blaine 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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blaine 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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blaine 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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blaine 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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blaine home inspector: Stressed-out Decks - 03/27/08 02:21 PM
The deck below is the final blog related to an earlier post about tall trees near homes and how that impacts roofs and decks. The wood at this deck, at the time of the inspection, was still in satisfactory condition. At least, based on what a person could see under the … (0 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Doing Goofy Stuff With Baseboard Heaters - 03/25/08 10:06 AM
Sometimes I wonder how so many people live their lives with electric baseboard heaters without catching something on fire. I will admit it, personally, that it can be easy to do something dumb with a baseboard. Years ago I was working at a rental property I own and left the … (4 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Wood Eating Plants - 03/22/08 12:02 PM
The little window box below could be hiding problems. People are so tempted to hang large and small planters on the side of the house. Heck, I have a rental house with a planter outside one window. If this is done correctly, which it seldom is, fewer problems will result. Think … (4 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Smoke Detectors - 03/20/08 01:34 AM
The photo above is a common sight for the home inspector. The smoke detector is missing in the line of duty. Poof and it was gone! Why, well there are many reasons for this. One of the most common is that the battery is weak, it starts squeaking and it … (3 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Crawl Space Vent Problems - 03/20/08 01:26 AM
If you look at the photo below, you should see three problems. Now, two of the problems are pretty much the same thing, just 2x the problem. The other problem is related, but different. Here goes: First the different problem -- The screen is torn out of the vent on the … (1 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Venting Fans in Attics - 03/13/08 02:10 PM
The photo below left is an example of the way some people vent exhaust fans from bathrooms, laundry rooms or even range hoods. They duct the fan to the attic, but instead of having a proper hood on the roof, they tie the duct in the general vicinity of a roof … (2 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Blowin' Hot Air - 03/10/08 05:58 PM
If you have ever been in a new home and saw that 24 hour timer on the wall of the bathroom or the laundry room, then you are probably looking at the 24 hour ventilation system. These systems are designed to be set to operate automatically. This is done with one or … (10 comments)
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blaine 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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blaine 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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blaine home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House): What's Knot -- LP Siding - 03/07/08 06:07 PM
I have written about this topic before, but then I have an experience that makes me think I had better write about it again. It seems like old hat to me, but that is not the case. Yesterday I was doing an inspection and a friendly appraiser was on-site. He was … (2 comments)
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blaine 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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blaine 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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blaine home inspector: New Homes, Forgotten Tasks - 02/29/08 12:16 PM
There is, periodically, a discussion about whether or not there is a point in having a home inspection at a brand new home. My experience has shown me that the answer is a resounding "yes." The most serious problem I have found at new homes involves significant standing water in the … (2 comments)
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blaine home inspector: A Termite Manifesto: The Stranger Among Us - 02/26/08 11:25 AM
In the Pacific Northwest, practically speaking, we have two types of termites to look out for on inspections. And, if you are in the Bellingham area, despite the propaganda you might hear to the contrary-- Yes, we too have termites!The first, and uncommon in most parts of the country, is the … (6 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Look To The Sky My Friend - 02/26/08 10:08 AM
When a home inspector looks for leaks, where pipes and vents exit the roof, it can be a subtle process. If there is an accessible attic, the inspector will try to look around these appurtenances (big fancy word for stuff coming out of the roof). Another method, done in virtually every … (0 comments)
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blaine home inspector: 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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blaine 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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blaine home inspector: 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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blaine home inspector: 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)
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blaine home inspector: Birch Bay Blaine Wa. Home Inspection (King of the House): Crawl space variations and ventilation - 07/16/07 12:58 AM
Recently, I saw a general statement telling people to block their crawl space vents permanently. I have made skeptical remarks on this, based on conditions I personally see out in the field inspecting in western Washington and based on Washington WDO laws.
While the practice of blocking vents might be a good … (4 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House): Gas Services - 07/12/07 10:43 PM
This is one of those problems -- not so glaring -- that could be missed by someone buying a house. In fact, this was missed by the municipal code inspector. The problem, if you think about it, is pretty simple. Someone pulling into this driveway has a strong potential of wiping out, … (0 comments)
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blaine home inspector: Blaine WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Hot Water Scalding - 05/28/07 01:06 PM
At a home inspection, King of the House Inc, measures the temperature of the hot water. This might seem overly detailed to some, as people often like their water hot and figure it is a personal preference. I can tell you that often the water is dangerously hot. It is not uncommon … (0 comments)
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