Melted Zinsco Circuit Breakers- Fire Hazard! - 06/29/12 05:42 AM
Melted Zinsco Circuit Breakers- Fire Hazard! Wenatchee Home Inspection services

If you have been around Real Estate or the electrical community you most likely have heard about Zinsco electrical panels and some of the inherent dangers with them.


                                             I have written several posts on Zinsco electrical panels .
(Here is one  http://www.ncwhomeinspections.com/Zinsco+Panels)
I have an electrician friend, Israel Carrasco owner of Evolution Electric, bring by another fine example of why these panels and their associated … (4 comments)

Ah… when Electricians were real men-The Shocking Truth - 06/28/12 07:13 AM
Ah… when Electricians were real men-The Shocking Truth- Wenatchee Home Inspection ServicesNever know what one might find when out in cyberspace.Here are a couple of sections from the “AMERICAN ELECTRICIANS’ HANDBOOK 7th Edition” of 1953.This is how real electricians did some circuit testing in those days. Who needs fancy instrumentation anyway.

                                                  154. Electricians often test circuits for the presence of voltage by touching the conductors with the fingers.  This method is safe where the voltage does … (10 comments)

When weaving is wrong- Proper roof valley installation - 06/27/12 08:20 AM
When weaving is wrong- Proper roof valley installation- Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home Inspection Services
For asphalt roofing there are several types of valley details that can be used. Depending on the roofing material this may dictate what style can be used.
The two most common styles of asphalt roofing materials are strip roofing also called 3-tab or laminated roofing referred to as three-dimensional or architectural shingles because the shingles create visual depth on a roof and create a more custom appearance.
There are three common valley details... woven, open and closed cut. There is a variation on the closed cut referred … (10 comments)

Proper Placement of Liquid Petroleum/Propane Tanks - 06/26/12 07:28 AM
Proper Placement of Liquid Petroleum/Propane Tanks- Chelan Home Inspection

In most of North Central Washington (Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties) it is common to find Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG)/Propane tanks on homes. These are mainly for fireplaces in this area but  may be used for BBQ’s and a few cooking appliances.



                                            Due to the nature of LPG there are some safety requirements needed in the placement of these tanks.Propane is heavier than air so it … (11 comments)

Who is the killer Deer or Dog? - 06/24/12 02:30 PM
Who is the killer Deer or Dog?A very funny thing happened yesterday as I was doing some work up in the Entiat Valley.I hear my dog bark and squeal from a distance. I went over to investigate to find a Mule Deer Doe chasing my dog Becca around the yard.
                             Becca runs for the deck to gain higher ground but the deer was having none of that.  As I enter the deer’s sight it turns to look at me, but was still keeping a vigilant eye to … (8 comments)

Do years as a Home inspector make the difference? - 06/24/12 08:49 AM
Do years as a Home inspector make the difference? Chelan Home Inspection Services
                                 We all assume if you work at a profession for a number of years, then you should be very proficient at that profession.  Many a home inspector will promote the claim that he/she has been inspecting for X number of years and performed thousands of inspections.  The implication is that that individual has been proficient enough professionally to survive for so long and maintain such a volume of business.But there may be … (6 comments)

100 year anniversary of Pioneer- Alan Turing. - 06/23/12 08:14 AM
100 year anniversary of Pioneer- Alan Turing. Wenatchee Home InspectionsToday we should celebrate the birth of Alan Turing who was the father of today’s computer sciences. We all may not be reading each other’s blogs if it were not for some of his pioneering work.Google has put a clever little Google Doodle to celebrate this anniversary. The meaning of the doodle may escape you. It is to spell Google in binary code. (The Turing machine is what the doodle is emulating) Turing was instrumental in breaking the German famous Enigma Machine during WW II. He also created a test for computer … (11 comments)

The case of the dropsy - 06/23/12 07:38 AM
The case of the dropsy- Chelan Home Inspection ServicesInto the dark recesses of the home… where shy creatures stir, dark and damp, and no man or woman has ventured into in recorded memory.This is where the humble home inspector must go, pushing back fear! (Okay that may be a little extreme but how about cobwebs?)
                                           Carrying the trusty hammer like a “Norse God” making every spider in 5 counties tremble and run with fright.
            … (4 comments)

How to take a 50 year roof and make it a one year roof! - 06/18/12 03:48 PM
How to take a 50 year roof and make it a one year roof! Chelan Home Inspection ServiceOne of the saddest things to see is when someone takes a very good material and basically destroys it with the installation.On a recent Wenatchee Home Inspection I come up to the home and see they have heavy architectural grade shingle installed. From the ground I could see some signs of potential issues but when I got on the roof the true story became apparent.
                                   The roofers … (4 comments)

Sunday Cruiser- Okanogan County - 06/17/12 01:58 PM
Sunday Cruiser- Okanogan CountySometimes you just happen upon something that sparks the imagination.
 
                     
Journeys end 
“Everything that is new or uncommon raises a pleasure in the imagination, because it fills the soul with an agreeable surprise, gratifies its curiosity, and gives it an idea of which it was not before possessed.”

Joseph Addison
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, … (2 comments)

Breaking the Circuit Breaker-The Testing of AFCI circuits - 06/16/12 07:42 AM
Breaking the Circuit Breaker-The Testing of AFCI circuits-Chelan Home InspectionWell really I am not breaking the breaker, but I could.
                                                                                
Since 2005 homes in the state of Washington are required to have AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) installed to protect all 15 and 20 amp, 120v outlet in the bedrooms.AFCIs detect dangerous electrical conditions and shut the circuit off before an electrical … (4 comments)

Give Me Direction - 06/14/12 07:51 AM
Give Me Direction- Wenatchee Home Inspection
 
                                                                         As a home inspector I use Google Maps all the time. Sometimes I will map out a route prior to leaving for the home inspection.
                                                   Have you ever wondered if you could send … (11 comments)

Wednesday with a few words… Sunset in the Okanogan. - 06/13/12 08:07 AM
Wednesday with a few words… Sunset in the Okanogan. Okanogan Home InspectionThis was taken from Tunk Valley in the Okanogan of Washington State.
 
           
“By means of microscopic observation and astronomical projection the lotus flower can become the foundation for an entire theory of the universe and an agent whereby we may perceive Truth.”

Yukio Mishima
Nothing like having a bird’s eye view of the world below!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 … (10 comments)

Get a something for free- Really Free- Bird Poster - 06/12/12 07:13 AM
Get a something for free- Really Free- Bird Poster
                                 Yes… here it is folks a true freebie.  Cornell Lab of Ornithology will ship to you a poster from their NestWatch program.  Follow this link and get a free poster of popular nesting birds.Link-  Get Your Free Nesting Birds Poster I just ordered mine. The poster will help you learn about those feathered friends that in your local area.If this appeals to you can join theirNestWatch program and become acitizen scientist.  How fun would that be to … (8 comments)

Covering the AC unit - 06/11/12 07:33 AM
Covering the AC unit in wintertime- East Wenatchee Home InspectionMany homeowners will cover their AC unit during winter to protect them from the elements. I find this time to time during my home inspection and then I had a thought, do they really need to be covered or should they?

At first glance this may be a good thought. But think again.Most manufactures do not state whether you should or should not cover them but here is a little information from Rheem and Lennox.Rheem FAQ section
Frequently Asked QuestionsShould outdoor units be covered in winter?
 No. Rheem heat … (11 comments)

Roll on toward the Columbia- Tumwater Canyon - 06/10/12 08:25 AM
Roll on toward the Columbia-Tumwater Canyon-Leavenworth Home Inspection
In the Wenatchee Valley those who live here will travel the Tumwater Canyon area many times in a lifetime. Tumwater Canyon lies just west of the town of Leavenworth on US Highway 2.Every spring the Canyon will put on a display of natural Hyrdo-Power as the Cascade Mountains snow melt will fill the canyon with raging white waters.Coming home from a recent home inspection I decided to stop and climb down to the river’s edge to get close view of the waters rushing by.Here is a short video I shot of the Wenatchee … (8 comments)

I want to push your button - 06/09/12 07:33 AM
I want to push your button- Wenatchee Home Inspection ServicesSmoke alarms are one of the simplest and most easily overlooked items in a home. All too often I find during a home inspection that the smoke alarms are very old, disconnected or the battery is removed. 65 percent of home fire deaths happen in homes that either have no smoke alarm or the smoke alarm has been disabled.
                                               You should test your smoke alarm every month by pushing … (8 comments)