Bellingham home inspector(King of the House): This photo will shock and disgust you! - 05/29/07 11:40 PM
Okay, it is not as bad as the headline makes it look but, if you understand what you are looking at here, this is a pretty evil arrangement. Prior to the home inspection, it was mentioned to me that the bathroom had an "off smell." This is the attic view of … (36 comments)
|
RE: Squirrel Convention, Bellingham, Washington June 2007 - 05/29/07 04:31 PM
While this squirrel convention has yet to have a specific date, and please understand it is difficult to get a group of chattering squirrels to agree to anything, it sometimes seems like this event is ongoing year-round in almost every Bellingham neighborhood. As a 50+ year resident, I really do not know … (0 comments)
|
Georgia Pacific waterfront redevelopment - 05/28/07 07:28 PM
One of the most daunting, and exciting at the same time, projects on the horizon in Bellingham is the waterfront redevelopment of the Georgia Pacific site, just past the downtown area, on Cornwall Avenue. G-P is vacating in the next few years and their departure will make available a large area of prime … (1 comments)
|
Washington State's official flower and a tale of a strange election - 05/28/07 07:01 PM
In Washington State our state flower, in grand bloom this time of year, is the rhododendron. Some of these colorful bushes are really coming on right now, others are loosing their splendor as the blooms wilt. Regardless, whether talking about the early or the late bloomers, this is the time of year when … (2 comments)
|
Blaine WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Hot Water Scalding - 05/28/07 01:06 PM
At a home inspection, King of the House Inc, measures the temperature of the hot water. This might seem overly detailed to some, as people often like their water hot and figure it is a personal preference. I can tell you that often the water is dangerously hot. It is not uncommon … (0 comments)
|
Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House): Improper Plumbling - 05/28/07 12:20 PM
Earlier I posted a blog about home-brew plumbing. One of the most commonly seen problems at a home inspection is the S-trap where a P-trap should be. Basically, to the novice plumber, as long as the pipes fit and do not leak, then it all works swell. Unfortunately there is some … (3 comments)
|
Home-brew plumbers - 05/28/07 10:15 AM
Forget the leaks, stains and fungal growth beneath the leaks, forget the S-traps that should be P-traps (why that is a problem will be the topic of another blog). Forget the flex drain that will fit in that tight spot but has ridges like a vacuum cleaner house and is clogged all … (2 comments)
|
Alaska Marine Highway System - 05/28/07 12:01 AM
In 1989 the Alaska Marine Highway System, known to locals in Bellingham as the Alaska Ferry, made Bellingham the southern-most port for the ferry. That was a surprise and a triumph to many Bellingham residents who remembered that the city had lost out on the ferry two decades previously. It went … (2 comments)
|
I hear the train a comin' - 05/24/07 01:11 AM
The Amtrak station is on Harris Avenue in Bellingham's Fairhaven district, right next to the terminal for the Alaska Marine Highway System (the Alaska Ferry). On a daily schedule, Amtrak travels from Vancouver BC to the Eugene area in Oregon and passes through Bellingham four times each day, both morning and evening. … (0 comments)
|
New home shenanigans - 05/23/07 03:36 PM
Active Rain realtors and inspectors often talk about the problems found at new homes. The topic always revolves around whether or not new construction should be inspected. Periodically, I plan to post some photos of things I have found at newer homes. The photo below was a home that was one … (2 comments)
|
Big cracks and a foundation - 05/23/07 11:42 AM
A dilemma for home inspectors is when to call for further evaluation, and when not to. Some cases are pretty clear cut, like when an inspector finds a number of exposed wiring splices or a chimney like the creosote coated wonder I posted a couple days ago. Foundation cracks are one … (4 comments)
|
College Level Home Inspector Training, Eastern Washington - 05/22/07 10:04 AM
Bellingham Technical College, part of the state college system, has a home inspector training program that educates around the state. The next scheduled classes will be in two larger eastern Washington cities: Pasco, August 6-21; Spokane, Sept 9-Oct 5. This is a fast-track program of 160 hours of training in all aspects … (2 comments)
|
Santa Claus will cry about this one - 05/21/07 09:10 PM
I saw this chimney this past weekend, and thought I just had to post it. If you look at the first photo, it does not look too unusual other than there is no rain cap. But, when you look down the flue, it has more creosote than any chimney I have ever … (10 comments)
|
The truth about dry rot - 05/21/07 08:46 PM
More often than not, when you hear the words "dry rot", the term is being misused. It is often incorrectly used by the general public, builders, realtors, remodelers and (ugh) even home inspectors. Often what is called dry rot is merely rot (wood decay fungi). The common example of wrong usage would … (2 comments)
|
Birch Bay Home Inspection (King of the House): Great Views At Birch Bay WA - 05/21/07 06:50 PM
Some of the best views in Washington real estate are found at Birch Bay. Birch Bay addresses are part of the small city of Blaine, and it is north of Bellingham near the border. I remember back 35 years ago and recall that Canadians have always had a strong presence at … (0 comments)
|
Boulevard Park, Bellingham - 05/21/07 06:03 PM
Boulevard Park, below the south hill, is one of the most spectacular parks in all of Bellingham and Whatcom County. And, between the city and the county, our region has parks that I believe are among the best in the nation. Boulevard Park has really changed from those days, 40 plus … (0 comments)
|
Marine Park, Fairhaven - 05/21/07 05:10 PM
Marine Park is not the first park most residents would think about, when they think of the Bellingham city parks. It is not as widely use, or known, as two other nearby parks: Boulevard and Fairhaven Parks. Marine Park is great for kids, but not specifically designed for them -- no … (0 comments)
|
Anacortes Home Inspector (King of the House): Correct Water Pressure - 05/17/07 08:25 PM
The truth about water pressure at homes. Water pressure is somewhat subjective. What one person thinks is adequate, may be a trickle to another person. This can be problematic for a home inspector who is supposed to tell the client if the pressure is satisfactory or not. Almost all of us … (2 comments)
|
Eldridge neighborhood, what a view! - 05/16/07 01:04 PM
The Eldridge neighborhood, overlooking Bellingham Bay and the north side of town, is one of the most prestigious communities in Bellingham. Historically, it dates back to the 1860's and some of the founding fathers and families in Bellingham settled and built here: James Eldridge and Henry Roeder. Many of the residences … (0 comments)
|
Bellingham Property Inspection (King of the House Inc): Serious Mold - 05/16/07 08:48 AM
So how do you like the two places below? Ever seen anything like the first one? Think that they need the services of a really good home stager? As most of you know, home inspector contracts usually exclude hazardous waste and mold as things we are responsible for. Actually, in most … (5 comments)
|
Bellingham Wa. Home Inspection (King of the House): Asbestos puzzle - 05/15/07 09:31 AM
Yesterday I wrote a blog on asbestos and, in it, mentioned asbestos fiber siding. Here is something that might be of use to realtors. If you did not know it, striated cedar siding is sometimes confused with asbestos. So, if you are ever at a house and decide the siding is … (1 comments)
|
Bellingham WA home inspections (King of the House): Asbestos - 05/14/07 11:30 PM
Home inspectors, and realtors, hear a lot about asbestos. We know what it is of course and know that it was used for years in flooring, siding, heat duct insulation and unfortunately, due to the vermiculite mines being so close to the asbestos mines, some of it ended up in the … (5 comments)
|
Fairhaven, a scenic district in Bellingham - 05/13/07 09:27 PM
Fairhaven was mainly called south Bellingham or the south side back when I was a kid. At that time it was thought to be a rundown and old part of town. But over the last few decades, it has risen like the phoenix and become one of the leading tourist attractions … (0 comments)
|
Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House): Trusses - 05/13/07 08:07 PM
Engineered trusses. They are so common in modern homes. And since they are engineered by professionals, with numerous degrees, a home inspector has nothing bad to say about them. Except, if they have been damaged or altered. This might seem picky but even the manufacturer of the trusses is not authorized to … (1 comments)
|
Moss is not a normal and acceptable part of aging - 05/13/07 02:08 PM
Here in the damp Pacific Northwest, it seems that homeowners and even some realtors look upon heavy moss growth on the roof of a home as a normal part of the roof's aging process, as if that was factored in by manufacturers. Granted, without care and maintenance, it will be present in … (1 comments)
|
Edgemore neighborhood - 05/12/07 09:45 PM
The Edgemore area, going back longer than when I was a kid some 50 years ago, is one of the most scenic neighborhoods in Bellingham. Most of the homes have a bay view. It is a prestigious and favorite location for many of the successful doctors, lawyers, and business owners. Word, … (0 comments)
|
Bellingham WA home inspections (King of the House): Carpenter ants - 05/12/07 11:15 AM
The shavings, in the first photo below, are typical of what an inspector might see inside the home. And it is not caused by a lousy housekeeper. Although I suppose one could argue that a good housekeeper would keep a step ahead of the ants.
Carpenter ants are one of the … (1 comments)
|
Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House):Can you identify this photo? - 05/12/07 10:40 AM
Realtors often have a suspicion that there is something fishy with the siding. But they sometimes do not know how to tell if it is LP siding. The photo below is what they should be looking for, if they suspect LP inner seal siding. That was the oriented strand board that … (4 comments)
|
Bellingham WA home inspection (King of the House): Identifying anobiid beetles - 05/12/07 10:19 AM
Along with rot being referred to as dry rot (almost always the wrong term), one of the most mis-diagnosed problems with wood is mixing up the damage caused by anobiid beetles and crediting it to "powderpost beetles." Here in the northwest, clients are always asking if I will check the crawl … (4 comments)
|
Point Roberts Home Inspection (King of the House):This inspection call makes new home builders mad - 05/12/07 09:58 AM
At new homes, probably more than half the time, I find that the crawl space vents are at, or even more likely, below grade. Sometimes this is caused by the landscapers with their beauty bark. Regardless, the builders often feel tweaked when an inspector calls this out. But, in Washington State, … (4 comments)
|
Lummi Island - 05/11/07 05:56 PM
Earlier, I wrote about the ferry ride, on the Little Chief, to and from Lummi Island -- which is part of the San Juan Islands and located near Bellingham, WA. Lummi Island has a tiny population. At the sign that welcomes you, they claim just over 816 residents and the … (3 comments)
|
Seven bucks and six minutes - 05/11/07 05:31 PM
So, how far can you get in ten minutes, for $7.00. The most populous island community near Bellingham, Washington is Lummi Island. Now, it is not very populous, but it has a thriving island community. I will write more about Lummi Island, with some photos, in another blog. This time, I … (0 comments)
|
Bellingham WA #2 on "Cities ranked and rated" list - 05/10/07 11:42 PM
I saw another member's post regarding the nation's best cities. I was just at a meeting this morning, with the mayor, and he said that Bellingham came out #2 in the nation as far as the best places to live, right behind Gainesville, Florida. Obviously, there are different lists for different folks … (5 comments)
|
Bellingham, Washington for higher education! - 05/09/07 10:37 PM
Bellingham, Washington has three prominent educational institutions of higher learning. I have attached website photos of the schools and included links to the home pages of the institutions. The comments are mine, as a Bellingham resident for more than 50 years.
Old Main, a fixture, at WWU
http://www.wwu.edu/
WWU: The … (0 comments)
|
Point Roberts USA, a unique city - 05/06/07 04:05 PM
Point Roberts, Washington, is a little known and unique American city. Even most realtors in Whatcom County leave Point Roberts properties to those agents who are based at Point Roberts. Point Roberts, if you have not heard of it, is an enclave (meaning a part of a country that is mainly … (0 comments)
|
Say goodbye to payroll taxes now! - 05/05/07 11:37 AM
One of the most costly aspects of business, if you have employees, is paying the payroll taxes that are associated with such staff: social security, Medicare, federal and state unemployment taxes, L&I. And the government takes a grim view on ducking such taxes. But there is a loophole! Despite the bureaucrats hard-nosed … (7 comments)
|
Scam letter contact through active rain - 05/05/07 01:18 AM
More than 20 years ago, when I was owner of a fairly large business, I got the original nigerian scam letters. They came in the mail, at first, on onion skin paper and looked like they were typed by a third grader. One would hardly expect the party typing the letter to … (8 comments)
|
Referral - 05/01/07 10:04 PM
I got my first active rain referral yesterday. From google to me. Active rain is really well connected to the search engines. My active rain page, according to the lady who called, was my main web page. Actually, that is not true. My main page has been around for years and … (3 comments)
|
Blog definition of statistics - 05/01/07 09:54 AM
When I go into my home at Active Rain and view the statistics on blogs I have written, I see that there is a listing for "views" and "clicks." At first I thought the clicks were people clicking on the links I put in the post. But I see that some of … (1 comments)
|
;)
Links;)
Archives
