A Northern Virginia Home Inspector's Perspective

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

ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS

2016 

Sometimes you have to look carefully to see where duct tape and electrical panel boxes meet.First glance you might not notice it!When I first opened the panel box door, both of them actually, I didn't see this either.Then, before I took the cover off, I saw them.Two covers were different, each in...
05/30/2016
Filter your well water, or you get this!This is a common complaint - the shower has weak water flow; the sinks have weak water flow; the washing machine has weak water flow and it takes forever to do a load.During inspections on any house I always check water flow.  But especially on home inspect...
05/28/2016
This is a contractor who might profit from the saying to Measure Twice, Cut Once.He maintains the work he contracted for has been "substantially completed," and "to a professionally-acceptable manner," as stipulated in the contract.This is the new master bedroom closet, and the new master bedroom...
05/27/2016
The contract called for a new phone jack installation.And this is where the contractor decided to put it!Unbelievably, in the kitchen, over the new cook top!The homeowners weren't home.  It was left to the contractor to decide where to put the new phone jack.They had wanted it over near the desk....
05/26/2016
How would you like to walk around your new house and see this?You have your final walk through and you are walking around what will be your new home.  It's time for the great reveal!  You are excited and waiting to see what's in store. The foundation has never been painted.  It is supposed to be ...
05/23/2016
Ethics and integrity demand obedience to rules.The sign says a $1000 fine can be assessed for damage.And I have been blamed before!  Of course, it wasn't my damage then, and this wasn't my damage now.As a home inspector, I am very careful when I enter another person's house.  And I am just as car...
05/22/2016
I see this all the time - bending a flexible gas line improperly.In fact, I have seen it two days in a row in two different new construction final walk through inspections!Installers know, OR SHOULD KNOW, that this is incorrect.Flexible steel gas lines, called CSST, have very strict bend toleranc...
05/20/2016
We all have gas, which needs venting.  Just not under the kitchen sink.This is new construction, and a final walk through.Looking under the kitchen sink I noticed the problem immediately.Pointing under there I asked everyone present to have a look and tell me what was missing.Nobody knew.*The red...
05/17/2016
It was an older house with the old galvanized plumbing pipes - supply and drain lines.During the inspection the water flow was minimal, and the drains were all very slow.Asking if this was common, my answer was that it would be with this type of plumbing.Galvanized plumbing was actually steel pip...
05/16/2016
What two downspouts had to say - inspecting in the rain.We have had many days of rain this May.  I like doing inspections in the rain because I can see and know things that otherwise would not be known.This new construction inspection had a large front roof that drained to two downspouts. Both dr...
05/15/2016
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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.