Alberta homes have to answer to conditions that few other markets face. Winter temperatures that push well past minus thirty, chinook cycles that swing temperatures forty degrees in a matter of hours, hail storms that arrive with little warning through the summer, and a housing stock that ranges from early twentieth-century inner-city Calgary bungalows to brand new builds in Airdrie, Cochrane, and Chestermere. A home inspection cuts through the marketing and gives you an actual read on how the property has held up, and how it’s likely to perform in the years ahead.
Tempest Inspections provides home inspections throughout Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Strathmore, Chestermere, Okotoks, and High River. Our home inspectors work across the full range of Alberta housing, from Sunnyside and Inglewood row houses to Cochrane acreage properties to newly built homes in the northern and southern growth corridors. Each inspection is built around the specific realities of Alberta construction, climate, and code history. We take the time each property actually needs; we bring the equipment that lets us see beyond the obvious; and we produce reports that buyers, sellers, and their real estate professionals can put to work quickly.
About the Home Inspection
A home inspection is a comprehensive visual evaluation of the systems and components that make a residential property functional and safe. Our home inspectors begin outside with the roof, examining coverings, ridges, flashings, penetrations, valleys, and any evidence of hail damage, ice damming, or repair patchwork. Roof access is handled directly when conditions and pitch permit, or through drone photography when direct access would be unsafe. Gutters, downspouts, soffits, fascia, and cladding are documented material by material, whether that’s stucco, vinyl, hardboard, brick veneer, or the mixed elevations common on newer homes.
Foundations get significant attention in this climate. Alberta homes are overwhelmingly built on full basement foundations, and each type (poured concrete, block, and occasional preserved wood) carries its own signals when something’s off. Our team examines interior basement walls and floors for cracking, moisture staining, efflorescence, sump systems, weeping tile connections, and any evidence of past or active water intrusion. Post-2013 flood-affected properties in High River and parts of Calgary sometimes carry legacy conditions that a careful inspection can identify, even after prior remediation.
Interior evaluation covers walls, ceilings, floors, stairs, rails, doors, and windows in every accessible room. The plumbing system is checked at fixtures, the water heater, hose bibs, and visible piping. Alberta homes built through the 1980s and 1990s frequently contain Poly-B or Kitec supply lines, and both carry documented failure histories that we identify specifically. Older homes may still contain galvanized supply piping and cast iron drain lines that warrant their own review.
The electrical system is reviewed from the meter and main disconnect, through the panel, and out to the branch circuits. Older Calgary homes sometimes contain aluminum branch wiring, which requires specific connectors to remain safe, and vintage panels including Federal Pacific and Zinsco carry known concerns that we document accordingly. GFCI protection at required locations is tested where accessible.
Heating and mechanical equipment receive extended attention because they carry heavy loads through Alberta winters. Furnace age, condition, filtration, combustion venting, and heat exchanger accessibility are all documented. Boilers, in-floor heat, and any specialized equipment are evaluated separately. Air conditioning systems, less common historically but increasingly present in newer construction, are tested when temperatures allow. Water heater venting, tank age, and safety features are documented. Attic spaces are reviewed for insulation depth, ventilation, framing, and any moisture or biological activity. Where thermal imaging is warranted, we use it to identify insulation gaps, air leakage, moisture patterns, and electrical anomalies.
Reports are digital, illustrated with photographs, and organized so priority items are easy to identify. Same-day or next-morning delivery is standard, and our team stays reachable after delivery for follow-up questions.
Why Home Inspections Matter in Calgary and Southern Alberta
The Calgary climate creates conditions that stress residential construction in ways drier or milder markets don’t. Extreme winter temperatures put ongoing load on heating systems, insulation, and building envelopes. Chinook cycles produce rapid freeze-thaw activity that stresses masonry, mortar joints, exterior finishes, and roof materials. Ice damming forms on shaded or under-ventilated attics and can drive water back into wall cavities and ceilings.
Hail is another Alberta constant. Calgary sits inside one of the most active hail zones in North America, and roofs across every neighborhood we serve have been repaired, replaced, or patched multiple times over the years. Our home inspectors identify the roof’s age, material, condition, and evidence of hail impact that affect insurance and future replacement timing. The 2020 hailstorm in northeast Calgary alone caused billions in damage, and homes across the affected area continue to show signs of that event.
Radon exposure deserves specific mention. Alberta has some of the highest measured indoor radon concentrations in Canada, and Health Canada testing has consistently shown elevated levels across the Calgary region. While the home inspection itself does not include radon testing, we can advise on testing protocols and coordinate with certified professionals when a buyer or homeowner wants the property evaluated for radon.
Plumbing material history is a recurring inspection topic in Alberta. Poly-B was widely used in Canadian construction from the late 1970s through the mid-1990s and has been the subject of class action settlements due to fitting failures and pipe deterioration. Kitec, used primarily from the mid-1990s through 2005, carries its own recall history. Insurance carriers and lenders increasingly ask about these materials specifically, and a documented home inspection produces the record that supports those conversations.
Real estate dynamics also matter. Alberta’s market moves quickly during active periods, and the time between an accepted offer and the removal of conditions is often short. A prompt, thorough home inspection during the condition period gives you the information needed to remove conditions with confidence or renegotiate the terms of the deal.
Why Choose Tempest Inspections for Your Home Inspection?
Our home inspectors hold Alberta licensing, professional memberships, and the hands-on experience the Calgary region demands. We work across the full range of housing in southern Alberta and know what to expect from different eras, neighborhoods, and construction methods. Thermal imaging is part of our standard toolkit because it consistently surfaces issues that visual inspection alone would not reveal. Moisture meters, drone photography, and combustion diagnostics fill out the equipment side of our work.
As a multi-inspector firm, we can meet the scheduling demands of active Alberta transactions, offer next-day appointments during busy seasons, and handle larger or more complex properties with additional inspectors when needed. Our commercial inspectors are also available for owners and investors evaluating commercial property across the region, and many clients rely on us for both residential and commercial work. Reviews from past clients across Calgary and the surrounding towns speak to the working relationship in more concrete terms than we can here.
Schedule Your Home Inspection in Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, and Beyond Today
Tempest Inspections offers a service mix built to support Alberta property owners and buyers at every stage. Alongside home inspections, we provide commercial inspections for investment properties and owner-occupants, sewer scopes to evaluate the buried lateral that no visual inspection can see, thermal imaging as a standalone or bundled service, mold testing when property conditions warrant sampling, and warranty inspections for owners approaching the end of their new home warranty coverage. Bundling services in a single visit is often the most efficient approach, particularly for older homes or properties with known concerns.
To book your home inspection, contact us or schedule your inspection online. We serve Calgary, Airdrie, Cochrane, Strathmore, Chestermere, Okotoks, and High River. Whether you’re a first-time buyer considering a bungalow in Bridgeland, evaluating a family home in Okotoks, closing on a new build in Airdrie, or preparing to list a property in Chestermere, our home inspectors are ready to give you enough information about the property so that you can decide in front of you with confidence.
