upland home inspections: Scary Sink - 06/03/10 04:59 AM
Sometimes a home inspector just has to have a little fun.  With all these foreclosures, short sales and vacant houses we come across some interesting things.  Sometimes things are stolen or missing or disconnected.  I came across something like that and had a little fun with it.  I hope it gives you a little laugh, or maybe a big laugh...
 
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
                    


(c) 2010 Joseph Lang dba Pillar To Post
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upland home inspections: What's Under Your House? - 05/18/10 01:15 PM
I've been wanting to put together a home inspection video blog about a crawlspace for a long time.  But as you can probably guess, it's not too easy to do a video in a tight and dusty place like a crawlspace.  Well, I finally had the opportunity to video under a house... and it was a doozy.  I couldn't have picked a better crawlspace to make a video.  I hope you enjoy the video... and I hope you appreciate crawling under a house...
 
 
...remember, we'd be honored to crawl under your house too.
I hope this gave you a little more appreciation for a … (2 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Moisture Meter - 01/26/10 12:49 AM
Finding leaks is certainly easier in the rain.  However, even in the rain, a leak cannot always be seen.  This is where the "tools of the trade" come in.  A moisture meter can detect moisture where it cannot be seen.  Of course a home isnpector usually has to use his sight first, then go to the moisture meter, as every sqaure-inch of a home cannot possibly be tested using a moisture meter.  However, during rain, it's always a good idea to use a moisture meter at window sills... this home inspection video blog shows an example.
 
 
I hope this … (6 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Laser Sensors - 01/19/10 03:17 AM
This home inspection video blog in Chino Hills, CA is about garage door laser sensor eyes.  Most people know they provide safety for small children, but they forget they can protect pets also.  I sometimes hear, "But I don't have kids," well what about the neighbor's kids, relatives' kids, your pets, neighbors' pets, etc?  All garage doors should have laser sensor eyes for safety.  I hope you enjoy the home inspection video blog below:
 
 
I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

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upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Hand Rails - 01/13/10 07:46 AM
This home inspection video blog in Fontana, CA is about hand rail safety.  I often see safety issues with hand rails which should be immediately repaired.  Stairs are a very common place for accidents and injuries.  The elderly and the young are most susceptible, but everyone is at risk.  I hope you enjoy the video blog below.
 
 
I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
                    


(c) 2010 … (8 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Squirrel Cage - 01/11/10 03:41 AM
All you ever wanted to know about squirrels... just kidding.  This home inspection video blog in Chino Hills, CA has information about furnace maintenance.  Furnaces, just like cars, should be maintained regularly.  Some maintenance includes air filters, vacuuming air plenums and cleaning squirrel cages (or blower fans).  I hope you enjoy the home inspection video blog below:
 
 
I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
                    


(c) 2010 … (2 comments)

upland home inspections: AB 1118 by Hayashi: Requirements for California Home Inspectors - 01/06/10 06:01 AM
Please read the full text for AB 118 by Hayashi at http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm and type in AB 1118 and the name Hayashi.  If you agree, write your local California Assembly member to support it.
There are currently no requirements by the State of California to call oneself a home inspector, AB 1118 would change that.  I don't think it's a perfect bill, but it's a step in the right direction.  I don't want to summarize it here because I would rather you read the actual text.
Please read it and let me know your thoughts?
Thanks,
Joseph Lang
Pillar To Post Home Inspection

… (6 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Episode 7 - 01/05/10 05:57 AM
This home inspection video blog is about pool gate safety.  This is a very important safety concerns and should be taken seriously.  Pool gates are there primarily to keep children out of the pool area and prevent drownings.  Of course, some people say, "No big deal, I don't have kids."  This does not hold true... what if a neighbor's kid goes in your backyard to get a ball that went over the wall... then they fall in your unprotected pool... boy, would the lawyers love that one!
Please view the video for information on pool gate safety:
 
 
 
I … (5 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Episode 6 - 01/04/10 07:31 AM
Some safety items noted during a home inspection are relatively cheap, yet very important.  I find these types of safety items all the time and note them on my reports.  One such item is an anti-tip bracket for ovens/stoves.  The home inspection video blog below gives an example.
 
I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
                    


(c) 2010 Joseph Lang dba Pillar To Post
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upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Episode 5 - 12/15/09 07:07 AM
Sometimes I see things that are pretty funny during a home inspection.  This time I thought I'd take a video of it and share it with you.  Now keep in mind, home inspectors are a funny breed of people and not everyone will think it's too funny.  The video is more about making something useless in a home and therefore taking away any value it was intended to have.
Alas, I have taken too long to get to the point.  Please watch the video and let me know what you think.
 
 
I hope this gives you a little more … (4 comments)

upland home inspections: Home Inspection Video Blog - Episode 4 - 12/03/09 12:50 PM
Okay, I have officially moved to a video blog.  I will probably still do "old" blogs every once in a while, after all, I have thousands of home inspection pictures I'd love to share.  But for now I'm on a video blog kick.
This home inspection video blog is about having a light source in a room. Each room needs a light source so that occupants don't trip over items in the dark and get injured. When there isn't a light on the ceiling, there needs to be another way to provide light for the room. This home inspection video blog … (2 comments)

upland home inspections: Blow It Out, But Do It Properly - 12/02/09 03:46 AM
I'm trying to move from a traditional blog to a video blog.  Of course in the meantime you get to be my guinea pigs as I slowly learn to master the process.  I eventually hope to do seamless and error-less videos on the field... but until then... practice makes perfect.
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I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
                    


(c) 2009 Joseph Lang dba Pillar To Post
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upland home inspections: My 1st Home Inspection Video Blog - 12/01/09 01:15 PM
I have attempted my first home inspection video blog.  Well, okay, it looks as if it is my 2nd home inspection video blog, that's because I just figured how to post a video here on AR, so I ended up posting my 2nd home inspection video blog first.  That makes perfect sense... right.  Okay, now that I have you totally confused, hopefully you'll watch the video below and have some enjoyment, it's not as confusing as my intro paragraph here.
I was at a vacant house and decided to do a video blog, so it is unscripted.
 
 

 
… (7 comments)

upland home inspections: A Wet "Guide" to Home Inspections - 11/27/09 02:47 AM
Some items found during the home inspection are very inexpensive, but still are a safety concern. The video below has a good example of this.  Click on the play button in the bottom left-hand corner of the picture.

 
A home inspector should not only be reviewing the report with the client, but also put things in perspective to give them a better understanding.
I hope this gives you a little more information about a professional home inspection and its value.  Be safe out there.
 

Posted by Joseph Lang of Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection
          … (8 comments)

upland home inspections: Clearance, Cans on Isle 3 (A Home Inspection Blog) - 11/03/09 03:25 AM
 Okay, I have to admit, this is not a blog about the supermarket or department store.  But it is about something I find quite often in attics.  It has to do with older "canned" recessed lighting.  Look at the picture below:
 

 
The picture is of the older canned lighting in the attic.  If you look on the white can, just above the metal box in the picture, you can barely see a white label with red letters.  The label generally reads something to the effect of, "Warning, risk of fire, 3-inch minimum clearance needed to combustibles."  Of course "combustibles" refers … (6 comments)

upland home inspections: Wet Lights (A Home Inspection Blog) - 09/17/09 05:21 AM
Outdoor lighting is good, I think that's something everyone can agree on.  It's great when you are trying to get the key into the lock at night, when you want the kids to play outside at night, to just sit and relax outside at night... any activity that you would like to do outside during night that requires sight.
 
So what happens when you come home late at night and the front porch light is not on?  How do you see what you're doing so you can open the door?  Isn't there some way to turn on the light?  Oh … (6 comments)

upland home inspections: Smokin' it up (A Home Inspection Blog) - 09/15/09 04:02 AM
Sometimes I take great pictures, and sometimes I don't, I guess that's why I'm not a photographer.  Anyhow, let me describe the picture below a little bit before I get too far:
At the bottom right hand corner of the picture is a chimney on top of a garage conversion to living space.  The garage is about 9-ft. from the window at the top of the picture at the house.  And as it looks in the picture, the chimney is lower than the window.
 Okay, do you see any problems with that?

The chimney needs to be a minimum of … (3 comments)

upland home inspections: Aromatherapy in the Attic (A Home Inspection Blog) - 09/09/09 04:00 AM
Did the title get you interested?  Wondering how you get aromatherapy in the attic?  First of all, make sure you hire a home inspector who enters the attic, otherwise you'll never know.  If the home inspector says (s)he'll be 45-minutes to 1 1/2 hours on-site, (s)he probably won't enter the attic, or if (s)he does, it won't be very thorough.
Now back to the topic.  How do you get aromatherapy in the attic?

 
The picture above is the best way to get aromatherapy in the attic.  You'll get a nice strong scent that's sure to get your attention.  Thanks for stopping by.  … (0 comments)

upland home inspections: Closet = Danger (A Home Inspection Blog) - 09/08/09 09:39 AM
It's always nice to come up with new and creative ways to find space in your home.  I certainly could use some more storage area.  Below is a picture I took at a home inspection where a previous homeowner was creative and discovered they could use the space under their stairs for more storage.
 

 
The homeowner even put in a door to make it nice and accessible.  This picture was taken from inside the garage?  However there is a problem here... do you know what it is?
The walls in the garage where there is living space on … (3 comments)

upland home inspections: The Tale of the Tape (A Home Inspection Blog) - 08/06/09 04:03 AM
Yes, I do like boxing, and though the title of the blog may sound like the prelude to a boxing fight, you can prbably guess that boxing has nothing to do with this blog.
 

 
Okay, so you tell the seller there is a cracked wall.  Well, they might be thinking it's a hairline crack that is typical, so they could care less. However, the measuring tape in the picture puts everything in perspective.  I'd say a 15-inch damaged wall is a little different than a 1/4-inch hole in a wall.
Like I stated earlier, boxing had nothing to do … (0 comments)