sumas home inspector: Another Close One - 04/05/08 02:23 PM
I have done a few posts in the last weeks about people with good intentions, who kind of understand something, but end up missing the mark. You might call it the "close but no cigar" category. The photo below is a good example. This installer must have known that routing gutter … (2 comments)
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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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sumas 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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