home inspection: A Spooky Two-Headed Siamese Cat!
- 10/29/10 09:07 AM
There is nothing quite as spooky as the creepy little critters that lurk in deep and dark spaces--only to be found by home inspectors innocently going about their business. Snakes, rats, bats--you betcha--but this was the first time Inspector Tooley had ever come across a mutant, two-headed Siamese cat! (Insert evil laughter).
Thanks to my friend Paul for sending this pic to me. Just a little holiday humor--Happy Halloween everyone! Watch out for creepy critters and be safe this weekend.
Posted By: U.S. Inspect Blog
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home inspection: What Did the Ghost Say When He Tripped Up Your Front Steps?
- 10/29/10 07:46 AM
Boo-hoo, I'm telling my Mummy!
Yes, Sunday is Halloween! This will be our second Halloween with our daughter, and while she's still a bit too young for trick-or-treating, we are looking forward to it none-the-less. As the holiday approaches though, there's one little nagging thing we need to fix for those little ones who are old enough to be out and about--a loose front porch stair that is just screaming "accident waiting to happen."
It got me thinking that there are really a lot of things that homeowners need to keep in mind in order to make their homes and entryways … (18 comments)
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home inspection: Boo! Don't let your clients get SPOOKED!
- 10/28/10 12:44 PM
The home inspection is a very important step during the buying process, but for some reason, it is a step that can give some buyers—and even some seasoned real estate professionals—an awful fright! So, in honor of Halloween on Sunday, here are my 5 Ways to Make the Home Inspection Less Spooky!
The Spook: Home inspections are just plain scary.The Scoop: OK, they are only scary if you let inspection myths control your experience. The truth is, we aren't scary people and we are here to educate, not get you shaking in your boots. What makes home inspections scary for … (61 comments)
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home inspection: What's the Deal with Mothballs?!
- 10/26/10 04:56 AM
No, this is not the beginning of a Seinfeld bit (although it would make a good one)! It's a short departure from Fire Prevention Month for a dose of good humor. If you have a mother or family member who has an "interesting" take on ordinary things--well you'll especially love this post. It's the latest from fellow U.S. Inspect blogger, Faith Greenwell, from her "That's Marlene!" blog series. If you missed her last post, you're in for a real treat. Enjoy!
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Posted By: U.S. Inspect Blog
What’s up with mothballs? I mean, do we have a national security issue … (12 comments)
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home inspection: Where Should I Place My Carbon Monoxide Detector?
- 10/22/10 03:44 AM
Yesterday we discussed Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention and why having a Carbon Monoxide detector is so important. Today let's talk about the proper placement and installation of those detectors. Remember, if you have any fossil fuel burning heater or appliance, fireplace, or attached garage, you must have a CO detector/alarm.Before purchasing a CO detector, know what your state or municipal government requires. Usually a search of the state’s website or call to local building division will get you headed in the right direction. The basis for these requirements evolved, in part, from recommendations by the 2005 edition of the National Fire … (8 comments)
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture??
- 10/22/10 02:22 AM
ANSWER: Disconnected Flue Pipe The venting system of this gas fired water heater is obviously not performing as designed. If this home is occupied, the occupants are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning!The venting system should include a secured draft hood immediately located at the exhaust exit point at the top of the water heater. This draft hood then funnels combustion gases into a flue pipe, which is configured to travel to the exterior, where the gases are released harmlessly into the atmosphere. Flue pipes should have an upward pitch of ¼ inch per foot minimum from the heater to … (8 comments)
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home inspection: Fireproof House
- 10/19/10 07:20 AM
How would you like a fireproof house?
I've been discussing Fire Prevention on my blog all month long, and well, a fireproof house? Is it too good to be true? Wouldn't that be the ultimate in fire prevention?
It's exactly what architect, Eric Lloyd Wright set out to do. (Yes, that name should sound familiar. He is Frank Lloyd Wright's grandson). In fact in 2007, Eric actually lost his temporary home, which sat next to his fireproof home construction site, in a devastating California brush fire, while the concrete, fireproof home was completely unscathed.
Incidentally, his famous grandfather, Frank Lloyd Wright … (0 comments)
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture?
- 10/11/10 08:43 AM
ANSWER: Smoke Detector/Alarm in Need of Replacement or Battery Submitted By: Eric Runge, U.S. Inspect Las Vegas Inspector. "Believe it or not, the most common fire hazard I see during inspections is old, damaged, or inoperable smoke detectors! My advice? If there is any question, replace them. Even if they are operating normally, once they reach about ten years old they should be replaced. Batteries also should be replaced at least once a year (preferably twice)."
Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture?
- 10/08/10 03:17 AM
ANSWER: Chimney Flue Caked with Dangerous Creosote October is National Fire Prevention Month, so all month long we are featuring pictures of fire hazards and other dangerous fire related defects. The above picture and the two below are of a wood stove chimney flue where the stove has been removed. This creosote was so thick, that when the free standing wood stove was removed, the thick, tar-like creosote actually ran down the wall and pooled on the floor at the interior. Can you say “worse than the La Brea Tar Pits?!” The first picture is the chimney flue caked with … (2 comments)
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture?
- 09/24/10 03:37 AM
ANSWER: Furnace Caked with Dust It is extremely important to keep your furnace and furnace filters free of dust (as this label states). Dust can cause the unit to work less efficiently increasing your energy bills, but it can also recirculate into the air your family breathes and even cause a fire! Be sure to keep your unit clean and replace your filter monthly to avoid these issues. A big thanks to U.S. Inspect Inspector, Jerry Blodgett from our California team for sending us this picture.
Posted By: Chrissy Doremus, U.S. Inspect Blog
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home inspection: Tip of the Week: New Construction Walk-through
- 09/20/10 07:30 AM
Tip of the Week: New House Final Walk-Through. If you are lucky enough to be purchasing a brand new house, when you are doing your initial builder walk-through, don’t forget to take a look around from some seemingly strange places: sit on the toilets – if something catches your eye during the walk-through, just think what could happen when you need to be there. Also, try and stand and/or sit in the tubs and showers. Last but not least; lay on the floor where your bed or beds will be. There’s nothing like looking up at a strange mark on the … (11 comments)
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture?
- 09/17/10 07:15 AM
ANSWER: Child's Room Decoration Hung From Live Wires Most childrens' toys just come with batteries--this one could pack a real punch! What you are looking at are live exposed wires above a child's bed, but that's not all. A (large) decoration has also been hung from those live wires. Yikes! This is definitely a no-no and an electrocution hazard especially for little ones.
To properly address this issue, one should: cap the wire ends, usually with wire nuts, tuck them neatly inside the box in the ceiling and then install a blank cover plate. (What's a blank cover plate?)
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home inspection: The house may be cracking up, but I ain't laughin'!
- 09/16/10 02:59 AM
Most of us have seen cracks in our homes. Some of us may have even seen cracks appearing on the foundation of the home. But do you know how to tell if a crack is structurally deficient?
There are many variations of cracks, but there are three primary cracks that are commonly found--vertical cracks, horizontal cracks and diagonal crack. The following overview of the basic types of cracks should provide you with the information you need to help determine if the cracking you see is structurally related.
Pictured from top left: Horizontal crack, Vertical crack, Diagonal cracks, and Stair-step cracks.
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home inspection: It's a Double Rainbow! What Does it Mean??
- 09/15/10 09:38 AM
Here's a great picture of a double rainbow over an inspection in North Carolina, taken by U.S. Inspect Inspector, Paul Tooley. I wonder if his reaction was anything close to the "Double Rainbow Guy?" (If you have no idea what I'm talking about...oh, boy, do I have a You Tube treat for you!) Happy Wordless Wednesday!
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home inspection: Tip of the Week: Make Your Own Stud-Finder
- 09/13/10 08:09 AM
Tip of the Week: How to Make Your Own Stud-Finder. Have you ever wanted to hang or mount something heavy on the wall, like pictures, mirrors, or even a TV? Ideally, you want to anchor big heavy things on the studs in behind the drywall. Now you can go out and spend anywhere from $5 to $50 dollars on a stud-finder, or you can invest in a good, focusable flashlight – the brighter the better. If you shine the light along the face of the wall, you will be able to find the dimples from the nails or screws securing the … (7 comments)
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home inspection: What's Wrong with this Picture?
- 09/10/10 08:00 AM
ANSWER: Flue Pipe Improperly InstalledThis flue pipe is pointing downward. It should be pointed upward; and it should be contained inside a chase (box frame), and terminate above the roof line for natural draft venting. (Hot air rises). The Danger? The flue pipe is supposed to remove toxic gas (Carbon Monoxide) from the furnace and direct it to the outside of the home. But with the flue pipe pointing down like this, there is spillage (of carbon monoxide) at the draft hood on top of the boiler. Now take a look at the picture again. There are two tent-like vents on … (5 comments)
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home inspection: Is Your Refrigerator (Still) Running?
- 09/09/10 02:54 AM
Written By: Faith Greenwell, U.S. Inspect Blog
I remember the day vividly. It was September, school had just started and I had spent the better part of the summer shopping with my mother looking for a new refrigerator. It was 1971 and I was <cough, cough> years old. I went with my Mom to the appliance store on a Saturday (big day out) to look at refrigerators.
One thing you have to know about my Mom, when she shops for any appliance she will shop for months going from store to store, comparing prices, watching the ads in the … (10 comments)
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home inspection: Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots
- 09/08/10 07:10 AM
Remember these??
Oh, what treasures can be seen in attics and crawlspaces during inspections. This is waaay better than dead animals, by the way!
Did you know?
Rock' em Sock 'em Robots was first manufactured in 1964. The toy has enjoyed far-ranging success in the United States, selling in the hundreds of thousands and becoming something of a minor pop-culture phenomenon. The game was available in the United Kingdom during the 1970s, where it was sold under the name Raving Bonkers. In the Season 1 episode "Along Came Joey" of Hawaii Five-O, the gambler Nick Morgan is seen playing the … (6 comments)
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home inspection: Now THAT's what I call a pain in the neck!
- 09/03/10 01:48 AM
These thermostats are a real pain in the neck! Both units--one upstairs and one downstairs--were observed during a recent inspection by U.S. Inspect Dallas, TX inspector, Kyle Holland.
It's pretty nice that this seller decided to upgrade their old (vertical) thermostats with these newer digital models, but in order to avoid repainting or creating new holes due to the change in the units' orientation, the homeowner simply installed them sideways. (This just might be something to add to my list of Things We Can Live With About Our Homes That Buyers Can't And Won't). It may not seem like a … (18 comments)
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home inspection: A Man Has to Know His Limitations
- 09/02/10 09:28 AM
This "plaque" reading "A Man Has To Know His Limitations" was observed at an inspection a few weeks ago. The inspector, my friend Mark Konschak, asked the seller for the story on it. Here is what the widowed wife had said:
The husband was turning the exterior hose faucet valve to the left to turn it off. He never stopped turning because he didn't feel the valve stop or any resistance. This caused the copper tubing to twist like a Twizzler licorice stick at several sections in the basement and caused leaking of the pipe. She always teased her husband … (11 comments)
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There is nothing quite as spooky as the creepy little critters that lurk in deep and dark spaces--only to be found by home inspectors innocently going about their business. Snakes, rats, bats--you betcha--but this was the first time Inspector Tooley had ever come across a mutant, two-headed Siamese cat! (Insert evil laughter).
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