Perhaps they just liked blue! - 02/28/12 01:37 PM
Perhaps they just liked blue!
Baby blue at that.
Home inspectors notice the darndest things. There is no stopping us, in fact, we can’t even stop ourselves. Now most of the time, noticing things is a good thing---in terms of reducing the risk of missing things that do matter.
Other times it seems to result in a lot of mind clutter not unlike those people that always win Trivial Pursuit or who fill in the question long before Alex Trebek even finishes reading the answer.
So take a look at this matched set of baby blue appliances.
One would … (22 comments)
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Real Estate Theme Parks - 02/26/12 06:44 AM
It is hard to not notice that houses seem to have “themes.”
Just like Disneyland, the US Congress or other theme parks, homes too can be united by common features. This post however is not about the “houses of horrors,” befitting any Halloween night, that have become common with short sales and foreclosures.
It is more about “little things” that are common in homes. For example if a house has one defective GFCI receptacle it is likely that there will be more than one. If there is one junction box with a missing cover---there will be many. If one … (16 comments)
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Why is my roof sheathing black? - 02/24/12 06:09 AM
When moisture condenses on plywood roof sheathing repeatedly or continuously the wood will turn black. This can be caused by the action of fungal growth and molds and the affect they have on the tannins in the wood.
The following picture is of a long standing moisture condition in an attic where much of the roof sheathing has turned black. There were some areas with obvious mold or mold-like fungal growth present but many areas just appeared to be stained.
Any time the inspector finds this kind of ongoing staining the prognosis for the roof is not good if … (14 comments)
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Dishwasher air gap device as “water-feature.” - 02/22/12 06:19 AM
It is not all that unusual to turn the dishwasher on and have water come out of the air gap device---such as this one where the hoses were hooked up backwards.
This condition is immediate and is obvious as soon as the dishwasher starts to drain the first time. It usually only occurs in new construction or newly installed dishwashers.
The other day I had one in a newly remodeled kitchen back up out of the air gap device at the middle of the draining cycle instead of at the beginning. It was as if the drain could take … (58 comments)
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Reflecting on Wordless Wednesday Colors - 02/22/12 06:15 AM
… (6 comments)
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Tricks in the rain - 02/20/12 08:28 AM
Everyone talks about the building codes.
Buyers want to know if the work that was done is “up to code.”
Inspectors like to claim they are not code inspectors.
Some simply wish the codes didn’t exist.
Let’s face it, when it comes to codes they can be a pain in the butt in the context of selling or buying a house.
As we “do si do” to the tune of the code dance I thought it would be fun to show an example of how “literal” (and thus confusing) the codes can be. While I won’t fool everyone with this … (35 comments)
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Bonsai and the Home Inspector Standards of Practice. - 02/18/12 09:17 AM
There is an ongoing argument among home inspectors as to whether their Standards of Practice is a “bar not to be exceeded” or the “minimum that an inspector is required to do.”
Finding myself in the latter camp I have wrestled with different arguments to support my position. I have come up with a visual analogy.
A tree.
With a Tree, we have the above ground trunk, limbs and leaves. Underground we have the root system that supports the tree. Of course these components are interdependent. We all know that a tree can’t live long without roots, and while a cut … (11 comments)
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Sometimes it is the little details that make all the difference---know when to be flashy and when not. - 02/16/12 11:06 AM
Today’s post is about one such little detail. In this case the risk of its being a “big deal” is small but I have seen similar installations where, over time, considerable damage does occur.
This is a typical lead flashing common on houses in the Northwest.
The flashing is made of lead. It is designed to fit over the pipe and be lapped by the shingles on the plane of the roof. The cap you see on the top is a nice way to finish off the installation and is quite common when the roof portion of the flashing … (20 comments)
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Valentine’s Day is only evil when we don’t have one. - 02/14/12 11:30 AM
Valentine’s Day is only evil when we don’t have one.
Sixth grader puppy lover's Valentine.
Cards with cupids,
Sugar hearts and giggles were enough.
(Though innocent without perspective.)
Surely more benign---
---Puppy Love and Valentine's?
I hate Valentine’s Day!
Even the Pope agreed!
(Though probably not objective.)
Surely an oxymoron---
---Hate and Valentine's?
I love Valentine’s Day!
Even the Soaps agree!
(Though steamy and suggestive.)
Surely less foreign---
---Love---
---or at least Lust and Valentine's?
Valentine’s Day is only evil---
---when we don’t have one.
Don’t nurture denial.
Hug your ♥alentine and don't let go---
---you … (14 comments)
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The camera as a note taking tool. - 02/12/12 12:23 PM
All of my note taking during inspections is done by camera. Very rarely do I ever write anything down.
I photo everything from data plates to just general reminder pictures that tell me what kinds of floors there are and what the driveway and roof is made of.
I have found that there is almost nothing I can’t create a record of photographically. Sometimes I have to resort to “symbols” to designate what I want to be reminded of. Like squeaks in the floor. For this I simply photograph my voltage tick-tester lying on the floor and that is my … (57 comments)
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Work done in the middle of the night---some prefer the lights on---some off. - 02/10/12 09:38 AM
While most jurisdictions have setback requirements, it is typically beyond the scope of a home inspection to know what the requirements are for any given jurisdiction. These setback requirements are different for rear yard, side yard and front yards. They are also different for homes on corner lots or homes with streets or alleys on two opposite sides of the home.
In some areas “grandfathering” may also apply.
Also “variances” may have been obtained.
When additions are added to homes these setback requirements have to be taken into account. While I may not be able to determine the “exact” … (39 comments)
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What do you know about Radon? Don Quixote rides again!! - 02/08/12 09:58 AM
There is a saying: “The truth is what is so.”
The truth is---what is so.
Ponder this for a moment…..
After recent events here in the rain, it should be obvious to everyone just how true this statement is. There is tremendous danger in “assuming” that what we think is true---is in fact true. It is entirely possible for large numbers of people to be misinformed by non-digital information as much as we can be fooled by digital information.
Right off the bat, I want to make it clear that in some cases it may not even be possible to know … (78 comments)
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If your buyers are scared to death of Lead and Asbestos why make an offer on a 1930's house? - 02/06/12 12:41 PM
While most people know what they want in a house, sooner or later they have to come to terms with what they don’t want in a house. I am not talking about whether it is red or green or even how many bedrooms it has. Most people recognize that paint colors can be changed and if they needed a three bedroom house they most likely wouldn’t be looking at two bedroom houses.
Sometimes I think agents could help their buyers sort through some of the heart aches that come with falling in love with a house only to find out when … (19 comments)
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After all, you light up my life! - 02/05/12 11:16 AM
I know you don’t think I am minding my own business when I chew on things.
But I really am.
I really don’t understand how you can criticize me when you let the dog chew on everything in sight. Sure, you might scold him, but in the end you will pet him on the head and scratch him under his chin. I just don't get it.
Nobody even wants to pet me on the head. I know some of my hybridized cousins have “crossed over,” but that is another whole story.
And don’t get me started about the cat.
The … (19 comments)
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But they were butt ugly the other way! - 02/03/12 11:42 AM
This is another one of those form or function posts where, in this case the way it was done originally was superior to the way that supposedly “looked” better.
Take a close look at the following picture:
Note the downspout and how it runs through the decorative trim work.
Notice the water shining on the edge of the trim work---wet from the leaking downspout connection at the very top.
Notice the wet darker color brick behind the downspout below the trim work.
Notice the whitish efflorescence on the brick at both sides on the arches above the windows.
… (18 comments)
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Retiring---yup! - 02/01/12 10:25 AM
Growing up on the farm in rural Connecticut in the 1950’s, like kids everywhere, we had a “real” tire swing.
You know the type. You take a discarded, worn out, tire from the pile of junk headed to the dump and drill two holes in it---opposite each other---one for the rope and one so that it won’t hold water when it is hung in the tree.
It was great fun hanging on the inside of the tire and then having one of the other kids wind it around and around until the rope looked like a bunch of knots---and then let … (26 comments)
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