everson: Skylight Inspections (Concealed components, visual limitations)
- 08/23/14 09:56 AM
It is not good news, but to be truthful, it is iffy as to whether or not a home inspector will be able to reliably detect subtle seepage around skylights. Many factors and variables are involved and sometimes you can, sometimes you cannot.
Flashings and seals around the glazing at corners of skylights are vulnerable to leaks. The watertightness of any given skylight is dependent on the quality of the skylight itself (manufacturers’ responsibility) and proper installation of flashings-seals and the placement of underlayments at the top side (responsibility of in-the-field installers). … (6 comments)
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everson: Building Houses to Last -- NOT!
- 04/27/14 06:16 AM
There are building techniques that will survive for only a few years, then there are methods that will result in materials lasting for many, many years. A classic example of non-durable, short term, construction is the way many contractors pay no heed to the consequences of moisture wicking up into wood.
The photo above is a wood column that supports an overhang roof. The overhang protects part of this concrete patio from rain but not the edge. And, where the post rests on damp concrete, rot-decay was developing. Even pressure-treated lumber lasts longer if it is not damp all of the … (39 comments)
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everson: Home Inspection: Where the Uncommon is Common
- 02/22/14 12:19 AM
Anyone who says that a home inspector sees the same old things over and over again, is either not familiar with the territory of home inspection or he or she is ill informed. Sure, most of what we see is repetitive with varying degrees of good or bad going on.
But there are so many different systems and devices, and many harebrained repairs, that sometimes the unusual becomes apparent. I think I have seen maybe two systems like the one I am writing about here -- Apollo Hydro Heat. At first glace, the unit looks like a furnace. But, in fact, it utilizes hot … (4 comments)
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everson: Unseen Problems Lurking in the Dark (Crawl Space Woes)
- 02/17/14 12:13 AM
At an inspection in Bellingham a few days back at a house with a "basement" I found a concealed crawl space area. This one really was concealed, no outside vents or anything to provide a clue as to its presence. However, when I found a hatch cut in the rotted-out deck, I pried it up and sure enough, there was the crawl space that nobody knew about, thought about or cared about.
As is, the condition of this crawl space alone was enough to stymie the deal on a house that had roof, electric, plumbing and structural issues. There were multiple problems … (4 comments)
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everson: Home Inspection: Take Nothing for Granted
- 11/13/13 01:16 PM
Most people believe that a home inspector should, and can, make a number of general assumptions. You know, the basics like if a professional builder did the work, and the code authorities signed-off on the job, then it was done right.
If only that were true, it would make the home inspector's work much simpler and less stressful. Fact is, we have to stay on our toes at all times because there is very little about a home that one can take for granted.
That reality was brought to the forefront at a recent inspection. At a home, less than five years … (3 comments)
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everson: Please Shut The Door
- 05/19/13 04:39 AM
This is an amusing and a revealing photo taken recently at an inspection at a large commercial building. It was dark inside the building, and bright sunlight prevailed at the outside. The picture tells the story, pretty poor energy efficiency at this door. You might be thinking that I should have shut the door before snapping the photo. Well, look again, fact of the matter is that door is shut and latched.
All that daylight is the result of a poor fit, lack of weatherstrippings and a threshold. When you put those missing ingredients together, you have a door that … (36 comments)
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everson: HUD Manufactured Home Foundation Certifications in Bellingham, WA
- 02/11/13 03:40 AM
People today have too little time in the workday. Reducing the amount of chasing around, paperwork, the number of phone calls and Emails involved in a business transaction benefits any home buyer, home seller, real estate professional or lender.
Locally, I know that many lenders and real estate professionals become frustrated when the federal government is involved in financing a manufactured home sale. The home will probably require a HUD compliant certification inspection stating that the foundation meets with HUD Permanent Foundation Guidelines for Manufactured Homes -- a requirement for FHA-insured loans.
Photo: View under manufactured home in Whatcom County, … (5 comments)
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everson: 1957, What a Year
- 01/06/13 11:40 PM
In the history of recorded music, songs do not get much bigger than this one. The impact of this song, how it and the artist who performed it influenced music for the next 50 years and beyond, is quite amazing. It was a real trend setter.
For seven weeks, in the fall and winter of 1957, this tune was #1 from downtown Manhattan to Alcatraz Island. The smash hit was blasting out of AM car radios and, internationally, the artist had the first song to ever debut at #1 on the British charts. Ike was the President, back in the days … (14 comments)
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everson: Flashing the Deck or Landing
- 12/22/12 04:30 AM
Time and time again, working here in Bellingham as a home inspector, I find improperly installed or, more often than not, decks installed without proper flashings at the wall. The problem is simple enough, where that horizontal landing attaches to the house, moisture collects thanks to our "liquid sunshine" here in the Pacific Northwest. So, given a few years, it is just a matter of time until rot forms at that transition point and, often, the rot will spread back into the wall.
Here is a photo of a deck that is of particular concern.
This is a traditional stucco … (10 comments)
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everson: Aged Metal Plumbing Pipes, Bellingham WA Home Inspections
- 12/18/12 10:55 PM
In the course of performing home inspections at older homes, along with knob and tube wiring, one of the most common issues that I find involves aged metal plumbing pipes. The old pipes commonly found in the Bellingham area and Whatcom County include cast iron, galvanized steel (drain and supply pipes) and even lead pipe at toilet drains.
Some clients wonder why the old pipes would even be considered a problem. The answer to that, based on when the materials were commonly installed, is that most old metal pipes are at, or beyond, estimated design life of 50 or so years. … (4 comments)
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everson: The Home Inspector Does Not Pass or Fail Houses
- 12/16/12 05:57 AM
There is a misconception, among many people (including buyers and sellers), that we home inspectors "pass" or "fail" houses. That is not the case. Inspectors do not give letter grades A through F at any house.
On the other hand, the home inspector will report the conditions that are present and visible. For example, there are obvious problems at this building. A good inspector will describe those deficiencies in detail but he or she will not give the house a letter grade.
The inspector's job is to provide pertinent information on the condition of the home. It is the job of the client … (4 comments)
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everson: Failed Paint (King of the House Home Inspection) Bellingham, WA
- 01/12/12 07:10 AM
Failed paint can be unsightly, that is the initial reaction upon seeing peeling paint. If that painted surface is on the inside, unless it is old lead-based paint and someone is eating it, the problem usually remains cosmetic in nature. However, if the surface with the deteriorating paint is outside, and weather-exposed, look for negative consequences.
When the failed exterior paint is over wood, expect the wood to swell and, eventually, become soft and rot. If the paint is protecting a steel surface, often the case at outside light fixtures and handrails, rust-corrosion will degrade the metal and make it … (2 comments)
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everson: Speaking of Photos -- Whatcom County Museum, Bellingham, WA
- 10/27/11 03:19 AM
I am often posting photos at Active Rain that I shot in Italy, Mexico or Canada. For a promotional piece that I am working on, I have taken photos of four or five of the best known buildings in Bellingham. I think that the most distinctive of those has to be the Whatcom County Museum. This building goes back to 1892 and was, for many years, the Bellingham City Hall.
Ever since I was a kid, 1950's, it has been the Whatcom County Museum and a main cultural meeting point for the county. Some people think the building is lovely. There … (4 comments)
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everson: Is Your Washington State Home Inspector Licensed?
- 07/24/11 09:04 AM
Many consumers, and others, are having trouble finding the official website that lists licensed home inspectors for the state of Washington. This has led to frustration on the part of people trying to find licensed inspectors -- that includes realtors and other inspectors. To be most effective, licensing data should be easy to access and there are unlicensed inspectors out there.
Since I am on the licensing board, I figure I need to be able to pass that official link on to others. So, if you are an agent, in Washington State, and you wish to be able to, anytime night or day, search the … (1 comments)
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everson: Washington State Home Inspector Training -- Bellingham Technical College
- 07/22/11 11:24 AM
The next full (120-hour) home inspection training course will be held at Bellingham Technical College beginning on October 17, 2011. The 40-hours of state approved field training work follow, beginning on November 4, 2011. This will be the last such course offering, at BTC, in 2011.
The BTC inspection course, the first course to receive state accreditation when licensing began a couple years ago, includes both the three weeks of Fundamentals of Home Inspection Training, 120-hours, and 40-hours of field training. While the courses can be taken separately, most students take both.
For an overview of the BTC course, and the field training, please watch … (8 comments)
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everson: #1 Single In America, July 1964, 47 years ago
- 07/17/11 02:13 PM
One of the groups that has been classified as, perhaps, the most all-American of all singing groups, had a #1 single for two weeks in July 1964. The song hit the #1 slot on July 4th and it stayed there for two weeks. As a result of the British Invasion, the single had the distinction of being the first #1 hit on the U.S. charts by an American "boy" band in eight months.
The band had formed in high school as Carl and the Passions, from there the name changed to the Pendletons. Needless to say, the numerous tracks of "hot … (8 comments)
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everson: First Ever Gold Record -- Booming Back to 1958
- 07/16/11 02:42 PM
Let's face it, the entertainment and music industries are fueled by hype and excitement--heightening people's expectations sells merchandise.
By the late 1950's, to generate record sales and with no strict rules or guidelines in effect, the record labels were, at will, awarding gold records to their artists. The result was that the false hype sold more records. At one point the labels were shipping out what they claimed to be records that were "gold on delivery." The dishonest part of that distribution system was that many of those discs did not sell well and they ended up coming back to the record companies as … (8 comments)
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everson: Outdoor Ponds -- Flying Under the Radar
- 04/06/11 04:12 AM
You probably know that swimming pools have any number of requirements as to barriers and various means of keeping children from accidentally drowning. The barrier requirements, depending on the design, may include four foot high, non-climbable, fences that need latches. In some cases, safety requirements include an alarm that will sound if someone goes through a door into the area with the pool.
On a number of home inspections, here in the northwest, it has come to my attention that even small outdoor ponds, very popular, are fraught with drowning dangers. And, of course, since people want to see them in the natural, there are … (7 comments)
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everson: Citizens Work To Save the Lummi Island Ferry
- 03/13/11 05:25 AM
At first, I believe that everyone thought that Whatcom County and the Lummi Nation would resolve the dispute over the mainland port for the Lummi Island ferry. But the negotiations are at an impasse and there is now less than one month left before the deadline that has been imposed by the tribe. The Lummi's have notified Whatcom County that the ferry must vacate their land by April 10, 2011. Below is a photo of the ferry arriving at the mainland port, Lummi Island in the background.
About 1000 people, or fewer, live on Lummi Island and there are very few businesses. … (5 comments)
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everson: Bellingham Technical College -- Structural Pest Inspector Training
- 03/05/11 09:58 AM
A Department of Licensing licensed home inspector in Washington state may report on rot, but if he or she is not also licensed as a structural pest inspector, that inspector is not allowed to identify or cite damage from wood destroying insects. And, in this damp state, we have lots of those -- carpenter ants, velvety tree ants, moisture ants, two types of termites and various wood-boring beetles. The home inspector, who is not dual licensed, who suspects wood destroying insects on premises must make a general statement suggesting that a pest control operator and/or contractor be hired to further evaluate the conditions.
… (5 comments)
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