With all of the woes in home sales all we need now is for a hold to be placed on REO or foreclosed home sales... Say it isn't so!  Well apparently it is on the horizon in many states and if could be a federal mandate!

Some in Congress have called for a moratorium on all foreclosures until the documentation issue is resolved, though senior Administration officials Monday again declined to endorse that idea. Servicers that have lied to courts by filing incorrect paperwork "need to suffer the consequences for their irresponsible actions," said Shaun Donovan, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. But "where we have not found problems with particular servicers...we do have some risk of going too far."

This type of action will hurt anyone who is in a related profession that is dependent on home sales. Why in the world would the government  want to disrupt the sales process of  thousands of homes across the country because of paperwork errors. 

It is pretty simple that if a person does not pay the mortgage they don't get to keep the house!

OK, it is the first cool snap of the year and you go to turn the heat on and you wait and wait and wait.  It does nothing and your first thought is that the system is broken.  So what should you do?

Well if you only have gas heat and an electric water heater (like I do) the first thing you want to do is to go and take a look at the gas meter to see if it has been turned off!  I know, you are thinking that this only happens if you do not pay your bill.  Well, normally that it true, but it could have also been turned off by one of your neighbors kids....  Yep, it is the prank that never grows old unless you are on the receiving end.  If you know for sure the gas is on then call a qualified HVAC contractor!

Looking at the gas meter:

Your gas meter will most likely be on one side of your home, it is usually a silver or gray looking box with a couple of pipes coming out of it.  Looks for the pipe that is coming out of the ground and going to the meter. You should see a valve that is used to turn on and off the gas in the pipe.  It should have one part that turns (you need a wrench) and one part that is fixed to the pipe.  Both parts will have a hole that is used by the utility company to lock the meter off.  If the two holes are in alignment then the gas has been turned off!  NOTE:  If it has a lock on the meter, you need to pay your bill!

What to do if it the gas has been turned off?

I would recommend calling the gas utility and tell them that somebody has turned the gas off to your home.  Most if not all will respond with a service technician as quick as they can.  They will turn on the gas and purge the system of air.  Purging the system of air is the most difficult thing and one reason that I recommend calling the gas company.

Hope this might help if your heat is not heating!  Oh, and if you do find that you are the victim of a this prank then you might want to tell your neighbors.  I have heard of one HVAC service company getting 19 service calls for one street in a subdivision in my area!

I have been inspecting homes for over 15 years and I have never had anyone ask about bedbugs untill this year.  I'm not a pest control contractor, but I do know how to research and I have foundout a great deal about these little critters that I never knew.

According to experts infestations of Bed Bugs are up 5000 percent as are the number of reported attacks! The nightmare begins when a Bed Bug finds its way into your clothing; it usually happens at a hotel but can start anywhere.

Finding bed bugs in your home has nothing to do with poor hygiene! It takes only one bed bug to hitch a ride on your clothing (furniture, suitcase, etc) and infest your residence. What's worse is that they can live up to one year without drinking a drop of your blood. Feeding takes about 10 to 15 minutes for adults and less for the nymphs; they feed about every three days. Depending on the conditions, bed bug nymphs can survive for months without feeding.

Bed Bugs are insects, more specifically, 'True Bugs', which have piercing mouthparts that in most species are used for feeding on plants. Unfortunately, there are some species of bugs with mouthparts that have been adapted to feed on human blood while inflicting very little pain (most never feel the blood feeding).

This is a picture of their life cycle and what the adult bug looks like....

The adult bug is about the size of pencil eraser head, but they are flat unless they are gorged with blood from their victim!

We as home inspectors and the professional who list and sell home need to be very aware of this little bug.  They are not covered under any WDO clearance letter or even looked for.  So who is going to be looking for this little brown bug?  They have become such a problem across the country that they have even closed shops and store in major retail areas so that their infestation can be dealt with.

It might be time for everyone to rethink just how Bed Bugs need to be handled. Do we need to add them to disclosure statements? Do we need to have special Bed Bug inspections by the pest control experts?  What needs to be done to protect buyers from purchasing a new home that is infested with Bed Bugs?

I have compiled some Bed Bug facts that might help.

Here are the facts about Bed Bugs:

• Bed Bugs are flat, brown, wingless and about 1/4 of an inch
• They have 6 legs, shiny reddish-brown but after a good serving of your blood, they appear dark brown and swollen as in the picture below.
• They can be seen with the human eye, but do a great job at hiding
• Bed bugs are not known to carry diseases as of yet
• They feed on human blood preferring to do it in the dark when you're sleeping
• Simply using chemical treatments will not remove the infestation
• These bugs love to hide in the seams of your mattress including:
• Sofa seams
• Cracks in the bad frame and or head board
• Under chairs, couched, beds and dust covers
• Under rugs, edges of carpets, drawers, baseboards and window casings
• Behind light switches, electrical outlet plates, cracks in plaster
• Televisions, radio clocks and phones
• Backpacks, Sleeping bags, Cloths
• Behind wallpaper, picture frames and other dark areas

I hope that you do not cross the path of a Bed Bug, but if it does happen hopefully this blog post will help you to understand and deal with them.  Keep in mind that if you find just one Bed Bug you have an infestation and it needs to be dealt with by a pest control expert.

Scott Patterson

Middle Tennessee Home Inspections by Trace Inspections, 615-302-1113

I promise that it is not my fault and I did not do it! 

Boy, I feel like saying that several times a year when I get that call from the listing agent when the buyer did not buy the home because of what was found during the inspection.

As a home inspector we find all types of things that might not be in our area of expertise, but it does not take a rocket scientist to know that it is a problem.  Today I received one of those calls from a listing agent who was upset that I reported on what she called minor insect damage to a home.

 I'll let you be the judge, this is a picture of what she called minor insect damage.

This is damaged that has been caused by what are commonly called Carpenter Bees!  They carve out a hole or channel for their nest.  This is a section of soffit on this home.

This poor home was riddled with holes from the carpenter bees.  The good news is that they are not like termites.  Termites eat the wood and the bees only drill holes in it!

I was then told that I did not know what I was talking about when I reported that the kitchen plumbing needed some correction due to improper materials used to repair it.  Well, I guess a car radiator hose is now an approved repair for a kitchen drain trap, oh and duct tape is fantastic when you do not have a proper compression nut! 

So please keep in mind that we "the home inspector" is only the messenger!  Yes, I know sometimes we are akin to the Grim Reaper when it comes to that home that has been on the market for 623 days!

It does get comical at times when I do get those calls as they have become more frequent with all of the homes that are now on the market. 

I relish those rare homes that I have one or two minor items to write up in the report.  It makes my life so much easier when I don't have to right a novel on what I found in the home.

Scott Patterson

Trace Inspections a Middle Tennessee home inspection company 615-302-1113

OK, now it is time for the dreaded home inspection!  First off, nobody should be dreading the home inspection, unless the house is really in poor condition.  The list of items below will help the homeowner to prepare their home so that the inspector will be able to perform the inspection with ease.  The last thing you want is for the home to be difficult for the inspector!  Clean and neat homes for some reason tend to perform better when it come to a home inspection!  Just saying........

Items the homeowner can repair or take care of before the home inspection:

 □    Prune vegetation away from the house.

  □    Clean the gutters.

  □    Replace or clean dirty furnace/HVAC filters.

  □    Repair leaking faucets.

  □    Install missing covers on electrical switches, outlets and junction boxes.

  □    Replace all smoke alarms installed before January 1, 2002 to comply with

       current standards. Replace batteries in all detectors!

  □    Replace burned out light bulbs.

  □    Pull soil 6" away from the siding, basement windows, foundation                

       vents and decks.

  □    Install 6-8mil. black plastic vapor barrier in the crawlspace over exposed

       soil.

  □     Make sure that the water heater is raised 18" or more if it is the garage or storage room.

  Preparing the home for the day of the inspection:

 •·        Remove any belongings that block access to the furnace, water heater, electrical panel, attic and crawl spaces so the inspector may remove cover panels in these areas.

•·        Verify that gas, water and electricity are on, even in vacant homes.

•·        All gas pilot lights should be lit. The inspector will not light any pilot and will note that item as not working.

•·        Make sure that all appliances normally operated by the homeowner can be tested as needed. Clean and pick up the home so that it is easy for the inspector to get around.  The inspector will not move dirty laundry to look at an item!

I thought that this was something that everyone needs to know about  This is a "re-blog" of a post on Active Rain, the author is Bob Hertzog 

With the hot summer weather we are experiencing in Middle Tennessee, we are looking to ways to keep our homes cool. I do not know about you but we have seen a sizable increase in our electric bill over last year and we have not made any change our home or to the temperatures in our home.  Here are some tips to keep your home comfortable. Most are fairly inexpensive and make for an easy weekend project.

Window Coverings

When the temperatures are expected to be high, consider keeping shades closed throughout the day. It is amazing the difference in heat gain when the sun is kept off the windows. In our home we have plantation blinds and I'm considering tinting the windows. Some of our neighbors have special screens on their windows that keep the solar gain to a minimum.

Fans Around the Home

Consider installing ceiling fans to keep the air moving, this helps make it much more comfortable, especially in bedrooms. In my home, I have several small fans that keep the air circulating. The movement of air makes you feel cooler than the actual air temperature.

 Fans for the Season

I have a digital indoor and outdoor thermometer that I use to determine when the outside temperature has dropped below the inside temperature. During the cooler times of the year and when the temperature outside drops in the evening, we have a large box fan that is tightly fitted in a back window that exhausts the warmer interior air outside. This causes negative air pressure in the house, and when you open other windows in the home, you will get a nice cool breeze coming in. Similar to those old fashion whole house fans that use to be so popular..

Home Air Conditioners

If you have a central air conditioner, there are a few items you should consider to keep it running at peak efficiency.

The outside component of your unit is called the compressor. It houses the pump and the blower that cool the compressed gas that is then pumped into the home to cool the air inside. We see these units covered with landscaping debris (grass, weeds, bushes etc.) all the time.

When this happens the airflow is restricted and it has to work harder to cool your home. Always keep these units clear from obstructions, so they can easily cool the coils. Keep lawn clippings from blowing on them when trimming the grass. Sometimes dryer vents are located too close to AC units, plugging them with lint.

Read your manual on the best way to clean the unit. Some may be hosed off, ALWAYS TURN OFF THE POWER when cleaning them. Others require more complex cleaning. A dirty AC will waste a lot of energy. When in doubt have a professional clean it regularly, usually at least once a year.

Attic Fans

These will help keep he attic spaces cool. Ideally the attic is the same temperature as the outside air. In the summer, I routinely enter attics that are as high at 145 degrees! Ventilation and insulation are both critical to keep this heat away from your living space. If your attic has less then 12 inches of insulation consider having more added. This will pay for itself in heating in winter and keep you much more comfortable in summer.

Roofing

When re-roofing a home, consider using light colored coverings. They will reduce the heat from the sun. We always recommend silver coating un-coated torch down roofs. It will extend their life and help cool your home. Another saver are the addition of "Ridge Vents" on the roof.  This is one of the most effective ways of venting an attic.

Thermostats

Use automatic thermostats with timers to control your cooling system. Be sure your air filters are clean, and your ductwork is tight, well insulated and free from leaks. We see leaking ductwork every day! Never turn you thermostat higher than 2-3 degrees than you normally keep it set at.  It takes more energy to cool down a home than to maintain the temperature in the home.

Landscaping

We recommend that you plant trees that will drop their leaves in winter on the south and west side of homes. This way you have shade in summer and the sun can naturally heat the home in winter. Remember to keep all plants trimmed away from the building.

"To increase the efficiency of your air-conditioning unit by up to 10 percent, plant trees and shrubs to shade the outside unit; place them at least 30 inches away so they don't block the vents on the compressor. For more tips on ways to use landscaping to increase the energy efficiency of your home, see the Department of Energy's landscaping advice." Consumer Reports

This information is provided by Scott Patterson of Trace Inspections www.traceinspections.com  Serving all of Middle Tennessee with quality home inspections. 615-302-1113 or 615-870-4162

Maytag Recalls Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Dishwashers

Units: About 1.7 million in the United States

Manufacturer: Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa or Maytag Corp. of Benton Harbor, Mich.

Hazard: An electrical failure in the dishwasher's heating element can pose a serious fire hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received 12 reports of dishwasher heating element failures that resulted in fires and dishwasher damage, including one report of extensive kitchen damage from a fire. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recall includes Maytag®, Amana®, Jenn-Air®, Admiral®, Magic Chef®, Performa by Maytag® and Crosley® brand dishwashers with plastic tubs and certain serial numbers. The affected dishwashers were manufactured with black, bisque, white, silver and stainless steel front panels. The brand name is printed on the front of the dishwasher. The model and serial numbers are printed on a label located inside the plastic tub on a tag near the left side of the door opening. Serial numbers will start or end with one of the following sequences.

Sold at: Department and appliance stores and by homebuilders nationwide from February 2006 through April 2010 for between $250 and $900.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled dishwashers, disconnect the electric supply by shutting off the fuse or circuit breaker controlling it, inform all users of the dishwasher about the risk of fire and contact Maytag to verify if their dishwasher is included in the recall. If the dishwasher is included in the recall, consumers can either schedule a free in-home repair or receive a rebate following the purchase of certain new Maytag brand stainless-steel tub dishwashers. The rebate is $150 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB7759, MDB7609 or MDBH979; or $250 if the consumer purchases new dishwasher models MDB8959, MDB8859, MDB7809 or MDB7709. Consumers should not return the recalled dishwashers to the retailer where purchased as retailers are not prepared to take the units back.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Maytag at (800) 544-5513 anytime, or visit the firm's website at www.repair.maytag.com

I have included a summary in my report for the past 15+ years, or ever since I started inspecting homes. 

Why do I include a summary?  I guess the main reason is that if as a buyer I needed an inspection I would want to have a summary in my report.  As a buyer I would want to know the high points or the problems that were found during the inspection without sifting through pages and pages of a report.  I have always treated my clients like I would want to be treated, this could be why I have been successful in my business.  I'm trying to make the process as easy as it can be for my client, lord only knows that their head is spinning in all directions during the home buying process.

Some might argue that most folks will only read the summary.

This is kind of like leading a horse to water!  Once the report is out of my hands I have no control over it. But in my report I state in several areas, that the summary needs to be used with the entire report as this is the only way that you will get the entire picture of the conditions that were found.  I tell my clients and their agents to use the summary as a road map to guide them through the report. 

What about pictures in the report?  Hopefully your inspection report will include pictures of the findings and hopefully the pictures will be in the body of the report and not the summary.

Why put the pictures in the body of the report and not the summary you might be asking?  Well, by not having the pictures in the summary this helps to make the reader go into the report to see them.  This is just another subtle way to reinforce the fact that one needs to also read the entire report and not just the summary.

The inspection profession is divided on offering a summary.  From what I have been able to tell about 70% of the profession offers a summary. This has shifted over the past several years.  At one time very few inspectors provided a summary in their reports, now it is becoming the norm.

Do you know how to properly display the American flag on Memorial Day?

In the morning when the flag is posted it should be raised properly to half mast(staff). Proper raising is to take the flag to the top of the pole and then slowly lower the flag to half mast.

Then at the Noon hour the flag should be slowly lowered and then briskly raised to the top of the flag pole. It should remain at this postion for the rest of the day.

Why half mast and then full mast?

The first part of the day while the flag is at half mast is in remembrance for those that have given their life for our country. The rest of the day when the flag is at full mast is in remembrance and in honor for those that are serving or have served our country.

I hope all will fly the American Flag with pride on Memorial Day.