bellingham wa home inspections: 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)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Blaine WA Home Inspection (King of the House): These Photos Will Floor You! - 01/30/08 12:01 PM
Last night I was writing about floor damage, primarily around tubs and showers. The specific topic had to do with failed caulking. For a simple topic, this garnered a surprising amount of interest as it is a problem everyone sees on occasion or maybe even more often than not. In that … (8 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: 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)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Birch Bay Home Inspector (King of the House): Pyrolysis Can Kill You - 01/25/08 11:14 PM
Pyrolysis. That is a word you should take note of. If you analyze it and think "gee, might have the same root as pyromaniac", then you are correct. The catch is, the pyromaniac is out trying to cause trouble. Pyrolysis, and how it would affect you or a friend is purely the … (5 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: 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)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): I Smell A Big Rat - 01/25/08 03:40 PM
I am sure that you have heard the term "I smell a rat", in fact I used that expression today when a tele-marketer was trying to put me in a hammer lock. Maybe you have even heard the old song of that name. It was by Big Mama Thornton, who was best known … (7 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House): Over and Over Again - 01/23/08 09:37 PM
A home inspector, who is realistic, knows that he or she will see many of the same things time and time again. Let me name only a few: Gutters full of debris; downspouts that drain against the foundation; trees over the roof, moss on the roof; creosote in fireplaces, wood stoves … (6 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Point Roberts Home Inspection (King of the House): Pyromaniacs Inside Your Walls! - 01/23/08 11:43 AM
The title above might be there to get your attention, but the problem is very real -- electric baseboard and in-wall heaters that are unsafe and are known to cause fires. I see lots of them out there and, over time, an inspector kind of learns which ones to be suspicious … (4 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: 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)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Sudden Valley Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Extension Cords - 01/15/08 08:18 PM
This is a photo of a scenario that is not uncommon to find, especially in vacation homes. At this home a permanent appliance, that requires power, has been purchased and is located at the other side of the door. The problem is, there is not an outlet on that side of … (7 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Unsafe Railings - 01/15/08 08:05 PM
Home inspectors see lots of times when steps, decks, and landings, do not have adequate handrails or guardrails. A basic rule with outdoor structures is that anything over 30" tall, or with four or more steps, should have handrails and/or guardrails that meet certain minimum safety standards. The photo below, while … (3 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Double Whammy Gutters - 01/15/08 07:38 PM
This photo was taken yesterday during a heavy rainstorm. As you can tell, the home is surrounded by trees -- not normal trees but basically a forest. As is usually the case in that environment, unless someone is continually cleaning the gutters, the gutters are fully blocked with leaves and debris. … (2 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Agents, You Be the Judge: Problem or Not? - 07/26/07 03:34 PM
This is one of those things that is frustrating to the home inspector. What you see here is a flex drain. It has ridges in it, like a vacuum cleaner hose. We usually find these under bathroom sinks. If you have ever cleaned a bathroom sink drain and trap, even one … (4 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Crawl space ventilation and Washington Law - 07/20/07 01:28 AM
There have been a number of blogs, among us home inspector types, discussing crawl space ventilation and lack of same. Some inspectors in other parts of the country are recommending that crawl space vents be closed. As I have pointed out, in this state the rules on this go beyond mere … (2 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Bellingham Wa. Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): Safety and Physical Requirements - 07/13/07 12:19 AM
As the program coordinator of the home inspection training program at Bellingham Technical College, I get a call a week from an employment counselor or a rehabilitation worker, wanting to know if their client can handle the rigors of the job. I have also had people call up and say that … (4 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Bow Washington Home Inspections: Puzzle -- See if you can figure this one out - 07/10/07 06:26 PM
I could say, only in the wet northwest, but will hold back on that in describing this photo. The picture below was taken at a new home that I inspected. Odd as it may seem, the downspout was turned in towards the floor of the deck and drained onto it. So that … (4 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Firehall in Fairhaven - 07/10/07 06:08 PM
I went to lunch today with a friend. Due to lots of street work in the primary restaurant area in Fairhaven, we ended up at the firehall. This is at Harris and 14th Streets. It is a pretty neat idea. For most of my adult life this was a working firehall … (6 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Whatcom and Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House): When fire safety makes you less safe! - 07/08/07 11:16 AM
We tend to assume that commercial buildings have fewer ill-planned designs, that are safety hazards, than our homes that have assorted home owner modifications. After all, the city, county or state code inspectors and planners get heavily involved in new buildings or converting old buildings: specifying elevators, handrails, steps, egress and many other … (0 comments)
|
bellingham wa home inspections: Bellingham Wa home inspections (King of the House):Choosing a home inspector - 07/05/07 03:01 PM
This blog was written for Bellingham, Wa. and Whatcom County, but it applies about anywhere.People, including realtors, often ask what a consumer should look for in a home inspector. Those of us who work in the inspection field as professionals, and also teach home inspection for Bellingham Technical College, are often put … (4 comments)
|
;)
Links;)
Tags (Tag Cloud);)
Archives
