Bellingham Wa. Home Inspection Blog, Steven L. Smith

Three In A Row Ain't Good

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:14:30 -0600

This week, at three inspections in a row, I found TPR drain lines that were improperly installed. By improperly installed, I mean that they were routed up. In some cases there were other defects as well -- the TPR drain was routed into flex tubing, a no no, or the line terminated in the crawl space or too high off the ground outside.

In one case the homeowner wanted to argue that this is not a problem because pressurized water is involved so I did not know what I was talking about. He is wrong. This arrangement is not allowed in any professional plumbing standards and it violates any plumbing code that is published.

What the fellow says, if you know nothing about it, makes sense. You envision water coming out of the TPR valve under high pressure and as steam. The fact is, this valve may discharge water periodically, as part of it doing it's job. That is especially true if there is what is called a closed system and if there is no thermal expansion tank. These valves are factory set at 150 PSI. I have seen municipal water pressure to homes that was too high -- over 130 PSI. 80 PSI is the top of the normal range and that is considered to be too high by most plumbers. In high pressure situations like that, where the water heater is under stress to begin with, I have seen these valves discharge water. And it is NOTHING like a steamy situation. In the average situation, as the tank heats and pressure hits 150 PSI, anywhere from a few drops to a cup or so of water comes out. That relieves the pressure for awhile, then it may build up again and discharge more. The water coming out the drain is NOT superheated. It is the same temperature as the hot water being used in the house. About the only way the discharge water will be superheated is if the thermostat should stick on. The valve is relieving pressure, not temperature. Sometimes the two coincide but not always.

If the valve is routed up, and any amount from a few drops to a cup of water flows out, as you can see above in the photo, that small amount of water would stay in the pipe -- up tight to the valve. Overtime, that can lead to corrosion, damage and failure of the valve. When that happens, then you have a big safety issue.

Sometimes homeowners, who know a little bit, but not nearly as much as they think they know, can be their own worst enemies.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

When You Can't See the Roof for the Trees

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:41:16 -0600

One of the state standards of practice, in Washington state, is that an inspector must traverse the roof if it can be done safely and without property damage. The idea is that the inspector, in so doing, will have a better idea of the condition of the roof.

While in theory that is a good concept, sometimes Pacific Northwest reality and trees interfere with good intentions -- see photo below.

Even though I got on that roof, the organic debris was so thick that I really could not see much. I did have this to report:

The roof is heavily obscured by organic debris. This makes it impossible to assess the condition of the roof. Additionally, heavy debris keeps a roof from drying and blocks runoff water making it more prone to leakage. Recommend that qualified party, such as a roofer, remove all debris from roof and, at that time, evaluate surface and make necessary repairs or replacement as is required.

This is further proof that, sometimes, we home inspectors cannot see the roof for the trees.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Properties Taking Out The Home Inspector

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:25:39 -0600

Most of us in the northwest, when we think of decks, probably think of a flat walking surface comprised of either wood decking or a composite decking material with rain gaps to allow rain between the boards. That is usually the case. However, it is also not uncommon to find a solid flat surface -- such as a plywood nailed over the structure below. We home inspectors have to be careful when inspecting decks. They can be very high and construction methods are often suspect.

When plywood is the walking surface, often the homeowner has applied onto that surface some type of waterproofing that is available for consumers -- often a paint-on product with a limited lifetime. If a person is installing that type of deck it is very important to make sure the deck slopes away from the home so water that collects is diverted away from the house. Look at the photo below.

That is a waterproof coating over plywood. In many areas the surface felt solid. But, be careful, there were other areas where a person could step right through the floor. Yes, that is a hole. Once plywood starts absorbing water, de-lamination and rot are not far behind. In this field of home inspection, the inspector needs to look before he or she leaps, doing otherwise could lead to an injury.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Whatcom County Home Inspector (King of the House) -- When Your Balusters Are Loose

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:23:13 -0600

I seem to be having a spate of luck where, inspection after inspection, I a running into high decks. We are not talking three feet high. I mean decks that are 18 or 20 feet high and they are situated over valleys below. When such a deck is inspected it is very important that it be solid to the house. Another thing we inspectors want is proper spacing of the balusters. The standard safety guideline today is that balusters should be close enough together that a four inch sphere will not pass through. At many decks I find spacing much wider than that -- like a foot or more.

The other day I found a deck that had spacing just under four inches. I was very pleased, until I pressed on them. Oooops. Those balusters need to not only have the right spacing but they also have to stay in one place if a child, or the wind, is fiddling with them

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Why I Don't See Vermin At My Abode

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:36:19 -0600

Recently I wrote a post entitled Rodents In Paradise. I have got to tell you that I see them everywhere. We are talking rats and mice, not the wonderful little squirrels that are so well behaved. In this area even high-end homes have problems with rats and mice.

I can honestly say that, at my home, I have not had a problem with rats or mice in years. At one time we would see an occasional one under the sink. Now, if there is any sign of them at all, then it is a body that we might find in the backyard.

There are three reasons why I no longer have rodent problems.

From left to right, those three reasons are:

1. Tigretto Tartufo

2. Silvio Purrrlusconi

3. Fratello Tartufo

These Italian cats have ZERO tolerance for vermin. I put the three on the payroll, originally, on the advice of my assistant manager, and the world's top certifried home inspector assistant, Mr Nutsy S. Wallenda.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Rodents In Paradise

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:19:03 -0600

Sometimes it seems like the rats and mice must look upon fiberglass batt insulation as some type of paradise. If not, well they sure have a strong love for the stuff. The photo below is commonly found at a home inspection when the rodents have been enjoying a roll in the insulation.

This insulation is pulled down and torn by, in this case, rats. If you look inside the insulation you see seeds the vermin have carried in. And, in a few spots, you can see the very holes they are using for easy access. The little fellow even left a distinctive dropping behind. How nice.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

The Problem With A Cantilevered Deck

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:49:36 -0600

An inspector needs to be on the lookout for structural problems with cantilevered decks. That is especially true here in the northwest where we have so much rain.

Do you know what a cantilever is? Here is a pretty good photo that I took at a recent inspection.

See that beam: Dark on the inside and white outside where it supports an upper deck. Notice how green that beam is at the exposed outside section. That is a big problem with this design. As the wood is exposed to rain on the outside, rot forms and that will travel right down the beam. Before long you have a deck that is seriously weakened, likely to be unsafe, and you also have a repair job that takes some doing to fix -- especially if the decay gets back into the exterior wall.

The cantilever design might work great in some climates, but it creates many problems in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Clues

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:05:19 -0600

In older homes it is not uncommon to find that the house, at some point, had an underground storage tank -- either gasoline or, more likely, heating oil. Since underground tanks are buried, not visible, probably any number of them go unnoticed. However, we home inspectors are on the lookout for certain clues as to the existence of such a tank.

That photo below is not a periscope. That pipe looks like a vent pipe from an old underground storage tank. I did not find a nearby fill tube but, where there is a vent there is often a tank below -- maybe several feet underground.

While a home inspector will cite clues such as this, when they are found the job does not include digging holes. I have taken a cap off the fill tube, more than once, to see if I could smell the fuel type. Heating oil has a distinct odor as does gas. There are, of course, other times when such clues might exist at the property but the inspector could not see them for various reasons -- such as dirt or vegetation obscuring the clues.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham Technical College -- Washington State Approved Fundamentals of Home Inspection Education

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:33:08 -0600

Take a look at the photos below, then I will tell you what they mean to anyone who has been involved in the Washington state approved home inspector education that is taught at Bellingham Technical College.

These photos were taken during the fourth week of the course -- field training. The first three weeks students are in the classroom, and at some labs, but generally they are tied down learning the nuts and the bolts of what it is that they are looking for. In that final week, the students go on-site with instructors and put to practical application the knowledge that they learned earlier in the course. Anyone interested in the BTC program -- a state approved fundamentals of home inspection course -- can get more information by clicking on the icon below. The next scheduled class is early in the new year.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- It's That Time of Year

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:58:23 -0600

Folks, I hate to say it, but here in the northwest it is that time of year. What time of year you might ask. Well it is that time of year when you need to clean the roof and the gutters. All of the needles and leaves from all of the trees are now in valleys of your roof and down in the gutters.

Such debris blocks drainage and, frequently, leads to gutters not functioning at all. The subsequent leaks can rot structure such as the fascia behind gutters.

Bearer of bad news that I might be, the time is now -- get the gutters clean so they will function during all these hard rains. If you cannot clean the gutters and the roof yourself, hire someone who can.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Happy Halloween

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:22:06 -0500

I would like to wish a happy and safe Halloween to all of my Active Rain friends and relatives (hi there Heather) and Nutsy and I have decided to even extend our good graces over to those three low-life rats in the rain with the last names Buell, Ford and Quarello. So this Halloween greeting is coming from the King of the House staff and going to everyone, even the rats.

I am too old and mature to go trick or treating, however Nutsy will be out collecting candy from all of the neighbors. I hope that nobody steps on him and I hope he comes back with zero tire tracks on his hide and I hope that every one of you has a good Halloween tonight. Boy, once we hit Halloween, the major holidays follow in swift order. One of these years I want to go to Mexico and check out the day of the dead.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Gangsta Halloween

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:29:59 -0500

Since it is the season of Halloween, it seems only appropriate to get into the spirit of the event. Unless one is in Mexico, participating in the big Day of the Dead celebrations, Halloween is mainly for kids. I try to take Fridays off, at least not scheduling work, so I can hangout with the wife, the daughter and the grandson.

Today we went to breakfast and I took a photo of grandson Mason's Halloween costume. He looks pretty dapper in his 1920's gangster outfit. He is really enjoying the season and getting quite the take of treats I might add.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Recycling the Truth -- A Story About Charles Buell

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:08:48 -0500

I have been busy but, just today, realized that tomorrow is Halloween. I think that all of us, over the years, have heard our share of ghost stories and tales that will curl our hair. Since I first told this true story in May a year ago, my friend and nemesis, Charles Buell, has attracted a wide following. Unfortunately, many of his subscribers and followers keep track of Charles primarily to see what type of nasty shenanigans he will pull on my certifried assistant Nutsy S. Wallenda.

The true tale of Mr Charles Buell's terrifying moment was first recited here in May 2008. If you are a fan of the Buell, and you like a really good scare, then check out this old link which is being recycled for Halloween. I am sure that many of Mr Charles blind legion of fans, as of today, have never read this story of the big guy cracking under pressure. It is not everyday that a home inspector runs into a giant flying cat.

Charles Buell Halloween Story

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

120 Hours And Lots Of Sweat Later

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:03:05 -0500

Down below George's head, in the body of this article, is a photo of the culmination of lots of work. For three weeks these students have been enveloped by the intense home inspection training program that is offered at Bellingham Technical College. This program is one of only a few courses that are approved by the state to meet the new state requirements for a "fundamentals of home inspection" class.

When I say this is the culmination of their work, I mean that these students are taking their final test which consists of more than 200 questions. The test helps them begin to prepare for the next phase in their careers -- passing the state exams and getting fully licensed.

The Bellingham Technical College course consists of three weeks of classroom education followed by a week of field training. The Bellingham Technical College program has legs, having been in existence for nearly 15 years. It is, at this time, the only college level home inspection training in the state and the college provides graduates with a certificate showing that they have completed a state college level course. Many students choose Bellingham Technical College, when they are looking for training, due to the longterm credibility and the reputation of the program.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

This Is Not Me Having A Bright Idea

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:17:14 -0500

The photo is not one depicting me having a bright idea. If that was the case, the light bulb would be on and it would be turned the other direction.

This photo was taken by one of the Bellingham Technical College home inspection students. I was making a point. We were in a dark little cellar. The light was burned out. But this is a pet peeve of mine and a dangerous situation. There were a couple light bulbs like that just hanging down. And needless to say, they are low. People often install bulbs like this in basements, with low ceilings, and even in actual crawl spaces.

Many times when we inspectors arrive, all we find left is shards of broken glass and part of the bulb hanging down. I consider this dangerous. A light bulb, that kind of explodes when it breaks, is really nasty and the shards are dangerous as everyone knows. Having one break on your forehead or in your eyes is an experience that could lead to a serious cut or a permanent eye injury.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Blogging 101: Use Active Rain To Enhance Your Business Relationships

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 08:42:29 -0500

Active Bob has challenged all of us to detail how we use our blog to reach potential prospects or existing clients. When I saw that challenge, my ears perked up, and my typing fingers became nimble, because I have been doing that for some time -- in several different ways. I have discussed this topic with my grandson, Mason, and we have decided to share some of our King of the House marketing tips.

First step: I write AR posts about topics that, I hope, will be of interest to Bellingham and Whatcom county home buyers and realtors. When I write those posts, I insert key words that will be found by search engines. A significant amount of my business comes from people who google and find my articles. When they see my information, they read it and often decide that I seem to know what I am talking about and that makes the phone ring at King of the House.

If you would like an example of my efforts at SEO, here is an on-the-spot search. If you click on the various hits on this first page of google, you will find that six of those hits take you to my firm in one way or another.

Google search -- Bellingham WA home inspector on Oct 26, 2009

This google soup is free. I have not paid a dime for this, other than I do have a website. This power came from Active Rain and localism. I am prolific at writing and many roads lead back to me. So, when google is trying to find a big fish in the pond, their search guru thinks I must be that guy with gills. That allows me prominence in the google universe in my market. I have had people ask if I know how strong I am in google. Duhhhhhhh, that is not by accident. Step one helps me attract customers who never heard of me before.

Second step: I write blog posts that I know will simplify report writing. I realized, years back, that clients are impressed when their inspector sends them to a link and, low and behold, the inspector wrote the article himself. Suddenly that inspector is not just an inspector but a published author, an authority in the field. So, in this case, step two, I am reaching, and enhancing credibility with, present clients. Below is an example of this method from a recent report. The link at the bottom will take you to a blog I wrote for just this inspection problem.

32) The water heater is installed over finished living space and it has a pan but no drain installed. While the probability of this becoming an issue increases proportionally with the age of a water heater, should the tank develop a leak, a pan and drain route water outdoors so it is less likely that interior areas will be damaged. In your situation, the tank being in a condo, it is improbable that a drain to the outside could be installed. For additional information on other viable options, for your situation, please visit:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1225399/when-second-best-is-as-good-as-it-gets

Third step: One of my roles, as adjunct faculty at Bellingham Technical College, is to alert people to the existence of the BTC state approved home inspection training program. I use Active Rain to do this. I write stories about the curriculum, the courses, etc. In fact, as part of Bob's last challenge, I did a series on BTC. It covered details about our course, facts about other courses offered at the college, the history of the college and even included a map of the campus. The link to the map I send out a lot. When we have speakers coming in to visit, or students driving in from out of town, I will send the link. Nobody gets lost when they receive the map first. You can click on the BTC logo below to see the series post that includes the map of the campus.

If you wonder how effective that dissemination of information is, state-wide, let's do another google search. Active Rain power, which adds juice to my other posts, allows BTC to have six of the hits, page one of google -- Google search, October 26, 2009.

Active Rain gives you the power. You have to figure out how to use it but once you understand blogging and know how to label your posts, you can have real clout in your market. If I write a blog post, google will find it, and it will be first page google, usually within 20 minutes of the time that I write it. I never dreamed that I could achieve the internet presence that I have today, and I never would have gotten there, had I not found, and then dedicated time to, Active Rain.

I hope that this meets Bob's challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Moss-backs In Washington State

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:42:27 -0500

There are people who refer to those of us in the wet northwest as "moss-backs." It is not really such an inaccurate description -- even if it is not so flattering. We get lots of rain and we have many shade trees. You put that together and we end up with moss on roofs and lichen too.

The photo below is a roof that is only seven years old. It is good quality material but it needs to have the moss removed. Even if a homeowner cannot safely get on a roof to get the moss off, it is very important to have the job done by someone. Around the Bellingham and Whatcom County area, there are many companies that will go up on a roof and, at a reasonable fee, take care of this job. If anyone local needs the name of a reliable party, give me a call. There is a fellow that I recommend, and whom I hire for some of my rental properties. The job needs to be done every year at most houses, and can often be tied in to gutter cleaning.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Shoddy Workmanship By Dish Installers

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 16:24:14 -0500

In an earlier post I wrote about the way many TV dish installers leave vulnerable spots on the roof. That is a real problem in this wet climate. The post was called So Likely To Leak. These do-it-yourselfers and so-called pros sink fasteners through the surface of the roof and, in so doing, there is an increased potential of leaks. Someone asked, at my previous post, if real installers are guilty of this or just homeowners. Based on what I see, many of the installers are inept -- a bunch of sub-contracted out part-time kids and they cause many of the problems.

Another favorite method, that is highly related to the above topic, is the practice of running the wires from the dish through the gutter. Gee, here is a nice trough to stick our wires in. They do not realize that, in so doing, they have blocked the gutter and all sorts of icky debris will collect at the wire. Drainage zero! I know that this creative routing of the wires was the work of a highly trained "professional" dish installer.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Passing The Code Inspection Does Not Guarantee That Nothing Is Wrong

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:07:51 -0500

Whenever someone tells me that the municipal code inspectors have signed-off on a house, that does not mean that I let my defenses down when it comes to looking for problems. I think the code inspectors must have some good days and some bad days. One thing I know for sure is that they are likely to miss many things both large and small.

For example, I was at a newer home recently. The steps at the home, at four different locations, one being inside the others outside, do not conform to the basic safety guidelines. Steps varied from one another, in rise, by more than 3/8" and some steps were 9" high or higher. A step should be no higher than 7 3/4".

Now, don't get me wrong. We need code inspectors. Things would literally be falling apart all over without them. And we home inspectors miss things too. I think the fact is that the more eyes you have looking at a building -- municipal or state inspectors, home inspectors -- the better chance you have of getting more things right or as they should be.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

So Likely To Leak

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:25:05 -0500

We home inspectors often talk about plumbers who take a bite out of beams, floor joists, you name it, down in basements and crawl spaces. They can solder, cut, glue and make drains run downhill, but they can be menaces to the structure they work on.

There is a similar menace on many roofs. I see this one a whole lot in this community. That menace is either an overzealous home owner or someone who works for one of these dish TV companies. These folks get up on the roof, about any place they please, and then they screw their dish fasteners onto the roof surface. In so doing, they put holes or penetrations right down into the roof and sheathing. Sometimes these are long bolts -- worse than a simple roofing nail.

On at least two inspections, when entering the attic, I found leaks around the fasteners at these dishes. Somebody needs to give dish installers a basic course in not wrecking roofs. It seems like, one of these days, some homeowner is going to get a good dose of attic mold, sue one of the installation companies, and the companies might start better training the installers. As for the homeowners who do their own work of that caliber, the more you do this job of inspecting, the more you realize that there is no hope of redemption for most of them.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

No Big Shocker Here -- Well, Maybe

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:30:44 -0500

This title might be deceptive, in that we have a potential big shocker here.

It is common to find outside GFCI receptacles with missing weatherproof covers. In the wet Washington climate, you can bet that they will not stand up to the rain and exposure. GFCI's are delicate electronic devices. They have a number of solid state parts inside that do not cope well with water.

So, now we come back to the title -- No Big Shocker. While the defective receptacle might give someone a shock -- hence it is a big shocker -- the fact that the device had failed is not a shock at all. It was to be expected. These devices, no matter where you live, should have hooded covers when they are located outside.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Cause and Effect -- Duct Tape Is Not For Fastening Ducts

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:21:54 -0500

Duct tape must be one of the most misnamed products that there is anywhere. Fact is, one of the worst things you can do with it is to tape ducts of any type, from furnace ducts to exhaust ducts on the bath fan. Heck, you are better off repairing your shoes with it, the old camping water bottle or maybe using it to repair the trailer hitch -- just kidding there.

As an inspector, we see lots of ducts that are held together with duct tape.

That is one side of the coin, the other side is the duct taped ducts that we see that did not stand the test of time.

The photo above, which is very common when duct tape is used, gives a great example of why using duct tape to secure ducts is a no no. Various connectors for securing the different types of ducts are available at hardware stores and going that route is certainly the better option.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Less Than Welcome Visitors

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:49:24 -0500

I have done a number of posts about friendly creatures that have dropped in to visit during rural home inspections. There are the deer at Sudden Valley and Lake Whatcom areas, then there are the frogs and the squirrels, of course. And don't forget all the purrrring kitties.

There are even the friendly dogs that lapped at my mug. This post is not about that kind of dog. I had an inspection recently where the neighbor's substantial dog, a wire fence away, was really not such a treat. He spent the whole time growling and barking and charging the fence any time I got near. He was of course confined on the side of the house with the most problems.

You can click on the photo to hear what a really friendly dog sounds like.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Life Before Active Rain and Now

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:37:17 -0500

Wow, this is a topic near and dear to my heart. Prior to being involved at Active Rain, I was a home inspector who had to diminish myself by taking odd jobs. One day I might be the Red Robin hawking burgers on the busy street, or maybe I was dancing with a sandwich sign on my back in front of Little Caesar's. About this time of year, I would have been standing on the busy road trying to entice locals and tourists to turn into the pumpkin patch to buy a pumpkin. It was humiliating work, the costumes were uncomfortable, but someone had to do it. I made sure that I did not wear any traces of my home inspector logo or outfit while on a sub-par job. Here is a photo from a few years back. I was a modern day highwayman, in my own mind, but really more of a walking billboard or a corporate mascot for hire.

It was a lowly life but a man does what a man has to do to get by. Then I got involved with Active Rain. I started blogging and I liked it. I found that by writing original content, and using the proper key words, I could learn tricks to improve my home inspection business. Before long my once non-existent SEO shot up like a rocket and there I was first page of google and yahoo and getting many calls. I became so successful and famous, so quickly, that I had to hire a certifried home inspector assistant just to keep up with the business that was coming down the pike to King of the House.

At first, because I was so busy, I hired Charles Buell, a Seattle inspector I had trusted, to train and bring up to speed my new assistant Nutsy S. Wallenda. What a waste of my resources -- they partied on First Avenue, Seattle 24/7.

After bailing that pair out of jail more than once, I realized that this was no way to train an assistant. Never trust a clown to do a man's job.

So I decided to train my soon to be certifried home inspector assistant by myself. He would become a clone and an extension of myself.

Once the certifried assistant was up and running, business instantly became, and has remained, even stronger. In fact, all those hours -- and I mean that sincerely -- that I spend on the computer here in the rain have led to enough notoriety and financial success that I am now able to vacation in the world's top glamor spots and wear the most fashionable of attire. What a change Active Rain has made in my fortunes and my wardrobe. Honestly, can you believe that this trendy guy in the photo below is the same loser who was such a short time ago wearing a jack-O-lantern on his head while standing by the highway?

Now here is another sign of Active Rain success. They say that with success the relatives come out of the woodwork. Get this, back in the old days of my existence, my long lost Moses Lake realtor niece Heather (picture below with kids)

blogged away as she saw me flailing away. She kept her silence and pretended to not even know her crazy loon of an uncle -- uncle Steve. But then, one day -- realizing that Nutsy and I were really taking off here in the rain and were destination relatives -- we heard from niece Heather. She sent an Email and I learned that I had a relative in the rain who I did not know about. I did think it strange that, to get in touch with her, I first had to agree to send $500.00 to some guy who had a Nigerian bank account number. Regardless, it worked out and I now enjoy conversing with niece Heather.

This was a homogenized, but true, account of my once miserable little life before and after Active Rain.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Making Do With What You Got

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 17:55:04 -0500

Earlier today I wrote about the difficulties of inspecting a house where storage and clutter is everywhere. That link is here. When a place is like that, certain areas just cannot be inspected. One thing that I try to do, every home, is check all heat ducts to make sure that heat comes out the supply registers when the furnace is running. I do the same thing with electric heaters.

When you are over 50, and not that eager to be bending all the time, there is a great tool that does the job of checking for heat from a standing position. A laser thermometer can be used to beam down into those areas under desks, under beds, etc.

It is one handy device.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith