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mount vernon 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 collects at points like this, and that leads to decay of the siding. It should be cut away from the steps and a metal flashing is used to fill the gap. To make things worse, for the siding and the steps, the steps are covered with carpet and it is … (2 comments)
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mount vernon 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 can actually block the vents so air will not circulate. When home inspectors see this condition, they usually recommend vent wells. Sometimes people do not know what vent wells are. The most simple vent wells consist of frames made from pressure-treated lumber. However, vent wells, specially made for the purpose, … (9 comments)
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mount vernon 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 attached to the ceiling. It looks suspect, especially when you realize probably the person who wired it also made the connection above. There are guidelines on attaching ceiling fans and it is improbable that this one would meet any of those standards.
Bellingham Home Inspector
www.kingofthehouse.com
Steven L. Smith
… (2 comments)
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mount vernon 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 the ridge vent was packed solid with leaves and needles from trees. A simple understanding of roofs, makes it clear why this is bad. Sloped roofs are designed to shed water. They are not watertight. Even flat roofs, more watertight, should have drainage so the water does not stand in … (1 comments)
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mount vernon 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 so rain is carried out over the wood and then it harmlessly drains below. If that has not been done, I would say at least half the time in my experience, the structural lumber has signs of or serious decay. In the photo, you see a piece of exposed structural lumber … (4 comments)
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mount vernon 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 decipher, all of the switches and what they do, or might, do. Even with fairly simple lighting arrangements figuring this all out that can be a real problem. For example, if some outdoor lights are on motion sensors or photo-cell sensors so they come on after dark, it is … (4 comments)
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mount vernon 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 conditions in the crawl space it is a violation of state law.
This photo has great examples of conducive conditions. This is classic earth to wood contact. To the right is a structural member that has soil piled up at the footing. To the left of that is old form wood. … (5 comments)
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mount vernon 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 lousy installation. Even though an inspector often sees those problems, it is not often the case that one actually sees a significant leak below the roof. Heavy rain was coming down and first I noticed a large damp spot on the sheathing used as an attic floor. When I looked … (0 comments)
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mount vernon 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 how big a problem such frass is, when no other damage is seen. Often the ants are working at one end of the crawl space and dumping the frass in another location. The next step, for the inspector, is to take a handful of it and look closely. The inspector needs … (5 comments)
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mount vernon 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 wiring. In this case, he took an old 2-prong outlet and wired it for 220 volts, now called 240V. I knew from my non-contact tester that the circuit was hot, so I got the old Fluke meter. Sure enough that baby had 240V to it. Someone who did not … (4 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspections (King of the House): A Windy Topic - 11/13/07 04:32 PM
Here in Whatcom County, Washington, we had a big windstorm yesterday. There are still several thousand people without power. Winds up to 70 miles per hour knocked trees and limbs down and took power lines with them. Only three houses away from my home a large tree was "topped" by the wind and it fell across the road, taking phone and cable lines with it. Thinking about all that hassle, and the number of people currently without power, made me pull out this photo as illustrative of something I point out during home inspections. If the power lines are co-mingled with … (0 comments)
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mount vernon 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 larvae eats in the wood for about 5 years before leaving and causes real damage. It seems like every time I run into a crawl space with blocked vents, unless the house is pretty new, I find some anobiid damage. You will also see some fine powder, the anobiid frass, … (0 comments)
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mount vernon 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 that the duplex is just a bigger house. Fact is, there is some truth to that. There is usually only one roof and the exterior. However, think of all the other things that are multiple. There are almost always two electrical systems and panels to inspect. There are two or … (0 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Ground rods - 10/16/07 04:09 PM
In newer homes, the grounding electrode (or electrodes) almost always have been put in by licensed electricians. As a result of that, the electrode is done properly and usually driven deep into the ground. However, when I inspect older homes that had knob and tube wiring, which had no such ground originally, I often see electrodes such as the one in the photo. About half of it is still hanging out of the ground. Why? Well, sometimes the person putting it in is just lazy. Other times, they give it a lot of effort but it ends up that the rod … (0 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Bellingham Wa. Home Inspection (King of the House): Unsafe Deck Surfaces - 10/16/07 03:49 PM
When it comes to decks, I have to reiterate again just how careful a person needs to be when walking on them. I did an inspection this weekend, where the deck surface clearly had some problems. In closer investigation, it was apparent that a person could step in the wrong place and, perhaps, break through down below. This was not a high deck, only a couple feet. But, even at that, it is not too safe to have a foot drop below while the rest of you is up on top. The first photo shows a board that moved when stepped … (1 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: My Much Anticipated, Long Awaited Dissertation On The Italian Pizza - 10/11/07 03:42 PM
While in Perugia, which is in Umbria, I wrote about the real life Italian pizza. Now, truth is, there is quite a variation in pizza recipes just inside Italy. Naples claims to have invented the pizza and is quite snobbish about it. My wife's tutor came from that area and only likes Neapolitan or Naples pizza. One of the things those of us from North America are surprised about is how basic the typical Italian pizza is. Many of the people there eat something as simple as tomatoes on a crust. Below I have listed, from a take home menu I … (2 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House):Common Point Of Contact - 10/11/07 02:39 PM
Over the years, many building or construction details have changed. In the older homes - like the one I live in - they commonly had the ends of rafters, fascia or trim rest on the roof. And at my house, in spite of this taking place for 50 plus years, the wood is still okay. Fact is, over time with the wood touching the shingles, the wood will decay. Knowing that, today builders should leave some space, ideally a couple inches between the wood trim and the roofing. As long as there is a reasonable gap, most home … (0 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Anacortes Home Inspection (King of the House): Shedding Roofs - 10/11/07 02:30 PM
Sometimes, while doing home inspections, I see expensive and nicely applied roofs that are well maintained. That is the exception. I am astounded at how few people seem to realize that a roof takes some upkeep. For example, any roof that continually has moss, leaves, needles and other tree debris on it is going to stay wet and not dry out. Add to that the fact that most roofs are sloped and, with that type of roof, the primary design element is to keep the water moving down off the roof. The sloped roofs are shedding not watertight. The photo … (0 comments)
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mount vernon inspector: Skagit County Home Inspector (King of the House): Unsafe Outside Electric Outlets - 10/05/07 02:03 PM
A home inspector sees many outdoor outlets. Probably the most dangerous outlet I have seen was in Skagit County, at a house between Mount Vernon and Burlington. It was a serious shock hazard. Some of the time outlets work great and are well maintained but others have problems. What kind of problems? Well, in modern building and even to make an older home safer, exterior outlets should be GFCI protected. You cannot always tell if an outlet is GFCI by looking at it. Often an outlet will be GFCI protected even if it looks like an ordinary outlet - no … (1 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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