Entrepreneurship takes many forms, from freelancers and independent contractors to sole proprietors. In fact, just one form of entrepreneurship — franchises — employs 8 million people and accounts for 40 percent of all retail sales, according to the Small Business Administration. Franchise operations Continue Reading ...

Helpful information from your friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc.! Home solar panels can drastically cut or even eliminate electricity bills, reduce a home’s carbon footprint, increase resale value, and may even help a home sell faster. The cost of rooftop solar systems has fallen dramatically in recent years, and most homeowners have the option of buying the system, leasing it on reasonable payment terms, or having a third-party pay for and install the system at no upfront cost at all Continue Reading ...

Brought to you by friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc.! As temperatures drop, you're reminded that Old Man Winter will soon rear his ugly head. Before the first flurries fly, it's important to take some winterization steps to ensure your home is ready for whatever the season brings. This five-point home winterization checklist will help safeguard your home against winter's woes for another year.  1. Inspect windows Inspect each window from the outside to see if any gaps or cracks are Continue Reading ...

Brought to you by A B Home Inspections, Inc.! With the imminent approach of dropping temperatures, many people reach for their sweaters as they run out the door. In a bittersweet farewell to summer, boats are hauled out of the water and taken in to be winterized. Wool sock purchases start to soar, and Instagram is filled again with pumpkin spice latte images. And, don’t forget those pet owners who dress their dogs in miniature rain jackets and scarves. It is officially fall. Often, in Continue Reading ...

Article courtesy of A B Home Inspections, Inc.! If it’s time to replace your furnace, you may be wondering if it’s worth the extra investment to buy an energy-efficient system. Or, you may be unsure how to choose an energy-efficient system for your home. “Energy-efficient heating systems can substantially lower your fuel costs over the lifetime of the system, so it’s well worth investing the time and money to find just the right one,” says Chip Wade, HGTV(R) expert. “Depending on Continue Reading ...

Helpful information from A B Home Inspections, Inc.! After months of sticky heat and humidity, it’s time to put away the shorts and pull out the sweaters because the autumn season is finally here. But, late September brings us more than just cooler temperatures and a wardrobe change. If you or a loved one are over the age of 65, the change in seasons is also an opportunity to think about another kind of fall — the kind that impacts one in four older Americans every year — and the steps Continue Reading ...

From your friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc.! Few areas of the country are immune to natural disasters or severe weather. Whether you live in a hurricane zone or face icy winters, it is important to prepare your home and family to weather the storm and know the potential health and safety risks that may arise in emergency situations. Beyond inconvenience, widespread and long-term power outages resulting from storms raise a much more serious concern: carbon monoxide poisoning. While the Continue Reading ...

Helpful information from your friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc.!  Having a home warranty is a smart way to help deal with the inevitable home repair problems that all property owners face at one point or another.  After all, a good home warranty can mean getting expert help when your HVAC system needs to be fixed, your water heater needs to be replaced, or your refrigerator requires a new part. But unfortunately, all home warranties are not created equal. And shopping for a home Continue Reading ...

A B Home Inspections, Inc. has been serving the Birmingham, AL area since the year 2000. A lot has changed since then! What hasn’t changed is our commitment to helping you know what you are buying. A new home purchase is probably one of the biggest financial decisions most of us will ever make. It’s important to assess the current condition of a home before buying. Why Home Inspections Matter? There are so many things that can go wrong in a home! Electrical, plumbing, heating and air Continue Reading ...

From your friends at A B Home Inspections, Inc. What are the 5 Signs of Deck Damage? It’s Spring! That means grilling out and relaxing with a cold beverage on the back deck here in Alabama. I’m not trying to ruin your outdoor fun, but there are a few things you should probably do yearly to make sure your deck is safe to enjoy. Today, I am going to go over five (5) signs of deck damage and what you can do to prevent an accident or injury. When we’re out doing home inspections around Continue Reading ...