ashi: "Surfs Up"---in Seattle! - 01/31/08 03:54 PM
Even the nicer crawl spaces can be inhospitable places----like visiting another planet. Some inspectors even look like spacemen (and space women) when they are all suited up to go in the crawl space.
Lots of inspectors look for almost any excuse to not go in the crawl space. ONE rat … (4 comments)
|
ashi: Got my UNDEROOS all in a bunch! - 01/30/08 11:51 PM
One of the great things about being a home inspector is that there is an endless supplyof things to get ones Underoos all in a bunch about! (Those of you that had kids growing up in the 70's will remember Underoos---maybe they are still around?). This pet peeve is another … (10 comments)
|
ashi: What do you mean I have ALLIGATORS on my roof? - 01/30/08 10:10 PM
I am sure most of you have heard of the term "Alligatoring" as applied to roofing----particularly related to flat roofs. This is a condition of the roof that indicates that the roof is near the end of its life (maybe way past it), and gets its name from the way … (7 comments)
|
ashi: Cigarette Anyone? - 01/28/08 08:20 PM
I think this is the worst example of excessive smoking/deferred maintenance I have ever seen. This discoloration may represent hundreds, if not thousands, of packs of cigarettes and one has to wonder how much nicotine might actually be present. Should this be considered a hazardous waste site? Who is going … (84 comments)
|
ashi: More Favorite Plumbing Repairs - 01/28/08 08:32 AM
To continue with yesterday's theme of inventive repairs, the QUINTESSENTIAL do-it-your-selfer, is another plumbing repair. It seems that many people are willing to take on plumbing repairs. (One would think that given the inherent dangers of Electricity that there would be fewer instances of "inventive wiring", but it seems to … (4 comments)
|
ashi: the QUINTESSENTIAL do-it-your-selfer! - 01/27/08 04:08 PM
One of the perplexing things about defects found while inspecting is that often times it had to have taken way more time to create these issues, than it would to have done it right in the first place. Take this dishwasher drain connection found on a recent inspection. The "handy-person" … (2 comments)
|
ashi: More Pyrolysis - 01/26/08 09:21 AM
I don't mean to hijack Steve's blog on Pyrolysis, but it is an issue that I wanted to address anyway. I know Steve is desperate to stay ahead of me in points so he can have these:) The following pictures are of perhaps the best example of Pyrolysis that I … (7 comments)
|
ashi: OUCH that could hurt! - 01/26/08 01:09 AM
While it is still cold over much of the country, I though it would be a good reminder to folks to take care of their sidewalks. In many areas the homeowners adjacent to the public sidewalks are responsible for safety hazards related to the sidewalks. Hazards like tripping on uneven … (7 comments)
|
ashi: Kitchen Range Safety - 01/21/08 10:11 AM
The manufacturer's installation instructions for slide-in ranges usually require the installation of an "anti-tip" bracket. It is surprising to me how often these don't get installed. I often find them still in the packaging in the drawer under the range or elsewhere in the kitchen. When properly installed they prevent … (6 comments)
|
ashi: Who fixed this? - 01/18/08 10:34 AM
One of the frustrating things home inspectors have to deal with is that, while we often call for repairs to be made by a licensed this or that, we have no control over the quality of those repairs. Sometimes I see work that has been obviously unsatisfactorily "repaired" by the … (6 comments)
|
ashi: Is Duct Cleaning "QUACKERY?" - 01/17/08 11:24 AM
I expect to unleash a maelstrom of objections to the subject of this blog: that cleaning your HVAC ducts may actually increase the amount of particulate mater in the air and lead to actually more contaminated air being delivered to the home. This seems at face value to be too … (4 comments)
|
ashi: Stair Barrier-----Fall protection - 01/17/08 11:12 AM
To continue with yesterday's blog about handrails, I will discuss the importance of safe barrier railings on stairs. Like handrails, there are lots of "rules" regarding safe barriers on stairs and these rules have changed over time so that what was considered safe in 1930 would not be considered safe … (1 comments)
|
ashi: Handrail Safety - 01/16/08 08:29 AM
Stairs with more than four risers require a handrail. There are a lot of requirements that the handrail must meet to be considered safe and meet code requirements. Some general requirements (without getting into the exceptions to the rules) include:
1. There has to be a handrail on at … (1 comments)
|
ashi: I KNEW I could get it running! - 01/16/08 08:11 AM
One of my favorite "homeowner" wiring jobs was this disposal that was wired with phone wire. This demonstrates one of the problems with electrical installations in general----there are many ways to make things function and yet the wiring can be wrong and dangerous.
Many are not as obvious as this … (4 comments)
|
ashi: Closet fire hazards - 01/12/08 11:28 AM
A lot of older homes still have porcelain bulb holders in them. Too often they are located such that stored items can come in contact with the bulb----creating a fire hazard. These old bulb holders should be replaced with fixtures approved for closet installation. Fixtures with florescent bulbs are common. … (9 comments)
|
ashi: Does your inspector get on the roof? - 01/12/08 08:56 AM
Inspecting the roof is a very important part of the inspection for many reasons. Anything wrong with the roof can lead to issues inside the home---especially from leaking. But inspecting the roof is not just about the roof covering. It is also about the condition of skylights, chimneys, plumbing vents, … (15 comments)
|
ashi: When do I have to be careful? - 01/11/08 08:41 AM
This is a continuation of the theme started in the previous blog: "Electrocution hazard." It is very important that proper clearances be maintained for the electrical service wire coming to the home from the street. Trees need to be kept cut back and the service wires should not contact the … (7 comments)
|
ashi: Electrocution hazard. - 01/11/08 08:34 AM
Inspectors find all kinds of electrical issues during an inspection. Some can cause fires while others lead to electrical shocks. Few of these issues rival the shock hazard of uncovered utility company splices. In the picture below the splices are the silver colored connectors with all the little indentations. Normally … (2 comments)
|
ashi: Continuity of Electrial Bonding---shock hazards! - 01/10/08 08:56 AM
As previously discussed in the blog: Plumbers aren't Electricians, I mentioned that the continuity of the metal piping systems in the home is important and that replacement of sections of the pipe with plastic can result in loss of continuity. Examples of ways that continuity can be broken are: installation … (0 comments)
|
ashi: Plumbers are NOT electricians - 01/10/08 08:38 AM
One of the consequences of over specialization is that in areas where disciplines overlap things may be omitted. One example of this is the bonding of metal systems to the electrical grounding system in the home. Without getting overly technical regarding "grounding" and "bonding," every home has a grounding system … (9 comments)
|
;)
;)
