bellingham wa home inspector: Open-ended Gutters - 05/06/08 09:07 AM
Many new homes in the Pacific Northwet, older homes too, have gutters installed that have open ends. These are almost always on dormers so they drain the water from that smaller roof down to the end of the gutter where it keeps on a movin' down the rooof to the main … (4 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: Creepy Crawlies - 05/04/08 01:56 PM
It seems that almost everybody has some living object that creeps them out. For me it is the snake and lizard variety. For many other people it is insects in general but especially spiders. The other big fear for some people is the vermin variety, rats and even mice -- who … (22 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Mold? Fungus For Sure - 05/03/08 11:24 AM
When an inspector sees sheathing under the roof, visible in the attic, with kind of a gray, hazy stain, it can be problematic figuring out what caused it. There are several possibilities. The first thought might be a roof leak but that is usually more isolated, in a given spot or … (4 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Just Rollin' With The Flow - 05/02/08 08:56 AM
You ever see one of those driveways that slopes toward the garage vehicle door? If you have, and you have ever wondered what happens when it rains in a wet climate, the photo below gives you a pretty good idea.
This is really a bad situation. First, the garage cannot be … (3 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: No Flashing, Big Problem! - 05/01/08 09:23 PM
This photo is a good example of why it is important to properly flash an exterior wall that is located at the side of the roof. Some short-sighted builders think that, since the water is going to be running down the roof, it will not hurt to have the wall touching … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Inspector Got Steamed Up On The Roof - 04/30/08 11:11 AM
The whitish vapor you see coming out the flue that is closest to you is indicative of a safety problem. It is also something an inspector sees a lot of. I was up on a roof and had identified the two flues to the right as having come from abandoned fireplaces. … (13 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: Illegal Aliens Welcomed On Bellingham Bay - 03/31/08 06:33 PM
I have been busy the last few days between work and writing a second meme. However, I am never too busy to occasionally take a walk. While we had snow on Saturday, today has been a mixed bag. We went from sunshine and warm temperatures -- lawn mowing weather, to rain. … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Subtle Diversions - 02/14/08 02:25 PM
Many aspects of home inspection involve common sense. That does not, however, mean that the decisions an inspector makes are always obvious. That is especially true when dealing with electrical, HVAC or plumbing issues. This blog is about a common sense concern, but one that the average person does not think … (2 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House): Oh Lordy! My Fungus Has Turned Green - 02/03/08 12:19 PM
People in the Pacific Northwest sometimes feel like they are living in a rain forest. And, of course, some parts of the region are in rain forests. The rest of us, who are not in rain forests, still have lots of rain. Moisture and shade, that leads to a lack of … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Home Inspection Puzzle: Guess Why? - 01/30/08 10:46 PM
Okay, you were not there so this is hard to figure out. But some of the home inspector types like Charlie Buell will probably come pretty close or nail this one. And, since it is my puzzle, I get to give you the clues as I see fit.
This was a home … (11 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: "The Contractor Stakes His Reputation On This House" -- Start Running! - 01/25/08 02:58 PM
I have got to tell you, especially with remodels and contractors "flipping" houses, you really need to start running when the contractor or his agent says "This contractor stakes his reputation on this job." Over and over again, I have heard that. The first time I thought, wow that is neat … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Missing Flashing - 01/14/08 10:50 PM
The photo is a bit dark, sorry, but the poor camera was flooded today. What a downpour. Anyway, there are a couple things here. First, the steps are built up over the composition wood siding. The T1-11 siding does not look too favorably upon being wet all the time. And, moisture … (2 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Don't Look Now But My Bolts Are Loose - 01/10/08 11:49 PM
If you work in real estate, you know that modern homes that have furnaces and water heaters in the garage -- if they are in line with a vehicle path -- require a barrier or bollard as protection in front of them. Bollard, you know, that metal pole that is bolted to the concrete … (2 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Your Vents Are Below Grade! - 01/09/08 10:12 PM
With an unconditioned crawl space an inspector does not want to see the vents below grade. When vents are below grade, rain and runoff water are likely to run into the crawl space -- which is something you do not want. Also, if they are far enough below grade, the dirt … (9 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Wiring Concerns - 01/08/08 12:50 PM
The photo below gives you a pretty quick idea that a non-professional has been working on the wiring. Electrical connections are designed to be inside junction boxes, not hanging out the side. This was a high fan and the other thing you have to wonder about is how well is it … (2 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Trees and Roofs - 01/08/08 12:36 PM
It seems that most homeowners do the realize that organic debris on the roof is a defect. In the past, I have written on moss before. However, while easier to deal with than moss, huge quantities of leaves on a roof are a problem too. I have inspected homes where even … (1 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: Roll Roofing - 01/02/08 11:05 AM
Roll roofing, bottom line, is not a very durable nor a high quality roofing material. However, in budget operations or non-critical locations, it is sometimes used -- often on lower sloped roofs because it is cheap and more suitable for that application than conventional shingles. It is quite common on shed … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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 wa home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Exposed Structural Lumber - 12/31/07 02:56 PM
Over time, lumber that is needlessly exposed to rain will decay. The most common example of this is usually fascia or rafter tails that extend out from, and are exposed, at the roof. In my experience, quality roofers will put a small piece of shingle, sometimes a flashing, over the exposed wood … (4 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: 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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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Water Intrusion - 12/30/07 11:27 PM
Below is a photo of a deck, actually a small landing, that is in front of a door that faces south. The southern exposure door receives heavy weather, wind and rain, and to make it even more harsh the home is not too far from the ocean. You can tell by looking … (3 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham Wa Home Inspection (King of the House): Attention To Detail Is Important - 12/30/07 05:14 PM
This is a photo of a sink located in the center island of a kitchen. The main water was shutoff at the home, so I could not perform all of the standard plumbing examinations that I normally do. However, even in such a situation, I do try to look for loose … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Ferndale Home Inspector (King of the House, Inc): Beyond a Reasonable Expectation - 12/30/07 02:35 PM
A detail-oriented and thorough home inspector tries to look at as many standard components and systems in a home as is possible. This includes flipping the light switches and those that run fans, disposals, etc. Sometimes, even though the inspector has noble intentions, it is not possible to test, or even … (4 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Conducive Conditions - 12/30/07 12:16 PM
In a blog yesterday I wrote about Washington State mandated conducive conditions. Conducive Conditions -- In this state, they are a big deal to any home inspector who is properly licensed and operating in a legal manner. Below is a photo of one of the most common conducive conditions. Over and … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: It's The Law: In WA State This MUST Be Reported - 12/29/07 06:33 PM
In Washington State, any for fee home inspection, involving a structure and a real estate transaction, must have a complete wood destroying organism inspection. This must be performed by a state tested, licensed and financially responsible (bond or insurance usually) structural pest inspector. If that inspector fails to call out conducive … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: The Home Inspector Is NOT A Specialist - 12/26/07 03:46 PM
I thought I would take this opportunity to better define the role of the home inspector. The home inspector is a generalist and, if properly trained, should know lots about many different systems and components of the home. With a few exceptions, however, the inspector is not a licensed electrician, licensed … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Leaky Roof - 12/23/07 06:21 PM
The photo below was quite an opportunity for a home inspector. Frequently an inspector sees a roof that has seen better days. If a composition roof, such as the one at this home, that can include missing granular material, tears, holes and penetrations, moss, debris, tar repairs, bad flashings or just plain … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Whatcom/Skagit County Home Inspections (King of the House): Damp Crawl Spaces - 12/23/07 02:11 PM
Here in the Pacific Northwest, due to our damp climate, those of us who do state mandated inspections for wood destroying organisms (as part of a home inspection) look for water or dampness in the crawl space. Damp conditions can be caused by a multitude of problems: poor management of runoff … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Beware: Yucky Photo But Proof Positive - 12/22/07 05:24 PM
In a post earlier this week I wrote about the problem an inspector might have in trying to determine if rodents are present in a home or if the inspector is seeing signs of a paranoid homeowner who thinks there are pests, but in reality there are not. Sometimes it can be hard … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Blaine Home Inspector (King of the House): Rodents In Our Midst? - 12/18/07 04:52 PM
Sometimes a home inspector finds clues without being able to absolutely, for certain, state that a problem currently exists. The photo below is an example. While I did not see rodent droppings in this crawl space, this big rat trap was conspicuously placed on a heat duct. The question was: Is … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Deck Flashings - 12/18/07 04:42 PM
Sometimes, when doing a home inspection, even if you as the inspector know what you are looking for it can be hard to tell what you are really seeing. This is particularly true as no destructive testing is done. For example, the photo at the left is a deck where it … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Slow Drains - 12/13/07 10:59 AM
One issue, usually not serious, that can be missed by an inspector unless quite a bit of water is run, is the slow drain. In most homes the slow drain at bath sinks is caused by hair. More often than not, if the P-trap is cleaned, the sink will drain okay. … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspection Photos (King of the House): Carpenter Ants - 12/09/07 12:08 AM
I went hunting in a crawl space the other day and made a rather dramatic find. If you look at the top photo, this is evidence that a competent structural pest inspector will be on the lookout for. That is classic carpenter ant frass. Look above the sill plate. Now, honestly, sometimes an inspector wonders … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): 240 Volt Circuits - 12/02/07 07:27 PM
I have been looking at some of my "bozo" electrical photos today -- compilations from a number of my inspections. This is not an uncommon scenario. In this case, someone removed the 240 volt circuit from the water heater and just left the energized wires hanging there with a couple wire nuts … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Wood Stove Safety - 12/02/07 07:08 PM
Wood burning stoves and fireplaces are a component of many homes that an inspector has to evaluate. Honestly, more often than not, there is some glaring problem that makes it apparent that the device requires professional service. This ranges from heavy deposits of creosote in the flue, to broken firebricks, bad … (3 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Beware: Hairy Homeowner Does Electricity - 12/02/07 06:34 PM
That is not a typo. In this case, when I say Hairy Homeowner, I spelled hairy the way I wanted. This is one of the more bizarre things I have seen in the last couple months. This was in an older home where the owner had done much of his own … (4 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Insufficient Heat In The Home - 11/24/07 10:44 PM
One thing you cannot take for granted in a home is that it will have sufficient heat sources. In older houses the situation could be as basic as a space heater that is being used to heat too many rooms. I have inspected newer houses where, for one reason or another, … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Crawl Space Water Calculations: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) - 11/20/07 03:52 PM
As a home inspector, there have been times where it was important, as a service to my client, to guesstimate the quantity of water that was collected in a given location. In one case, in a garage, I found an old pit for working under a car. This under the slab pit … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House): Unsafe Wiring - 11/18/07 07:50 PM
In the blog just before this one, I wrote about why re-inspecting a home to make sure all repairs were done by qualified parties, in a workmanlike manner, can be high in liability. I was browsing some photos and thought this would be a good example. These were live 120V wires in a … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Oops, Why Your Clients Cannot Count On Code Inspections - 11/11/07 10:13 PM
From a safety standpoint, this is probably the most egregious error, or oversight, I have ever seen from a governmental code inspector. This photo is from a new home. The electrical code inspector had completely signed off on the electrical system, including the panel, circuits, etc. It was done and approved! … (6 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Tip For Seller's Agents - 11/11/07 09:57 PM
This might be more applicable information in the Pacific Northwest than certain other areas, but I suspect it is a universal problem. It certainly wouldbe in any area with trees, especially deciduous trees. As a home inspector, I would suggest that realtors might want to recommend that their clients either clean … (7 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Guess Who Is Coming For The Home Inspection? - 11/11/07 09:30 PM
I was doing a home inspection on Thursday. It was in a wooded area. Now, at home inspections it is common to run into the buyer, the seller, realtors involved or maybe a builder or even a worker who is going to do repairs on the home. In this case, I … (5 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Mount Baker Home Inspection (King of the House): Crawl Space Posts - 10/24/07 02:29 PM
Imagine the surprise my client would have had, at some point down the road, had he not had an inspection. The example here is not one single, solitary isolated incident of a builder who was in a rush. There were about thirty posts under the house and all of them were … (12 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: B-Vent Safety and Combustible Clearances - 10/24/07 10:18 AM
I was rummaging through my inspection photos and found a couple that I thought make a good point about an often seen problem -- combustibles packed around the B-vent in the attic. Especially in older homes, time and time again, the inspector sees insulation resting in contact with the B-vent. A … (2 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: When Anobiid Beetles Strike - 10/18/07 09:28 PM
This is another photo from the Pacific Northwest, where the anobiid beetles had been working in a crawl space. I enlarged the photo, so you can take a good look. All the little shot sized holes are where the larvae pupated, turned into an adult and then left the wood. The … (0 comments)
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bellingham wa home inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House): Duplex Pricing - 10/18/07 06:22 PM
It makes sense to me, but sometimes people balk when they find that it costs more, or they have to pay more at least, to have a duplex inspected than a home of the same size. If you think about it, that should not be such a surprise. The uninitiated will think … (0 comments)
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