Annual Inspections: How Preventative Maintenance Saves Thousands

How Do Annual Maintenance Inspections Save Homeowners Money And Protect Property Investment? 

What if the biggest threats to your home are the ones you can't see? That's the powerful insight we explore with Michael Donahue, a state-licensed home and mold inspector with over three decades of experience serving Florida's Treasure Coast.

Michael reveals how seemingly minor issues—like that barely noticeable drip under your kitchen sink—can silently escalate into catastrophic and expensive problems through what he calls "the snowball effect." The financial wisdom behind annual maintenance inspections becomes crystal clear as we discuss how identifying small problems early can prevent emergency repairs that often come with premium pricing and inconvenient timing.

"Murphy's Law: if it can happen, it will happen at the worst time," Michael reminds us, emphasizing why proactive homeowners gain a significant advantage. We dive deep into strategic timing for these inspections, particularly before Florida's intense rainy seasons, and how post-storm evaluations can catch hidden damage before it compromises your home's structural integrity.

The conversation highlights how comprehensive inspections—what Michael describes as a "four-point inspection on steroids"—examine everything from potential electrical fire hazards to roof conditions, providing homeowners with a complete snapshot of their property. This thorough assessment not only protects your investment but may also positively influence insurance coverage in today's challenging market.

For anyone who owns a home or is considering a purchase, this episode delivers practical wisdom that could save you thousands while extending the life of your major home systems. Connect with Michael at A&M Home Inspections to schedule your annual maintenance inspection, and remember that when it comes to your biggest investment, prevention truly is the best protection.

To learn more about Hazard Clean Restoration visit:
https://hazardclean.net/
Hazard Clean Restoration
772-259-5018

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Restoration Revolution podcast,
where we help restore hope andput your family on the road to
recovery, one episode at a time.
Here's your host and owner ofHazard Clean Restoration, chad
Melody.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Just because your home looks fine doesn't mean
costly damage isn't lurkingbeneath the surface.
Let's explore how an annualmaintenance inspection can save
homeowners thousands.
Welcome back everyone.
I'm sophia yvette, co-host andproducer, back in the studio
with chad maloney, owner ofhazard clean restoration.

(00:46):
Nice to see you again, chad.
How's it going today?

Speaker 3 (00:49):
it's going going great sophia, it's going really
good great and back with chad.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
Today is michael donahue, a state licensed home
and mold inspector with a?
M home inspections serving thetreasure Treasure Coast of
Florida with over 30 years ofindustry experience.
How are you, michael?

Speaker 4 (01:10):
Excellent.
Thank you for having me ontoday.
These are always so much fun.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Yeah, that's wonderful.
Well, Chad, I'm going to goahead and pass it over to you.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Thanks, sophia Appreciate that.
So I'm like excited, reallyexcited, to have you today.
You know you're you're a wealthof information and you know
talking about as Sophia wastalking about, you know, the
topic being costly damages.
You know, you know making surewe can avoid those with the
annual maintenance inspections.

(01:40):
I'm just I want to learnsomething from you, and so, as I
was thinking through today'sepisode, I really kept thinking
about how is getting an annualmaintenance inspection actually
save the homeowner's money?
Because at the end of the day,the homeowner is paying for that
inspection and it's really tohelp protect their property,

(02:03):
right, but how does thatactually save them money?

Speaker 4 (02:07):
Perfect question for that and that is key right there
.
It may sound counterintuitivethat you're spending money on
the inspection, but in the longrun.
It's what the big picture is.
For example, we have a waterleak underneath the sink where
one of the valves is leaked.
Just enough to start.
A slow leak turns into a bigleak, turns into more damages

(02:29):
snowball effect.
Next thing you know possible.
That's where you can save moneyin the long run.
Things like that, knowingwhether or not your roof is time
to be, if it's got life left init, all the good key facts.
Are you going to be putting outmoney right away for something
like this now, or on thereactive side, after it's too
late?
When you have an emergency?

(02:49):
That's the wrong time to findout that the plumber he doesn't
like to come out on weekends andyou're getting quadruple what
you should probably be gettingcharged.
So yeah, annual maintenanceexam or inspection and report is
key to staying ahead of thingslike that, or inspection and
report is key to staying aheadof things like that.
You're jumping the gun onthings that could happen to you
when you don't want them to.

(03:10):
You know Murphy's Law if it canhappen, it will happen at the
worst time.
So we like to get annualmaintenance inspections ahead of
them in the beginning of theyear, before storm and rainy
season comes, which is startingto come out right now.
You've seen all the rain herein Florida we're starting to
experience over the last coupleweeks.
Uh, well needed, though, butsame time it brings inherent
problems.
Uh, that's one of those uhhidden things that takes place

(03:32):
that you don't see in your uh,when you have a simple roof leak
turns into a bigger one, andthings like that that's so.
You're talking cost safe.
Um, that can, in the long run,extend the life of your roof,
extend the life of your waterheater, things like that.
Your electrical panel, lookingfor safety hazards that could be
potential fires.
Your insurance companyeverybody knows the rates are

(03:53):
not going down anytime soon, sotake care of those things ahead
of time.
It's going to save you.
They're going to see that, ohlook, they had a new water
heater put in just this year, orsomething like that, for an
example.
A new roof they all do like tosee new things, but at the same
time, if you maintain yourequipment, many of these things
can get a substantial lifeexpectancy out of your equipment

(04:15):
, like your HVAC, keeping themmaintained, things of that
nature.
Overall, it is, get aevaluation and a visual of
what's going on in your home.
I think it helps.

Speaker 3 (04:29):
I know it is valuable .
Yeah, it makes a lot of sense.
Is there a time of year thatyou recommend you talked about
raining and everything.
I know you get storm seasoncoming up, but is there a time
of year that you recommendgetting your home inspected?

Speaker 4 (04:45):
Yeah, Sure, there's never a bad time.
Obviously, if you're behind thebehind the ball a little bit,
you know it's never a bad time.
But always the first couple ofmonths of the year and right
before rainy storms, you know,before spring is a good
evaluation time, right there.
You know, as long as you get inthere before spring and then
obviously, after storms takeplace, is a good time to have

(05:07):
your roof inspect in.
To have your roof inspect in,because wind-driven rains, with
the wind storms that we havehere in florida, they can be
unpredictable and you'll havedamages without even knowing you
have damage, um, and then theycan add up and be very costly.
You start to have structuralintegrity use.
Uh, once, once the roof iscompromised, it's kind of it's a
bad snowball.

(05:27):
Uh, I've mentioned the um, oneof those things that's gonna.
If you, finding out too late isjust never a good time, that's
for sure you know.
So, yes, at the end of the year, after a storm beginning of the
year, there's never a bad time.
So we suggested our annualmaintenance inspection comes
with a free four-pointinspection report included for
your insurance, which is goodfor up to a year for most

(05:49):
insurance companies.
I've heard of a couple that goshorter, sometimes only six
months and three months.
Generally, most insuranceshould take them a good, clean
four-point report for up to ayear.
So we include that as part ofour annual maintenance
inspection.
Our annual maintenanceinspection is a little more than
just a four-point.
It's a little like a boosted upon steroids type of four point.

(06:11):
We're going to inspect otherportions of your home too while
we're there.
So it's a big overall pictureof your home and a snapshot in
time right then and there.
How is it right now?
So in a year you know you cancome back and do another
maintenance inspection and if wesee something developed, you
know there could be a biggerpicture there that we, you know,
got to identify.

Speaker 3 (06:32):
It sounds, I mean it.
There could be a bigger picturethere that we, you know, gotta
identify.
Yeah, it sounds, I mean itsounds like the homeowner is
getting a lot for their money,especially when you're saying I
think you use the words uh, it'slike a four point on steroids.
Your inspection, you know whenyou, you, when you come out to
do an inspection, you're reallymaking a difference and doing a
lot more than just the averageinspector correct.

Speaker 4 (06:49):
It's more than just the basic that you're going to
get some will just fill out theform you might get to get it.
Oh, let's get you to throughyour insurance and that's all
you need right now is good,clean, four point.
But if they're not helping youidentify a problem that's in
your home, they're not helpingyou, as a homeowner, protect
your property and yourinvestment, and that's that's
the key is protecting it overall.
Any kind of uh, unknown,unhidden surprises can happen,

(07:11):
of course, but here you'regetting a better chance and the
cards are in your favor ifyou're getting it inspected at
least once a year, with anannual maintenance exam.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
Yeah, and you know I mean our homes are usually our
biggest investment, so you knowwhy not make sure that you're
catching things when they'resmall and taking good care of it
?

Speaker 4 (07:30):
Absolutely, absolutely.
Yeah.
Biggest investment for mostpeople you know you're buying.
The cost of homes are not goingdown.
People are hoping that themarket's going to go another way
.
There may be a little bit ofwiggle room there now just
because there's some more homesbeing on the market, but still
value is there and as long asyou shop and buy, you know get

(07:52):
what you're really looking foras a homeowner or future
homeowner Well, appreciate.

Speaker 3 (07:55):
Appreciate your insight, michael, and appreciate
you coming on today and youknow it's going to be a wrap for
today's episode of RestorationRevolution and to all the
listeners out there, if you'rein the Treasure Coast area and
you want to get ahead of costlyrepairs or to make sure your
inspection is rock solid, don'thesitate to reach out to Michael
and team at A&M Home Inspectors.

(08:16):
That's wwwanmhomeinspectionscomand, as always, if you found
today's conversation useful,make sure to subscribe.
Please leave us a review andshare this episode with someone
who could benefit from it.
I'm Chad Malowney with HazardClean Restoration and you've
been listening to theRestoration Revolution.
We're returning chaos andclarity, one episode at a time.

(08:38):
Until next time, stay informed,stay prepared and stay safe.
Bye, everyone.

Speaker 1 (08:47):
Thanks for listening to the Restoration Revolution
podcast, where recovery startshere.
Let us help put your family onthe road to recovery.
Go to hazardcleannet or call772-259-5018.
That's 772-259-5018.