home inspection: Will your Home Inspector Get Up on the Roof? Ho Ho Ho...
- 12/06/11 12:56 AM
Will your home inspector get on the roof? Or is it a " House Top"
There is a historical home in Westerville, Ohio that is linked to the Christmas song "Up On The House Top" by Benjamin Hanby.
"Ho, Ho, Ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the housetop, click, click, click,
Down through the chimney with good Saint Nick"
How do you choose a home inspector?
In a recent conversation about who we recommend to do home inspections in Columbus we got to discussing which home inspectors go up on the roof and which do not. … (2 comments)
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home inspection: Black Friday, No Returns? Return Ducts that is...
- 11/25/11 03:02 AM
Black Friday, No Returns?
It's Friday... Black Friday to be exact. I usually try to find a home heating or home cooling post from a home inspector each Friday.
No Returns? Return Ducts that is...
James a home inspector in CT describes the problem of No Returns in HVAC. Thanks to James for allowing his post about return ducts to be Re-Blogged.
As we approach the holiday season, the words “no returns” can cause the holiday shopper more than a bit of trepidation. At this time of year, the gift receipt has almost as much significance as the gift itself. … (0 comments)
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home inspection: 7 Easy Steps to an Energy Efficient Home
- 11/18/11 12:48 AM
Furnace Friday - 7 Easy Steps to an Energy Efficient Home - home maintenance and home improvement ideas!
It's Friday... and it's cold in Central Ohio. It got down almost to 20° last night in northern Franklin County from what I saw on the thermometer when I let the dog out in the wee hours of the night.
Every Friday is furnace Friday on Discover Columbus OH, I try to find something about furnaces to share, or HVAC. This week let me share 7 Steps to an Engergy Efficient Home, a Re-Blog from David Artigliere, a home inspector. Don't look but I … (4 comments)
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home inspection: A roofing experiment: zinc strips on a roof
- 11/08/11 02:58 AM
I love experiments. Reuben Saltzman, a Minneapolis MN home inspector is doing "A semi-long term experiment: zinc strips on a moss covered roof"
Have you run into moss on your roof? I would think it would be more common in MN and cooler northern states in the Great Lakes area than in Ohio but I have seen it here on homes with a lot of tree cover. We certainly get enough rain... Visit home inspectors in the Pacific Northwest's websites if you want to see moss covered roofs.
I remember moss on an Old Worthington roof, and I have … (6 comments)
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home inspection: Mr. Handy Homeowner's heating solution....
- 10/21/11 03:11 AM
Mr. Handy Homeowner's heating solution.... It's creative.
Happy Friday! I try to find a furnace post to Re-Blog every week... this week's James post originally titled "Contempt or Admiration" fit the bill. James Quarello is a home inspector in Connecticut.
We do not have a lot of oil furnaces in Central Ohio but we do have some. Most furnaces in our Columbus, Ohio market are heated with natural gas. Most furnaces are in the basement but occasionally you run into a home with a furnace in a room with a door, or in a closet. A gas furnace still have … (0 comments)
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home inspection: HVAC Mystery: Our Air Conditioning Doesn't Blow Very Hard
- 09/09/11 02:30 PM
The HVAC Mystery? "Our Air Conditioning Doesn't Blow Very Hard"
Don't you love a mystery? Happy Friday... I try to share a furnace post or at least an HVAC post every Friday on this site for "Furnace Friday." Our air conditioning season is coming to an end. Cooler FALL temperatures are on their way. And you know what happens after fall....
In his post originally titled:"Our Air Conditioning Doesn't Blow Very Hard" Jay Markanich, a Virginia home inspector is talking about a home nearing it's one year birthday...he says "a new - construction warranty inspection.
I wonder how many buyers of … (0 comments)
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home inspection: Home Inspections: Bats In the Furnace
- 07/29/11 12:04 AM
Home inspections are an important part of the home buying process. I have never heard of it before but bats in the furnace is probably more common in the mid-west than alligator in furnace (and that was in Michigan.) Either bats or alligators would be grounds for Scary Furnace Friday for me though.
Thanks to Greg, a home inspector in Omaha for allowing his post originally titled 'Home Inspections Omaha: Bats Inside Furnace!' to be Re-Blogged.
Every Friday is Furnace Friday on this site, the first Friday of the month is Furnace Filter Friday, a reminder to change your furnace filter … (6 comments)
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home inspection: Ironing
- 06/24/11 12:30 AM
It's Friday... so I needed a furnace or air conditioning post for my blog about Columbus Ohio real estate. Thanks to CT home inspector, James Quarello for a post about drafting problems and scorch marks and what they mean.
We typically do not have "boilers" in residential heating in Central Ohio but our typical gas forced air furnaces rely on proper drafting of exhaust gases as well.
Next Friday, Friday July 1, 2011 is furnace filter Friday.
Home inspection
Home maintenance
As anyone who has ever used an iron knows, if you leave the iron too long in one … (3 comments)
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home inspection: Trapping Your Condensate
- 06/09/11 08:27 PM
It's Friday and I always look for furnace information to share with readers on Friday... or HVAC info anyway. Cooling is more topical with the very, very hot weather we have had already this year. After a very cool, wet Spring, suddenly it was HOT!
Last Friday was Furnace Filter Friday, a reminder to change your furnace filter regularly. Miss it?
Thanks to Reuben, a home inspector in Minnesota for allowing his air conditioning post to be Re-Blogged.
In approximately 99.2% of the houses that I inspect, there's a 3/4" hole in the air conditioner ductwork that lets air blow … (4 comments)
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home inspection: How to Prepare the Home for the Open House - From A New Perspective
- 05/05/11 01:20 AM
The new perspective? Home Inspection! Chrissy Doremus a home inspector from Chantilly, Virginia allowed her post 'How to Prepare the Home for the Open House' to be Re-Blogged.
We all know that problems with larger items or systems like roofs, or basements can become issues when selling a home. But often—it is not the“big” things—but many smaller items “all added-up” that can cost or slow down a sale.Luckily, making some smart choices and small repairs prior to the open house can cost very little, but make a big difference. Here are some ideas—beyond the basics—to help prepare the … (4 comments)
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home inspection: You Can't See What You Can't See! Get A Pre-drywall Inspection!
- 04/17/11 12:04 AM
Jay is in Virginia so probably too far to come help you with a pre-drywall inspection in Lewis Center or Powell.
There are a number of very, very good home inspectors in Central Ohio, let me know if you need a name. It is important to look out for your interest before the dry wall goes up.
Thanks to Jay Markanich in VA for allowing his post about the point of a pre-drywall inspection to be Re-Blogged,
Should you get a pre-drywall inspection on new construction?
YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE! GET A PRE-DRYWALL INSPECTION!
The drywall … (0 comments)
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home inspection: Furnace Friday - One of These Things is Not Like the Other....
- 02/24/11 10:53 PM
I was really fretting about it being Furnace Friday and having to write a post about furnaces with Re-Blog still broken on ActiveRain (a real estate network.) I like to share something written by an EXPERT about furnaces...an expert like a home inspector.
Like James Quarello in CT who wrote One of These Things is Not Like the Others....
The song? The game? Like Sesame Street...
The home James was inspecting had a new roof, new siding. Why does the home have a 70 year old boiler?
Asbestos.
We mostly have forced air heat in Central Ohio. Mostly gas forced … (4 comments)
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home inspection: Can we just use the first home buyers inspection?
- 02/11/11 10:14 AM
"Can we just use the first home buyers inspection? " is a question I have heard over the years from both buyers and sellers.
Home went on the market, home went under contract. Home went back on the market. Perhaps the buyer was unable to get financing. Or there was a failure to come to an agreement with the seller about the terms of a buyers request to remedy.
Tempted to just ask "Can we just use the first home buyers inspection? " ? Save money?
There are lots of problems with that. The home inspection is the property of the … (4 comments)
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home inspection: Baby, it's cold outside
- 02/10/11 11:10 PM
Baby, it's cold outside....
"Feel good about your home" Is your furnace maintained? Last Friday was Furnace Filter Friday... It is furnace Friday on this site because every Friday is Furnace Friday here... It's February and I'd be Re-Blogging home inspector, Jay Markanich in VA if Re-Blog was working. Re-Blog is broke.
A 'Tale of Two Furnaces - Great Expections' for Furnace Friday? Jay Markanich's adventures in Home Inspection in Virginia is one of my favorite places for Furnace Friday Fodder... This week Jay's breaking the news to a buyer of a NEW $1.5 Million home that the builders "upgraded … (4 comments)
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home inspection: "One Home Inspection please, with an Infrared Scan on the side."
- 01/28/11 11:38 AM
Furnace Friday - heat loss
I can't believe it is Friday again already, and late on a Friday at that. I try to Re-Blog something about Furnaces every Friday. This post is not strictly furnaces in fact Reuben has one photo of a radiator and that radiator is working well. I never see radiators in Central Ohio.
This post is about heat loss and insulation though... and that heat is coming from your furnace. Reuben says of another infrared scan "Uninsulated ductwork in an attic is also a problem; the heat loss is quite obvious with an infrared camera."
… (2 comments)
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home inspection: What's up in the attic?
- 01/20/11 10:53 PM
Friday again... Every Friday I try to find something to share here about furnaces.
In the post originally titled "Is The Thermostat In The Basement Why It's So Cold Upstairs?" Jay says:
"THE BIGGEST KEY TO EFFECTIVE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING IS THE RETURN AIR DUCTS AND THEIR LOCATIONS."
This is a story about Furnaces and more to keep your family warm
the memory of an old oil system
a heat pump...
a thermostat
ducts
registers
returns
dampers
and the question of "What's up in the attic?" Or "What's not up in the attic?
that make this Northern Virginia … (3 comments)
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home inspection: What are our legal options?
- 01/09/11 11:34 PM
What are our legal options? " asks a first time buyer. This is truly a sad question on Trulia Voices...
The home owner's first question is "Who's going to pay for this?"
He was a buyer but the property closed. He is a homeowner.
Further down the new homeowner asks
Q: "What are our legal options? "
A: Talk to an attorney....
Do attorneys answer questions on Trulia Voices?
Synopsis he and his wife bought their first home, a Freddie Mac foreclosure from the listing agent. On Trulia he says the agent (the agent was acting as a dual … (14 comments)
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home inspection: Don't Turn On The Furnace
- 11/26/10 12:50 AM
It's Furnace Friday on my blog... because Friday there is always a post for consumers about furnaces, unless I forget like last week. This is a Re-Blog of a post from Jay Markanich a home inspector in northern Virginia.
This one is about a furnace in a new build. Thanks Jay for allowing the Re-Blog.
On a recent new construction inspection I arrived much earlier than my clients. I like to do that. When they arrive I can greet them and introduce myself, and mention a couple of things about the house.
Usually the supervisor comes to the … (4 comments)
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home inspection: Does Brick Really Need To Weep?
- 11/16/10 11:16 PM
I remember as a new real estate agent seeing weep holes and thinking they were a defect in a home. Or I thought "maybe not" since they were so regular. Recently I noticed what looked like ropes at the base of a home with brick. I wonder if they were what Jay calls "wicks" here, "Other weep holes can include a multiplicity of simple holes, or wicks, plastic inserts, and so on."
Thanks to Virginia home inspector Jay Markanich for allowing a Re-Blog of his post.
In the olden days the brick siding you saw on houses was … (3 comments)
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home inspection: Be Honest...Do Home Inspections Give You An Awful Fright?!
- 10/28/10 03:13 AM
Buyers are you scared about the home inspection? It is a very important step in buying a home, I believe. I think it would be scarier to go to closing without knowing.
Thanks to Chrissy Doremus for allowing a Re-Blog of this timely post.
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: … (5 comments)
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Will your home inspector get on the roof? Or is it a " House Top" 
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