Today’s fun is called “Sneakers”. Never a dull moment as a home inspector.
Often during a home inspection I will find many D-Con bait boxes, which is a sure sign of a rodent infestation. I am not a huge fan of poison bait traps but they are a necessity at times to get the infestation under control. I believe in sealing and then trapping versus baiting. This way you can monitor your efforts on sealing. Exclusion should always be the number one objective
From the “Center for Disease Control” CDC
Seal up holes inside and outside the … (4 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee Home Inspection- A bugs Life- the Carpenter Ant
- 09/05/11 05:14 AM
Wenatchee Home Inspection- A bugs Life- the Carpenter Ant This article is a follow up to a recent blog concerning carpenter identification, habits and treatment. - Brenda another of Brenda’s Bug Stories… Carpenter ants are fascinating creatures but you really do not want them in your home.
We are lucky in the Pacific Northwest to have one of the world’s leading authorities on carpenter ant behavior and control, Dr. Laurel Hansen. She is probably one of the most highly respected sources of knowledge about carpenter ants among entomologists and pest control professionals. I have been fortunate to … (17 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Chelan, Leavenworth and Wenatchee Home Inspections- Inspection with directions
- 05/27/11 04:26 AM
Chelan, Leavenworth and Wenatchee Home Inspections- Inspection with directions In any professional endeavor continuing education is paramount. This week I attended a class provided by Washington State University and the Washington State Dept. of Agriculture on conducive conditions (a condition conducive to wood destroying insects and organisms) and the current market. The speakers were Ken Anderson of Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Inc- Broker and Real Estate law, Greg Clark of Foster Pepper PLLC who specializes in Construction, Condominium and Commercial Litigation, Dan Suomi of WSDA and Larry Stamp of Cameo Home Inspections a former Home Inspection instructor. Much of the early discussion … (2 comments)
Here is Lake Chelan (The name Chelan is a Salish Indian word Tsi - Laan, meaning deep water).
Lake Chelan is a narrow glacier-fed lake is confined by a gorge that 55 miles long and 1-2 miles wide.. It is one of the deepest lakes in North America. … (2 comments)
Before adventuring into the home inspection business I spent many years working with wood. Much of this was in a home that I built. I spent many hours using planers, jointers, routers, table saws, mitre saws and various other wood working tools. Wood dust was my friend. My friend and I, Dale Segal of Stormy Mountain Soaps, decided that we wanted our own log mill. At first we were out to buy one.
Dale is a fine machinist and it became very apparent to us (him really) that we … (2 comments)
These are larger, slow moving flies, sometimes referred to as "attic flies". They usually appear on warm, sunny days during early spring and autumn. They gather in large numbers, especially at windows and in rooms not frequently used. They are slightly larger than you normal house fly. They will not damage your home but can be a bit of a nuisance. They are thought to have originated in Europe. … (8 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- Whole House Ventilation
- 04/30/11 11:39 AM
Home Inspection Wenatchee, Chelan and Quincy- Whole House Ventilation As a home inspector I see my job not only to report deficiencies observed at the home but also to help guide the potential buyer or owner with information relating to the home and its function. Most new homes will come equipped with a called whole house ventilation system to help deal with excessive moisture and environmental pollutants. The newer energy code and building techniques are creating very tight envelopes within the home. In doing so we now must mechanically control the air exchanges to provide for a healthy indoor environment. The motto … (4 comments)
What is that? The State of Washington defines this as an inspection to determine evidence of infestation, damage, or conditions conducive for WDO's (wood destroying insects or organisms) with regards to the transfer, exchange or refinancing of any structure in Washington State. Conducive conditions, what is that? It is a condition that may lead to or enhance infestation of wood destroying organisms or insects (termites, moisture ants, carpenter ants, rot, and beetles). Many … (0 comments)
This is in response to a very interesting phone call I received concerning a home that may be used as a meth lab. I spend 15+ years training with one of the Northwest best instructors in the field of Hazardous Material response and remediation, David Kummerlowe of CADRE, Inc. Dave trains industrial HazMat teams as well as Fire and Police department personnel. He is one of the most knowledge people in the area involving clandestine drug labs.
… (0 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee, Chelan and Okanogan Home Inspection- Raindrops keep falling on my head.
- 04/11/11 08:30 AM
Wenatchee, Chelan and Okanogan Home Inspection- Raindrops keep falling on my head. One of the major components a home and property inspector evaluates is the roof covering and structure. Many times the issues may be subtle. Such as exposed fasteners or a poor flashing. A minor leak can be more damaging over time than a major leak. Maybe the issues will be obvious!
Here we have what is referred to as alligatoring- This is a characteristic that happens to asphalt as it ages and is exposed to oxidation and UV.
The roof is the first line of defense … (4 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee and Okanogan Home inspection- Lake Osoyoos Washington
- 02/24/11 04:05 PM
Wenatchee and Okanogan Home inspection- Lake Osoyoos Washington Living in North Central Washington sometimes my travels can take me far and wide. Just recently I was up in the Lake Osoyoos area of Washington. Though this is a bit of a drive I really don't mind it once and a while. I have spent a lot of time in the Okanogan country both in Washington and British Columbia. In fact this is Canada's only desert region. Here we are on Lake Osoyoos by Oroville.
Osoyoos Lake is in both Okanogan County and British Columbia. The lake is about 10 miles … (2 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee Home Inspections- I'm Stucco on you
- 02/20/11 04:28 AM
Wenatchee Home Inspections- I'm Stucco on you "Plaster" an ancient Greek application term meaning "to Daub on" was used to describe interior plaster dating back to 500 BC (crude plasters date back to 7500 BC). When it became popular to apply plaster on the exterior of structures the term "Stucco work", meaning exterior plaster, was developed to describe it as the interior products/materials would not withstand the elements.
In 1824 Joseph Aspdin a bricklayer in Leeds, England, invented Portland cement by processing and cooking lime and clay together in his kitchen. Joseph named the product "Portland" cement because it … (6 comments)
There seems to be a general feel around Chelan and Douglas Counties that things are looking better. I get a new sense of optimism from many in the industry here. Will it last? No one knows, but if we all put our best foot forward and provide honest and professional work it will help.
Good luck to all and may your 2011 be prosperous. Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- It‘s buzzing
NCW Home Inspections, LLC is located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Okanogan County and Grant County … (0 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee Home Inspections- House Moving
- 01/29/11 01:21 PM
Wenatchee Home Inspections- House Moving Ever wonder what happens when a house gets moved? This is the ultimate recycling project. It is estimated you could save 10-15 old growth trees or about a 100 new growth by moving a house.
Here is a home that has been moved in Wenatchee Washington. It weighed about 192,000 lbs and cost about $30,000 to move. The home was built in 1938 for the Wade family. With such moves there is a lot of planning that will be involved and many cost consideration. Engineering, route planning and distance will all need to be planned … (2 comments)
The CPSC (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) estimates each year, approximately 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths occur in the home due to scalding from excessively hot tap water. Most of these accidents involve the elderly and children under the age of five. The CPSC suggests all users to lower their water heaters to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is to prevent these accidents. This decrease in temperature can conserve energy and save money also. Many adults can suffer third - degree burns if exposed to 150 degree water for about two seconds. … (4 comments)
Being a Wenatchee, Chelan and North Central Washington home inspector crawlspaces can always be an adventure. One thing you must be comfortable with is spiders (among other things). Here in Chelan, Okanogan and Douglas Counties we have black widow spiders. I wear appropriate clothing to minimize the risk but it is something I look for when I am inspecting a crawlspace.
The web they produce is cottony unorganized web versus the typical organized spider web design seen at Halloween.
The black widow spider produces a venom which is a … (9 comments)
A couple of years ago my family and I went back to Berlin. This was my second trip to Berlin. Being a person very fond of museums Berlin is a great place to visit. They have an area they call Museum Island that host several wonderful museums including the Pergamon Museum which has the "Gates of Ishtar" and much more.
Berlin is a young city by European standards being founding sometime in the 12th century.
I found it to be quieter than many other large cities and very easy to travel around in. The … (2 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- Cat Scratch Fever
- 11/22/10 06:13 AM
Wenatchee and Chelan Home Inspections- Cat Scratch Fever Do you have one of those loved little creatures in your home? But what they are doing to your furniture or belongings is driving you mad! You tried many things, some work to some degree but no real cure? We have several cats (3- all rescued). We were living in an area where these guys did their job of getting rid of rodents that found their way in. But now we are in the city and their mousing skills are not needed in that way. (Pippen sporting his new nails, he is the … (2 comments)
Codes provide minimum standards for building construction in order to safeguard the public's safety, health, and welfare. Many codes where enacted due to disasters and ignored safety issues. (What is your city doing to get ready for a disaster? You can register your city and be included in the international campaign by clicking here. ) Modern building codes shifted from outlining the punishment for poor construction (see the Code of Hammurabi) to mandating requirements that would make building safe and sanitary to … (4 comments)
pest inspections chelan county: Wenatchee Home and Pest inspector- Do you really need a pest inspection?
- 10/15/10 12:31 PM
Wenatchee Home and Pest inspector- Do you really need a pest inspection? Wenatchee area is considered an area of high risk for Termites! As a Wenatchee Home and Pest Inspector I calculate that I see insects and/or damage from wood destroying insects in about 20% of the homes I inspect. That is one out of five! I have informal information from another local inspector that seems to confirm this information. Termites- Termites feed upon any materials that contain cellulose such as wood. Many species of termites cannot digest cellulose to extract the sugar content. They rely on protozoa in their gut … (4 comments)
Mondays Madness- Sneakers - Fun in Home InspectionsWenatchee Home Inspections.
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