Home Inspector Glenolden, PA | Home Inspection & Mold Testing

All Seasons provides professional home inspections and PRO-LAB certified mold testing in Glenolden, Delaware County. InterNACHI-certified owner-operator Bob personally performs every inspection — 20+ years experience, 4.9 stars on Google, 24-hour reports. Home inspections from $325, mold testing from $290. Call 610-348-6728 for a free estimate.

Glenolden, Delaware County

What home inspection and mold testing services are available in Glenolden?

Tight blocks of brick twins and porch-front rows run up from Chester Pike toward MacDade Boulevard in Glenolden, and the pattern repeats street after street along Glenolden Avenue, South Avenue, Knowles Avenue, Ashland Avenue, Boone Avenue, and Lincoln Avenue. Most of it went up between the 1900s and the 1940s, built for families working the plants and rail yards of the lower Delaware County corridor, and much of it still sits on its original footprint. Muckinipates Creek cuts through Glenolden Park and drops toward Darby Creek, and the low ground near that run behaves very differently in a hard rain than the higher blocks toward Elmwood Avenue do. Homes closest to the SEPTA station on the Wilmington and Newark line tend to be the earliest of the stock, sitting on poured concrete or concrete block foundations that have been holding back soil for eighty to a hundred years. The construction was honest work: plaster over lath, hardwood floors, full-dimension framing, built-in cabinetry. It also came with clay sewer laterals running out under mature street trees, almost no foundation waterproofing, single-pane windows, and insulation that was either an afterthought or added decades later in a retrofit wave. Layer on the oil-to-gas conversions of the 1950s and 1960s, two or three rounds of electrical upgrades, basements finished by owners in the 1970s, and kitchen and bath remodels since, and you get houses on the Interboro School District blocks that look plain from the sidewalk and are anything but plain behind the walls.

What Bob sees most often in Glenolden is a basement that got finished over a problem instead of fixed. Drywall and a drop ceiling go in, the sump keeps running, and the clay lateral out to the street keeps taking root intrusion until the joints separate and moisture works back up through the slab. On the blocks that slope toward Muckinipates Creek he checks grading and window wells first, because a well that has lost its drainage aims water straight at a foundation wall that was never waterproofed to begin with. He spends time on the mechanicals too: oil-to-gas conversions where nobody resized the chimney liner, and layered electrical work where a 1960s upgrade meets original circuits in a junction box no one ever labeled. Because Bob does the home inspection, the mold testing, and the indoor air quality testing himself, you get one person for the whole picture instead of three vendors and three schedules. If a walkthrough on Knowles Avenue turns up a damp corner behind a finished basement wall, he can sample it on that same visit rather than hand you a list of companies to call. The same goes for soot in the ducts of a converted furnace, or plaster dust and early insulation in a house being opened up for renovation. He works these boroughs constantly, including Folcroft just across the line, so he knows how the blocks behave season to season. Call 610-348-6728, tell him the street and roughly when the house was built, and he will tell you what he would look at first.

20+
Years of Experience
1900s–1940s
Primary Housing Era
4.9★
Google Rating (159)
2
National Certifications

What does a home inspection in Glenolden include?

Bob approaches every Glenolden inspection per ASHI and InterNACHI Standards of Practice. With 1900s–1940s housing stock dominant in Glenolden, Bob pays particular attention to the era-specific issues that affect early to mid-20th century construction in Delaware County.

Block & Poured Foundations with Clay Laterals

1920s–1940s homes typically feature poured concrete or concrete block foundations — an improvement over stone, but still vulnerable to cracking and water intrusion after 80+ years. Bob pays special attention to clay sewer laterals common in this era, which suffer from tree root intrusion and joint separation.

Early Electrical Upgrades & Oil-to-Gas Conversions

Many homes from this era have had multiple electrical upgrades layered over original wiring — sometimes creating code violations where old and new systems connect improperly. Bob also evaluates oil-to-gas furnace conversions, checking that chimney liners, supply lines, and venting meet current safety standards.

Original Slate Roofs & Plaster-Over-Lath Moisture

Original slate and clay tile roofs from the 1920s–1940s may still be serviceable but require careful inspection for worn fasteners and deteriorating underlayment. Bob checks for plaster-over-lath moisture issues where exterior water intrusion saturates wall cavities behind intact-looking plaster surfaces.

Plaster Walls, Hardwood Floors & Early Insulation

These homes feature quality craftsmanship — hardwood floors, plaster walls, built-in cabinetry — but often lack adequate insulation by modern standards. Bob evaluates whether past insulation retrofits were done properly and checks for moisture trapped behind plaster from exterior or plumbing leaks.

How does mold testing work in Glenolden?

Homes from the 1920s–1940s combine aging infrastructure with building practices that create persistent moisture pathways — clay sewer laterals, minimal foundation waterproofing, and plaster walls that mask moisture damage.

Clay sewer laterals with tree root intrusion causing backup and sub-slab moisture

Oil-to-gas conversion furnaces with condensation issues from improper chimney liner sizing

Plaster-over-lath walls that hold moisture for extended periods without visible exterior signs

Basement window wells with deteriorating drainage directing water toward foundation walls

Clear Results & Honest Recommendations

Bob walks you through exactly what the lab results mean — no jargon, no panic. All samples go to a PRO-LAB certified lab with results in 2-3 days. Mold testing starts at $290.

What are common issues in Glenolden homes?

Based on 20+ years inspecting early to mid-20th century homes in Delaware County, these are the issues Bob finds most often in Glenolden's 1900s–1940s housing stock:

  • Clay sewer laterals with tree root intrusion and bellied sections
  • Layered electrical upgrades with code violations at old/new connections
  • Oil-to-gas furnace conversions with improper chimney liner sizing
  • Original slate or clay tile roofs reaching end of useful life
  • Plaster-over-lath moisture damage hidden behind intact-looking walls
  • Inadequate insulation and single-pane windows driving high energy costs

Schedule in Glenolden

Same-week appointments available. Bob personally oversees every inspection — you always know who's walking through your home.

610-348-6728

Mon–Sat, 7am–7pm • Urgent pre-closing available

Get a Free Estimate

Pricing for Glenolden

Home Inspection
Full inspection + 24-hour report
From $325
Mold Testing
PRO-LAB certified lab analysis
From $290

Every home is different. Call Bob for your specific quote — he'll give you an honest number on the spot.

See Full Pricing Details →
"24-hour report. You always get Bob. My name is on every inspection I do."
InterNACHI Certified • PRO-LAB Certified Mold Testing • No Conflict of Interest
610-348-6728 See Pricing

Why Choose Bob

Why do Glenolden homeowners choose All Seasons?

01

You Always Get Bob

When you hire All Seasons, Bob personally oversees your inspection — start to finish. No corporate dispatch, no unknown inspector. You know exactly who's walking through your Glenolden home.

02

InterNACHI Certified

InterNACHI Certified Professional Inspector with 20+ years of specialized expertise in Delaware County's 1900s–1940s housing stock.

03

24-Hour Reports

Your detailed, photo-rich inspection report delivered the same day. No waiting — so you can make decisions within your contract timeline.

04

Early to mid-20th century Expertise

Bob has deep experience with 1920s–1940s construction — homes built with real craftsmanship but aging infrastructure. He knows the common failure points: clay laterals, layered electrical upgrades, oil-to-gas conversions, and plaster moisture issues that other inspectors miss.

Get in Touch

How do I schedule an inspection in Glenolden?

Same-week appointments available throughout the Philadelphia region.

Serving Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester & Delaware Counties. All major credit cards accepted.

Tell Us About Your Property

Common Questions

What are common home inspection questions in Glenolden?

Questions buyers and sellers in Glenolden ask us most often — answered directly.

Home inspections in Glenolden start at $325. The final number depends on the size, age, and condition of the property, so a compact two-story brick twin off South Avenue prices differently than a larger single with a finished basement and a rear addition. Bob quotes per property rather than reading off a fixed menu, and you get the number before anything is scheduled. Every inspection includes a photo-documented digital report, typically delivered within 24 hours and written so you can hand it to a contractor or an agent without translating it first. He walks the house with you when your schedule allows, which is usually the fastest way to sort out what genuinely matters from what is normal wear on a home built in the 1920s or 1930s. Call 610-348-6728 for a quote on your Glenolden address.
Three, and Bob performs all of them personally. Full home inspections for buyers and sellers start at $325. Mold testing with PRO-LAB certified lab analysis starts at $290. Indoor air quality testing starts at $290 and covers particulates, VOCs, combustion byproducts, and allergens. There are no subcontractors and no rotating technicians, so the person who inspects your Glenolden house is the same person who explains the report to you. That matters most where the services overlap. An inspection that finds a wet corner in a 1930s basement often leads straight into a mold sample, and a converted oil furnace with residue in the ductwork often leads into an air quality panel. Bob does no remediation and no repairs, so nothing in his findings doubles as a sales pitch. Call 610-348-6728.
Yes. Glenolden sits inside Bob's core Delaware County territory, and he has been inspecting homes across this part of the county for more than 20 years, from the streets around Glenolden Park up through the MacDade Boulevard corridor and out into the neighboring boroughs. He is InterNACHI and ASHI certified and PRO-LAB certified for mold sampling. Scheduling is usually within a few days, and he can often work around a tight inspection contingency window if you call early in the week. Because All Seasons is a one-inspector operation, you talk to Bob directly instead of to a dispatcher, and you get a straight answer about availability on the first call rather than a callback later. Call 610-348-6728 to check dates for your property.
The clay sewer lateral leads the list. Glenolden streets have mature trees, roots find the joints in clay pipe, and the result is root intrusion, bellied sections, and slow backups that show up as a damp slab long before they show up as a clogged drain. Right behind that are layered electrical upgrades. Many of these houses have had two or three rounds of work, and the trouble is rarely the newer panel itself, it is the junction where new wiring meets original circuits without proper connections. Bob also flags original slate and clay tile roofs reaching the end of their useful life, with worn fasteners and deteriorating underlayment as the tell, plus thin insulation and single-pane windows that drive winter bills well past what buyers expect. Call 610-348-6728.
Worry is the wrong word, but it deserves a careful look. Plenty of Glenolden homes converted off oil decades ago and the conversion itself is usually sound. What Bob checks is whether the chimney liner was resized for the new appliance, whether the supply lines and venting meet current safety standards, and whether the old oil tank was properly abandoned or removed. An oversized flue on a gas conversion runs cool, which lets condensation form inside the chimney and attack the masonry from the inside out, and that damage stays invisible from the basement. He also looks at the ductwork, because residue and soot from the original oil system often linger in the system for years and surface later as an air quality complaint. Call 610-348-6728.
Two situations come up most here. The first is a finished basement, which is common on these blocks. Plaster over lath and drywall both hide moisture well, and a wall that looks intact can hold water for weeks after a storm runs down toward Muckinipates Creek. If there is a musty smell, a history of sump or lateral trouble, or staining at the base of a wall, sample it instead of guessing. The second is renovation. Opening up a 1920s or 1930s house releases plaster dust and disturbs early insulation, including vermiculite that can contain tremolite asbestos, and bathrooms in these homes often predate any real exhaust ventilation. Mold testing and air quality testing each start at $290, and Bob can add either one to a scheduled inspection. Call 610-348-6728.
Some blocks far more than others. The lower ground near Glenolden Park and the Muckinipates Creek run takes on water differently than the higher streets toward Elmwood Avenue, and the difference shows up in the basement after a heavy storm. The causes are rarely dramatic. Grading that has settled back toward the house over eighty years, downspouts discharging a foot from the foundation, basement window wells whose drainage has silted in, and the clay lateral again. Foundations here are typically poured concrete or block, a step up from the stone walls in older Delaware County stock, but eight decades of hydrostatic pressure finds the cold joints and the form tie holes. Bob reads the exterior grade and the interior evidence together, because either one alone tells you half the story. Call 610-348-6728.
Usually yes, and for a specific reason. Glenolden houses of this age tend to get flagged on the same short list: sewer laterals, aging roofs, panel and wiring junctions, and chimney work on converted heating systems. Those are precisely the findings a buyer uses to reopen price late in the deal, when you have the least leverage left. Knowing about them before you list lets you either fix them on your own timeline and with your own contractor, or price the house honestly and hold your number. Sellers on the Chester Pike and MacDade Boulevard blocks often find that a scoped lateral and a documented roof condition remove the two strongest arguments a buyer agent can make. A pre-listing inspection starts at $325 with the same photo-documented report inside 24 hours. Call 610-348-6728.
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