It is already another Christmas/Holiday season, and once again the familiar easy panic sets in.We have all been there, experiencing the angst over what gift to give to so-and-so and so-and-so. All of this anxiety works against what is really important–seeing our loved one’s faces, experiencing th
...
12/22/2014
I have discussed flipped houses in the past. Flipping houses has become as much a part of the American lexicon as Apple Pie and the 4th of July. The whole topic has been building up pressure in my head like a napping volcano for quite some time. It has finally melted through and flowed onto my ke
...
12/20/2014
In the scheme of things this is not a big deal, but there is a concept known as “best practices” for a reason. Take a look at the following picture and see if you can tell what is “wrong.” Well, in the picture there is actually nothing wrong other than the hole needs to be properly sealed. W
...
12/19/2014
It is the holiday season and everyone is thinking about fireplaces, whether they have one or not. Fireplace envy is common this time of year. I will attempt to lessen the heartache of those that do not have fireplaces--especially the old fashioned, open, wood burning type fireplaces--by giving
...
12/16/2014
Every day it seems that I see unsupportable claims about what Thermal Imaging Cameras can do--or about the things they have discovered. Everyone and their brother has a camera, and they are all “experts.” I am happy to agree as well that they are incredible tools that can help inform us about th
...
12/14/2014
While this is a bit of a bait and switch, it would be a little more accurate to say “ghosting.” To be even more accurate would be to say “thermophoresis.” I dare you to try that word in the next game of charades that you play. Thermophoresis, "ghosting," for our purposes here, is the tendency f
...
12/11/2014
I have sissy feet Perhaps it is all my years of kicking soccer balls, or from stuffing them in rock climbing shoes that are intentionally too small, or never going barefoot, that account for that fact. It is however true that I have sissy feet and do not like stepping on lone Legos lurking in th
...
12/06/2014
Grab bars in bathrooms, related to ADA (Accessibility for the Disabled), have been around for quite some time. We are all familiar with these chrome or stainless steel features, like the ornaments of older automobiles, all over the walls in public restrooms. Some of them wrap around the whole r
...
12/04/2014
It is not unusual for home inspectors to call for repairs on the homes we inspect. This does not surprise anyone. It is not even unusual for homeowners to call for repairs of work they have done to their homes—even if a home inspector is nowhere in sight. Some days, for home inspectors, it seems
...
12/02/2014
.JPG)