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Whose Snoot is it Anyway? - 07/31/08 10:41 PM
All right. Charles Buell has recently been getting a huge number of points for his blogs that feature guessing contests here at Active Rain. It seems that everyone likes to guess. Me, not being one to fall behind when it is time to make hay, decided that I would create my own guessing contest. Unlike his, where you get a cheapo prize, my contest has no prize whatsoever other than a confirmation that you could probably make it as a detective.
The format of this contest goes back to my days in broadcasting, a take off on a contest where we had … (28 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Who Needs A Meter? - 07/31/08 04:46 PM
Would you need a thermometer to tell you that it is hotter than blazes in a room? Probably not. Sometimes we home inspectors can, visually, pickup on an issue but like to use our high-tech instruments so we have conclusive visual evidence that a problem is, well, a problem. Believe it or not, an inspector can see vinyl, stained and damaged like below, and the seller will argue that there is just no way the biffy has a leak. That inspector is just plain nuts! Well, when the trusty home inspector has the visual evidence of the stain plus the photo of the moisture meter … (5 comments)
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Did You Ever Wonder Why Ed Sullivan? - 07/30/08 05:59 PM
In the middle years of the now dearly departed 20th century, one of the biggest names in show business was Ed Sullivan. He was broadcast coast to coast across the country. He was the man of women's dreams from Searcy, Arkansas to Bellingham, Washington. Okay, that might be overstating it, but he was a huge television star and host of the most powerful variety show that has ever been broadcast on American television.
Especially if you saw Ed Sullivan, you have to wonder why he became a leading icon and performer on TV. He seemed like an odd fit. As … (36 comments)
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Furnace Inspection - 07/29/08 08:26 AM
When a home inspector opens the housing of a furnace for a visual inspection, he or she is looking to see whether or not it looks to be well-maintained. If the furnace has the interlock switch taped on or the unit is full of sawdust, rust or dust, those are concerns. One of the more frequent things I see is a furnace that is full of white condensate -- looks like salt crystals. When that is present, it can also be a sign of poor combustion or venting. I see this condition often in Bellingham. Manufacturers recommend professional service of furnaces annually and, … (9 comments)
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Woodstock Was 39 Years Ago - 07/28/08 09:01 AM
This is not an angle I would have come up with on my own. The wife listens to NPR and they found it newsworthy that the Woodstock Music Festival was held nearly 40 years ago. If you are too young to remember, that was a huge outdoors rock concert in Bethel, New York in August 1969.What most people do not know is that there was a pre-cursor to this festival. It took place two years before, June 1967. That event was the Monterey Pop Festival.Some historians claim Montery Pop was a better show than Woodstock and it was, for sure, the beginning of the summer … (15 comments)
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Kiddie Contraband - 07/27/08 06:57 PM
Children, especially in the teen years, can be creative in where they hide contraband from the parents. I have a friend who bought a house and, years later, he had to do electrical work. When he removed covers on the wall switches in the bedroom that had belonged to a teenage girl, he found strings. When he pulled on the strings he got drug paraphernalia and condoms at the other end. It was like fishing. That was one fun-seeking teenage girl. She knew how to party. At a recent inspection I found something odd. I opened the small door to view the pump at a … (7 comments)
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Going, Going, Gone - 07/27/08 06:15 PM
The photo below was one of the more unusual defects I have ever found in the attic of a new home. If you have never been up there, all the clean, pure white loose fill fiberglass insulation is majestic -- like freshly fallen snow.
This time, not far from the access hatch, I found something I have not seen before. There was an open hole. I peaked down that hole and, estimate here, I would say it went down about fifteen feet. Probably, at one point, a chimney was going to go through there, but that was a plan maybe, but it was … (16 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legends -- Heart - 07/27/08 11:09 AM
This is another in the series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends, with my own personal memory tied in.
I was at a Christmas party for a Seattle radio station in 1976. This was going to be one big night. There was a buzz in the room. The hugely popular rock group Heart was making a surprise appearance. The sexy Wilson sisters, Ann and Nancy, were going to turn up as a way of showing appreciation to the station -- KZOK -- for helping break the band's records in Seattle and nationally.
Let me tell you, a guy back then would have … (8 comments)
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It Was The Summer of 1966 - 07/27/08 10:30 AM
I stopped by the "Inspired By Song" group and saw that the contest this month is selecting the best ever song of summer. Well, there are plenty of big summer hits. But the one that comes back to me, and it has to have been one of the most popular summer songs ever, was released in the summer of 1966.
I remember it well, it was hot in Bellingham that year. I was mowing lawns for a living -- being a kid and all. I could not wait to get home from junior high school every weekday to play the hits for the neighborhood from … (15 comments)
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Hooked on Goofy - 07/25/08 06:51 PM
I have written a number of blogs recently on Pacific Northwest Music Legends. Another is going to follow before too long. Now, this blog you are reading is music related and I think it gets across a point I am trying to make. Newer is not always better. I know that there are a number of people who think that anything new is always better.
I would argue that this comparison below might shoot that theory in the big toe. First, you probably all know the song -- "Hooked on a Feeling." The original artist was BJ Thomas. He was a low-profile, … (12 comments)
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Got Water Pressure? - 07/25/08 03:26 PM
Water pressure at a home should be in the normal range which is 40 to 80 PSI. Fact is, from what plumbers tell me, 80 PSI might be listed as normal but it is still, for appliance and fixture wear and tear, higher than what you want it to be. When I inspect new homes in Bellingham, and the plumbing was put in by good plumbers, typically water pressure is set at about 50 PSI. It may vary a bit -- often another 5 PSI is added per additional floor. Bottom line, it is usually set at 50 to 60 PSI, if … (3 comments)
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Construction Shortcuts and Oversights - 07/25/08 09:40 AM
When an inspector checks a new home it is sometimes amazing what the contractor or his sub-contractors failed to take into account, or what tasks are only half done. Below is a good example.
The wise sages knew that, in that location, the water heater should have a pan under it. Fact is, it was in such a spot that draining the pan through the exterior wall would be a piece of cake compared to some places where it would take effort. The problem -- nobody bothered to make the hole in the wall and install a drain line. As is, when that … (7 comments)
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Blaine, Where N/A Does Not Mean "Not Applicable" - 07/24/08 07:28 PM
I found out yesterday that N/A does not necessarily mean not applicable. I went up to Canada, which is only about 20 miles from Bellingham. Now that the Canadian dollar is worth more, many Canadians come to the US to shop. Then, with school being out, that is quadrupled.
Supposedly, to help travelers at each side of the border -- prior to the exits for alternate routes -- a freeway sign that updates is installed and it predicts border waits at the different crossings. Yesterday, it said that the truck crossing was a 25 minute wait. It said that the Peace Arch, the main … (6 comments)
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Please Bee Careful - 07/24/08 01:25 PM
Aggressive hornets and yellow jackets outside the home can really spoil the barbecue. While they are normally a mere annoyance, we have all heard of people killed by bees. Usually that only happens when that person had a bee allergy or was unlucky enough to be enveloped by a swarm while trapped in a confined space, hence being unable to escape. Probably the most common place for this to occur at the home is in the attic. Bees like attics.
Actually, I hate to use the word "bees" when speaking of hornets,wasps, yellow jackets. To me, bees are the obvious good guys -- the worker bees, the … (7 comments)
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Knock Me Off My Feet - 07/24/08 09:38 AM
This problem is a pretty obvious design flaw, and not hard to fix. More often than not, I see this mistake made outside a door at a bedroom to the backyard. The problem -- there is a small stairway, no landing at the top, and the door opens out OVER the steps. It does provide a certain element of security as it is just plain hard to get inside without sweeping yourself off your feet. In this case, efforts to keep the crazy canine on the deck led to putting in this gate. Problem is, it is hinged the wrong way. I am … (5 comments)
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Not So Clueless in Bellingham - 07/22/08 05:46 PM
It is always nice to have a clue as to what might be happening next. I think we often get such clues but, sometimes, recognizing them is the trick. We are exposed to so much stimuli that it can be easy to have something pass right over our heads. Poof --- and the clue is gone!
I had a major clue yesterday and, after walking by it about five times, it all registered. The good news is, that clue -- when it sunk in -- kept me from having wet pants. Let me explain. It has been dry as a bone in … (5 comments)
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Today's Very Seedy Blog - 07/22/08 11:09 AM
I try to keep from getting downright dirty and seedy here at Active Rain. But sometimes, an honest man has no choice but to get down in the dirt in the trenches. This is a seedy blog! We are going to talk rodents, mice and rats. When an inspector goes into a crawl space, one of the first clues that there are "vermin in our midst" is insulation that has been torn or pulled down from under the floor or that has been torn off heat ducts
Of course, nothing is ever as simple as one would like and sometimes the … (5 comments)
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Self-induced Home Owner Safety Issue - 07/21/08 09:13 AM
Homeowners notice problems and want to work around them. A common one they notice, real fast since they live in the house, is that they cannot see to get clothing in and out of the closet. The contractor is gone, did not put in a light, so what do they do? Well, they install their own porcelain socket and put a bare bulb in it. They find it easier to do that than to run a circuit to a properly covered fixture. The light below is fairly typical.
It is an inappropriate fixture and power, on a permanent basis, gets to the light through zip … (4 comments)
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Urban Anthropology: The Times They Were a Changin' - 07/20/08 08:44 PM
I have been getting a number of comments, and a few private Emails, about my series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends. These blogs have, also, been finding their way into the new Localism. This blog focuses on the evolution of folk music nationally and is not aimed at the Pacific Northwest.
Earlier, I posted a blog about the folkies and the Seattle group that became popular in that genre -- The Brothers Four. While researching that blog, I admit that I do not remember all that stuff, I came across some information that was hiding in plain sight. We all know … (9 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legends -- The Folkies - 07/20/08 09:42 AM
This is another in my series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends. In my radio days I once introduced this group at a concert. That was back in the 1970's.
Perhaps folk music is not the music you think of when Seattle comes to mind. Think again on that one because Seattle's Brothers Four was a big act in the late 50's and early 1960's. Their story is amusing. Despite having had a forty year career -- still performing today -- the group really got started the result of a practical joke. The guys, University of Washington students, sang on campus … (11 comments)
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Blogger Got Legs? - 07/17/08 08:09 AM
In the world of news stories, books and recordings, there is a term for something that has become popular or, more often than not, has substance and will gain momentum. The term is "it's got legs".
Here is an example -- a news story comes out and it is controversial but it is true, so within a few days everyone knows the details. Most recently, the scandal involving Eliot Spitzer comes to mind. That news story had legs because all of the startling stories were true. On the other hand, especially in the world of politics, many goofy stories we hear fade away quickly, no … (19 comments)
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Does It Really Look Good to the Person Who Did It? - 07/16/08 12:10 AM
I think that, in this post, I can effectively skirt any concerns about being called a sexist. The repair pictured below is "unisex" -- not specific to a man or a woman. Both sexes are equally qualified, and misguided, when it comes to generating this kind of work.
In the world of some, certainly not all, homeowners any pipe that does not leak is a pipe that does not require further attention. I am amazed at the number of drains and traps that are held together with various tapes and glues.
Even if there is not gushing water at the exact … (17 comments)
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And You Thought The Job Was Done - 07/15/08 11:34 PM
I have seen the problem pictured below many times before, as has every other home inspector. The seller is pleased to report, going into the inspection, that the home has a new roof and it is in good shape -- great selling point! The home inspector takes a look at the roof and it is nicely done.
Later on in the inspection, the home inspector opens the attic hatch. What does he or she find? The inspector finds the photo below.
What is all the litter? That is the old roof and wood scraps left by the roofers. Can you say unnecessary non-structural … (8 comments)
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Who's Eatin' The Floor, Ma? - 07/15/08 10:54 AM
This is the final installment in a series of related blogs that introduce you to the common species of wood boring beetles that are found at, or near, our homes. While the information is general, the specifics that I describe are geared to Bellingham and the Pacific Northwest.
The last article was on the anobiid beetle which is, in my experience, the wood borer that causes the most damage. The anobiid is often, mistakenly, referred to as the powderpost beetle. I hear that term so much, that I decided to write a blog on the true powderpost beetle.
The true powderpost beetle, the … (19 comments)
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Stories Behind the Music -- Kennedys, Pirates, Beatles and the British - 07/15/08 10:06 AM
I was intrigued, the other night, to find that there is a group here at Active Rain that is dedicated to the Beatles. Having been in broadcasting during that era, I decided to write a post that would tie the Beatles in with the pop culture of that time. The circumstances, described here, were unique to that moment in history.
You have undoubtedly heard the term "pirate radio". Pirate radio stations, operating only a few miles off the shore of Britain, began their clandestine broadcasts in 1964. The pirate radio ships had powerful AM band transmitters, typically 20,000 to 50,000 watts, … (13 comments)
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The Silent House Killer -- Anobiid Beetle - 07/14/08 01:28 PM
Recently, I have been writing a number of posts about the wood boring beetles found in the Pacific Northwest. In my view the worst of the worst is the anobiid or deathwatch beetle. Uninformed people often refer to the anobiid as the powderpost beetle, but that is the wrong terminology and refers to a different species.
Especially in our coastal regions -- my experience seems to be that the closer I am to water the more prevalent they are -- this is a frequently seen and highly destructive pest. While I have seen major damage from carpenter ants, the more serious damage tends to come … (6 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Cerambycid Beetles - 07/14/08 11:09 AM
Previously, I wrote about wood boring beetles that are flatheaded borers. These are usually species of buprestid beetles. In the Pacific Northwest, there is another beetle species that has characteristics that are similar to the flatheaded borers. I am speaking of the cerambycid beetle. Like flatheaded borers, these insects create a larger exit hole. It is typically 1/4" across and round to slightly oval. In the photo below, the exit holes are larger than in real life but the correct shape.
If you read the previous article on the flatheaded borer, you will recall that the species leaves an elongated or very oval hole. That is different than the … (2 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- Doo-wop - 07/13/08 11:44 AM
At this point in time, this is likely to be one of the lesser known acts I will be writing about in this series on Pacific Northwest music legends. On the other hand, they were big nationally, a #1 with a bullet act, in the pre-British invasion years.
Now, almost everyone who knows Seattle's history will think of the jazz clubs of the 1940's and 1950's, the birth of garage bands in the 1960's and, of course, Hendrix and more recently grunge. Most people probably do not know that an act from the Pacific Northwest was one of the first big … (11 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- Pat O' Day and KJR Seattle - 07/13/08 10:41 AM
This blog, in my series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends, is the only one I will write featuring a person who is famous on the northwest music scene but not famous, specifically, as a musician. This man is a very important figure in northwest rock n' roll history. He was a star-maker during the 1950's, 1960's and into at least the 1970's. There is no question about it, he was the most famous, and powerful, disc jockey and radio professional, ever, in Washington State. I am talking Pat O' Day.
I lived on the west side of the mountains and grew up during … (5 comments)
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Veteran's Cup Soccer, Bellingham WA - 07/10/08 11:28 PM
We have a big sports event taking place in Whatcom County this year -- right now to be exact. The Veteran's Cup, a soccer tournament with 85 teams participating, has been going on since Wednesday and it will continue through Sunday. There are different brackets (age divisions) and teams from all over, and I mean all over, have arrived in Bellingham to play the game. Both men's and women's teams are participating and age is not a drawback. In fact, you cannot even play unless you are 30 or over and some of the teams are comprised of players who are 60 and over.
Talk … (11 comments)
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Business Is a Merry Go Round - 07/10/08 12:01 PM
The photo above, from Lucca, Italy, is one of the better looking carousels or merry go rounds that I have seen. This picture helps get a point across. Lately, reading the newspaper and even blogs here at active rain, many people are worried about their businesses. When things are tight, that is a logical reaction. I spent many decades owning and operating a broadcasting corporation and, in that time, so many things changed in that industry -- good and bad -- that it makes current times look like merely a spring shower. Remember the late 1970's? Regardless, when I first got started owning a … (11 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- The Genius - 07/10/08 08:20 AM
This is another in a series of articles on Pacific Northwest music legends. So far, response has been good, so I plan to write more. Today's artist was not born or raised in Seattle. He moved to Seattle as a teen and considered the Seattle jazz scene of the 1940's as crucial in his development and career.
Ray Charles Robinson was born in Georgia but spent his childhood in Florida. Many music historians believe that the artist later known only as Ray Charles or The Genius, had more to do with changing music than any other performer. Step aside Dylan and … (4 comments)
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Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- Talkin' The King of Crooners - 07/09/08 11:22 AM
In the past, I have done a few blogs about entertainers who were famous here in the Pacific Northwest. These have always received interest and comments. Many people do not know it but, over the years, the Seattle area has produced some of the biggest names in musical entertainment. In some cases those musicians were born elsewhere and found fame in Seattle. Other times, it was the other way around:They were raised in Seattle but found fame elsewhere.
I plan to, as time allows, write a few interactive (thanks to youtube) articles on some of these famous performers. We will start with the … (17 comments)
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Wood Boring Beetles -- Flatheaded Borers - 07/09/08 08:51 AM
This is the first of a few blogs that will describe the common wood boring beetles that might be found at homes.
I will start with the flatheaded borer. Flatheaded borers tend to be non-reinfesting, at least at lumber in the house, so they are not considered to be a serious worry. That does not mean they do not leave distinctive exit holes in wood, it is just that once they have left the premises, they don't come back. Damage is not chronic or ongoing. That is not true of most of the roundheaded boring beetles, which will be described in separate blogs.
The exit … (0 comments)
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Goofy People, Crazy Designs - 07/08/08 01:49 PM
As I have discussed before, we home inspectors see many odd things. Some of them, at least if you think about it, make sense in that you can eventually figure out why the person did what he or she did. There are many more of these crazy designs that make no sense at all.
Usually, I see one common thread that runs through these crazy designs. Often the designs are the result of the homeowner trying to repair, or adjust for, some other problem -- real or imagined. For example, I know of a homeowner who did not like the location of the … (7 comments)
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Reality Bites: The Real Scoop on Attic Treasures - 07/08/08 12:20 PM
Recently there was a post here at active rain that had to do with what an inquisitive party might find tucked away in an attic. The blog was written in an adventurous, or an overly optimistic, viewpoint. While fun to daydream in that manner, seldom does that one big find in the attic make all of your troubles go away and your dreams come true.
Reality chomps: I am going to throw water on your dreams and take you back to stark reality. This fact might only apply in the Pacific Northwest but, around here, the photo below is what you are most likely to … (12 comments)
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God Save The Queen - 07/07/08 07:52 PM
In this case, not really. God need not save this queen. This is one queen that we would just as soon have check out as quickly as is possible, taking her groupies with her. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but this is not a beauty by any standards. This is a photo of a functional subterranean termite queen.
The mere mention of the word termite can send a homeowner into a state of depression. Fortunately, here in Washington State we do not have as many serious termite problems as in some other parts of the country -- … (44 comments)
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USA and Canada: Do We Panic on the Streets? - 07/07/08 10:56 AM
This is probably overstating the case, but in going over my photos from last year's trip to Italy, I was reminded of what I consider to be a curious situation. People in the "old world" think that those of us in the USA and Canada are overly cautious or down right finicky. Or you could say we are subject to needless panic, when it comes to public and private safety.
I could cite many examples where the old world does not follow the same guidelines that we take for granted and are specified by codes that apply to homes and public buildings. … (10 comments)
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Thinking Vacation - 07/07/08 09:34 AM
The weather is nicer, finally and all of a sudden. The wife and I have been thinking about a vacation this year. Every year or two we go to Italy, sometimes Mexico. We had such a good time last year in the Veneto region of Italy that we are leaning in that direction. Realistically, though, if we were going to do that again this year we should have been planning it earlier in the season. We try to go in October, when there are fewer tourists but still nice weather in Italy.
Venice is the best known city in the Veneto, … (6 comments)
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Home Inspector's Nightmare - 07/06/08 05:11 PM
When I talk to people who have graduated from college, myself included but that would be talking to myself, I find that many of us have had the same nightmare. It is something on the order of it being the last day of class and you are suppossed to graduate and, at that exact moment, you realize that you forgot to attend a class or to withdraw from a class in a timely manner. Mental anguish, and waking in a cold sweat, follows as you realize your lack of attention to detail will result in not graduating. That dream has not happened to … (10 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Northwest Corner Photos - 07/06/08 04:03 PM
When a person lives near the waterfront, and many of us in Washington State are lucky enough to do so, we often take the scenery for granted. Even though the area by the waterfront is enchanting almost any time of the year, it is more accessible this time of the year. It is refreshing and relaxing to go for a walk down by the harbor where the boats are moored. These photos were taken after having breakfast at one of our favorite waterfront cafes. These are views here in the northwest corner of the USA.
Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA … (8 comments)
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Straining for a Blog/ AKA Salad Light - 07/05/08 01:29 PM
When I say I am straining for a blog, that is exactly right and the photo below will confirm that detail beyond a shadow of a doubt. This photo proves what all inspectors know -- we see some really odd stuff!
At an older waterfront home a few weeks ago, I saw this design detail. Now, I am one of the first to appreciate creativity and the ability to turn a sow's ear into a purse. I also know that, sometimes materials can be scarce and you have to work with what you have got.
Even admitting to all of that, the … (12 comments)
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Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- The View From Below - 07/05/08 01:10 PM
It is not uncommon for a home inspector to notice a problem caused by a roof prior to actually going on the roof. This is often apparent at the soffit area, or structure below, and is visible as the inspector walks the perimeter of the property evaluating the overall condition of a home.
When the home has a low-sloped, or flat, roof in the wet Pacific Northwest, take everything I said and multiply by two. The top photo is such a roof that has a blockage inside the drain. The other problem is that, due to a slope problem, more runoff … (2 comments)
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Toto Ain't Just In Kansas Anymore - 07/03/08 04:14 PM
It is with some reluctance, fear and trepidation that I post this blog. As those of you who read my blogs know, I always write in a serious vein, never joke around, and attempt to write with good taste and avoid the R rated topics. With that in mind, I was going to pass on this one. However, my alter ego, the intense and very wild inspector Charles "Charlie" Buell, suggested that a blog on this topic would be in order and, perhaps, even in demand by the AR community. Let me setup the scenario before I get into cleaning up the details. Charlie … (17 comments)
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When Your Biggest Fan Is Your Biggest Problem - 07/03/08 09:11 AM
I know, this title makes it sound like I am going to write a blog about stalking. The whole scenario of an infatuated and possessed fan is well-established. Since stories like that are abundant in the tabloids, I will stick to something simple that also fits with the title of this blog.
Probably all of you know that modern building codes call for a firewall in an attached garage. This is usually done with fire-rated sheet rock covering the walls and the ceiling. Why? The firewall is designed to keep a fire that starts in the garage from "drawing" to the attic above. … (10 comments)
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It's All About Form - 07/03/08 12:01 AM
Some photos do a better job of getting a point across than others. I think this one is pretty good. In Washington State, where most home inspectors are also licensed structural pest inspectors, there are a number of guidelines that we are required to follow and procedures we must adhere to. In the long run, while not always popular with sellers and their realtors, these procedures do make sense.
One conducive condition that we are mandated to cite, and some people do not understand or agree with, is shown in the photo below. This is form wood in a crawl space.
Form … (5 comments)
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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham WA Home Inspector
Bellingham,
WA
More about me…
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc
Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225
Office Phone: (360) 676-6908
Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038
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