bellingham home inspector: Client Psychology And The Inspector - 11/22/09 07:37 PM
Sometimes I find the psychology of working with clients interesting or even amusing. I think that, to a large degree, that is the result of the general public not really knowing what the home inspector is looking for.
Are we there to straighten the pictures on the wall, or something … (37 comments)
bellingham home inspector: King of the House (Bellingham Home Inspections) -- Vinyl Siding - 11/22/09 07:19 PM
Vinyl siding is a very common siding in my area. Some people love it, others hate it. I have found it on high-end homes and low-end homes. I knew one fellow who had it put on a very high-priced custom home because he never wanted to paint.
As the years … (5 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Salt Spring Island Photo - 11/22/09 12:28 PM
A week back, when I was on Salt Spring Island -- this gorgeous island in British Columbia -- I noticed that the island has many different churches. We were staying at a place called Fulford Harbor and a short walking distance away from our lodging was this cute little church. … (7 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Farkas On The Roof -- An Active Rain Moment - 11/21/09 06:40 PM
All right. Some of you probably think that this crazy blogger has a mis-spelling in the title above. Maybe you think that I mean "fracus" on the roof. But, nope, my spelling is exactly as was intended.
This is my story and I am sticking to it. Today I was working with … (14 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Innocence Beyond Belief - 11/20/09 07:07 PM
Maybe you have to be on an island to find this kind of trust. I have not seen anything like this since I was a kid back in the 1950's and early 1960's. My wife and I were visiting Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. It is an easy drive … (52 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Funny How The Mind Works - 11/20/09 01:32 AM
Sometimes it is funny how the mind works. As part of the home inspection training class at Bellingham Technical College, I maintain some online practice tests that help students prepare for various inspection related state or national exams. Here is the scoop.
I was at an inspection today and one sprinkler head was … (12 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Howling Winds and Lost Power - 11/16/09 08:44 AM
This morning in Bellingham the wind is howling. I have an inspection on Lake Samish. I really wonder if I will be able to get on the roof. This is turning out to be a bad year as far as losing our power in Bellingham. That is usually wind related. … (8 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Oh Yes, The Best Of Intentions - 11/13/09 06:14 PM
Picture this: The homeowner knows there is a roof leak. The homeowner knows that shingles are blown off. So how does the homeowner correct this? Usually in a totally unprofessional manner. The photo below is not an uncommon repair.
Those shingles laying over the damaged area are vulnerable and … (8 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Failing Water Heaters (King of the House Home Inspection) - 11/11/09 08:44 PM
Home inspectors, when it is possible to do so, try to get data on water heaters. From a serial number, almost always, a water heater can be "dated" for age.
Some sellers think that as long as the water heater heats, then the inspector should say nothing about the condition … (17 comments)
bellingham home inspector: You're Looking At A Fire Hazard - 11/10/09 11:49 PM
Natural gas and propane furnaces are usually vented with B vents. A B vent is a double-wall vent, so it can have tighter clearances to combustibles than single wall vents or metal chimneys.
But, just the same, it requires one inch of clearance, minimum, from flammables. Especially when people put … (27 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Old School -- It Could Have Been Worse - 11/09/09 03:47 PM
I do not know if anyone from Active Rain has written about this, locally in my area, or not. But last week, Thursday early morning, there was a major fire at Whatcom Middle School. Now I relate to that school. It used to be the original high school in Bellingham … (6 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Looking Under the Surface -- Can You Dig It! - 11/09/09 03:14 PM
In the past I have written a number of articles about underground fuel tanks, both heating oil and gasoline tanks. Such tanks were common in older homes and, sometimes, I find homes where the tanks are still in use supplying a furnace.
The most common signs of a storage tank … (4 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Unsafe Closet Lighting - 11/08/09 09:26 AM
Bare light bulbs in closets are a safety hazard. I know of that first hand. You see that bulb there -- assume that the socket is not loose -- well people do things like use closet bulbs as hangers. I know that one firsthand. My dear departed dad (yes Heather that … (7 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Three In A Row Ain't Good - 11/07/09 09:14 PM
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 … (12 comments)
bellingham home inspector: When You Can't See the Roof for the Trees - 11/07/09 10:41 AM
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 … (4 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Properties Taking Out The Home Inspector - 11/07/09 09:25 AM
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 … (4 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Why I Don't See Vermin At My Abode - 11/05/09 04:36 PM
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 … (16 comments)
bellingham home inspector: Rodents In Paradise - 11/05/09 08:19 AM
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 … (13 comments)
bellingham home inspector: The Problem With A Cantilevered Deck - 11/05/09 12:49 AM
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.
Home inspection information designed to educate the real estate buyer and the real estate professional. Blog posts include general information and information specific to the Pacific Northwest region.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
In the wet Pacific Northwest, it is essential that roofers put metal flashings or even a shingle over the various rafter tails or fascia that extend out from the house -- typically at the ends of the gutters. When that simple step is neglected, it ends up that, inevitably, there … (3 comments)
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