birch bay home inspector: Stressed-out Decks - 03/27/08 02:21 PM
The deck below is the final blog related to an earlier post about tall trees near homes and how that impacts roofs and decks. The wood at this deck, at the time of the inspection, was still in satisfactory condition. At least, based on what a person could see under the … (0 comments)
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birch bay 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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birch bay home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Wood Eating Plants - 03/22/08 12:02 PM
The little window box below could be hiding problems. People are so tempted to hang large and small planters on the side of the house. Heck, I have a rental house with a planter outside one window. If this is done correctly, which it seldom is, fewer problems will result. Think … (4 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Smoke Detectors - 03/20/08 01:34 AM
The photo above is a common sight for the home inspector. The smoke detector is missing in the line of duty. Poof and it was gone! Why, well there are many reasons for this. One of the most common is that the battery is weak, it starts squeaking and it … (3 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House) -- Crawl Space Vent Problems - 03/20/08 01:26 AM
If you look at the photo below, you should see three problems. Now, two of the problems are pretty much the same thing, just 2x the problem. The other problem is related, but different.
Here goes: First the different problem -- The screen is torn out of the vent on the … (1 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Whatcom County Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Garage Door Safety - 03/20/08 01:06 AM
Doors that close automatically, by powered devices, present safety problems for children and pets. For these devices to be considered safe, it is essential that there be a safety feature that will stop and reverse them. The classic example, that we get involved with in real estate, is the overhead garage … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Venting Fans in Attics - 03/13/08 02:10 PM
The photo below left is an example of the way some people vent exhaust fans from bathrooms, laundry rooms or even range hoods. They duct the fan to the attic, but instead of having a proper hood on the roof, they tie the duct in the general vicinity of a roof … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Pacific Northwest Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Blowin' Hot Air - 03/10/08 05:58 PM
If you have ever been in a new home and saw that 24 hour timer on the wall of the bathroom or the laundry room, then you are probably looking at the 24 hour ventilation system. These systems are designed to be set to operate automatically. This is done with one or … (10 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Hang Low If You Are Looking To Ruin The Roof - 03/09/08 11:52 PM
Here is a case where the various service wires to the home were not sufficiently above the roof. The electric service wires were slightly above the roof but the wires to the cable to the right obviously did some real rocking during strong winds. And, as I recall, the electric line was … (0 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House): Posts and Piers - 03/07/08 07:36 PM
It seems like it is a no-brainer that a house needs to have adequate support underneath it. This photo is an example of the sort of thing a home inspector sees more often than you would expect. Many times what would traditionally be posts on poured footings are home-concocted piers or … (5 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House): What's Knot -- LP Siding - 03/07/08 06:07 PM
I have written about this topic before, but then I have an experience that makes me think I had better write about it again. It seems like old hat to me, but that is not the case. Yesterday I was doing an inspection and a friendly appraiser was on-site. He was … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspections (King of the House): Clogged Flex Drain - 03/03/08 11:33 PM
One thing I like about blogging is it lets me obtain extra value from some of my inspection photos. I will think "gee, that is a great topic for a blog and a descriptive or neat photo." On site, it gives me something to look forward to -- using the photo … (4 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Subtle Diversions - 02/14/08 02:25 PM
Many aspects of home inspection involve common sense. That does not, however, mean that the decisions an inspector makes are always obvious. That is especially true when dealing with electrical, HVAC or plumbing issues. This blog is about a common sense concern, but one that the average person does not think … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Pride Of Ownership -- The Sequel - 01/31/08 02:10 PM
Hollywood puts out sequels, so why not me? This is part two of my article on contractor owned older houses. I did a blog a week or so back about contractors, those flipping older houses usually, who often leave some amazing sights for the home inspector or the unsuspecting buyer. That blog received … (5 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Birch Bay Home Inspector (King of the House): Pyrolysis Can Kill You - 01/25/08 11:14 PM
Pyrolysis. That is a word you should take note of. If you analyze it and think "gee, might have the same root as pyromaniac", then you are correct. The catch is, the pyromaniac is out trying to cause trouble. Pyrolysis, and how it would affect you or a friend is purely the … (5 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (2 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (9 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (2 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (1 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (4 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (5 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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, … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (1 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Pictures From Italy: Verona - 10/11/07 03:05 PM
A city that we had never visited before was Verona. Verona is only a few miles from Venice and part of the Veneto region. We had four days to fill, before meeting another couple in Lake Como so my wife picked Luca and I picked Verona. The architecture and the people are … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (0 comments)
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birch bay home 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 … (1 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Mount Vernon, WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Failing Windows - 10/02/07 02:51 PM
As I inspect around the Pacific Northwest, even in the older homes, I usually see newer windows: thermal pane vinyl or sometimes aluminum. But, sometimes at older homes, the inspector will find old single pane glazed windows. Obviously, such windows are not as energy efficient as newer windows. However, often the … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Moss - 10/02/07 02:49 PM
In the Pacific Northwest we have moss. It can be very beautiful, especially in the rain forests. But when it is growing on the roof, as in the photo, or on the roof and the siding then it is not a good thing. Thick, green, healthy moss collects moisture, leads to … (1 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): When Plants are Problems - 10/02/07 02:44 PM
Often buyers fall in love with the foliage and plants growing around the home. Sometimes the vegetation is spectacular. In Washington state, by law, the home inspector has to throw a bucket of water on the jubilation (and admiration of the plants beauty) if the plants are touching the home. The … (2 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Mt. Vernon WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Showers and Wall Damage - 09/28/07 01:41 PM
It does not seem to matter if it is a shower curtain or a shower door, often the most significant water damage in a home is around the tub, especially when the tub has a shower. The problem is that people do not adequately caulk floor areas or they fail to … (0 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspector (King of the House): Odd Structures - 09/28/07 01:39 PM
As a home inspector, I see lots of odd crawl space structures and repairs that were not part of the original construction. These range from structures with an obvious purpose, such as stiffening the underneath of a tile floor, to the very weird. For example, this is among the poorer bits … (0 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Whatcom-Skagit County Washington Home Inspection (King of the House): Conducive Conditions - 09/25/07 01:47 PM
You will probably have trouble figuring out the photo below. It is not a loose plumbing supply pipe. This is something a home inspector sees over and over again. The drain from the temperature pressure relief valve from the hot water heater is routed to drain under the house into the … (0 comments)
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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham Home Inspector (King of the House): Shake Roofs - 09/20/07 05:09 PM
Shake, and wood roofs, in general, can be very pretty roofs. But, if they start going south, they can deteriorate real fast. Because they are wood, if rot begins and moisture levels stay at twenty percent or higher, that rot will continue. Shakes are popular in my Pacific Northwest Region, but … (2 comments)
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birch bay 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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birch bay home inspector: Bellingham WA Home Inspection (King of the House): Keeping the Water Out - 09/18/07 02:07 PM
A much misunderstood aspect of home maintenance involves caulking. What to caulk and what not to caulk, and where does it work? Basically, caulking is not a substitute for good workmanship. I have seen houses where the siding was cut short, with an inch between the butt end of the siding … (0 comments)
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birch bay 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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birch bay home inspector: Skagit County Home Inspection (King of the House): Trusses - 05/13/07 08:07 PM
Engineered trusses. They are so common in modern homes. And since they are engineered by professionals, with numerous degrees, a home inspector has nothing bad to say about them. Except, if they have been damaged or altered. This might seem picky but even the manufacturer of the trusses is not authorized to … (1 comments)
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