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whatcomcounty: Power Surges (and I'm not talking about hot flashes) - 11/16/09 01:11 PM
These days, I have added a new recommendation to the electrical section of my inspections. "Add a whole house surge protector". I learned through experience about this. As our electrical grid ifrastructure ages, we become subject to more problems.
Many of the appliances in our modern houses have computer boards controlling their operation. These boards are very susceptible to damage by power surges. We usually have surge protectors for our home computers, but what about that expensive clothes dryer or furnace. Both have computer control boards. I learned about the dangers when I came home one day to find the furnace … (3 comments)
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whatcomcounty: More Trees - 06/25/07 11:00 AM
On a previous blog post I showed a number of specimen trees on my property just outside Bellingham, Washington. The trees I'm showing on this post are some more mature ones. These I didn't plant, but were instrumental in making the decision to buy this property ten years ago. The gardens that are visible were not here when we bought the place.
These are two very large Black Locusts located in our front yard.
This may be the largest Weeping Willow in Whatcom County Washington. The tree to the right is an English Walnut.
The large trees in the background are a row of … (0 comments)
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whatcomcounty: Garden Tour - 06/25/07 10:14 AM
On Saturday, my wife and I went on the Whatcom Horticultural Society's Tour of Private Gardens. This is an annual event that hilights private gardens in Bellingham and other communities in Whatcom County. This years tour was the 21st annual. There were five gardens in the tour (self guided), all in more rural areas of the county this year. The garden styles ranged from a very wild forest garden to a very formal, professionally designed garden. I personally tend to prefer wilder looks over the formal. The following are a few pictures from the tour.
This is the stump of an old … (0 comments)
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whatcomcounty: Dutch Treat - 06/21/07 11:57 AM
Yesterday I was doing an inspection in Lynden, Washington. Lynden is a small town Northeast of Bellingham, Washington. It was founded in the late 1800s by Dutch immigrants. Lynden, Washington is a very clean and well kept community. The downtown area looks like a little bit of Holland.
Lynden also has a unique entry. The gateway to Lynden is, I believe, the only one anywhere that is flanked by a pair of cemeteries.
Lynden is also the home of the Whatcom County, Washington fair. The permanent fair grounds occupies a large area on the South side of Front Street, the main drag of Lynden, Washington.
I … (4 comments)
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whatcomcounty: Ocean to Snow Road - 06/16/07 12:30 PM
I had the occasion to work in the village of Glacier yesterday. It was a grey rainy day but thought I might take a few pictures of the diversity we find on State Route 542, more commonly known as the Mt. Baker Highway. This road travels from near the water in Bellingham, through small towns and villages and ends up at the Mt Baker ski area. Glacier is the last town before climbing in switchbacks to the 4500 foot base of the ski area. While the ski area isn't high altitude compared to areas in California or Colorado, it consistently gets more … (5 comments)
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whatcomcounty: Garden Tour, Bellingham/Whatcom County Washington - 06/12/07 05:22 PM
On Saturday and Sunday, June 23 and 24, the 21st Annual Tour of Private Gardens, put on by the Whatcom Horticultural Society, will take place. This is a magnificent, self guided tour, of usually, 5 to 6 private gardens. My own garden was on this tour a few years ago. This years gardens include: A flower-filled garden in the woods, A wildlife sanctuary filled with ornamental shrubs and trees, An immaculate homestead using innovative recycled materials, A beautiful sprawling garden with recycled sculptural treasures and A bird haven with numerous water features and exotic plants. Tickets and directions are available at … (3 comments)
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whatcomcounty: The Stimson Reserve, A Little Known Gem of Bellingham and the Whatcom Park System - 06/09/07 12:35 PM
On the Lake Louise Rd. route out to Sudden Valley one can notice an unmarked small parking lot on the left. This is parking for the trailhead at Stimson Family Nature Reserve. The core of this reserve was donated to the Whatcom Land Trust in the year 2000 in memory of Edward and Catharine Stimson by their seven children.
The Reserve consists of the 138 acre Lake Louise Natural Resources Conservation Area, 196 acres owned by Whatcom Land Trust and 34 acres jointly owned by the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County. The Reserve is managed by the Whatcom County Parks … (0 comments)
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whatcomcounty: Fine Furniture - 05/22/07 03:13 PM
Now that I am no longer building fine structures to live in, my creative urges are finding new outlets. Just thought I would show the latest piece out of my woodworking shop. We've had the same old coffee table for fifteen years and were getting kind of tired of it. This is my first true foray into furniture making. The wood is local Whatcom County Washington Big Leaf Maple, a species that is widely used for guitar bodies. The through tenon pegs are teak. I love using live edge, sometimes marginal wood. One really gets a feel for the tree this … (5 comments)
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David Helm, Bellingham, Wa. Licensed Home Insp
Bellingham,
WA
More about me…
Helm Home Inspections
Address: 4186 Rural Avenue, Bellingham, Wa , 98226
Office Phone: (360) 739-5751
Cell Phone: (360) 739-5751
Email Me
My blogs offer a wide range of topics, from home inspection to cooking to woodworking to gardening to local area information and photos. I love talking about Bellingham, Washington and its surrounding area. Home inspection is my work; life is my passion.
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