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Becoming unhinged!

By
Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.

     Lots of people think that the only job of the inspector is to find defects.  While this is a big part of what we do, I like to think my job is to provide “information.”  Sometimes that is about the defects in the home, but sometimes it is just “data” about the house----like data plate information on appliances, furnaces etc. 

     Another type of information is more along the idea of “helpful hints.”

     Take this refrigerator.

Refrigerator with the door hinged the wrong way

     Looks like a normal refrigerator----except---for how inconvenient the swing of the door is.  The swing of the door can be switched in about 15 minutes by someone that knows what they are doing.  This is helpful hint that can make life easier for the buyer in the everyday use of the kitchen.

     Many moons ago, at a house remodel, I had such an installation and I reversed the swing of the doors one day when the client was a work.  They were pretty amazed the next time they went to use the refrigerator and the handle wasn’t where they were used to finding it.

     They couldn’t believe how long they had put up with the inconvenience of having to walk around the refrigerator door.

Charles Buell Seattle Home Inspectors, Charles Buell Inspections Inc, Seattle, Wa

 

 

PS:  In other totally unrelated matters: 

     It is easier to change direction than it is to foget where one has been.

 

 

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Raven DeCroeDeCroe, is my "ethereal" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

 

 
 
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Seattle Home Inspector

 

The Human Rights Campaign   QR code for Charles Buell Inspections Inc  ASHI.org

 

WA State, Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board

Comments (31)

Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Charlie,

Your favorite singing group, Herman's Hermits, once said that "This Door Swings Both Ways." I bet you learned that way back when.

Jun 19, 2009 06:49 AM
Steven L. Smith
King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA
Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

Years back I was actually trapped in the meat drawer of a refrigerator with bacon and swiss cheese. It was quite traumatic even for me.

Nutsy

Jun 19, 2009 06:51 AM
Matt Listro
National Credit Fixers - Matt Listro - Vernon, CT
Your Credit Repair Expert

Hi Charles: Sometimes it is just those little things that never seem to get done!

:)

Jun 19, 2009 10:00 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Matt, after your major encounter with AR, I am sure you could have handled it
Alan, door are designed to open in line with the case of the refrigerator so that they can be in a corner just like this---and still be able to pull out the drawers.
Dan---sounds like they slept through their training video:)
Teresa----I think I have got that---but are you sure I won't fall on my butt?
James, yup, most people don't know.
Shoshana----it would make a good candid camera gag
Steve, I could never listen to Hermits Hermans without feeling weird
Nutsy, I bet that made you feel like a future component of a sandwich
Matt, too true

Jun 19, 2009 10:37 AM
Tony Orefice
NorthGroup Real Estate/www.TonyORealtor.com - Concord, NC
Realtor- Cabarrus County, NC

Hey Charles, I learned a long time ago how to switch the fridge doors. Unfortunately, I seem to have forgotten.

 

Jun 19, 2009 12:28 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Tony, the key is to not have any parts left over when you are done:)

Jun 19, 2009 12:39 PM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

I have just had to check out a house that has a stove whose door can't be opened unless the dishwasher door is down.  How's that for inconvenience.  I didn't know it was that easy to switch refrig doors.

Jun 19, 2009 02:41 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Barbara, it sounds like someone need a "plan ahead" moment

Jun 19, 2009 03:17 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I see that about twice a week!  Interesting that people on one coast are not much different from the other.

Jun 19, 2009 08:47 PM
Dinah Lee Griffey
Windermere Peninsula Properties - Allyn, WA
Managing Broker Windermere Peninsula Properties

Great idea. I had that at my last house. It can make a ig difference when you get one set up right-Dinah Lee

Jun 20, 2009 11:02 AM
Colleen Fischesser Northwest Property Shop
NextHome Experience - Chelan, WA
A Tradition of Trust in the Pacific NW since 1990!

 I'll bet you see loads of these types of things and wonder "why do they keep putting up w/ this"? A good inspector (like yourself) helps orient and acquaint the new buyer to their home. I'm sure they appreciated the tip.

Jun 20, 2009 11:06 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jay, we used to be different---now we are the same:)

Dinah Lee, we spend so much time doing what we can to make our lives simpler and then we don't do the easy things.

Colleen, in this case they were very surprised to find out that it could easily be fixed.

Jun 20, 2009 11:10 AM
Andrew Haslett
Van Warren Home Inspections, NAHI CRI - Fort Knox, KY
Heartland of Kentuckynulls, Best Home Inspector

Wow! 23 comments about a refrigerator door.

Charles how do you do it?

I blog about something pithy, and no one notices. :-)

(I never thought about making such a comment during a home inspection.)

Jun 20, 2009 03:11 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Andrew, I guess I just have as many followers that are as crazy as I am:)  Sometimes I get more comments on my "Wordless Wednesday" posts:)

Jun 20, 2009 06:03 PM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Charles if you ever "swing" by this way could you stop for 15 minutes and fix my office frig. My husband is quite handy with a gun, but I'm not letting him take the door off the frig or I might need a new one before he is done.

Jun 21, 2009 05:25 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Tammy, OK----as long as he puts his gun away:)

Jun 21, 2009 05:27 AM
C. Bartch
Newark, OH

Charles, We do...and I've seen more tender looking avatars popping up lately :)

Jun 22, 2009 05:19 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Charlie - If my own husband can do this, i know it's an easy task. But, yet why are so many people clueless to live with such an everyday inconvenience?

Jun 22, 2009 08:18 PM
Cheryl Willis
RE/MAX Solutions- OZARK MISSOURI - Mount Vernon, MO
MO Broker - Mt Vernon, Monett, Aurora, Barry & Law

Changing the door on a front load washer is often over-looked too.  good catch.  cw

Jun 23, 2009 07:51 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Carol---good question

Cheryl, I wish my front loader was reversable:(

Jun 24, 2009 06:38 AM