Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Pride Of Ownership -- The Sequel - 01/31/08 02:10 PM
Hollywood puts out sequels, so why not me? This is part two of my article on contractor owned older houses. I did a blog a week or so back about contractors, those flipping older houses usually, who often leave some amazing sights for the home inspector or the unsuspecting buyer. That blog received … (5 comments)
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Whatcom County Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Oriented Strand Board - 01/30/08 11:08 PM
I have written about oriented strand board (OSB) a number of times before. The topic most often comes up when talking about L-P innerseal siding. However, OSB is available in sheets as well and is used for other applications such as sheathing that is covered by other material.
This photo below is … (8 comments)
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Home Inspection Puzzle: Guess Why? - 01/30/08 10:46 PM
Okay, you were not there so this is hard to figure out. But some of the home inspector types like Charlie Buell will probably come pretty close or nail this one. And, since it is my puzzle, I get to give you the clues as I see fit.
This was a … (11 comments)
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Blaine WA Home Inspection (King of the House): These Photos Will Floor You! - 01/30/08 12:01 PM
Last night I was writing about floor damage, primarily around tubs and showers. The specific topic had to do with failed caulking. For a simple topic, this garnered a surprising amount of interest as it is a problem everyone sees on occasion or maybe even more often than not. In that … (8 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Failed Caulking At The Tub - 01/29/08 10:38 PM
This is a simple blog, but I had this pretty good photo of a common problem and thought I would post it. When a home inspector checks a tub and/or shower, he or she should take a look where the floor and the tub meet. At the floor, especially if it … (7 comments)
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Safety and Seller Ethics -- Don't Know? Or Just Not Telling? - 01/29/08 12:20 PM
Normally, when performing an inspection, I find that sellers really do not know the various problems at their home. That includes outlets that are not properly polarized or grounded (they do not know the difference if appliances work when they are plugged in); subtle flashing problems or issues at roofs, windows … (4 comments)
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Point Roberts Home Inspector (King of the House, Inc): My Roof's Got A Hole In It - 01/29/08 11:37 AM
Woke up this morning and there was snow in Whatcom County. However, as of later this morning, the temperature has moderated and now the snow is turning to rain and slop. The wet and rain, melting on the deck and running out the downspouts and off the roof, It made me think of … (2 comments)
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Positive Spin On Home Inspection Issues - 01/28/08 05:46 PM
I have run into people who think that we home inspectors are too negative -- glass half empty types. To counteract that belief, I thought I would do something to the contrary. I have posted here a photo of a roof. Now, there are inspectors who would think that this was … (5 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House): Analysis Of An Invasion -- Carpenter Ants - 01/27/08 03:23 PM
A pest that we see often in the wooded Pacific Northwest is the carpenter ant. Carpenter ants are not all exactly the same size or color. In fact there are many different species but they get their name, as a group, because of the way the ants categorized as carpenter ants chew the wood … (3 comments)
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Whatcom County Home Inspector (King of the House): Improper Flashings - 01/27/08 03:02 PM
It is always kind of sad, sometimes amusing, when a homeowner knows that some component is required at the home but does not know the correct way to install it. Here is a photo of a metal flashing, above the eave on a sloped roof. The fellow who installed it figured … (4 comments)
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Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Condo Electrical Safety - 01/26/08 04:24 PM
Prevention is oh so simple but the condo association, or someone, has to realize that there is a problem waiting to happen, and a potential safety issue. First, let me set the stage for an emergency. After the scenario is over, it will be obvious that it is one of those situations where you really did have to … (7 comments)
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Lost Aircraft Found During Home Inspection - 01/26/08 12:11 AM
When I do a home inspection, I try to stay pretty focused on the job, despite the various distractions: deer, raccoons, buyers, sellers, mud, bees, etc. Yesterday I was inspecting a home and a creek ran behind it. I was taking a break and looking around. Low and behold, down by the … (3 comments)
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Birch Bay Home Inspector (King of the House): Pyrolysis and Physics - 01/25/08 11:14 PM
Pyrolysis. That is a word you should take note of. If you analyze it and think "gee, might have the same root as pyromaniac", then you are correct. The catch is, the pyromaniac is out trying to cause trouble. Pyrolysis, and how it would affect you or a friend, is purely … (5 comments)
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Mount Vernon WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Inspecting in the Rain - 01/25/08 03:58 PM
As an old radio guy, way back when Marconi and I were buddies, I cannot help but to sometimes tie a streaming tune in with some of my blogs. This one has to be a classic and ties in well with the theme here. The last couple weeks in the Pacific … (3 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): I Smell A Big Rat - 01/25/08 03:40 PM
I am sure that you have heard the term "I smell a rat", in fact I used that expression today when a tele-marketer was trying to put me in a hammer lock. As a home inspector I wear a respirator usually. So, truth be known, I do not usually "smell" any … (7 comments)
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"The Contractor Stakes His Reputation On This House" -- Start Running! - 01/25/08 02:58 PM
I have got to tell you, especially with remodels and contractors "flipping" houses, you really need to start running when the contractor or his agent says "This contractor stakes his reputation on this job." Over and over again, I have heard that. The first time I thought, wow that is … (6 comments)
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Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House): Over and Over Again - 01/23/08 09:37 PM
A home inspector, who is realistic, knows that he or she will see many of the same things time and time again. Let me name only a few: Gutters full of debris; downspouts that drain against the foundation; trees over the roof, moss on the roof; creosote in fireplaces, wood stoves … (6 comments)
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Point Roberts Home Inspection (King of the House): Pyromaniacs Inside Your Walls! - 01/23/08 11:43 AM
The title above might be there to get your attention, but the problem is very real -- electric baseboard and in-wall heaters that are unsafe and are known to cause fires. I see lots of them out there and, over time, an inspector kind of learns which ones to be … (4 comments)
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Lake Samish Home Inspector (King of the House): Trip, Stumble and Fall - 01/20/08 09:40 AM
Sometimes, as a home inspector, I feel like I am living the lyrics of the popular old tune from the Haight-Ashbury days. I will tell you one thing, the theme sums up the kind of hazards inspectors see at many properties, both outside and inside. The photos below are typical and, believe … (7 comments)
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Sudden Valley Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Extension Cords - 01/15/08 08:18 PM
This is a photo of a scenario that is not uncommon to find, especially in vacation homes. At this home a permanent appliance, that requires power, has been purchased and is located at the other side of the door. The problem is, there is not an outlet on that side of … (7 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Unsafe Railings - 01/15/08 08:05 PM
Home inspectors see lots of times when steps, decks, and landings, do not have adequate handrails or guardrails. A basic rule with outdoor structures is that anything over 30" tall, or with four or more steps, should have handrails and/or guardrails that meet certain minimum safety standards. The photo below, while … (3 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Downspout Leads To Rot - 01/15/08 07:50 PM
In a previous blog today, I showed a photo of two gutters that were full of debris and water was running out of them onto the structure. At the same home, here is a downspout that is the site of decay of the T1-11 siding. It could be that the decay … (0 comments)
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Double Whammy Gutters - 01/15/08 07:38 PM
This photo was taken yesterday during a heavy rainstorm. As you can tell, the home is surrounded by trees -- not normal trees but basically a forest. As is usually the case in that environment, unless someone is continually cleaning the gutters, the gutters are fully blocked with leaves and debris. … (2 comments)
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Rain on the Roof - 01/14/08 11:08 PM
In wooded settings, when leaves and debris clutter the roof, it can lead to problems. While rain on the roof is common, and popular in songs, rain is a primary reason we need roofs in the first place. Roofs do not perform too well when they are covered with debris. With … (2 comments)
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Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Missing Flashing - 01/14/08 10:50 PM
The photo is a bit dark, sorry, but the poor camera was flooded today. What a downpour. Anyway, there are a couple things here. First, the steps are built up over the composition wood siding. The T1-11 siding does not look too favorably upon being wet all the time. And, moisture … (2 comments)
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Thin Air Up There - 01/14/08 10:31 PM
This photo probably does not do the driveway justice, as far as how steep it really is, but this is a fairly common problem in Whatcom County -- especially in a community out by the lake. That problem is driveways that are really, really, really, really steep. I have done inspections at some … (3 comments)
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Don't Look Now But My Bolts Are Loose - 01/10/08 11:49 PM
If you work in real estate, you know that modern homes that have furnaces and water heaters in the garage -- if they are in line with a vehicle path -- require a barrier or bollard as protection in front of them. Bollard, you know, that metal pole that is bolted to the concrete … (2 comments)
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Human Betrayed By Water Heater - 01/10/08 05:23 PM
This is a photo of an unfinished basement (lucky) that was victim to a sudden and unexpected water heater leak. The tank had a small leak one day, a plumber was contracted to get a new tank installed but, before that could be done the tank developed a major leak. The … (8 comments)
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Your Vents Are Below Grade! - 01/09/08 10:12 PM
With an unconditioned crawl space an inspector does not want to see the vents below grade. When vents are below grade, rain and runoff water are likely to run into the crawl space -- which is something you do not want. Also, if they are far enough below grade, the dirt … (9 comments)
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Classic Damage -- L-P Siding - 01/09/08 09:58 PM
For some reason, not sure why, I have been seeing a number of homes lately with L-P innerseal siding. This is the OSB (oriented strand board) installed prior to 1996. The photo below is a great photo of the siding in distress. It is de-laminating. Frankly, when it starts going it … (3 comments)
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Wiring Concerns - 01/08/08 12:50 PM
The photo below gives you a pretty quick idea that a non-professional has been working on the wiring. Electrical connections are designed to be inside junction boxes, not hanging out the side. This was a high fan and the other thing you have to wonder about is how well is it … (2 comments)
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Trees and Roofs - 01/08/08 12:36 PM
It seems that most homeowners do the realize that organic debris on the roof is a defect. In the past, I have written on moss before. However, while easier to deal with than moss, huge quantities of leaves on a roof are a problem too. I have inspected homes where even … (1 comments)
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Nice Roof Work - 01/08/08 12:08 PM
When a home inspector is out working, this is the sort of thing you do not want to see. You might think this is someone in a rural area with a TV antenna. Wrong! This is part of the support for the main electric service mast. First, the bolts are not … (0 comments)
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The Rains Came - 01/07/08 02:58 PM
The rains came and suddenly the crawl space was full of water. The issue of crawl space, and even more serious usually, basement water, is a real concern. It is also tricky for the home inspector. In the Pacific Northwest it is possible to inspect a home in dry months and think … (2 comments)
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Roll Roofing - 01/02/08 11:05 AM
Roll roofing, bottom line, is not a very durable nor a high quality roofing material. However, in budget operations or non-critical locations, it is sometimes used -- often on lower sloped roofs because it is cheap and more suitable for that application than conventional shingles. It is quite common on shed … (0 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Evidence of Leaks - 01/01/08 07:35 PM
A home inspector needs to, consciously, look at upper wall and ceiling areas. Sometimes it seems like an inspector is so busy running around looking at things that are eye level and below, that one might forget to look up above. Ceilings are a primary place to find signs of past … (8 comments)
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Reference For Realtors: ID of L-P Siding - 01/01/08 06:15 PM
I have posted about this before, probably almost a year ago, but the issue comes up enough that I think it is worth spending some time on it again. If you are a real estate professional, you might want to save this for easy reference. Realtors, often the seller's realtor, have to … (2 comments)
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