GOT PILLS??? Even decades ago we knew that having  expired prescription drugs was a safety risk. When I was growing up, I was always taught to simply flush the pills down the toilet. Unfortunately, this is EXACTLY what we did! Years later we have learned that this method of disposal is not at all good for the environment. So the question now is, what is the proper way to dispose of expired or unused medication? The first, and preferred method is to find a location that accepts unused medication. There is a household drug take back map available that shows locations across the state. Follow this link to find one of the centers in your area.  Drug Take Back Map   Often times these are pharmacies or local police departments. When using these services, be sure to make sure they accept the type of medication you are going to bring. Some locations only have capacity to accept certain medications. If you do not have one of these facilities in your area, or c...

Hello, and welcome to the neighborhood! This Article will contain a list of useful resources and links for area stores and services in and around your community. At Expert Home Inspections we want to help make sure you have access to important information when you need it; so we have gathered this information specifically for your neighborhood. Also, If you find other resources in the area that you think should be listed, please let us know in the comments and we will add it! Police: Oakland County Sheriff EMERGENCY: 911 NON-EMERGENCY:​​ 248-393-0090 ​ 2525 Joslyn Road​ Lake Orion, Michigan​, USA 48360 Oakland County Sheriff Fire :  EMERGENCY: 911 NON-EMERGENCY:​​  (248) 391-0304 ext. 2000 33965 Gregory Rd. Lake Orion, MI 48359 Orion Township Fire Department 24 Hr Pharmacy : Rite Aid : (248) 373-7700 2480 Lapeer Rd Auburn Hills, MI 48326 Walgreen's :  (248) 393-2934   3520 S. Baldwin Rd. Lake Orion, MI 48359 CVS: ...

Don't let a night sitting in front of your fireplace turn into a 911 call to the Fire Department! As the temperature drops, winter begins to settle in, and the daylight fades earlier and earlier, many of us enjoy sitting by a nice roaring fire in the fireplace. It is a great way to relax and enjoy the season, IF your chimney is in good shape and has been recently inspected. Many people who use their fireplaces regularly don't give it a second thought when winter comes, and start up a fresh new fire.  The reality is that chimney's and fireplaces NEED to be regularly inspected. And while you might think it is less than  i ronic that the home inspector is recommending a recurring inspection, this is not an inspection we as a company offer.  These are inspections that should be done by a chimney sweep who is certified by CSIA, the Chimney Safety Institute of America. No matter how meticulous you are with maintaining your fireplace,  it  do es  r...

As the holidays are fast approaching, we are surrounded by cheerful decorations that help to keep us smiling. From fresh cut Christmas trees, to glowing wreaths and shining Menorah's, these decorations are a wonderful addition to our homes. But do you know how important it is to use them responsibly to avoid a potential holiday disaster? Each holiday decoration or activity can pose its own hazard; and many of these items may carry a serious risk of fire. I won't bring you down with statistics of how many fires and injuries are caused each year; if you do want to read those, follow this link,  National Fire Protection Association Statistics . Instead I will talk about how to safely avoid these problems and make sure your holiday is filled with cheer! Outdoor Lights: Many of us enjoy hanging lights on our roofs, gutters, trees and bushes outside. While these are some of the safest places to hang lights, there are a few precautions you should take. 1. Check each string of ...

Thank you again for taking the time to read our blog! We hope you find this article useful in helping to keep your home well maintained and running smoothly. This week we are going to address what can be the source of a major loss of heat energy from your home in the winter...Windows. Making sure your windows are properly sealed for the winter can save you a great deal of money heating your home this winter; and most of these steps can be taken care of in just a few minutes. Cleaning: It may not seem like this would be important to your windows functioning properly, but it can make a big difference! But it may not be what you think... We are not talking about just the glass. When getting ready to seal up for the winter, this is a great time to make sure the tracks are good and clean. You should fully open each window and wipe down the track and window frame with a mild cleaner to remove any build up of dirt. Just a small amount of dirt can cause a window to sit uneven, ...

How many of you out there were caught just a bit off guard by the random 12" of snow in early November? I know I found myself scrambling to get those final "winter prep" projects taken care of amid this snow.  Now that we are in the middle of it, what should be your biggest priorities for getting your home buttoned up for the winter? Here are some of our top recommendations to be sure the cold weather doesn't cause damage. 1. Outdoor Hose Faucets - If you are living in a fairly modern home, you probably have a frost free hose bib for your outside water connection. These faucets actually recess the valve portion of the faucet behind the insulated wall preventing them from freezing. On many older homes however, the valve is actually outside on the faucet connector, and these are extremely prone to freezing in the winter. The solution however is pretty straight forward and inexpensive to offer some protection.  If you do not have a frost free hose bib,...

Is your HVAC system properly Maintained? If you are not doing the proper maintenance your warranty may be VOID!! HVAC SYSTEM TYPES As  promised, the next edition of our blog is here with tips and tricks to help you make sure your NEW HOME WARRANTY doesn't get voided! As we mentioned, your furnace and AC are vital components to your home working properly as a system, and they do require regular maintenance. Since we cannot possibly list every type of heating system available, we are going to focus on the most common type, a natural gas/propane forced air furnace. If you have other types of heating or cooling installed, you will have to focus on your manual and some other resources. below we have listed links to several other types of heating and cooling systems: Boiler - Maintenance Heat Pump - Maintenance Geothermal Heat - Maintenance If you have a traditional forced air furnace, and air conditioner, below we have listed some...