A Northern Virginia Home Inspector's Perspective

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Home Inspector - Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - 3380-000723

ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS

2009 

It is unusual that I have a Friday morning unscheduled.  So I took advantage.  The Washington Redskins allow fans to come to see practice, but only for a few days.  Well, today was the day for my daughter and me! It was a hot, sultry, tiring day.  You must stand to be able to see.  No matter... s...
07/31/2009
16 Comments
You probably like staring at ocean waves because they are so calming.  How about new wave siding!  Reeeel perty, ain't it? This is the result of an unprofessional installation.  This installer did not know what he was doing.  Three of the houses in this row look like this one.  I imagine the sid...
07/30/2009
Yes, it's the same, "Must see!", wonderfully "remodeled" kitchen. This time it's the opposite side. This view looks behind the new range and exhaust hood combo. The white hole on the left is behind the new exhaust hood.  Apparently some Romex cable was dissected and its guts removed.  Those guts...
07/28/2009
Don't touch!  The wires  might come out, bite you, spark, burn - who knows.  This house boasted yet another "Must See!" remodeled kitchen.  New cabinets, new kitchen sink, new appliances including a new disposal and - OLD WIRING... You might have noticed that this wiring did not quite reach the ...
07/28/2009
This has been blown up so it is a little blurry. During dinner my wife began having a hot flash. "Is it a bad one?" I asked.  I wanted a thermal image. "About middle, maybe more, yeah, kind of hot," she said. "Don't move!"  I ran for the camera. The warmer spots are in yellow.  The Max on the le...
07/27/2009
17 Comments
About four or five times a year I see something that really gets under my skin.  Any time people try to fool other people, for what they think might be some form of gain, it gets under my skin. For many years I have made it a habit to check the ice in an ice maker.  I do that because sometimes th...
07/25/2009
The reputation has gotten around that I am the go-to inspector for new construction inspections.  I think that has happened because I am good when dealing with buyers and building supervisors.  Being in the middle is never a comfortable place to be, but I find myself there a lot and seem to be go...
07/24/2009
Look at this photo and put on your CSI hats.  What do you see? There are many things to see: 1.  There is a properly-installed heat pump and level drip pan to capture any over flow condensation. 2.  The drip pan has rust inside, which means there has been previously filled from clogging in the pa...
07/18/2009
Before it's too late! Boy, I hope this helps...
07/18/2009
14 Comments
Entering a small, older house the other day I noticed how cool the air felt.  It was a hot day and certainly the heat pump was doing its job well. The literature stated that a completely new heat pump system was professionally put in earlier this year!  So the Realtor stated anyway in the brochur...
07/17/2009
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Jay Markanich

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia
local_phone(703) 330-6388
smartphone(703) 585-7560
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An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.