For over 13 years, "Buyer's Ally Home & Building Inspections" has set the standard for property inspections.  Since 1993, our owner and president , Steve Acker (H.I. #384 /A.S.H.I.#105519), has performed over 7,000 inspections in the Tampa Bay area. Steve and all our inspectors , have collected unparalleled customer satisfaction ratings and earned a reputation for providing top-quality inspections and exceptional service. At "Buyer's Ally Inc". we far exceed the expectations of our clients during and after the inspection.

Quality inspections begin with a quality inspector. Our promise is to provide our clients the highest level in inspection services 24-7. We guarantee all inspections will be done personally by Mr. Acker, a Florida state licenced , insured and "ASHI" certified inspector who has extensive industry experience and communication skills.

"Buyer's Ally, Inc".  offers a complete menu of inspection services to satisfy any inspection need. We are the "one-stop" solution for all residential purchase and pre-listing inspections. We can also perform any and all inspections needed for homeowner's insurance , schedule a W.D.O.(wood destroying organism) inspection , inspect commercial properties and new construction.
Depending on your specific needs, as an alternative to our standard full inspection and electronically generated  full report , "Buyer's Ally Inc". also offers hourly consulting services.   "Buyer's Ally Inc". makes inspection scheduling easy - you can order services with just one phone call or web visit.

Whether you are a pre or post contract Buyer , a Seller preparing your home for listing , Realtor, Lender, Insurance Agent or Attorney, you need look no further for an inspection company with the experience and expertise to do the inspection the right way. You have found an Ally!

"Buyer's Ally, Inc." provides comprehensive inspection services, easy-to-read computer generated reports complete with digital photos . We invite you to meet us and discover why for many years families in Pinellas , Pasco and Hillsborough counties have chosen Steve Acker and "Buyer's Ally Home & Building Inspections" for their home and insurance inspection needs. We would love the opportunity to personally meet and work with you!
Remember... "Don't list or buy without an Ally!"

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Teflon is the trademarked name for DuPont's Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is the slipperiest substance known to man. DuPont studies show that the Teflon offgases toxic particulates at 446°F. At 680°F Teflon pans release at least six toxic gases, including two carcinogens, two global pollutants, and MFA, a chemical lethal to humans at low doses. At temperatures that DuPont scientists claim are reached on stovetop drip pans (1000°F), non-stick coatings break down to a chemical warfare agent known as PFIB, and a chemical analog of the WWII nerve gas phosgene.
Particleboard is cheaper, denser and more uniform than conventional wood and plywood and is substituted for them when appearance and strength are less important than cost. However, particleboard can be made more attractive by painting or the use of wood veneers that are glued onto surfaces that will be visible. Though it is denser than conventional wood, it is the lightest and weakest type of fiberboard, except for insulation board. Medium-density fibreboard and hardboard, also called high-density fiberboard, are stronger and denser than particleboard.
To build an average 2000 square foot home, it would require 26,700 board feet of lumber! One 20 inch, 42 foot long tree will produce about 260 board feet. So if you are building this 2000 square foot home, it will take 102 trees. (Keep in mind that this does not include any wood required for furnishings or cabinetry in some cases.)
Argentine ants are ranked among the world's 100 worst animal invaders. In its introduced range, the Argentine ant often displaces most or all native ants. This can, in turn, imperil other species in the ecosystem, such as native plants that depend on native ants for seed dispersal, or lizards that depend on native ants for food. For example, the recent severe decline in coastal horned lizards in southern California is closely tied to Argentine ants displacing native ant species on which the lizards feed.
Polyurethane is an incredibly resilient, flexible, and durable manufactured material that can take the place of paint, cotton, rubber, metal, and wood in thousands of applications across all fields. Polyurethane might be hard, like fiberglass, squishy like upholstery foam, protective like varnish, bouncy like rubber wheels, or sticky like glue. Since its invention in the 40s, polyurethane has been used in everything from baby toys to airplane wings, and continues to be adapted for contemporary technology.
The castor bean plant is one of the deadliest of all plants. Eat a single castor bean, or perhaps two if you're an adult, and you'll die — maybe. If you live beyond five days, you will probably survive. Castor beans (seeds) contain a poison, called ricin, which works by preventing cells from making proteins. Cells die without the proteins, and the resulting damage to the body can be great enough to kill a person. More ominous: ricin is part of the mash left over from making castor oil from the beans, and can be used to deliberately poison people. A 500-microgram dose (about the size of a pin head) is enough to do the job if injected or inhaled.
To properly de-ice a windshield, turn the vehicle's heat level to high and the defroster fan level to low. This low setting is extremely important'you don't want to crack the windshield by heating it too quickly. Apply a deicing solution to your windshield, using a spray bottle. Home remedies include the following mixtures: 50 percent water and 50 percent ethyl alcohol, or 50 percent water and 50 percent vinegar. Use a plastic scraper or spatula.
Because photosynthesis performed by fuel crops removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and can reduce fossil fuel consumption, we are told they are green. But when the full lifecycle of biofuels is considered, from land clearing to consumption, the moderate emission savings are outweighed by far greater emissions from deforestation, burning, peat drainage, cultivation and soil-carbon losses. Every ton of palm oil generates 33 tons of carbon dioxide emissions - 10 times more than petroleum. Tropical forests cleared for sugar cane ethanol emit 50 percent more greenhouse gases than the production and use of the same amount of gasoline.
The bacterium Caulobacter crescentus uses the toughest glue on Earth to stick to river rocks, and now scientists are trying to figure out how to produce the stuff. The adhesive can withstand an enormous amount of stress, equal to the force felt by a quarter with more than three cars piled on top of it. That’s two to three times more force than the best retail glues can handle. But making it has proved challenging. Like a mess of chewing gum, the gunk globs to everything, including the tools used to create it!
HEPA filters can remove at least 99.97% of airborne particles 0.3 micrometers (µm) in diameter. Particles of this size are the most difficult to filter and are thus considered the most penetrating particle size (MPPS). HEPA filters are composed of a mat of randomly arranged fibres. Key metrics affecting function are fibre density and diameter, and filter thickness. The common assumption that a HEPA filter acts like a sieve where particles smaller than the largest opening can pass through is incorrect. Just as for membrane filters, particles so large that they are as wide as the largest opening or distance between fibres cannot pass in between them at all.
Potassium iodide is added as a nutrient, to prevent goiter, a thyroid gland problem caused by lack of iodine, and to prevent mental retardation associated with iodine deficiency. A project started by the Michigan State Medical Society in 1924 promoted the addition of iodine to table salt, and by the mid 1950's, three quarters of U.S. households used only iodized salt. Potassium iodide makes up 0.06% to 0.01% of table salt by weight. Sometimes cuprous iodide (iodide of copper) is used as the source of iodine.
Bioplastics are a new generation of biodegradable and compostable plastics. They are derived from renewable raw materials like starch (e.g. corn, potato, tapioca etc), cellulose, soy protein, lactic acid etc., not hazardous in production and decompose back into carbon dioxide, water, biomass etc. when discarded. Corn starch is currently the main raw material being used in the manufacture of bioplastic resins. Mater-Bi (main component corn-starch), and PolyActide (PLA) (made from corn-starch as well) are currently the 2 main resins (raw materials), being used today in the production of compostable & biodegradable plastics and are certified for compostability under standards set by international organizations.
One kilowatt-hour (kWh) equals the amount of electricity needed to burn a 100 watt light bulb for 10 hours. A 1 kilowatt home solar system installed costs about US$9000 (before any rebate programs). Prices up to $15,000 are also possible as are lower prices depending upon (a) the kind of PV System, (b) country of purchase ,(c) how the system is purchased, and (d) the surface to which the system is attached.

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