Best Jim Troth Podcasts (2025)

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Stop Guessing: VOC Testing And Mold Testing Do Very Different Jobs 15:16

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3d ago15:16

15:16

Ever walk into your home, catch a “new” smell, and feel off—but have no idea what to test or fix first? We break down the real-world differences between VOC testing, mold air sampling, and mycotoxin analysis so you can stop guessing and start solving. Using clear scenarios from inspections, we explain when a VOC screen uncovers chemical off-gassing…

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Stop Guessing: VOC Testing And Mold Testing Do Not Measure The Same Thing 15:16

3d ago15:16

15:16

Send us a text Your house shouldn’t make you feel worse. We unpack the crucial difference between VOC testing and mold testing, and explain why treating them as the same can waste money, delay answers, and leave you stuck with symptoms. We also take you beyond the basics to explore mycotoxins—chemical defenses from mold that standard remediation of…

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Home Inspections, Safety Rules, And What Stops The Job 13:37

10d ago13:37

13:37

Send us a text Ever wondered what actually stops a home inspection? Not a dead furnace or a closed gas valve—but a city do-not-enter notice, active squatters, or a flooded basement inches from the electrical panel. We open the playbook on how professional inspectors balance thoroughness with safety, what we can still evaluate when utilities are off…

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You Can Still Inspect A House When The Gas Or Water Is Off, But Safety Rules Decide When To Walk Away 13:37

10d ago13:37

13:37

Buying a home is stressful enough without guessing what your inspector can or can’t do when the utilities are off. We pull back the curtain on the real workflow: what we can still evaluate with gas or water shut down, why some issues like slow plumbing leaks require time under load, and how we handle return visits without derailing schedules. You’l…

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How To Verify Home Repairs Before Closing 13:00

16d ago13:00

13:00

Deals fall apart when “finished” repairs aren’t finished at all. We open with a return visit to a house where the thermostat read 50 degrees, the furnace cabinet was open, and parts were sitting on the panel—proof that someone was “working on it” without telling anyone. From there we unpack the bigger pattern: fake receipts, bogus license numbers, …

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Buying A House? Demand Proof That Fixes Are Real 13:00

16d ago13:00

13:00

Send us a text The repair was “done,” but the furnace cabinet was open and a part sat on the door. That moment kicked off a blunt breakdown of how buyers can protect themselves from empty promises, fake receipts, and cosmetic fixes that fail the first cold snap. We share real stories from the field—vents “extended” with gutter downspout, window tri…

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Sewer Trouble After The Estate Sale 10:55

21d ago10:55

10:55

A calm estate purchase turned chaotic when the sewer backed up just three weeks after move-in. We pull back the floorboards on what really went wrong: a rotted cast-iron section hiding directly under a foundation wall, invisible to a standard home inspection and ready to fail the moment a family’s daily water use ramped up. With the clock ticking a…

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Estate Home, Hidden Sewer Issue and How a No-Dig Relining Saved Thousands 10:55

21d ago10:55

10:55

Send us a text A quiet estate home meets a busy family and the sewer taps out—under a foundation wall, no less. We walk through the call, the chaos, and the choices that turn a near $10k excavation into a fast, clean, no‑dig relining that brought the house back to life the same day. If you’ve ever wondered whether a standard home inspection is enou…

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Your House Has More Parts Than Your Car, So Plan For Maintenance 14:33

28d ago14:33

14:33

A scratchy throat and a cold snap collide, and suddenly we’re talking about the quiet ways winter punishes a house. We pull back the roof to explain how ice dams form, why pretty icicles often mean trouble, and how small ventilation mistakes turn into leaks, mold, and early shingle failure. If you’ve ever wondered why a finished garage cracks each …

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Preparing Your House For Winter Starts With Ventilation And Smart Maintenance 14:33

28d ago14:33

14:33

Send us a text A scratchy throat and a pounding head turned into a hard look at what winter really does to a house—and how to stop small issues from becoming big, expensive messes. We open with the realities of backup teams and why a multi-inspector firm keeps your project on track when life happens, then shift into the seasonal steps that keep wat…

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Solving A Mysterious Sump Pump That Wouldn’t Quit 11:56

1M ago11:56

11:56

The sump pump wouldn’t quit, the skies were clear, and the water meter didn’t budge—so where was all that water coming from? We walk you through a real inspection that turned into a detective story about a hidden supply line leak, the clues we followed, and the tech that made the difference. First, we break down the telltale signs: a constant trick…

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When A Sump Pump Won’t Rest: Tracing A Costly Underground Water Leak 11:56

1M ago11:56

11:56

Send us a text The sump pump wouldn’t quit, the skies were clear, and the water meter sat perfectly still—yet the service line whispered a steady roar. We follow that mystery from the first clue to the likely culprit: a hidden water leak just outside the foundation, feeding the perimeter drains and keeping the pump cycling. Along the way, we show h…

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No, Radon Isn’t Plotting With Your Gas Stove 13:16

2M ago13:16

13:16

Send us a text If the air in your home could talk, what would it reveal about your health five or ten years from now? We pull back the curtain on radon—the silent, odorless gas that seeps up from soil and quietly becomes a leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers—and we do it without the myths and fearmongering that clutter the internet. Jim an…

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No, Radon Isn’t Teaming Up With Natural Gas 13:16

2M ago13:16

13:16

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can “feel” radon or smell a warning before it becomes dangerous, this conversation will reset your radar with science, not scare tactics. We unpack what radon really is—a radioactive noble gas formed from decaying uranium in soil and rock—why it’s invisible to your senses, and how long-term exposure becomes a maj…

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From Tudor Hearths to Safe Chimneys: Heat, History, and How Not to Burn Your House Down 18:47

2M ago18:47

18:47

By Jim Troth

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A home inspector’s guide to fireplace history, efficiency, and the hidden risks inside your chimney 18:47

2M ago18:47

18:47

Fire belongs in a box, not your framing—and the difference comes down to design, materials, and the way you burn. We start with smoky Tudor rooms and walk through the evolution to Rumford’s reflective geometry and Franklin’s efficient stoves, then zoom into the details that decide whether heat stays where it should. Along the way, we unpack how flu…

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Inside the Flue: Why Chimney Scopes Matter More Than Sewer Scopes 17:07

2M ago17:07

17:07

A cozy fire shouldn’t come with a hidden fuse. We pull back the brick and look straight up the flue to show how chimney scopes catch the problems you can’t see—gaps between tiles, missing mortar, cracked terracotta liners, and nests that choke draft and raise carbon monoxide risk. Along the way, we explain pyrolysis in plain language and why repeat…

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Chimney Scopes, House Fires, Hard Truths 17:07

2M ago17:07

17:07

Send us a text Fireplaces feel timeless, but the safety of that glow lives inside a dark shaft most of us never see. We pull back the curtain on chimney scopes—the video inspections that reveal cracked terracotta liners, missing mortar, offsets, and even missing tile sections that can channel heat straight into framing. Along the way, we explain py…

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Why You Need an Agent: Home Inspection Drama Revealed 15:56

2M ago15:56

15:56

Send us a text Unexpected challenges can reveal valuable lessons in real estate transactions. When one of our inspectors encountered a malfunctioning jetted tub that temporarily sprayed water onto nearby surfaces, what should have been a minor incident quickly escalated into something much more complicated. The heart of this story illustrates the v…

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Jets Gone Wild 15:56

2M ago15:56

15:56

Ever wondered what happens when something goes wrong during a home inspection? We pull back the curtain on a recent incident where a jetted tub malfunctioned during testing, spraying water that our inspector quickly cleaned up. What should have been a minor hiccup turned into a revealing lesson about real estate transactions and the importance of p…

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Site Prep Nightmares 16:42

3M ago16:42

16:42

Send us a text Trust your instincts and never skip the inspection - this crucial advice could have saved one Ohio family significant headaches with their new manufactured home. Their story begins with excitement about upgrading to a newer home on land they already owned, but quickly turns troubling when the installation company prevents them from v…

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When Site Prep Goes Wrong: A Homeowner's Nightmare 16:42

3M ago16:42

16:42

We share our experience inspecting a newly delivered manufactured home with serious foundation issues that could have been prevented with proper oversight and quality control. • Manufactured homes are solidly built in factory conditions but require proper site preparation • A homeowner called us to inspect their two-week-old manufactured home after…

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Do not abdicate the reading of your home inspection report 13:26

3M ago13:26

13:26

Our company recently helped an older woman who bought a house in Ohio to be near her daughter undergoing chemotherapy but discovered mold issues that were clearly noted in the inspection report she never read. The situation highlights the dangers of relying solely on real estate agents to interpret inspection findings, especially when health concer…

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The Danger of Ignoring Your Home Inspection Report 14:03

3M ago14:03

14:03

Send us a text What happens when you trust someone else to read your home inspection report? One homeowner's devastating story reveals the dangers of delegating this critical responsibility. Meet an older woman who moved to Ohio to support her daughter through chemotherapy treatments. She did the responsible thing by hiring Habitation Investigation…

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The Hidden Costs and Benefits of Building on Your Own Land vs. Developer Communities 14:10

3M ago14:10

14:10

Deciding whether to build your dream home on your own land or buy into a developer's community represents one of the biggest choices in the homeownership journey. After navigating this process ourselves, we're pulling back the curtain on the surprising realities that most people discover too late. Financial considerations extend far beyond the obvi…

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Build or Buy: The Great Housing Dilemma 14:02

3M ago14:02

14:02

The housing shortage has turned what should be an exciting milestone into a stressful decision. Should you settle for what's available on the market or create exactly what you want from scratch? After navigating this journey ourselves, we break down the crucial factors that will help you make this life-changing choice. Speed versus control sits at …

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Build or Buy? 14:02

3M ago14:02

14:02

Send us a text Ever wonder if building your dream home from scratch is worth the hassle, or if finding that perfect existing property makes more sense? We tackle this crucial homebuying crossroads with hard-earned wisdom and practical insights. The housing market in Ohio mirrors challenges seen nationwide – inventory shortages, construction delays,…

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Seller Meltdowns: When Home Inspections Run Long 13:55

4M ago13:55

13:55

Send us a text Ever wonder what happens when the delicate dance between home buyers, sellers, and inspectors goes sideways? We dive into a revealing situation that unfolded during a recent inspection that perfectly illustrates the emotional complexities of real estate transactions. When a seller erupted in anger because our inspection ran just 15 m…

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Toxic Houses: Hidden Dangers Homeowners Face 22:33

4M ago22:33

22:33

Send us a text What happens when your dream home becomes a health nightmare? In this eye-opening discussion, Jim and Laura share three shocking stories of Ohio homeowners facing potentially life-threatening situations in their own homes. The first tale reveals how one family's new HVAC system created toxic gas resembling mustard gas when improperly…

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Beyond Negotiation: How Your Inspection Report Becomes Your Home's Maintenance Bible 20:19

4M ago20:19

20:19

Your home inspection report is a goldmine of critical information, but are you using it properly? Despite investing in professional inspections, many homebuyers never even read their reports, missing out on valuable insights that could save them thousands of dollars and countless headaches. Think of your inspection report as a multi-purpose tool. D…

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Every Home Buyer Needs an Inspection (Even for New Builds) 20:49

4M ago20:49

20:49

Would you spend $289,000 on a house only to discover it needs $323,000 in repairs? That's exactly what happened to one family whose child became seriously ill after moving into their seemingly beautiful "flipped" home. Their nightmare scenario perfectly illustrates why home inspections are non-negotiable in the buying process. Laura and Jim tackle …

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Finding the Right Real Estate Agent 17:09

4M ago17:09

17:09

Wondering whether to buy or rent? Struggling to find a trustworthy real estate agent? In this revealing conversation, Jim and Laura share hard-earned wisdom about the home buying journey that could save you decades of regret. The hosts begin with a sobering story about an elderly woman forced to move after 30 years of renting—having essentially pai…

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Should You Buy a Home 10:28

4M ago10:28

10:28

Jim and Laura Troth with the first episode of Adventures in Home Buying discuss the decision to buy a home. This discussion regarding home buying mentions the economic and personal aspects of becoming a homeowner. Jim shares a story of a women who rented the same home for 30 years and when the landlord decided to sell this renter has zero say and z…

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The Great Buyer Pushback: How Market Dynamics Are Shifting in Ohio and Beyond 21:17

4M ago21:17

21:17

Send us a text The real estate market is experiencing a significant shift with 71% of active agents making no sales in the last 18 months, creating both challenges and opportunities for those who can adapt to changing conditions. • 71% of active real estate agents have made zero sales in the past 18 months • The "Great Pushback" shows buyers refusi…

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Mold Nightmares in New Construction 17:36

4M ago17:36

17:36

Send us a text Imagine you've just paid a deposit on your dream home—a brand new construction that should be perfect in every way. Now imagine the horror of discovering "mold curtains" hanging like Spanish moss in your basement before you've even moved in. This nightmarish scenario is exactly what happened to recent clients who reached out to Envir…

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Would $800 Have Saved $323,000? 21:12

5M ago21:12

21:12

Send us a text A seemingly perfect house becomes a nightmare in this jaw-dropping story of buyer's remorse that serves as a powerful warning for anyone considering waiving home inspections. We examine a case where homeowners discovered their recently purchased property contained extensive black mold, structural damage, and numerous hidden issues th…

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Digging Deeper: What Every Rural Property Buyer Needs to Know About Mineral Rights 14:02

5M ago14:02

14:02

Send us a text Ever wondered who actually owns what's beneath your feet? In our latest episode, we dive into the world of mineral rights - a concept that can dramatically impact rural property owners but is often misunderstood or overlooked during the buying process. When we purchased our land about four years ago, understanding mineral rights beca…

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Country Living: The Hidden Costs & Savings 16:55

5M ago16:55

16:55

Send us a text The rural exodus is real. As more families flee city living for country tranquility, they're encountering unfamiliar territory: well water and septic systems. This candid conversation tackles everything you need to know about the financial realities of rural utilities. We dive deep into the numbers that matter. That initial sticker s…

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Why Your House Needs Check-ups More Than Your Car Does 15:55

5M ago15:55

15:55

Send us a text Home maintenance inspections are crucial for catching small problems before they become expensive disasters, just like regular car maintenance prevents breakdowns despite houses having far more components than vehicles. • Regular maintenance inspections recommended every 2-3 years, coinciding with EPA's radon testing recommendations …

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From Clueless to Closing: How Agents Should Guide Their Clients 12:30

5M ago12:30

12:30

Send us a text The real estate transaction process breaks down when agents fail to prepare their clients properly, especially regarding inspection expectations and appropriate repair requests. • Frustration with agents who don't explain inspection processes to clients, especially those from different cultures • Language barriers require extra effor…

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Inspection Waiving Regrets: The Hidden Costs of Skipping Due Diligence 15:26

6M ago15:26

15:26

Send us a text Skipping home inspections might seem like a smart move to strengthen your offer in a competitive market, but this short-sighted decision frequently returns to haunt homeowners years later. Jim and Laura dive deep into the concerning trend of inspection waivers and the painful consequences many homeowners now face when trying to sell …

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Inspect Before You Lease 16:31

6M ago16:31

16:31

Send us a text Jim and Laura discuss the critical importance of property inspections even for leased commercial spaces, highlighting a case study of a children's workout facility with dangerous mold conditions. • Laura conducted air quality testing at a commercial property where children worked out and found dangerous mold levels • The landlord ini…

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Clean Air, Healthy Home 27:33

6M ago27:33

27:33

Send us a text Your home should be a sanctuary, but what if the air you're breathing is silently making you sick? In this eye-opening episode, Jim and Laura ("the office goddess") dive deep into the invisible threats lurking in your indoor air and provide practical solutions for creating a healthier home environment. Did you know we spend roughly 9…

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When Technology Outpaces Expectations: The Future of Home Inspections 14:40

7M ago14:40

14:40

Send us a text Modern radon monitors equipped with cellular connectivity can deliver test results automatically without requiring physical retrieval, creating confusion for those unfamiliar with this technology. We explain how a misunderstanding occurred when a real estate agent assumed we entered a property without permission. • Advanced radon mon…

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Behind the Scenes with Jim and Laura when not working 13:46

7M ago13:46

13:46

Send us a text Jim and Laura from Standing Out in Ohio podcast take a break from real estate topics to share what they do when they're not working their irregular and demanding schedules. They reveal their passion projects and hobbies that help them maintain balance while running their successful Ohio-based business. • Laura has planted over 50 fru…

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The Three-Peat: Habitation Investigation Wins Best in Midwest Again 18:03

7M ago18:03

18:03

Send us a text Award-winning excellence doesn't happen by accident. After receiving the news that Habitation Investigation had earned the prestigious "Best in the Midwest" award for the third consecutive year, we decided to peel back the curtain and share what makes our home inspection company different from the competition. This episode explores t…

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Navigating New Construction: What Every Buyer Should Know About Home Inspections 15:21

8M ago15:21

15:21

Send us a text Most homebuyers assume newly constructed homes don't need professional inspections. After all, they're brand new and subject to county inspections, right? This dangerous misconception could cost you thousands down the road. In this revealing discussion, we unpack why even fresh-from-the-builder homes need multiple professional inspec…

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Squirrel Damage & $20,000 Regrets 11:40

8M ago11:40

11:40

Send us a text Nobody wants to shell out $20,000 to repair damage that could have been prevented with a simple home maintenance inspection. Yet, that's exactly what happened to one Ohio couple who discovered their attic had been devastated by squirrels, leaks, and chewed electrical wires – a disaster that began with a small, easily fixable entry po…

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Decoding Indoor Air Quality: Radon, Mold, and What Really Makes You Sick 14:43

8M ago14:43

14:43

Send us a text Indoor air quality affects our health in ways we don't immediately recognize, with radon and mold being the most common but widely misunderstood threats in our homes. Professional testing and proper remediation protocols are essential for addressing these silent dangers that can cause serious health issues over time. • Radon is an od…

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The Forgotten Maintenance That Could Save Your Health And Home 15:38

8M ago15:38

15:38

Send us a text We investigate a case where a homeowner was feeling ill in specific areas of her home, tracing the problem to hidden moisture issues causing mold growth that had developed since her home purchase two years prior. • Importance of starting with a full home inspection before specialized testing like mold or VOC tests • Disconnected down…