A Northern Virginia Home Inspector's Perspective

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

ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS

2012 

Paint is like caulking.  There are many kinds of caulking and the right material must be used for the right application. Similarly, there are many kinds of paint, and the right paint must be used for the right application.  ONE MUST understand paint before one paints! Should I prime first?Should ...
05/30/2012
"While profit remains the final goal, entrepreneurs spend the better part of each day figuring out how better to serve the needs of their actual and potential customers.  They are operationally, if not intentionally, altruistic." Dinesh D'Souza Interesting that D'Souza would combine economics wit...
05/28/2012
26 Comments
Early last winter a client called me to do a thermal image on her bedroom cathedral ceiling.  It seems the room was really hot in summer and really cold in winter. While it is hard to align thermal images, this is both sides of the cathedral ceiling at one end of the bedroom.  The other side look...
05/27/2012
68 Comments
In the past week we have had a lot of rain around here. For some time I have had a pre-drywall inspection scheduled.  The clients called to ask if we might want to reschedule it due to the rain. Of course I said no, things are often revealed by the rains that we might not otherwise notice. This i...
05/26/2012
Pulling up to the house I noticed a problem from far away in the road.  It was a "repair," and not professional. It was something done over a window, ostensibly to fix another problem that used to be there. Not well done! When I looked more closely, the entire window and framing had been "repaire...
05/25/2012
13 Comments
Furnaces and even houses need to breath, and a clogged air intake does not help! This house has a high-efficiency, condensing gas furnace.  Installed the way it was initially designed, these furnaces have two plastic flues which extend through the house to the outside.  One flue is bringing in fr...
05/24/2012
"When goods don't cross borders, soldiers will." Frederic Bastiat (1801-1850) How many times do we have to learn the lesson from history that we learn nothing from history? By that I mean, how many times have nations created their demise by determining that since they did not have something they ...
05/21/2012
I like special sales and a 2 for 1 works on blue plate specials - but not bathroom vents. Bathroom vents have a lot to do.  They exhaust air from the bathroom and should always blow that air outdoors. Sometimes homeowners know they have a problem.  They know their bathroom vents are not connected...
05/19/2012
This doesn't look like a big deal. It's just a small crack in the putty where the AC line enters the house. No harm, no foul.  Just seal the gap. All that is true. However, that gap is 1/2". It is large enough to admit mice. And accept admission they will!  That is a regular mouse highway there! ...
05/18/2012
If you want to perform the world's best relaxation technique, simply follow my instructions. Everyone can do this in their own way, but may I recommend at least this philosophy. I call it PRACTICING TAI CHI WHILE DRINKING CHAI TEA. First, find your favorite brand or kind of CHAI TEA. There are lo...
05/17/2012
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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.