200K and Still Kicking - 08/31/08 11:18 AM
A few bloggers have noticed that, this past week, I passed the 200K mark in points here at Active Rain. I thought I would take the opportunity to post links to a few of the blogs I have done, while getting there, that I think are among my better or more … (10 comments)
|
No Inspection? Don't Take New Construction For Granted - 08/29/08 11:28 PM
I spoke a week back at a John L. Scott Real Estate class for new home-buyers. One well-intentioned student asked the realtor instructor if there was, financially, any justification to spend money for an inspection at a new property.
The realtor said a resounding "yes" and, when my time came, I … (84 comments)
|
Home Inspector Licensing Committee Meeting, Sept 4 - 08/29/08 04:36 PM
A few of the Washington State home inspectors have asked that I post, here at rain, the upcoming board and sub-committee meetings that are associated with the newly appointed home inspector licensing board. I am, along with David Pioli and Deb Wenneman, on the licensing sub-committee.
The first sub-committee for licensing … (4 comments)
|
1963 -- Before There Were Beatles - 08/29/08 10:15 AM
For some reason certain events out of the past stick in the mind. Not sure why this one did, but it did. I remember being in Parkview Elementary, Bellingham, in fifth grade. This was pre-Beatles and the girls -- much more music fans than we boys who were into boxing and wrestling … (15 comments)
|
Integral Gutters, Yankee Gutters - 08/28/08 09:01 AM
Integral gutters go by different names. Yankee gutters is probably the best known of the terms, although in my area I also hear them called Dutch gutters.
The photo below gives a good example of what they look like.
Unfortunately, this photo also shows a common problem with them -- … (9 comments)
|
How Safe Is That High Deck? - 08/27/08 03:28 PM
This photo, and the topic, will get you thinking. I guarantee it. To get things going, setting the stage so to speak, please take a look at the high deck, balcony if you prefer -- top right side of the photo. It is way up there, where the air is thin.
If … (14 comments)
|
Equality: Not Alway Good - 08/27/08 02:10 PM
This is not a political statement, it refers to plumbing.
When it comes to plumbing, I repeat, equality is not always good. Case in point -- I see this minor plumbing concern at bathtub/showers and at kitchen sinks. The problem is subtle and few people, other than inspectors or plumbers, seem … (12 comments)
|
No View Underneath The Home - 08/26/08 09:37 AM
In this state, accessible is defined as having 12" clearance under beams and 18" under joists. This crawl space did not cut it. Post and block construction, no foundation around the perimeter of the home, is still quite common in my area. Now, I would not call it real common but … (8 comments)
|
Homemade Wood Stoves - 08/25/08 02:28 PM
While I guess I should give the builders credit for trying, one thing that always makes me cringe at a home inspection is when I find a homemade wood stove or fireplace insert. To begin with, in this day of air pollution worries, such a stove which has no engineering or … (10 comments)
|
Beatles, McCartney and the UK Charts - 08/25/08 10:52 AM
Being an old radio guy, I am acutely aware of an interesting anomaly with music that most people are probably not aware of. Since it has been about a month since I have written anything specifically for the Beatles Group, I will explain.
The top markets in the English speaking world, … (22 comments)
|
Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- The Guitar God - 08/24/08 01:35 PM
This is another in my series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends. Of all of the artists featured in the series, this artist has to be the most mystical and immortal in that select group. When promoter and top KJR Seattle radio deejay, Pat O'Day, first met Jimi, he described the future … (4 comments)
|
This Day In History, August 24: Vesuvius and Pompeii - 08/24/08 12:35 PM
Many of you know, from my previous blogs, that the wife and I enjoy visiting Italy. Today marks the day that Vesuvius began erupting back in AD 79. That eruption led to the fascinating historical site known the world over as Pompeii. I first read about that in National Geographic when … (6 comments)
|
Mairzy Doats -- Stuck for 40 Years - 08/23/08 12:18 PM
Super blogger Ardell DellaLoggia recently wrote about songs that end up in our heads and minds. That got me to thinking about the memorable or irritating songs I have heard over the years. Often those things that are most memorable are also the most irritating. Advertising agencies know that, hence all the radio … (22 comments)
|
Scandalous: Home Inspector TP's House - 08/23/08 09:16 AM
Probably many of you, on first hearing this story, would think that it is never appropriate for a home inspector to TP a house. To make it even worse in your mind, what if the inspector TP's the house with the seller's own TP? Boy, I admit, that sounds pretty unprofessional.
… (11 comments)
|
My Roots Are Showing - 08/22/08 05:21 PM
You see the logo above. Often I have clients and realtors ask where the name came from. How did the name "King of the House" come into being? Ends up that my wife came up with the name one day. And, knowing my background, my roots, it makes lots of … (11 comments)
|
Active Rain Can Be The Power In Your Veins - 08/21/08 10:24 PM
It is with reluctance that I write this blog. I consider some of the information to be bordering on proprietary, so I will write around that. If you belong to Active Rain, never take this site for granted. Work in the rain, tend to your crop in the rain, and the rain … (66 comments)
|
20'x15'x4" - 08/20/08 01:30 PM
A common problem in the Pacific Northwest, and Bellingham, is water in a crawl space or a basement. In our climate, even a missing vapor barrier over crawl space soil can be responsible for several gallons of water evaporating into the crawl space and, up into the home -- walls, finally … (4 comments)
|
Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Sub-Committee Meeting - 08/19/08 11:01 AM
I have had requests from some Washington State Home Inspectors to post information, as it comes available, about the sub-committee meetings on home inspector licensing. Since active rain has such good SEO, this should get the word out.
It has been announced by DOL that the sub-committee, Changing Business Practices, will meet … (9 comments)
|
A Deer Time In The Old Park Tonight - 08/19/08 10:14 AM
When I do inspections at Sudden Valley, a lake area that is part of Bellingham, I usually have deer hanging around like pesky kids. They are so plentiful there. A couple weeks back there was a young buck with a full head of antlers. Yesterday I heard a dog bark, and … (7 comments)
|
Nostalgia is Fun -- Jack Parr and the Beatles - 08/18/08 10:13 AM
A few weeks ago I was working on a blog for the world-famous Active Rain "Beatles" group. Yes, there is such a group here. If you are not aware of it, look in groups. I had done a blog on pirate radio in the 1960's and I needed "A Day In … (8 comments)
|
Party Hearty - 08/17/08 10:19 AM
We home inspectors look for the party every chance we get. Not the party-party as in wild women, whiskey and song. Okay, some of us look for that. But when we inspect condos and multi-unit living facilities we look for a party wall between units. That is a relatively modern, in the … (4 comments)
|
August Inspired By Song For Jason - 08/17/08 01:54 AM
Paul, inspired by song group, sent out a challenge for the August "Inspired By Song Contest." I cannot leave these contests alone, being an old, very old, former rock n' roll radio guy.
The challenge was to find a song that best summarizes how Jason Crouch -- our inspired by song main … (5 comments)
|
Alligators Aren't All Good - 08/16/08 04:32 PM
Alligator hide might be popular on gators, on boots and purses. It is not a good thing to find on a torch-down roof. It is no wonder that the pros refer to the pattern shown in the photo below as "alligatoring." It really does have that look. If you see a … (5 comments)
|
Property Upgrade Creates Problem - 08/16/08 09:52 AM
It is always too bad when work that is done with good intentions causes other unexpected problems.
The photos below are the result of an error made by a contractor. I was inside a crawl space the other day. Rest of the home looked fine. I never would have suspected this, … (3 comments)
|
Peeping Tom Alert - 08/16/08 12:11 AM
Well, you would not expect that a 50 something year-old male, such as myself -- startlingly handsome as I may be -- would have a problem with peeping toms. But I had this feeling the last few days, in my Bellingham, WA home, that something was gawking at me through the … (10 comments)
|
Rastlingh With Words: Good Bloggin' vs Good Spellin' - 08/14/08 08:07 PM
Years ago, when I worked in broadcasting, those of us who were announcers really dreaded having to read any ad copy that was written by one man who worked at the station. He sounded good on the air, but lord help you if you had to read any of his … (3 comments)
|
Practical Repair By Homeowner - 08/14/08 09:17 AM
There are many different ways to go about solving a problem. Often the way the homeowner goes about it is not the same way an inspector likes to see the work done. Case in point below.
A temperature pressure relief valve at a water heater should not but, sometimes, they … (5 comments)
|
Public Photo--Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Board - 08/14/08 01:17 AM
The State of Washington has released a photo, shall we say publicity photo, of the new home inspector licensing board. The board is pictured with State Senator Harriet Spanel, who worked for years to get home inspector legislation passed. She said, speaking to the board, that it was one of … (17 comments)
|
Code Makes Sense This Time - 08/13/08 11:14 AM
I have been writing lately about some situations where common sense and code did not necessarily go hand in hand. For example, we were speaking of decks and stairs that were high enough to be dangerous, yet not high enough to require a permit or to require a code check.
… (2 comments)
|
Tiny Clues - 08/12/08 04:40 PM
The photo below is another example of why an inspector has to look very carefully at things -- especially looking up. That is often a direction that gets less scrutiny than other directions. It is not that your neck binds up or anything, it is just that an inspector is often … (17 comments)
|
Firewall Breach - 08/11/08 05:04 PM
There was a very good blog today by Charlie Buell that involved minimum standards of inspection. You can read it here. My blog today is related to that. In his article, Charlie was specifically explaining how minimum standards sometimes ignore the requirements for a firewall, probably the most critical one is … (6 comments)
|
Burnaby, BC, Blues and Roots Festival - 08/10/08 10:45 AM
I am going to Canada today. This will be the fourth time that my wife and I, with friends, have attended the Annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival. Since we live in Bellingham, we are only about 50 miles south of Burnaby. This festival is a great nearby venue for those … (3 comments)
|
Legally Built -- Unsafe! - 08/10/08 10:03 AM
This photo is from Whatcom County, Bellingham area, but it could be anywhere USA. There was discussion the other day regarding a deck I inspected that was 24" off the ground and it had no steps and no guardrail. The photo below is a finished deck, that meets code by being … (7 comments)
|
Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Board - 08/07/08 06:16 PM
The first meeting of the Washington State Home Inspector Licensing Board was today in Renton. All seven members of the board were present. Bruce MacKintosh of Woodinville was unanimously elected as the board chair. Michael O' Handley of Kenmore was unanimously elected as the vice-chair.
There are three sub-committees -- Education, Licensing … (0 comments)
|
Sexy Sharks and the King of Seduction - 08/07/08 05:17 PM
If you lived in the last century, you probably know that Barry White was known as the king of seduction. In theory, when he tuned up and started singing, all the barriers came falling down. Lives were changed, children conceived. That is what "they" say, whoever "they" might be.
Well, I … (10 comments)
|
Stop the Presses -- Duct Tape Fails! - 08/06/08 01:15 AM
This might shock you, but here is a classic instance of duct tape failing. Is it possible? Yes, as every home inspector knows the worst thing on earth to do with duct tape is to use it to tape ducts. This was a flex duct from a laundry fan. At this … (3 comments)
|
Pacific Northwest Music Legend -- The Raiders - 08/05/08 12:46 AM
Bands from the Pacific Northwest are credited with having had much to do with the proliferation of what were termed "garage bands" back in the 1960's. Bands such as Seattle's Fabulous Wailers and the Sonics, were among the best known in the genre. One of the first really big garage bands, … (2 comments)
|
Flex Ducts on Dryers, Convenient but Bad - 08/04/08 09:44 AM
We home inspectors see accordion style flimsy flex duct over and over again on dryers and air-handling equipment. I would say that it is present in 90% of homes that I inspect. In newer homes it is often a short length behind a dryer. It does not go through the wall but … (6 comments)
|
Bad Aim, Goal Not Achieved - 08/03/08 09:43 AM
In this photo we have the goal, getting warm, moist air out of the attic, and we have the target -- the gable vent. Problem is, we have bad aim. The problem here is that we just have a scatter-shot. Most of that high humidity is going to end up in the attic, not … (6 comments)
|
Visionaries - 08/03/08 09:23 AM
In the field of invention I have often wondered what gave inspiration to those who came up with the great ideas. What made anyone think of harnessing electricity, or even having the insight to realize that it had the potential to be harnessed. Yeah, I know of Ben and the kite in … (1 comments)
|
Play It Again Sam, Pt 2, The Most Popular Songs Ever - 08/01/08 07:21 PM
This is part two, and the sequel, to an earlier blog naming the most popular songs ever recorded. Unlike charts prepared by critics, this list is based on the written logs provided to BMI, the leading music licensing firm. They track songs, year after year, by keeping tabs on what the radio stations play. Songs … (15 comments)
|
Play It Again Sam: All Time Top Ten - 08/01/08 11:18 AM
This is related to my series on Pacific Northwest Music Legends. In pop culture it is fashionable for pundits to expound about what was or will be the best movie ever, the best song ever, the greatest ever of this and that and so on. It seems like every radio station, even NPR, and … (18 comments)
|
;)
Links;)
Archives
