home inspection education: 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)
home inspection education: Efflorescence - 01/15/08 09:25 AM
Most people have seen "efflorescence" even if they didn't know what it was or that it even had a name. The whitish build-up visible on masonry structures is caused by moisture moving through the material. As the moisture evaporates from the surface, the salts carried in the moisture builds up … (3 comments)
home inspection education: Efflorescence on Chimneys - 01/15/08 09:24 AM
Efflorescence on chimneys (See the above blog Efflorescence) can also be caused by condensing exhaust gases of gas and oil fired appliances. This "condensate" is slightly acidic and when this moisture moves through the brick structure much damage to the chimney can occur. In this case the efflorescence that forms … (0 comments)
home inspection education: Water pipes make a good ground? - 01/09/08 10:16 AM
Low voltage utilities (like cable, security, and phone) ground their systems to the Home's electrical system ground. While the low voltage electrical components of these systems are NOT typically inspected according to most Standards of Practice, I do like to verify location and appropriateness of the grounding of these systems. … (4 comments)
home inspection education: Watch out for the Milkman! - 01/08/08 11:05 AM
On an inspection a while back I found an interesting security issue in a Condo. The building had originally been apartments. These 1920's apartment buildings had little doors at each unit where the milkman could leave the milk/eggs; and then there was another door inside the unit where the owner … (11 comments)
home inspection education: Where is my weed-whacker? - 01/07/08 05:42 PM
Homeowners love to decorate their properties with all kinds of vegetation. This is especially true here in the NW where it is "Spring-time" year round! Often these plantings can provide a pathway for moisture and vermin into the home as well as cause mechanical damage to the structure itself. Large … (3 comments)
home inspection education: How much will the Inspection cost? - 12/27/07 10:06 PM
Home inspectors get asked this question every day. The answer can simply roll off the tongue---or it may be more like pulling teeth. The reasons for this are as varied as the homes themselves. Some inspectors have fixed fees (no ifs ands or buts), some have fixed fees (unless the … (3 comments)
home inspection education: Water water everywhere - 12/23/07 04:25 PM
Fellow blogger, Leslie Bloss, suggested that I share a few insights about flooding of homes. Most homes sooner or later will be affected by seasonal flooding. As home inspectors we are very interested in assessing both past and present flooding and conditions conducive to, or indicative of, flooding. This time … (2 comments)
home inspection education: Why inspect new construction? - 12/23/07 02:11 PM
I was a builder for over 33 years before I became a home inspector and I can tell you that there is no way to keep track of all that goes on during the construction process. Good contractors do their best to use the best sub-contractors, and local jurisdictions inspect … (5 comments)
My blog is intended to provide information related to home inspections in Seattle, surrounding communities and anyone else interested. Sometimes I will provide information that has nothing to do with home inspections. Enjoy!
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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: 
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