home inspection chelan: Wenatchee and Quincy Home Inspection- Selling points - 07/19/11 11:55 AM
Wenatchee and Quincy Home Inspection- Selling points
Real Estate is a tough business and finding an aspect of home that will appeal to a potential buyer can be the tough.
I recently had a home inspection that I think almost every agent would be clamoring for.  There was a few esthetic items that I am sure will be on the flyer to help sell this property quickly.
Having walls that are neutral so the potential buyer can see how their furnishings will work is very important.


You want your potential buyer to feel welcome when they enter a room.
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home inspection chelan: Wednesday’s- Music to my Ears - 07/06/11 07:23 PM
Wednesday's- Music to my Ears

As I was growing up trying to be a professional musician I had gone to a lot of shows (concerts). Back in the day of bus touring Seattle was a major starting and stopping point for all of the groups doing their North American tours. So Seattle had a very vibrant music culture going.
I have literally seen hundreds of acts from local punk/new wave groups to classical guitar giants such as Carlos Montoya and everything in between.
I was reflecting back to my most memorable shows that I have seen.
                                                              
I thought I would … (4 comments)

home inspection chelan: To crawl or not to crawl that is the question?- Home Inspections for Wenatchee and Chelan - 07/05/11 05:45 PM
To crawl or not to crawl that is the question?- Home Inspections for Wenatchee and Chelan
One of my greatest dilemmas as a home inspection service is do I crawl/traverse the Attic or not. I want to crawl everyone but I find myself not be able to more often than not. Many of the newer homes have an engineered truss system with 15 to 18 inches of blown-in insulation. This insulation obscures the ceiling cord, wiring and ductwork.
Attics and crawlspaces usually will have the greatest potential to have unknown issues that my clients should know about. No one likes to … (5 comments)

home inspection chelan: Chelan and Wenatchee Home Inspection- Are you clear - 05/23/11 01:58 PM
Chelan and Wenatchee Home Inspection- Are you clear
As a Chelan and Wenatchee home inspection service as part of the standards and practice we are to evaluate the Electrical Service Drop through the main panel.
Disclaimer: Utility Companies do not have to comply with all the code requirements.
When evaluating service entrance conductors (wires) the home inspector has to describe how the service entrance comes into a home, overhead or below ground. If the electrical service entrance is supplied via an overhead connection there are some important rules that imply.
Service drop conductors (wires) that run over roofs should maintain a … (8 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee Home Inspection-The Dirty Dozen of Electrical Problems - 05/22/11 03:20 PM
Leavenworth and Wenatchee Home Inspection- The dirty dozen of wiring Problems
 
Are you a closet electrician? Many people including homeowners, mechanics, handymen and engineers think they are weekend electricians. Is some of this work is beyond their comprehension?
As a professional home inspector we are looking for these repairs or installations which could create fire and shock hazards.
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is the code that all electricians operate under. There are many local interpretations around the country, but for all intents and purposes this is the minimum standard for safety. Wiring that does not comply with … (6 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee, Chelan Home Inspection- Hands On the Wheel - 05/03/11 12:11 PM
Wenatchee, Chelan  Home Inspection- Hands On the Wheel
Now that I have a teenager who will be hitting the roads it reaffirms what I look at in garages.

Here we have a home I inspected that has a little target practice for those younger ones that are getting their first real world experience of driving these 4 wheeled missiles.
 
The Uniform mechanical code states (M1307.3.1 Protection from impact) - Appliances located in a garage or carport shall be protected from impact by automobiles.
Several jurisdictions define this protection by the following.
1. Four (4") inch round steel tubing imbedded … (2 comments)

home inspection chelan: Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- I'm Drained. - 05/01/11 11:51 AM
Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- I'm Drained.
On an inspection a while back I get a home with a new Master Bath remodel.  This is a manufactured home.
We all like new master baths, right?
Well the first clue came on the Roof.  But no one really can see this except the master peeper.

We now get to this new tile shower. Hmm, I wonder what liner they used?
        

Now we get to the crawlspace.
               
Then with a little push on the belly wrap (underbelly), April Showers!
The owner, who remodeled this, … (17 comments)

home inspection chelan: Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- Whole House Ventilation - 04/30/11 06:39 PM
Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- Whole House Ventilation
As a home inspector I see my job not only to report deficiencies observed at the home but also to help guide the potential buyer or owner with information relating to the home and its function.
Most new homes will come equipped with a called whole house ventilation system to help deal with excessive moisture and environmental pollutants.
The newer energy code and building techniques are creating very tight envelopes within the home. In doing so we now must mechanically control the air exchanges to provide for a healthy indoor environment. The motto … (4 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee Home Inspections- Up on the roof tops. - 04/27/11 09:39 PM
Wenatchee Home Inspections- Up on the roof tops.
One of the joys of Home inspections is getting a view from up on the roof. Here was a picture I took about a month ago after a new dusting.

This is saddle rock a popular hike in the area.

 Sunset in the Okanogan, not on a roof but on a mountain.
Wenatchee Home Inspections- Up on the roof tops.
NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington.                                      
NCW Home Inspections LLC-509-670-9572
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home inspection chelan: Home Inspection in Wenatchee, Chelan and Okanogan- Structural Pest Inspection - 04/27/11 08:03 PM
Home Inspection in Wenatchee, Chelan and Okanogan- Structural Pest Inspection
Structural pest inspections in the State of Washington are called- Complete wood destroying organism inspections.

What is that?
The State of Washington defines this as an inspection to determine evidence of infestation, damage, or conditions conducive for WDO's (wood destroying insects or organisms) with regards to the transfer, exchange or refinancing of any structure in Washington State.
Conducive conditions, what is that?  
It is a condition that may lead to or enhance infestation of wood destroying organisms or insects (termites, moisture ants, carpenter ants, rot, and beetles).  
Many … (0 comments)

home inspection chelan: Home Inspections- Wenatchee, Chelan and Douglas County- Do you Smell that Smell (Meth Labs)? - 04/24/11 03:14 PM
Home Inspections- Wenatchee, Chelan and Douglas County- Do you Smell that Smell (Meth Labs)?
Clandestine labs can Smell!!!
    
This is in response to a very interesting phone call I received concerning a home that may be used as a meth lab.
I spend 15+ years training with one of the Northwest best instructors in the field of Hazardous Material response and remediation, David Kummerlowe of CADRE, Inc.  Dave trains industrial HazMat teams as well as Fire and Police department personnel.  He is one of the most knowledge people in the area involving clandestine drug labs.




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home inspection chelan: Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- It‘s buzzing - 02/16/11 11:02 AM
Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- It‘s buzzing
                                              
There seems to be a general feel around Chelan and Douglas Counties that things are looking better. I get a new sense of optimism from many in the industry here.
Will it last? No one knows, but if we all put our best foot forward and provide honest and professional work it will help.
 
Good luck to all and may your 2011 be prosperous.
 Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- It‘s buzzing
 
NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Okanogan County and Grant County … (0 comments)

home inspection chelan: Chelan and Douglas Counties Home Inspection and Why do we need Codes? - 10/20/10 06:58 PM
Chelan and Douglas Counties Home Inspection and Why do we need Codes?
So Why do we need codes?                                  
 
Codes provide minimum standards for building construction in order to safeguard the public's safety, health, and welfare.
Many codes where enacted due to disasters and ignored safety issues.
(What is your city doing to get ready for a disaster? You can register your city and be included in the international campaign by clicking here. )
Modern building codes shifted from outlining the punishment for poor construction (see the Code of Hammurabi) to mandating requirements that would make building safe and sanitary to … (4 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee home Inspections and Preparing for winter - 10/19/10 05:12 PM
Wenatchee home Inspections and Preparing for winter
It is that time of year in Wenatchee, Chelan county and surrounding areas to start thinking about preparing your home for winter, because as temperatures begin to dip, your home will require maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape through the winter.
Autumn is invariably a prelude to falling winter temperatures, regardless of where you live.

Here are ten tips to help you prepare your home for winter:
1) Furnace Inspection
•·         Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
•·         Stock up on furnace filters and change them monthly.
… (8 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee Home and Pest inspector- Do you really need a pest inspection? - 10/15/10 07:31 PM
Wenatchee Home and Pest inspector- Do you really need a pest inspection?
Wenatchee area is considered an area of high risk for Termites!
As a Wenatchee Home and Pest Inspector I calculate that I see insects and/or damage from wood destroying insects in about 20% of the homes I inspect. That is one out of five!  I have informal information from another local inspector that seems to confirm this information.
Termites-
Termites feed upon any materials that contain cellulose such as wood.  Many species of termites cannot digest cellulose to extract the sugar content. They rely on protozoa in their gut … (4 comments)

home inspection chelan: Chelan and East Wenatchee home inspector- Air conditioning maintenance - 10/13/10 12:45 AM
Chelan and East Wenatchee home inspector- Air conditioning maintenance
(I know winter is around the corner but I was doing some research on these units and it made me think, ouch)
As a Chelan and East Wenatchee home inspector, I recommend people have their air conditioning and heating systems inspected by a qualified HVAC contractor (many manufacturers recommend yearly servicing to maintain the warranty). I always test the system and look for any issues. This should never replace having a qualified professional specializing in that trade further evaluating the system.
 The air conditioning system should be inspected and/or serviced before every summer … (4 comments)

home inspection chelan: Chelan Home inspection- What's the Buzz, Honey! - 09/23/10 08:11 PM
Chelan Home inspection- What's the Buzz, Honey!
As a Chelan Home inspection service we get see many things- some good, some bad.
Here was a good one -
As I am making my initial sweep of the exterior of the home I see many honey bees. I see them swarming to a hole in the exterior of the home. Sure enough a healthy hive of bees. Honey bees for the most part are very docile. If you don't mess with them, they don't mess with you.

Bees have been suffering from a problem called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). It is … (6 comments)

home inspection chelan: Wenatchee Home Inspector and Being Flagged (or is that flogged?) - 09/02/10 09:41 PM
Wenatchee Home Inspector and Being Flagged (or is that flogged?)
Well the saga continues of getting my Business re-listed in Googles Maps.
I feeling cold and left out in wilderness of web despair-

I have worked hard at getting my business to listing to be prominently placed with google and google maps. For some reason for which I have yet figured out my google maps listing was flagged for quality guidelines.
This is google message to me with a guidelines link-
NCW Home Inspections LLC: This listing was rejected because it doesn't meet the quality guidelines.
From my analysis I can … (9 comments)

home inspection chelan: Chelan Home and Pest Inspector found footsteps from the past - 07/02/10 10:58 PM
Chelan Home and Pest Inspector found footsteps from the past
During an inspection this Chelan Home and Pest Inspector found footsteps from the past in Palisades Washington.
As you enter each home there are surprises to encounter and glimpses of the past. Here we have shoes left from bygone days.  Why are they here, attic dance night?
 
For hundreds and thousands of years people have been stashing things.  It has been said that there is more money buried and hidden today, than what's in circulation. That's a bunch of hidden loot.  Many times, a spouse, or family members were … (6 comments)

home inspection chelan: Home Inspections in Chelan and Plumbing leaks - 06/16/10 08:52 PM
Home Inspections in Chelan  
When providing home inspections in Chelan I can never tell homeowners enough times to take care of your plumbing leaks. Water damage has both short-term and long-term potential to create serious damage that will devalue your home and can make it unlivable.
  Here we have leak from a toilet that has been unattended.  Toilets have a wax ring at the toilet flange that seals against water and waste gases leakage. The wax ring can compress over time and begin to leak, especially if the toilet is not secured properly to the floor.
  Over time the … (3 comments)