bellingham home inspection: 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 … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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)
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bellingham home inspection: Nice Plumbing Repair - 04/17/08 10:41 PM
My friend Charles Buell is always very critical of duct tape -- the miracle cure of last century and still a hot commodity today. I have seen everything from the skins of mobile homes and fuel tanks to shoes repaired with the stuff. I always love it when I open a … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Another Close, But No Cigar, Job - 04/17/08 10:15 PM
Below is an electric water heater with an installation that is close to right. But close is not good enough. There is a temperature pressure relief valve and the drain line from it is even routed down and out of the home. And the lower section of the drain is CPVC tubing … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Common and a Real Mess! - 04/16/08 11:30 PM
The view in this photo is so very common, but I always hate to see it. When a roofer takes an old wood shingle or shake roof off, it seems that about eight times out of ten the wood debris ends up inside the attic. Just what a homeowner wants is … (16 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Gambler's Guide To Home Buying - 04/16/08 09:44 AM
In life there are many gambles. Anyone in business has to assume some risk and take some gambles. Even hanging out your shingle, doing whatever it is you plan to do, involves risk. I am not one who is afraid of some risk. One of the best business decisions I ever … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: They're Alive, They're Alive - 04/15/08 10:35 PM
This is not an out of body experience, or some tale that will make you think I am any weirder than what you might already think. After all, you have probably heard stories of the dead coming back to life -- on shows like the Twilight Zone. Call it reincarnation, call it hibernation, … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Steve's Greatest Hits And B Sides - 04/14/08 11:48 PM
I was looking at my statistics the other day and found that my first serious activity at Active Rain was one year ago yesterday, as in last Sunday. Wow, how time flies when you are getting all wet in the rain. A while back, a friend had suggested that he had … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Canada and US Border Communities - 04/11/08 09:37 AM
The local daily newspaper, the Bellingham Herald, had a story today that confirmed a trend I have noticed in my inspection business for the past eight months or so -- the rising Canadian dollar, which fluctuates from a bit below to a bit above the US dollar, has led to more Canadians spending … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Cricket, More Than Just A Game - 04/10/08 07:04 PM
No wonder people who are learning English go crazy sometimes. Take, for example, the word "cricket." You probably think it means an insect or a game the British favor that is similar to baseball. Well, there is a third meaning as you are about to learn. The photo below is a … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Home Inspection, Why Must We Get Out Of The Car? - 04/09/08 10:02 PM
Charlie Buell and I sometimes joke around that there are times you could do a home inspection from the publicity photos of the property. It is amazing the things the trained eye can see and, from the photos, you know to look very carefully at certain areas or you might be … (1 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: If It Fits It Must Work - 04/09/08 08:48 PM
This photo has to go in that goofy and misguided category we home inspectors see so often -- "if it fits then it has to work". The photo below, believe it or not, is a dryer vent. If you have ever cleaned a dryer vent, or looked at all the lint … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Little Mistake, Big Problem - 04/09/08 04:02 PM
Warning, unsafe workmanship on display. In some cases, getting something "close" to right will probably get you by for quite some time. There are other times when "close" just does not cut it. No truck driver thinks "close" is good enough if his or her semi whacks an overpass.
The photo below … (14 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: And The First Clue Was - 04/09/08 03:24 PM
We home inspectors look for clues to problems. For example, the leak from the bathroom sink might have also created conducive conditions or damage that is apparent in the crawl space. One component of a home that we look at carefully is the furnace. Especially gas and oil furnaces, are complex and can … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Mushrooms on the Siding or Anyone know a Mycologist? - 04/05/08 02:48 PM
L-P innerseal siding was the oriented strand board (OSB) siding that probably received the most negative media coverage and, among other manufacturers, was involved in a huge class-action lawsuit and a payout to consumers. This Louisiana Pacific product went off the market, officially, in the late 1990's. Fact is, as most … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Another Close One - 04/05/08 02:23 PM
I have done a few posts in the last weeks about people with good intentions, who kind of understand something, but end up missing the mark. You might call it the "close but no cigar" category. The photo below is a good example. This installer must have known that routing gutter … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: You've Seen It From Both Sides Now - 04/03/08 10:35 AM
Especially at new homes, the builder often leaves a couple inches of clearance between the bottom of crawl space vents and the soil. Then the landscapers come in and they install landscape bark. In so doing, they (about 90% of the time from what I see) end up putting the bark … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Pressure-treated Lumber - 04/02/08 02:23 PM
In the State of Washington, a conducive condition that is mandated by the state is "wood to earth contact". Wood to earth contact will, sometimes sooner than later, lead to rot or decay of the wood. Generally this is pretty clear cut -- if wood does not have proper clearances to … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Oh My Achin' Back - 04/02/08 01:27 PM
It is like workin' on the chain gang. But the fact is, despite the title, my back is fine. The photo below is a good example of something that can really complicate and slow down a home inspection. And, since so many realtors have to ensconce themselves on-site during the inspection, that … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Hosebibb -- Two Or More Problems - 03/27/08 03:19 PM
A hosebibb, such as the outside faucet shown below, has a number of vulnerabilities. First, let's talk about freezing. This is not a frost-free installation. In the winter, water would stay in the pipe not only below ground but in all of the exposed pipe that is above ground. If, in … (9 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Wood to Earth Contact - 03/27/08 02:55 PM
The photo above is a commonly seen issue for the home inspector. At least I know that is true in the Pacific Northwest. What you see there is the post at a deck. It is buried in the soil. The problem is our old nemesis known as wood to earth contact. … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Roofs That Can't Drain - 03/27/08 02:11 PM
Earlier today I posted a blog dealing with large trees near homes. In that, I described that a primary consideration for the home inspector is the amount of organic debris such a tree will drop onto the roof. Most homes I see have low-sloped or sloped roofs. When roofs that are … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Your Roots Aren't Showing - 03/27/08 01:48 PM
Actually, the tree in the photo above does not support the home. It is a few feet to the south of the house but you would not know it from the photo. This tree presents a few potential problems. Some of those I will address in this blog and other problems I … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Sweating Windows - 03/25/08 12:08 AM
Yesterday I wrote about mobile homes and the fact they really do need to have a vapor barrier underneath them. Mobile homes, especially the older ones, were noted for poor windows. This had to do with leaks and also it involved missing thermal breaks in the old metal windows. Charlie Buell says … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Mobile Homes: Vapor Barrier Vs Vapor Barrier - 03/23/08 12:07 PM
Mobile and manufactured homes have some oddities of construction compared to stick-built homes. One of those, that is often misunderstood, is the issue of the "vapor barrier." Under a conventional home, everybody knows what we are talking about when we discuss the crawl space vapor barrier -- the plastic sheet over … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Electric System Grounds - 03/22/08 12:10 PM
The photo below is of a grounding electrode that was never fully pounded down into the soil. We wonder why. Did they hit a rock down there, so they could not get it to go any farther, or did the installer just decide it was in deep enough? These things are … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bzzzzzzzzzzz - 03/22/08 11:02 AM
One thing people often do not think about is bees, the bad kind, gaining access to the attic area. I work with one realtor who looks for gaps from the outside to the attic while I am doing the rest of the inspection. I asked him why that is of such … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Garage Door Safety - 03/20/08 01:06 AM
Doors that close automatically, by powered devices, present safety problems for children and pets. For these devices to be considered safe, it is essential that there be a safety feature that will stop and reverse them. The classic example, that we get involved with in real estate, is the overhead garage … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Deck Flashings - 03/18/08 08:33 PM
No flashing! That is something that inspectors see over and over again at decks that attach to the exterior of the home. When the inspector states that there is no flashing and one is needed, virtually all sellers claim it is not necessary and they never heard of such a thing. Others … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Pacific Northwest Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Wood Decay - 03/18/08 08:17 PM
Okay, I admit it, there is wood here. But what a mess it is. Take a look at those joists that are being beaten by our weather here in the Pacific Northwet. When you see these you realize why an inspector likes to see a deck with a sub-structure built of pressure-treated lumber. When … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Debris on Roofs - 03/16/08 05:27 PM
It was a cold and rainy night. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have many conditions that lead to a high risk of roof leaks and water damage in the attic or in the home. Those conditions include lots of tall trees that shade a roof and, more significantly, they shed … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Coiled and Ready to Strike - 03/16/08 04:55 PM
The menace is there, almost in plain sight, but not quite -- slightly concealed. It is not unlike a tightly coiled rattlesnake waiting to strike, except the snake will give you it's telltale warning that your life might be in peril. Not so with the danger that is lurking at the … (9 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Old Codes vs New Codes - 03/13/08 02:55 PM
A home inspector seldom specifies something as a code issue. There are legal reasons for this. However, that does not mean that an inspector does not know a number of codes and is looking out for violations, especially with safety issues. Unless a major renovation is underway, codes are not retroactive. … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: The Home Inspector As The Storyteller - 03/13/08 02:28 PM
A reference was made today, in a blog, to the home inspector as a storyteller. I look upon writing a report in much that manner. While not always possible, it is my goal to get the point across, good or bad, with detailed descriptions and interesting photos. Where possible, I try … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Skylight Thinks About Leaking - 03/13/08 01:53 PM
You might argue that a skylight does not "think". That well may be true but I would argue that if a skylight could think, this one would be thinking about leaking. I know a roofer who says that there are two types of skylights: "Those that are leaking and those that are going … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Let There Be Light - 03/13/08 11:33 AM
Lights, and determining if they operate, can be problematic for the home inspector. In old homes, and new homes, there might be combinations of burned out bulbs or missing bulbs. Also, light switches are unidentified (as in not labeled) so sometimes when a switch does not operate it can be hard … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- The Furnace Requires Service - 03/12/08 06:52 PM
Gas and oil furnace manufacturers recommend that a furnace have professional service by an HVAC professional each year. That applies to a new furnace, after it has been in for a single year. That does not mean that it should be run for the first five years, then it gets on … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Floor Slope - 03/10/08 05:42 PM
It is pretty common, in older homes, for buyers to notice or speculate that floor slope is present. This can be caused by many factors, from settling to wood destroying organism damage to workers that did not spend too much time looking at "level". An inspector, or anyone, who wants some idea … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House) -- That's a No No! - 03/10/08 04:33 PM
The photo below, from a recent home inspection, is a classic example of the attic insulation being poured in around old knob and tube wiring. Knob and tube wiring, at least in the modern day, is problematic even at best. Many insurers do not want to insure homes with old knob … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- The Care And Feeding Of Wood Destroying Organisms - 03/10/08 03:26 PM
As a working home inspector, and a Washington State licensed structural pest inspector, I find numerous wood destroying organisms sharing residences with the mortgage paying, tax paying homeowners. The various wood destroying organisms are not helping pay the mortgage or the taxes but they are having a significant impact on the property. … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Hang Low If You Are Looking To Ruin The Roof - 03/09/08 11:52 PM
Here is a case where the various service wires to the home were not sufficiently above the roof. The electric service wires were slightly above the roof but the wires to the cable to the right obviously did some real rocking during strong winds. And, as I recall, the electric line was … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Posts and Piers - 03/07/08 07:36 PM
It seems like it is a no-brainer that a house needs to have adequate support underneath it. This photo is an example of the sort of thing a home inspector sees more often than you would expect. Many times what would traditionally be posts on poured footings are home-concocted piers or … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- A Most Common Problem - 03/07/08 07:07 PM
If somebody was to ask me to name the most common thing that I find at home inspections, I would have to ponder it a bit. And I am sure that answer varies in different parts of the country. In the Pacific Northwet we probably see more than our share of moss … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House) When The Figurin' Comes Easy - 03/07/08 06:45 PM
The photos below tell an interesting story. Sometimes it is hard to decipher or forecast all the ins and outs of a potential problem. Then there are times when the figuring comes easy. Case in point -- The gutters and downspouts at this home were, generally, well controlled as far as … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Roofing Tar - 03/07/08 12:42 AM
The condition shown in the photo is not ordinarily seen by prospective buyers. Why? Because it is up on the roof where they dare not tread. When an inspector sees tar applied like this, it is a warning sign of amateur repairs. A real roofer uses tar more like glue - … (6 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Wiring - 03/05/08 01:12 AM
This photo was "officially" a professional installation. I criticized it and it ends up that it was, honestly, a water heater installed by a licensed plumber. Now, he did this bang-up job in his own home, so he must have lower standards for personal safety. This guy might have been a plumbing contractor … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Clogged Flex Drain - 03/03/08 11:33 PM
One thing I like about blogging is it lets me obtain extra value from some of my inspection photos. I will think "gee, that is a great topic for a blog and a descriptive or neat photo." On site, it gives me something to look forward to -- using the photo … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Escutcheons - 03/02/08 08:18 PM
One of the most common problems I see in bathtub inspections is the issue of a great big gap behind the spout. This big gap, see first photo below, is a marvelous opportunity for water from a shower to get down into the wall and that is not where you want … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House): Moisture Ant Infestation - 03/01/08 01:09 PM
Actually, we probably would rather live without moisture ants, but they are an important part of nature -- turning old wood back into soil. As a home inspector and a licensed structural pest inspector, I often see ants or, better yet, ants on the march. Fact of the matter is, the … (33 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Carpenter Ant Infestation - 02/29/08 04:25 PM
I was up in Point Roberts, WA. Interesting place, trees all around and many vacation homes. Because of the wooded landscape, it is common to find carpenter ants. Carpenter ants often have nests in nearby trees or old stumps or even old wood below grade so if a person lives near … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Choking the Attic and Roof - 02/29/08 12:28 PM
A key element to maintaining the integrity of most roofing materials, and the attic below, is sufficient ventilation. Ideally this is provided by upper ventilation and lower ventilation. Soffit venting is lower ventilation. Sometimes the soffit vents are correctly installed, but those people who install the insulation end up blocking the … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Stranger Than Fiction - 02/26/08 12:00 PM
The photo below has to be the weirdest window repair I have ever seen. At least it is the weirdest one I have seen that satisfied the homeowner. I have seen rotten and loose windows, people planned to repair down the line, but the seller of the home thought this was A-okay to … (9 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Not Subtle If You Look - 02/26/08 09:50 AM
Realtors in our wet Pacific Northwest are usually expecting an inspection report to mention something about gutter or downspout problems -- gutters full of leaves, gutter leaks, downspouts draining on the siding or next to the house. Sometimes agents will, visually, take a look at gutters as they walk around the … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House): Pest Inspector Methodology - 02/22/08 03:13 PM
When performing a structural pest inspection, an inspector is likely to "sound the wood." The basic idea is two fold. One possibility is that the wood will, hence the name, "sound" different if it is damaged, hollow, soft. This is a technique that works quite well on exterior logs on log … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Botched Up At the End - 02/22/08 12:29 PM
Inspectors see any number of decks. Some are well built. In this wet climate, we like to see the structure built out of pressure treated lumber and concrete piers that isolate wood from soil. As the composite deckings get better looking, to look much like wood, they are becoming more common. … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Mount Baker Home Inspector (King of the House): Uncontrolled Runoff Water - 02/22/08 12:12 PM
There is a tendency, when homes or cabins are at alpine regions, to ignore the runoff water from the roof. That means, they do not bother installing gutters and downspouts. The argument against them, by those who do not install them, is that the gutters can be bent, damaged or torn off the … (1 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Coffee And A Light - 02/22/08 12:19 AM
I saw a recent blog about can-lights written by Charles Buell. He was explaining the finer points of can-lights, inspecting can-lights, and can-light safety. In the comments, he and another AR member were talking about safety features found in some can-lights -- that cause them to shutdown if the bulb is overrated … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Two Problems, One Attic - 02/21/08 04:48 PM
This is an interesting photo in that there are two problems, or at least possible problems. The knob and tube wiring, which had been modified in various places, is the most obvious problem. Some insurance companies will still cover knob and tube wiring (with a higher premium) but many of the … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Whatcom County Home Inspections (King of the House): Scenes From This Old House - 02/21/08 10:54 AM
This Old House -- a famous song and a famous expression. As a home inspector, I see lots of old houses. The one below was a classic example of a 100 year old plus farm house that had been built and lived in over all those years. The modifications and repairs were not always, in fact seldom, done … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Blaine WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Oh Rats! - 02/19/08 10:55 PM
It is odd. People do not want rodents in their homes. Yet they often fail to do something as simple as putting one plus one together. That something simple is realizing that rodents are going to enter a crawl space when they have a window of opportunity, such as through numerous holes … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Home Inspection: It's All About Straightening The Pictures On The Wall - 02/17/08 05:22 PM
The title of this blog is deceptive, down right silly -- if you know anything about the scope of a home inspection. Silly as that title above might be, it is apparent to any working inspector that some naive sellers are under the false impression that the home inspector comes to a house to … (40 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Ferndale WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Disconnected Heat Ducts - 02/14/08 02:40 PM
The photo below gives an example of a problem detected upstairs, that would be hard to impossible to troubleshoot without going into the crawl space. I was at an older home and had my laser thermometer out testing the accessible heat supply registers -- while the furnace was running of course. … (6 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: This One Curled My Hair And Gave Me A Charge! - 02/14/08 01:43 PM
I found something at an inspection the other day that was not only dangerous, but pretty illogical too. This was another house where a "builder" had been doing his own projects. He might have been a builder, but an electrician he was not. The photo to the left is an AC … (8 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Manufacturer's Recommendation: Repair With Duct Tape! - 02/14/08 11:56 AM
I know an individual who, sarcastically and with a smirk, makes fun of duct tape repairs. Can you imagine that -- making sport of the greatest repair miracle cure of the past 100 years. It is a product well known around the world, and in Canada too. This same person is a stickler … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Black Widow Spiders In Western Washington! - 02/12/08 10:12 AM
I have to admit, as a Washingtonian all my life, I have always thought that the only place a person would find black widows spiders would be east of the mountains, as in eastern Washington. Those of us born and raised here know that the "serious" spiders and snakes are found on … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Big, Mean, Nasty Termites: At Least They Are Not In Your House - 02/11/08 10:34 PM
As a home inspector, who also teaches a class in wood destroying organisms through the state college system in Washington State, I always take a camera along with me on hikes or vacations. I have some cool, and very illustrative, photos that I have taken of all kinds of wood problems, … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House): New Home Inspection Issues - 02/11/08 11:17 AM
This is probably a surprise to most people, it was to me the first few times I saw it. I am referring to the number of times in new houses, where the heat ducts have not been hooked together or, if they have, they have come loose. Sometimes I think it … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Garage and Appliance Safety - 02/11/08 09:39 AM
I would not say that this is a frequently seen problem on my inspections, but it certainly is not uncommon either. This is a new house and nobody bothered to put in a barrier to keep someone from accidentally running into the water heater. A metal bollard (post) should be put … (1 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Homeowners Doing Crazy Things With Trees - 02/10/08 04:10 PM
Earlier today I posted a photo of a nice tree house. In thinking about that, I started reflecting on any other unorthodox uses for trees, that are nuts, insane or crazy that I have seen on real, honest to goodness home inspections. Unfortunately, back when I did this inspection, I was not … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Is This An Exception To The Rule -- Does This House Really Need an Inspection? - 02/10/08 03:33 PM
I probably should have saved this post until April fools day. But, then again, I was browsing through my photos today and ran across it. Actually, I was looking for it a few weeks back and could not locate it. So, since it was in my grubby little home inspector paws … (11 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House): Right Idea, Bad Implementation - 02/09/08 10:56 AM
The photo below is amusing in a way. This crawl space vent well was put in, somewhere down the line, by a person who knew that crawl space vents need to be protected from runoff water and being blocked by soil. To achieve that goal, the person put in a vent … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Everson WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Crawl Space Debris - 02/07/08 12:12 PM
Earlier today I wrote about old roof debris and the huge mess it creates in an attic. At that time I eluded to a different, but similar, scenario in the crawl space. In the crawl space the builders will often leave the old wood forms around the poured footings or piers. … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham WA home Inspector (King of the House): Attic Debris - 02/07/08 12:02 PM
So the owner of the home is really proud of the new roof that replaced the old wood shake or shingle roof. The owner says it was a major improvement and, in fact, it probably was. Then the home inspector goes into the attic. This is another of those things an inspector … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Blaine WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Want Mold? Baby -- You Got It! - 02/06/08 12:48 PM
There have been a number of posts lately about mold. Home inspectors see mold all the time, in varying degrees. Sometimes it is widespread but usually it is in a localized area and it does not take an Einstein to determine the cause. And, one thing is certain, mold is ALWAYS, in … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Sumas WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Crawl Space Water - 02/05/08 03:29 PM
Here in the Pacific Northwest, from about September through March or April, the home inspector is likely to see a number of crawl spaces, or even basements, with the affliction shown below. Dirty water, or any water, in the crawl space or basement is a conducive condition and, need I say … (8 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Monty Python Trees - 02/05/08 02:28 PM
I remember in one of the old Monty Python movies, there were trees that would reach out and grab people. I kind of felt like that when I saw this tree. This is one of the best examples I have seen of a tree, at a main public street, that has … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Romans Knew Thy Wood - 02/05/08 09:44 AM
I was pondering Charlie Buell's blog called "What Would Impress The Romans" and thought I would pull out a couple photos of Roman work that impressed me. This is the bottom of an ancient Roman-built building in Bologna Italy. Bologna, like much of Italy, was run, or overrun, by Romans (or Greeks) at one … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Antique Modern - 02/05/08 09:15 AM
I ran across this photo this morning. It is one that came from my trip to Italy last fall. We were standing on top of a hill, looking down on the city of Verona, and I saw this power pole. It had the old glass insulators. I have seen a number … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Everson WA Home Inspector (King of the House): The Picture Conveys A Thousand Words - 02/03/08 07:41 PM
I have gotten many gasps, comments and mileage from the photo of the fresh water supply that is pictured below. In fact, a few weeks back it helped me tie for number one in the "bozo bathroom" awards here at Active Rain. (I would have won outright, but the other party, who … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Daydreaming In A Perfect World - 02/03/08 11:16 AM
I am writing this blog in winter. For some reason, the best days for daydreaming are considered to be those heady days of summer. A person, thinking of daydreaming, will picture the student stuck in the classroom with the warm weather just outside.
I believe that one of the main reasons a … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: Point Roberts Home Inspector (King of the Hosue, 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, made me think of … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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 inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House): Making Up Your Mind -- 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 make … (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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 Northwest … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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 it … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: 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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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Lack of Flashing - 12/31/07 02:10 PM
Although at times it seems redundant, I am not sure that an inspector can overemphasize the importance of having a proper metal flashing at a deck that attaches to the exterior wall of the home. As a review, the flashing goes up under the siding, then comes down over the ledger … (0 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Traction But No Attraction - 12/31/07 10:01 AM
Composition shingles, roll roofing and carpet are something a home inspector really does not like to see tacked on a wood deck. People put these surfaces down, usually because they feel the deck is slick. The carpet, immediately, allows rain through to the wood, so the wood stays wet and rots. … (0 comments)
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