claremont home inspections: Backwards Means Big Mistake - A Home Inspection Blog - 08/27/08 03:59 AM
I saw this a few months ago so I thought I'd share it with everyone.
Okay, I'm not focusing here on the worn roof, the rusted air baffle or the dish cable. Can you see what else is wrong here? A hint: It has something to do with the air baffle.
First … (28 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Automatic Gas Shut Off Valves for Earthquakes - 04/11/08 05:53 PM
I still don't see very many of them but there is a relatively new safety item called an automatic gas shut off valve. It is a valve that goes on your gas line, near the meter, that will automatically shut off in case of an earthquake (obviously a California issue). Here's what … (10 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Chim Chim-e-ney Chim Chim-e-ney Chim Chim Cha- OUCH! - 04/01/08 02:32 PM
I couldn't help but think of Mary Poppins and good old Dick Van Dyke when writing a post about chimney vents. Unfortunately this is not a funny situation. The silver cylinder is the vent for the chimney.
Of course fires burn in a fireplace and the combustion gases, heat and smoke … (13 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Just TRUSS Me - 03/25/08 09:29 AM
As a home inspector you never take anything for granted. I recently inspected a 3,200 sq. ft. house built in 2004. It was very nice looking with a lot of upgrades. On the surface I'm sure many would think there could hardly be anything wrong with it.
There was an attic in … (10 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Twas the Day of the Home Inspection - 03/18/08 07:51 PM
Twas the day of the home inspection
and all through the house
not a creature was stirring
not even a mouse (he already left his mess in the insulation in the attic).
The buyer was nestled all snug in their thoughts
thinking and planning where to put all the furniture that will be bought.
The home inspector moved through the … (15 comments)
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claremont home inspections: What's Taking So Long? - 03/11/08 11:18 AM
I've heard this before, luckily not too often. But every once in a while you get someone who used $$One-Fifty-One$$ Buck Chuck (as I call them) for their last home inspection and they wonder how an inspection can take so long. I'll use an example from yesterdays home inspection to shed … (20 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Debunking The Myths of the Pre-Listing Home Inspection - 03/02/08 10:34 AM
Recently there was an excellent featured post about pre-listing home inspections and why they're not more popular. Please read At what point do you throw in the towel? by David Lelak's wife.
Some of the reasons sellers don't want to get a pre-listing home inspection were given below. I thought it would be easier … (12 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Agents and Utilities - What's Up? - 02/21/08 04:15 PM
Okay, we all know there's a lot of short sales, foreclosures, REO's, etc. So therefore the utilities many times end up being turned off since no one is paying the bill. The gas company will put a lock on the meter like the one below (circled below), and other utility companies do … (10 comments)
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claremont home inspections: The Eye of the Tiger... (A Home Inspection Blog) - 01/21/08 01:06 PM
The eye of the tiger is nothing compared to the eye of the garage door opener. What?
I'm talking about the laser sensor eye for the garage door opener. Look at the picture below, it's the black box a few inches off the ground.
The laser sensor eye puts an … (6 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Deadbolts: Can They Be Unsafe? - 01/17/08 11:36 AM
I think everyone knows that deadbolts are a great safety item. However, can a deadbolt ever be a safety hazard? YES.
Now I've got you hooked and you just have to read more... perfect.
Some people use double-keyed deadbolts in a house. That means that you have to have a key to open … (14 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Landlords: You're Liable for Your Tenants Safety - 01/12/08 09:15 AM
I inspect homes for investors quite often. Many of these homes, duplexes, etc. will be used as rentals. I always ask if this is the case as landlords are liable for the safety of their tenants. This makes home inspections for rental properties important not only for the condition of the property … (22 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Upgraded Houses Don't Need to be Inspected... Right? - 01/06/08 10:03 AM
I inspected a house built in 1948 the other day which had some upgraded systems. Unfortunately it was a shoddy job.
Though they had just upgraded the electrical system, they didn't bother to do anything about the corrosion at the right service entrance cable.
They upgraded the electrical system but for some reason decided to … (7 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Safety Gates for Children - 01/03/08 08:48 AM
...and three kids later I finally decided to install permanent gates for my children. I have a two-story house and we've had a temporary type gate at the bottom of the stairs for years. It's been quite cumbersome as it was difficult to operate and would sometimes come out of place.
So … (11 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Have You Come in Contact with the Flu or the Flue? - 12/10/07 10:01 AM
A flue is a pipe that is usually attached to the top of a furnace or water heater. Fire is needed to heat up the water heater, furnace, etc. When there is a fire, combustion takes place. Then you have combustion gases that are created. These gases are harmful to breathe, … (6 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Blow It Out Your... - 12/06/07 06:22 PM
Did you really think I was going to post something inappropriate?
I came across this picture and thought I'd share it with you. Exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms need to terminate somewhere, right? They are attached to a duct and that duct should terminate to the exterior so that the … (13 comments)
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claremont home inspections: What Do Accordions and Drains Have in Common... - 12/06/07 05:51 PM
Well, they should have nothing in common. The interior of drains should be smooth to allow liquids and debris to drain properly. Someone had the "great" idea of developing the "accordion-style drain," as I call them. They are for the amateur plumber or homeowner who just can't get two drain pipes to … (12 comments)
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claremont home inspections: How a doggy door can be dangerous - Seriously! - 11/21/07 04:28 PM
The title isn't just catchy to get your attention, though of course I hope it does. But doggy doors (no offense to cats or any other animal) should NOT be installed in the door that goes from the Garage to the House. Here's the reason:
A wall that has living space on … (14 comments)
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claremont home inspections: The worse closet I've ever seen! - 11/09/07 06:37 PM
I was browsing through some old pictures and came across BY FAR the worse closet I've seen. So I had to share it. The water heater didn't look so good either. And there was also a pipe leaking under the house. Oh yeah, and did I mention the roof? This was … (44 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Are you feeling tipsy? How about your oven or dishwasher? - 11/09/07 05:09 PM
Yes, an oven or dishwasher can greatly injure a child if not properly secured. Sometimes when I explain things in a home inspection I get this look of disbelief from a listing agent as if I'm just making things up to "fill" the report... well I'm not.
With the doors open, a dishwasher or oven … (13 comments)
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claremont home inspections: You finally got them evicted... now what? - 11/05/07 05:30 PM
I once did a home inspection right after a tenant was evicted. There was a lot of damage and a big mess left behind. I hope investors or anyone who has rental property has considered a home inspection after a tenant has been evicted to document any damage that has occurred. … (14 comments)
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claremont home inspections: Don't forget about a tune-up! - 10/21/07 09:46 AM
I think almost everyone knows to get the oil changed in their cars regularly and tune-ups annually, or so. But that's not what I'm talking about.
What about your heating and cooling systems? What kind of maintenance do they need? The easiest and one that every homeowner can do is changing the … (4 comments)
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