Carpenters With Bad Public Relations - 05/31/08 12:35 AM
This blog talks about work done by carpenters that would fit into the category of "unwelcome work." These carepenters are not human. They are insect carpenters -- the well-known and much feared ant known as the carpenter ant. The photos below are evidence of a significant carpenter ant infestation. This cottage was located in … (8 comments)
Government's Crazy Solutions to Non-Problems - 05/21/08 03:37 PM
I thought you might get a kick out of the photos below. They are good examples of city government planners trying to figure out a way to solve a problem that does not exist. In my view at least, what they came up with was more amusing and silly than beneficial.
Regarding … (11 comments)
It's All About Flashing - 05/19/08 04:06 PM
If a homeowner or handyman plans to install a new roof or put in plumbing stacks or roof vents, it sure makes sense to do some reading about the process before getting the ladder out and going up onto the roof.
The two plumbing stack flashings below have obvious problems. The … (8 comments)
Wood Destroying Organisms That Aren't - 05/18/08 06:49 PM
In Washington State, there are laws regulating wood destroying organism inspections. The laws even define what qualifies as a "WDO". Clients sometimes find the definition, or what makes that list, confusing. They are surprised that a mouse or a rat is not included, nor are certain bees or wasps. In this … (12 comments)
Mickey Mouse Can't Dance, Charlie Don't Surf - 05/16/08 10:26 PM
Active Rain members, I was mulling over a great blog written by Barbara Duncan. She was describing a scam, that is used to take advantage of consumers with poor credit.
She wrote of one person who lost a property as a result of foreclosure. It was interesting information describing how some … (15 comments)
Realtor, Lender Guide to Hud Manufactured Home Inspections - 05/15/08 07:47 PM
Minimizing the number of phone calls a real estate professional needs to make is always popular with the real estate professional. I think all of us, who work in real estate and related fields, have to make and return what seems to be more than our share of important telephone calls. Many … (4 comments)
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Who Is The Silliest Of Them All? - 05/13/08 11:20 PM
It is odd to be out and about and to, suddenly and unexpectedly, run smack dab into a storybook house.
When I say I ran smack dab into it, I mean it figuratively. Today I was many miles away from Bellingham, in the woods up by Mount Baker, and I could not resist … (8 comments)
Mix and Match Wiring - 05/12/08 11:49 AM
Mix and match might work for some things. However, it does not make for a pretty or safe sight when working with electrical wiring when circuits include both copper and solid-strand aluminum wiring. The panel below has both -- mix and match. The terminal on the left clearly has a solid aluminum … (10 comments)
Open-ended Gutters - 05/06/08 09:07 AM
Many new homes in the Pacific Northwet, older homes too, have gutters installed that have open ends. These are almost always on dormers so they drain the water from that smaller roof down to the end of the gutter where it keeps on a movin' down the rooof to the main … (4 comments)
Good Lookin' Bad Idea - 05/04/08 03:09 PM
Crowding. Crowding. Crowding the house. How else would you describe this? I am sure the homeowner likes this plant, probably likes the way it covers the siding. But the problem is that siding needs some space between it and the vegetation. How much? Well usually a foot is recommended. In actuality, … (8 comments)
Creepy Crawlies - 05/04/08 01:56 PM
It seems that almost everybody has some living object that creeps them out. For me it is the snake and lizard variety. For many other people it is insects in general but especially spiders. The other big fear for some people is the vermin variety, rats and even mice -- who … (22 comments)
Mold? Fungus For Sure - 05/03/08 11:24 AM
When an inspector sees sheathing under the roof, visible in the attic, with kind of a gray, hazy stain, it can be problematic figuring out what caused it. There are several possibilities. The first thought might be a roof leak but that is usually more isolated, in a given spot or … (4 comments)
Just Rollin' With The Flow - 05/02/08 08:56 AM
You ever see one of those driveways that slopes toward the garage vehicle door? If you have, and you have ever wondered what happens when it rains in a wet climate, the photo below gives you a pretty good idea. This is really a bad situation. First, the garage cannot be … (3 comments)
No Flashing, Big Problem! - 05/01/08 09:23 PM
This photo is a good example of why it is important to properly flash an exterior wall that is located at the side of the roof. Some short-sighted builders think that, since the water is going to be running down the roof, it will not hurt to have the wall touching … (6 comments)
Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector
Bellingham
,
WA More about me…
King of the House Home Inspection
Office Phone:
(360) 676-6908
Cell Phone:
(360) 319-0038
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Home inspection information designed to be educate the real estate buyer and the real estate professional. Blog posts include general information and information specific to the Pacific Northwest region.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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This blog talks about work done by carpenters that would fit into the category of "unwelcome work." These carepenters are not human. They are insect carpenters -- the well-known and much feared ant known as the carpenter ant. The photos below are evidence of a significant carpenter ant infestation. This cottage was located in … (8 comments)
