home inspection: Vinyl Siding VS. Gas Grill
- 03/09/10 04:32 AM
On a recent home inspection I viewed a defect to the vinyl siding that seems to be popping up more and more lately. This is a defect that seems to be a no brainer to me, you just have to let common sense rule sometimes. That does not seem to be the case though, as you will see in the pictures provided. Once you view these, you just might say, "Oh, yeah, that is not a good idea. Mine is set up the same way, I need to fix that before my siding gets damaged." So, what is this particular … (9 comments)
home inspection: Does Your Home Inspector Take A Long Shower?
- 01/12/10 07:43 AM
How long do you spend in the shower? Do you get in there, do your business, and hop out? Or, are you the type to get in their, let the warm water relax you, and just generally hang out in there? We are all different, so our habits are bound to be different as well.
I was recently asked during a home inspection why I had the shower running in the bathroom while I was inspecting the kitchen. This is a practice I have gotten into while performing every home inspection. Not so when I first started out. But you … (11 comments)
home inspection: Would You Accept This?
- 10/27/09 01:14 AM
I was looking through some home inspection defect photos the other night. I happened to come across a couple of diamonds in the rough. I though I would get some opinions on them from my friends here at AR.
I am wondering what you guys think about this from a realtors standpoint. What would you suggest to the buyer in this situation, and also what would you suggest to the home seller. This home inspection was from a year or so back, and I just stumbled across the pics again, but they did get me to thinking. I wondered why … (9 comments)
home inspection: Have you Had A Tune Up Lately?
- 10/23/09 03:52 PM
Has anyone noticed the change in weather we are having lately? The mornings are a bit chillier and the cold season is moving in. Is your home ready for the upcoming late fall weather, and especially the frigid temperatures we are sure to be getting with the arrival of winter? I am sure some of us have already begun to store away items that we use for lawn care. Items such as garden hoses come to mind. For those of you without frost proof hose bibs, you may have put the frost boot over the spigot already. At this time every … (6 comments)
home inspection: OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHhh.......So Close
- 08/26/09 12:29 AM
I am so close to 20,000 points that I can almost taste it. I could have just logged out this morning without blogging at all, but then I wouldn't have reached it, so I figured I would share it with the world. This blog will put me over 20,000. Thanks to everyone that reads my rantings and twisted view points. Hopefully I have helped some of you out along the way. I know I have learned alot form you guys during my time in the Rain. Thanks for all the help so far, may the next mile stone be as educational … (8 comments)
home inspection: Why All the Crap In Front?
- 08/10/09 12:38 AM
Have you given any thought to your electrical panel lately? Probably not in most cases. Do you know where it is located inside your home? Most of us do know that, it is behind that big pile of boxes in the basement, right? Unfortunately, this is the case many times during one of my home inspections. I am not a moving company, if items are blocked, I cannot inspect them. In regards to the electrical panel in your home, there are certain clearances that you want to be observing. These clearances have been established for a number of reasons, so it … (7 comments)
home inspection: Jimmeny Cricket
- 08/08/09 02:08 AM
An earlier photo that I posted got me going on this subject today. Lets talk about chimney crickets and how they pertain to home inspection. Do they matter?
First of all, we need to know what a chimney cricket is. Without spelling out the technical definition, lets make it easy. It is a small peaked roof built on the backside, or high side, of a chimney to direct water and debris away. When a cricket is installed on your chimney, debris will be less likely to build up behind the chimney and therefore will not deteriorate your roof material. Lets take … (4 comments)
home inspection: Dewy Cheatum and Howe.....
- 08/04/09 08:58 AM
Ok, I need just a few moments of your time to vent on a situation I encountered a few days ago. This promises to be quite interesting reading for some of you. I have discussed this situation with a few others and gotten several opinions on how to best handle this. What's your take? I had just finished up my morning inspection and was on my way to have lunch with a friend. I get about half way there and my phone rang. I answered it, and it was a gentleman wanting to hire me for a home inspection. In 4 … (9 comments)
home inspection: Waiting for the Light to Turn Green.......
- 03/10/09 01:53 PM
This has actually happened to me a few times while sitting in traffic. Like most home inspectors, I drive a truck. I can haul everything I need and then some. I had it done by a graphics company last year. They put a nice sticker in the back window that I can see right through, it doesn't block my vision at all. It's called a perf. I also had my two side windows in the rear done as well. Anyway, I was sitting at a green light and my cell phone started buzzing. I turned down the radio and answered it(I … (24 comments)
home inspection: Water and Electricity, What a Great Combination.
- 03/01/09 01:56 PM
We all know water and electricity do not mix well. This can be a dangerous combination in our homes. The electrical feeds coming into our homes can provide various sources and opportunities for electricity and water to join forces. There are a few spots that we need to keep an eye on and do yearly maintenance on to avoid this dangerous mixture. You can use the above house as a reference, crude but effective. The first area, will be the roof penetration. This is the area where the mast will penetrate the roof, usually on an overhang. This area … (9 comments)
home inspection: I Love My Shade Tree
- 03/01/09 12:28 PM
This tree has probably been in our yard longer than my wife or I have been on this planet. I really do love this tree. At last measurement it was 14 1/2 feet AROUND. Now that is a big tree. It provides us with plenty of shade when it is sweltering hot, and our dogs love to lay in its' shadow. We even got married under it. But my wife and I each have a different view on this tree. You see, she sees a great shade tree and lovely landscaping. All I can see is a cracked or heaving foundation. She … (9 comments)
home inspection: Are you throwing money out the window? Yeah, you.
- 02/16/09 01:41 PM
One of the key issues in energy efficiency is the insulation of your home. Proper insulation levels will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. When properly insulated this will be achieved more efficiently, thus at a lower energy cost for the homeowner. There are several vital areas for insulation in your home. We will go over those areas here, and look at each area closely. All of these areas work in conjunction together, to form a proper insulation barrier for your home. Before we get started we need to know a … (10 comments)
home inspection: Not In Your Contract? Help Me Understand.
- 02/09/09 11:45 AM
I run into this scenario at least twice a week. I have to say, it is really starting to wear thin on my last nerve. That’s not in the contract. Hold on, and you will see what I am getting at here. Most offers nowadays are dependent upon the “home inspection.” The buyer has a certain amount of time to have a home inspection performed to find defects or safety issues in the home. Following me so far? So, Bob calls his local home inspector and schedules an inspection. Bob wants the best inspection, so he orders a water test, … (32 comments)
On a recent home inspection I viewed a defect to the vinyl siding that seems to be popping up more and more lately. This is a defect that seems to be a no brainer to me, you just have to let common sense rule sometimes. That does not seem to be the case though, as you will see in the pictures provided. Once you view these, you just might say, "Oh, yeah, that is not a good idea. Mine is set up the same way, I need to fix that before my siding gets damaged." ;)
;)
