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lynden: Garage to House Fire-Resistance (King of the House) Whatcom County Home Inspections - 03/26/12 07:56 AM
I find myself loosely using the term "firewall" on occasion when I am reporting on the garage at a house I am inspecting. I am working on breaking that bad habit since "firewall" is one of the most misused terms in construction. I cannot even guess how many times I have heard someone, including we inspectors, reference that an attached garage at residential construction has a problem at the "firewall." The reality is that, in residential construction, a garage does not require a firewall. At a single family residence with an attached garage, the proper terminology is "limited resistance to the … (3 comments)
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lynden: #1 Album in America, August 1965 - 08/07/11 11:39 AM
In August 1965 what would later be referred to as the world's greatest rock 'n' roll band had their first #1 album on the U.S. charts. There are disputes about which band really deserves that title, but this band certainly wins on pure endurance and longevity.
Around the country, in 1965, the hit in the theaters was Julie Andrews in the classic Sound of Music which is one of the biggest selling soundtracks in history.
The music in that production could not be any more different than the music on the #1 charting pop album. Rock radio, by 1965, was heavily … (19 comments)
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lynden: Washington State Approved Home Inspection Training School - 07/31/11 05:02 PM
Bellingham Technical College will be running another 120-hour home inspection training course beginning on October 17, 2011. After that, so students are qualified to sit for the state exam, we will offer the 40-hours of state approved field training. That will begin on November 4, 2011. This will be, for the year 2011, the last such course offering.
The BTC inspection course was the first course to receive state accreditation when licensing began a couple years ago. To make it convenient for students, the training includes both the three weeks of Fundamentals of Home Inspection Training, 120-hours, and 40-hours of field training. The courses can be taken … (1 comments)
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lynden: Washington State Home Inspector Training -- Bellingham Technical College - 07/22/11 06:24 PM
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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lynden: Johnny Clegg -- Mount Baker Theater, Bellingham - 04/26/11 10:26 AM
I admit that I was late getting on the train, becoming a fan, but I first heard international music star Johnny Clegg about three years ago up in Canada at an event called the Burnaby Blues Festival. Clegg is one of the most successful, bold and daring of all of the "world music" performers. Clegg and his band will be at the Mount Baker Theater, here in Bellingham, tomorrow night -- April 27, 2011.
Clegg was born in the UK and moved to south Africa as a child. He learned to play the guitar at age 14. And, together with a Zulu … (5 comments)
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lynden: Termites, Termites Everywhere - 04/15/11 01:45 AM
Here in the damp, shall I change that to wet, Pacific Northwest, we have a species of termite that is rare. Many parts of the country, including this state, have subterranean termites -- nasty little devils that live underground but come up into homes to feed. And some warm areas of the country, also, have drywood termites which can live up in the structure of the home, require little to no moisture, and cause immense damage.
Wouldn't you know it, here on the wet side of Washington State, we have attracted a species known as the Pacific Dampwood Termite. These guys are often found out in … (14 comments)
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lynden: Outdoor Ponds -- Flying Under the Radar - 04/06/11 11:12 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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lynden: Lynden Home Inspection (King of the House) Foundation Cracks - 03/27/11 09:50 AM
Foundation cracks are something that the professional home inspector has to think about, but not too much usually. There are foundation cracks that can indicate serious problems, certainly the case with horizontal cracks. But many, to most, of the diagonal or vertical cracks that the inspector sees are probably not a big issue. With a wide crack, well that can be a concern all right and any crack that could allow water through into the crawl space or basement is a worry in this wet climate.
The thing about foundation cracks, even though they usually are not much of a problem, is … (9 comments)
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lynden: Citizens Work To Save the Lummi Island Ferry - 03/13/11 12:25 PM
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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lynden: Wood Destroying Organism Infestations -- The Common Denominator - 03/11/11 06:48 PM
There is one factor that is involved in almost all issues involving wood destroying organisms. When we talk about wood destroying organisms we are referencing a fungal issue -- wood decay fungi or rot. And we are also talking about any of the wood destroying insects. In my state, that includes two types of termites, three kinds of ants and a couple types of wood-boring beetles. That is quite a smorgasbord of bugs.
What I refer to as the common denominator, in the vast majority of these infestations, is shown below.
The culprit is moisture. It need not be standing … (9 comments)
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lynden: Lummi Island Ferry Service - 02/27/11 11:57 PM
The on-again, off-again saga of the Lummi Island ferry, Whatcom Chief, seems to be off-again. At the end of 2009, here in Whatcom County, there was a rumbling that the county was going to lose the mainland dock -- that they were going to have to find an alternative way to get the 700 or so Lummi Island residents back and forth across to the island. The ferry, Whatcom Chief, leaves from Lummi reservation land on the mainland. And, over recent years, the tribe has been making it plain and clear that they would like to have the ferry permanently vacate that … (3 comments)
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lynden: Haggen Grocery Chain Sells - 02/19/11 10:55 AM
There are not very many locally owned and independent grocers left in Bellingham and Whatcom County. One fo the county's largest employers, and a locally owned grocery since 1933, has sold a majority interest in their store to a private investment firm out of Florida.
Rick and Don Haggen, of Haqgen's Inc, own and they are managing the firm at this time. I remember shopping at Haggen clear back in my grade school days and, at that time, it was operated by the Haggen family. The Haggen family is retaining a significant minority ownership, even after this sale, and will remain involved … (3 comments)
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lynden: The Great American Bald Eagle Lives On - 02/18/11 05:32 PM
Back when I was a kid, here in Bellingham and Whatcom County, the only time I ever saw a bald eagle was on a postage stamp or on some sort of official government flyer. That included the 50's, 60's and 70's.
Then, around the time of my 30th birthday, I remember my wife and I seeing a sole bald eagle in a tree at Lake Padden. That was the early 1980's. Since that time, they have become more common in this region. Once I went to Whidbey Island and there must have been 20 of these big birds sniping at each … (8 comments)
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lynden: Slippery Slope -- Problem or Not? - 02/12/11 07:04 PM
Sometimes a professional home inspector has to point out, as a potential problem, a condition that may or may not end up being an "actual problem". An excellent example of that scenario is provided in the photo below.
Here in the northwest we have ongoing and frequent rainfall. This home is built into or at the bottom of a hillside, which is very common. That is a conducive condition when the earth slopes toward the building. At an older home, like the one above, there is some history so the inspector can look for signs of past moisture intrusion from … (5 comments)
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lynden: Dreaming of Warm - 02/11/11 07:00 PM
So much of the country is cold that my recent posts with photos of Oaxaca, Mexico, taken less than a month ago, are being well-received here in the rain. In Italy, and Mexico, the town square is a big deal.
In Italy they call it the piazza. In Mexico it is the zocalo. Same thing. Townspeople are loyal to the square and, most nights, they all go out on the town or at least walk around. Even though it was winter in Oaxaca, the weather was warm and the zocalo was full of vitality. Oh, and plants too.
… (6 comments)
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lynden: Whatcom County and Bellingham Home Staging Professional -- Melissa Young - 02/08/11 02:59 PM
Bellingham (and Whatcom County) is, in the realm of things, a small community. The city and the county are growing but, compared to the Seattle area, we are still small. Therefore, some of the professions that are commonly found in larger cities are not present here, or, if they are present, there are fewer people working in the field.
I work with real estate agents all of the time and I run into many people who are involved in real estate in the affiliated fields: appraisers, bankers, title companies and various other specialty inspectors.
One profession that I do not run into very often is the home staging professional. … (3 comments)
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lynden: Rental Housing You Can Live Without (Whatcom County, WA) - 02/07/11 05:08 PM
We have an interesting development, a really strange rental dwelling in Whatcom County near Lynden, that made the local newspaper, The Bellingham Herald.
Whatcom County building officials, office based in Bellingham, have issued over $21,000 in fines against a Canadian landowner. Among other oddities, the business office for the "apartment complex" is reported to be in a cargo container and the site consists of tenants living in multiple dwelling units that have not been permitted.
The building in the photo below, one of multiple buildings at the site, was designed to be a commercial building. It has, as an example of the modifications made here, reportedly … (9 comments)
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lynden: Outdoor Kitchens by Mark Palmer, Bellingham,WA -- Part Two - 02/07/11 03:44 PM
Yesterday, I discussed the popularity of outdoor kitchens in this corner of the Pacific Northwest. You can read that article here. In that post, I had said that I would be sharing two more photos of outdoor kitchens that were built here in Whatcom County by licensed general contractor, Mark Palmer.
Now, if you saw yesterday's post, at the link above, you will have seen one of Mark's larger kitchens. The two examples below are smaller, but they are clearly well-crafted and either one would be a welcome addition to any home.
These kitchens are custom designed to meet the homeowner's wants and needs. … (10 comments)
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lynden: Outdoor Kitchens by Mark Palmer, Bellingham, WA - 02/06/11 11:25 AM
I often have inspection clients ask me for the names of licensed general contractors who are capable of remodeling the houses that the clients are buying. One state licensed contractor, who I have referred often in Bellingham and Whatcom County, is Mark Palmer. He has extensive building experience -- from disassembling and putting a house back together again to major remodels and designing and building complicated multi-level decks.
One interesting and popular field that Mark is involved with is designing and building outdoor kitchens. The basic kitchen will usually include a sink, a barbecue and sideburners. Some of the kitchens will have all of … (10 comments)
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lynden: What is a Conducive Condition - 02/04/11 02:02 PM
In this state, and my community, the WSDA which regulates structural pest inspections, has a term that is called "conducive condition." People often ask for a list of conducive conditions. A list of common conditions could be drafted, but never could one supply a list of all conducive conditions. Because, the fact is, something an inspector never thought of before could be a conducive condition if that circumstance makes wood more prone to rot.
Common conducive conditions are uncontrolled water runoff, improper perimeter grading, poor ventilation, wood to soil contact and debris or organic matter or moss in locations where those substances should not be. … (11 comments)
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Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector
Bellingham,
WA
More about me…
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc
Address: Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Nooksack, Lake Whatcom, Lake Samish, Anacortes, Mount Vernon, Whatcom County, Bellingham, WA, 98225
Office Phone: (360) 676-6908
Cell Phone: (360) 319-0038
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