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northern va home inspect: The Green Monster - 11/01/07 07:51 AM
A recent inspection of a vacant foreclosure house confirmed my childhood fears that there is Green Monster lurking in the basement. (Sorry Red Sox fans, this isn't about the fabled Fenway wall).
It was late September and with the outside temperatures still in the 80's the air conditioner was running full blast. Unfortunately, the humidifier was also running full blast with the humidistat at 50%. I had wondered why the air in the house seemed "muggy" and on the walls and ceiling of the finished basement a potential mold growth had begun. Humidifiers are wonderful things. In the winter, they can make a chilly … (7 comments)

northern va home inspect: A Common New Construction Problem - 10/11/07 02:29 PM
"Have you ever used a home inspector before? This is a standard warm up question and this time the response by my clients, a young couple buying a new house, was a suprise!
They both answered at once. He said, "Yes" She said, "No." I was beginning to think this might be a long morning when he began to explain. "We purchased a new house two years ago and our agent told us that we didn't need an inspection because it was a new house. We didn't know any better, so we skipped it." "Big mistake," She continued. "About two months … (13 comments)

northern va home inspect: Old Worn-out Electrical Outlets - 10/10/07 07:57 AM
I ran across the term "Handymanliness" on an excellent DIY website called HammerZone.com. I like the term, but for different reasons than all my female friends think who are tapping their foot and saying "You're kidding, right?"
The concept is that when properly illustrated and guided, homeowners can tackle basic tasks, like replacing old worn-out electrical outlets, safely. The result can be a very large improvement in the safety and sale-ability of the house. I frequently encounter old, worn-out, electrical outlets in 20+ year old homes, and sometimes in younger homes where certain outlets get a lot of plug "in and … (3 comments)

northern va home inspect: Electrical Amateurs - 10/03/07 06:44 AM
He was proud that he, a complete electrical novice, had figured out how to run an electrical line for a dining room chandelier and it worked!  When he flipped the switch up the lights went on, down, the lights went and off.
Later, his wife pointed out that if the switch for the exterior lights was off, the dining room light didn't work. (Darn. Don't you hate it when your spouse finds your mistakes!) I was doing a pre-listing inspection for him so the homeowner told me about the electrical problem. I had actually missed it because my back was to the dining … (17 comments)

 

Bill Duncan

Haymarket, VA

More about me…

Home Status Inspection Company, LLC

Address: 4208 High Ridge Road, Haymarket, VA, 20169

Office Phone: (703) 754-9992

Cell Phone: (703) 283-6375

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