lynden home inspector: Mirror, Mirror On The Wall Who Is The Silliest Of Them All? - 05/13/08 11:20 PM
It is odd to be out and about and to, suddenly and unexpectedly, run smack dab into a storybook house.
When I say I ran smack dab into it, I mean it figuratively. Today I was many miles away from Bellingham, in the woods up by Mount Baker, and I could not resist … (8 comments)
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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden 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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lynden home inspector: Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House): Right Idea, Bad Implementation - 02/09/08 10:56 AM
The photo below is amusing in a way. This crawl space vent well was put in, somewhere down the line, by a person who knew that crawl space vents need to be protected from runoff water and being blocked by soil. To achieve that goal, the person put in a vent … (5 comments)
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lynden home inspector: Lynden Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Carbon Monoxide: The Odorless, Silent Killer - 02/08/08 06:46 PM
You might think, from the title of this blog, that I am planning to write about high blood pressure, diabetes or another one of the well publicized medical conditions that we hear about on a daily basis. However, this article specifically refers to a serious condition that can exist in homes … (7 comments)
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lynden home inspector: 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)
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lynden home inspector: Lynden Home Inspector (King of the House): Making Up Your Mind -- Condo Electrical Safety - 01/26/08 04:24 PM
Prevention is oh so simple but the condo association, or someone, has to realize that there is a problem waiting to happen, and a potential safety issue. First, let me set the stage for an emergency. After the scenario is over, it will be obvious that it is one of those situations where you really did have to make … (7 comments)
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lynden home inspector: 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)
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lynden home inspector: 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)
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lynden home inspector: 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)
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lynden home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Downspout Leads To Rot - 01/15/08 07:50 PM
In a previous blog today, I showed a photo of two gutters that were full of debris and water was running out of them onto the structure. At the same home, here is a downspout that is the site of decay of the T1-11 siding. It could be that the decay … (0 comments)
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lynden home inspector: 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)
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lynden 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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lynden home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Junction Boxes - 09/18/07 02:11 PM
The purpose of a junction box is to safely contain splices inside the box. This keeps people from coming in contact with live voltages. And, should the splices build up resistance and overheat, the box confines the wires and reduces the chances of a fire. If you think about it, it … (3 comments)
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lynden home inspector: Fire Safety: Dryer Lint - 09/18/07 02:08 PM
Keeping the duct from the dryer clean seems like a no brainer. On the other hand, this is one of the most often cited defects at the typical home inspection. What we inspectors see ranges from the duct having come loose behind the dryer (and lint is everywhere) to lint … (2 comments)
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lynden home inspector: Birch Bay Home Inspection (King of the House): Great Views At Birch Bay WA - 05/21/07 06:50 PM
Some of the best views in Washington real estate are found at Birch Bay. Birch Bay addresses are part of the small city of Blaine, and it is north of Bellingham near the border. I remember back 35 years ago and recall that Canadians have always had a strong presence at … (0 comments)
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