Sunday Night Crawlers- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections - 01/29/12 09:37 PM
Sunday Night Crawlers- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections
As home inspectors we are a curious breed. Keeping alert can bring in a nice picture or two. Here are some friend that I found that felt their party was over.

Scurry my little Friends ; )
 
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
Steve Jobs
NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, … (3 comments)

Lay over me… or not- Chelan and Quincy Home inspections- Roofs - 01/27/12 09:21 AM
Lay over me… or not- Chelan and Quincy Home inspections- RoofsSo you need a new roof what should I do, and what is right?We all know that one layer of roofing material is best, right? This should always be the standard answer in my book, no exceptions but hey I do always get to write the rules.And it is very obvious that most think the code says we can add a second layer of roofing, right?Well hold on there buckaroo, the answer has a qualifier… The code actually states something that many overlook.
                             So let’s take a peak what the … (4 comments)

Check your Double Check Valve- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections - 01/26/12 03:45 PM
Check your Double Check Valve- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections
                                                 We all want safe clean water at our home. It is something we all take for granted.Something very common in Chelan and Douglas Counties is backflow devices. The most common are double check valves (DC) and reduced pressure principle assemblies (RP).
                                    These devices prevent water from things like sprinkler/irrigation lines and other sources that could contaminate the potable water system through back-siphonage. Or otherwise called a cross connection.These devices are on the home owners side of the water meter so it is the responsibility of the home owner … (2 comments)

Fiberglass Insulation should we scratch the stuff?- Chelan and Wenatchee Home Inspection service. - 01/22/12 08:39 AM
Fiberglass Insulation should we scratch the stuff?- Chelan and Wenatchee Home Inspection service.
                                                      We all know how we feel when it gets on us, or better yet in us. So what is it doing to our lungs if we breathe it?  I know after I perform my home inspection and I had to traverse areas with fiberglass I feel it. Here is a link to a blog I wrote concerning fiberglass, more specifically glass wool fibers that are inhalable which includes fiberglass. (Link) This blog has a link to the reference documents.An article excerpt from the referenced literature-“Certain glass wool fibers (inhalable) … (26 comments)

World of Wenatchee- The Wenatchee Home Inspector - 01/21/12 09:24 PM
World of Wenatchee- The Wenatchee Home Inspector
 
With western Washington getting hammered with its bout of winter I am reminded how nice it is here in the Wenatchee Valley during winter.
 
We may get a blast and the snow may pile up, but then we get this beautiful sight like today.
You have to love when 28 degrees feels like a spring day.
  “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
Steve Jobs
 
 
NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington … (4 comments)

Seattle “Snow Wimps” Yes or No? - 01/19/12 10:25 AM
Seattle “Snow Wimps” Yes or No?
                                                     Well an interesting shot across the bow from the LA Times. Yes from the same town that a little rain can wreck havoc on.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2012/01/seattle-snow-storm.htmlBeing from Seattle and having heard this kind of statement from many friends over the years I have to laugh.  
I have many friends that come from much snowier areas of the country but they do not have the hills and temprature that usually hover just around freezing (the most dangerous driving in my opnion). Water, ice and snow is a dangerous combination and add a few inclines to the mix … (3 comments)

A Hose is a Hose- Or not? Chelan Home Inspections - 01/19/12 09:51 AM
A Hose is a Hose- Or not? Chelan Home InspectionsI performed a home inspection on a house not too long ago that suffered from some major water damage due to a washing machine supply line burst. Thousands of dollars of damage occurred along with some stress with dealing with the restoration company.There are many homes in my home inspection service area that are used a vacation property and may be more vulnerable to these types of incidents.Doing a little research I find that most standard hot or cold water supply lines on household washing machines are rated for 200 psi working pressure … (4 comments)

Open Discussion on Closed Valleys- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection Service - 01/18/12 02:55 PM
Open Discussion on Closed Valleys- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection ServiceAs a home inspector in Wenatchee and North Central Washington I get to see some pretty interesting roofing installations.Something I have run into several times of late when performing roofing inspections is the improper installation of what is called a closed cut valley.A closed cut valley is where shingles span the valley surface of the roof. The shingles on the lesser water shedding roof will go under the opposing shingles. The shingles of the main water shedding surface will be cut 2 inches back from the valley and should widen as it gets … (6 comments)

Oil or grease fire in kitchen- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection Service - 01/11/12 09:43 AM
Oil or grease fire in kitchen- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection Service
                                                          Grease and oil fires in the kitchen can be very dangerous and a few simple ideas can save you from a very serious situation. The NFPA states that 42% of all structure fires and 37% of home injuries relate to cooking fires.Remember always stay present  and attentive in the kitchen when cooking with greases. Grease fires burn very hot and can quickly spread to cabinets or other flammable materials or areas of the kitchen.First, always stay calm and never use water to put out a grease fire.  This … (6 comments)

Ah… backstabbed again! - 01/09/12 08:32 PM
Ah… backstabbed again!  A Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection ServiceI get a call from a very good friend of mine. Knowing that I am a home inspector and seen a lot of issues and that I have also have done my fair share of electrical work on my own homes he wants my advice and how to fix it. (Full disclosure I am not an electrician but I have slept at a Holiday Inn ; )
                                                The issue at hand is that he had a bathroom GFCI go out on him, he replaced the GFCI outlet with a new one and … (7 comments)

I crawl because I can - 01/04/12 02:52 PM
I crawl because I can- Quincy Home InspectionOn this particular home inspection I was not performing a structural pest inspection because one had already been performed.When I perform a home inspection my standard is to always perform a structural pest inspection but in this case one had been done recently, or was it?I always do the crawlspace last because, well it is the nastiest area of the home generally and I do not want to re-enter the home after my little foray with the spiders and muck. (I usually do not smell too good either!)So during my inspection of the crawlspace … (9 comments)

2012 Looking up- Wenatchee Home Inspection-Quadrantid meteor shower - 01/03/12 03:16 PM
2012 Looking up- Quadrantid meteor shower
               
Well we have barely made into the New Year and we have a very nice celestial display to occur.Tonight (tomorrow morning) the Quadrantid meteor shower will happen. They are predicting this to be one of the better displays of 2012.The peak activity for this shower is due to happen early on Wednesday at about 2:30 a.m. EST (0730 GMT) in the area of the constellation of Bootes. The best viewing favors those in eastern North America.
Meteor shower occur when the earth passes through a stream of cosmic debris usually left behind by … (5 comments)

I regress on egress- Bedroom Windows - 01/03/12 01:09 PM
I regress on egress- Bedroom Windows- Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspection ServiceAs home inspectors and those in the Realty business we have had many discussions on bedrooms and what constitutes one.But I found the bit on emergency escape/rescue (egress) windows still confusing to some so I thought I would spell it out.
                                        
                                              (Maximum sill height above floor is 44 in)An emergency escape or rescue (egress) window must satisfy all four International Residential Code (IRC) requirements:
·  Minimum width of opening: 20 in.
·  Minimum height of opening: 24 in.
·  Minimum net clear opening: 5.7 sq. ft. (5.0 … (7 comments)

A New Year- Resolution and thought... - 01/01/12 08:18 PM
A New Year-  It really is just another day but there always seems to have some significance. It is a new beginning and a chance to make changes in ourselves.
                                                So my New Year resolution is to do a random act of kindness whenever possible and be more understanding of others. We all can effect our world around us in a positive manner one act at a time. I find we all much more in common than differences and we should acknowledge it.  If we all do this we will have a better place.  
                                                            
Start by doing it for … (8 comments)