King of the House Inc: Telltale Signs -- Underground Storage Tanks, Pt 2 - 07/31/07 01:46 PM
The photos below are more examples of telltale signs. These are all from inspections that I performed. I will show the clues and describe the outcome. As to realtors, since you are not going to be down in the crawl space (where the clues are seen probably 60% of the time) you … (4 comments)
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Telltale Signs: Underground Storage Tanks - 07/31/07 11:42 AM
In this state, probably all of the country, the requirements have become more strict regarding the need for removal of old underground storage tanks. This has taken place over the past few years. Even five years ago, people would decommission them basically by draining the fuel and filling them with concrete. … (6 comments)
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Bellingham Washington Home Inspection (King of the House, Inc): Chimney liners - 07/31/07 01:16 AM
It was the norm many years ago: They vented the fossil fuel furnace, the wood stove and maybe the fossil fuel powered water heater all into the same masonry chimney. Many homes like this are still around today. While this is may not be something to panic over, based on modern thinking, this … (4 comments)
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Bellingham Wa. Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): Oh Rot! - 07/31/07 12:37 AM
I inspected a house recently. The gutters and downspouts had been replaced in the past couple months -- all new and good quality aluminum seamless gutters. The funny thing is, whichever company installed the downspouts, they did so in a manner that helped perpetuate problems that already existed at the home. In the … (9 comments)
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Misunderstanding: Wood to Soil and Wood to Concrete - 07/31/07 12:18 AM
It seems that most people in the real estate field know that wood to earth or soil contact is not good. With pressure treated lumber, the wood might last several years but even pressure treated lumber lasts longer if it is not down in the dirt. The other side of that … (1 comments)
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Nice blog! Cheers - 07/30/07 09:20 AM
This post is primarily directed to newer members of AR. As people become serious about building a standing at AR, they have a few ways to do this: Invite points, localism, but most of us rely on blogging and comments as the mainstay of our quest. A person trying to get to … (13 comments)
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A King size sigh of relief: The meme is done - 07/30/07 12:18 AM
Well, it took me more than a week to mull it over but, as of this weekend, I did my meme. On top of that, tonight I selected my three victims -- Michael Eisenberg who is at Fairhaven Realty and quite the AR competitor in this market, also Eric Badgley and … (4 comments)
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Bellingham WA home Inspection (King of the House): Venting Your Home - 07/26/07 04:41 PM
This is a topic that impacts all of us including realtors, home inspectors and home buyers. In new construction it seems to almost always be done correctly, at least in my area. But in older homes and mobile homes, plumbing vent stacks can be really messed up or missing completely. Venting … (7 comments)
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Agents, You Be the Judge: Problem or Not? - 07/26/07 03:34 PM
This is one of those things that is frustrating to the home inspector. What you see here is a flex drain. It has ridges in it, like a vacuum cleaner hose. We usually find these under bathroom sinks. If you have ever cleaned a bathroom sink drain and trap, even one … (4 comments)
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Bellingham Property Inspection (King of the House, Inc): Carpenter Ants and Wood Destroying Organisms - 07/25/07 08:53 AM
Those of us who are home inspectors get used to our own lingo. And the realtors who have been in the business for some time understand most of it. Today, I had a reminder, in speaking to a realtor, that all the technical words we inspectors think are common might not … (10 comments)
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Bellingham Washington, WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Veneer and Oriented Strand Board - 07/24/07 10:10 AM
Recently I posted on OSB, or oriented strand board, which is so often found as siding on manufactured homes. In fact, it is found on lots of different homes, however the vertical panel style (not lap) is what I am concerned about in this post and that tends to be on … (5 comments)
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Home Inspection Bellingham WA (King of the House): Siding and Your Manufactured Home - 07/22/07 05:13 PM
It might vary in different areas, but around here, most of the siding one finds on manufactured homes is oriented strand board. It is commonly called OSB. By the way, the famous siding that had so many problems -- L-P siding, was oriented strand board. Even though they have done some … (7 comments)
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Bellingham Property Inspections (King of the House): Condo, Manufactured Home, Apartment Electrical - 07/22/07 04:59 PM
Here is something that not everyone knows. As a realtor, ever look in a condo and find the "main" electric shut-off inside the panel in the house. Or maybe you saw that at a mobile home. Fact is, at least in my area, most of the time that panel is not the … (0 comments)
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Home Electricians: If You Do Not Care About Yourself, Think of Someone Else - 07/21/07 09:20 PM
As a home inspector, I see lots of do it yourself work. Some better than others. Universally, the worst and most dangerous work I see is do it yourself electrical. Most people just flat do not know what they are doing -- despite what the box store might tell them they are … (14 comments)
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Bellingham Wa. Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): TPR Drains - 07/21/07 06:44 PM
Actually, I do not need to be vindicated by the photo, as my concern in this post is based on standard plumbing practices. But this posting of the two photos makes a great point! I can tell you that, time and time again, an inspector will go under a home and … (3 comments)
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Crawl space ventilation and Washington Law - 07/20/07 01:28 AM
There have been a number of blogs, among us home inspector types, discussing crawl space ventilation and lack of same. Some inspectors in other parts of the country are recommending that crawl space vents be closed. As I have pointed out, in this state the rules on this go beyond mere … (2 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspections: College level training, October 2007 - 07/20/07 12:40 AM
Many of you know that three of us here at AR teach home inspection for the Washington state college system.Bellingham Technical College has, for several years, had a professional home inspector training program. I am the program coordinator and other AR members who are instructors in the rigorous class are David Helm … (1 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspections: Raindrops Keep Fallin' In My Flue - 07/17/07 09:14 AM
Bellingham, Whatcom county and the great Pacific Northwet have enough rain that the title of this post is among the more called out items at home inspections -- especially at older homes. Often we see the brick chimney or a clay flue liner and there is no chimney cap over it. … (9 comments)
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Birch Bay Blaine Wa. Home Inspection (King of the House): Crawl space variations and ventilation - 07/16/07 12:58 AM
Recently, I saw a general statement telling people to block their crawl space vents permanently. I have made skeptical remarks on this, based on conditions I personally see out in the field inspecting in western Washington and based on Washington WDO laws.
While the practice of blocking vents might be a good … (4 comments)
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Out Of Proportion Flag Poles and Weird Trees - 07/15/07 09:10 PM
About ten years ago, when they first started figuring ways to disguise cell telephone towers, I found it interesting. I remember what a shock it was to me one day, when complaining about how stocky and out of proportion the flag pole was at the new fire hall, being told it … (12 comments)
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Birch Bay WA Property Inspector: Conducive Conditions - 07/14/07 02:15 PM
By Washington state law, home inspectors involved in real estate deals are mandated to thoroughly inspect for and report on wood destroying organisms and conducive conditions. Often realtors and others say "so just what is a "conducive condition." There is not any specific list, although some of the more common ones … (2 comments)
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Creepy photo -- The crawl space that made Indiana Jones whimper - 07/14/07 11:38 AM
Remember in the first Indiana Jones movie, probably 30 years ago now, where he said something about "I hate snakes." People at AR, when crawl spaces come up, often talk about snakes. This is the best I can do. I borrowed the photo from a friend. We use it in class and … (12 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Crawl Space Water - 07/14/07 09:42 AM
A frequent topic on ActiveRain, with realtors and inspectors, is the advisability of a home inspection at a new home. You will find few experienced home inspectors who will not confirm that some of the more significant problems they have found were present at new homes. Often the issue is something … (2 comments)
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Bollard - 07/14/07 02:21 AM
Yesterday I wrote about a gas service that was out in the driveway -- likely to be hit by a car. Here is a photo of the more common scenario. The water heater and furnace are in the path of a vehicle. This is common in garages and everyone knows they … (0 comments)
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Bellingham Wa. Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): Safety and Physical Requirements - 07/13/07 12:19 AM
As the program coordinator of the home inspection training program at Bellingham Technical College, I get a call a week from an employment counselor or a rehabilitation worker, wanting to know if their client can handle the rigors of the job. I have also had people call up and say that … (4 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House): Gas Services - 07/12/07 10:43 PM
This is one of those problems -- not so glaring -- that could be missed by someone buying a house. In fact, this was missed by the municipal code inspector. The problem, if you think about it, is pretty simple. Someone pulling into this driveway has a strong potential of wiping out, … (0 comments)
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Employee killin' me: All he wants to do is blog, talk on the cell and nap - 07/11/07 04:28 PM
First, I want to state that King of the House, Inc is a smaller firm. There are basically two employees, me and I own it, and the hired hand who is of Italian descent, Mr. Topolino Stromboli. I have spent lots of money on training this employee. He is supposed to … (41 comments)
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Summer in the City: Frozen pipes - 07/10/07 07:11 PM
Well, the pipes are not frozen now, after all it is summer in the city and it is as hot as a fourth of July firecracker. However, especially on some newer houses, I am just now finding outside faucets (even the frost free variety) that ruptured due to freezing this past … (2 comments)
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Bow Washington Home Inspections: Puzzle -- See if you can figure this one out - 07/10/07 06:26 PM
I could say, only in the wet northwest, but will hold back on that in describing this photo. The picture below was taken at a new home that I inspected. Odd as it may seem, the downspout was turned in towards the floor of the deck and drained onto it. So that … (4 comments)
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Firehall in Fairhaven - 07/10/07 06:08 PM
I went to lunch today with a friend. Due to lots of street work in the primary restaurant area in Fairhaven, we ended up at the firehall. This is at Harris and 14th Streets. It is a pretty neat idea. For most of my adult life this was a working firehall … (6 comments)
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Poppy's got a brand new bag - 07/08/07 12:08 PM
If I get arrested, incarcerated and sent away for life for this blog, then it was nice knowing you. I have to tell you about an odd-ball practice, a crime I guess, that has been going on in my neighborhood for more than 20 years and it involves my wife's poppies. These poppies … (5 comments)
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Whatcom and Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House): When fire safety makes you less safe! - 07/08/07 11:16 AM
We tend to assume that commercial buildings have fewer ill-planned designs, that are safety hazards, than our homes that have assorted home owner modifications. After all, the city, county or state code inspectors and planners get heavily involved in new buildings or converting old buildings: specifying elevators, handrails, steps, egress and many other … (0 comments)
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Bellingham Wa home inspections (King of the House):Choosing a home inspector - 07/05/07 03:01 PM
This blog was written for Bellingham, Wa. and Whatcom County, but it applies about anywhere.
People, including realtors, often ask what a consumer should look for in a home inspector. Those of us who work in the inspection field as professionals, and also teach home inspection for Bellingham Technical College, are often put … (4 comments)
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Birch Bay State Park, Blaine WA - 07/05/07 12:58 PM
Earlier in the week I had an inspection right by Birch Bay State Park. So I decided to drive into it, something I have not done since about 1975 -- yes about 1975! I was last there on a company picnic 30 plus years ago. Birch Bay State Park has quite … (1 comments)
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Point Roberts bomb story - 07/04/07 10:52 AM
Those of you who read my blogs know that I spend a fair bit of my time inspecting homes in Point Roberts. Getting there is a chore. It is a US city, landlocked,and to get there from the USA one has to first cross into Canada and then back into the USA … (2 comments)
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Still spewing after all these years - 07/03/07 11:48 PM
At an inspection today, I overheard two people speaking: One explaining to the other that the air-gap on the sink was an overflow for the dishwasher. She commented that, at her house, it always dribbles water back into the sink. This is the second or third time I have heard that … (3 comments)
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Let Me Take You Down: Crawl Space Horror, part 4 - 07/03/07 11:17 PM
I thought I would show you the photo below. It is quite illustrative of just how damaging to wood a water leak can be. That is the case, at least, if said leak is not noticed right away and goes on for a long time. I have no idea how long this … (6 comments)
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Let Me Take You Down: Crawl Space Horrors Pt 3 - 07/02/07 12:59 AM
Yesterday, when I posted part two of Crawl Space Horrors, a realtor mentioned that she could not understand how people could be so oblivious to what is happening under their home. With a few exceptions, I find that people have no clue. Now, if the toilet drain was never hooked up … (10 comments)
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Thank you berry much - 07/01/07 11:47 PM
Well, the sunshine was out today and I had a day off and some time out in the garden. It has been several days, but I took a look at the berries. I tend to grow some of the fruit, the wife does the flowers and vegetables. The first photo is … (9 comments)
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