ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2011
"When your money is taken by a thief, you get nothing in return. When your money is taken through taxes to support needless bureaucrats, precisely the same situation exists. We are lucky, indeed, if the needless bureaucrats are mere easy-going loafers. They are more likely today to be energeti...
10/11/2011
43
Comments
Nobody has more fun than I with things that I see on home inspections that are not considered best practices. Sure, the line, "But I've always done it this way," comes up a lot. And some things that are not done professionally can be funny, and instructive. That's where Mr. Jay's Neighborhood ...
10/09/2011
33
Comments
This History Mystery post is inspired by Lenn Harley having been inspired by Preston Sandlin! Boy, it gets incestuous around here! The building industry changes so much. Mostly, and I say this from experience, MOSTLY it is changing in terms of building product and technique. Some things I like...
10/08/2011
22
Comments
Do you think it's kosher to report on a home inspection that a company recently in the house went about cracking a roof truss, but not tell anybody? Well, I can't do that, even if it's what I think. All I can do is observe and report the problem. What's the problem? A recent inspection on a ho...
10/07/2011
22
Comments
Paraphrasing the famous World War II saying, "Loose lips sink ships," well, small dips sink ships, um, decks... Coming around the backside of a flipped house I was asked to inspect, I saw this new deck. When I see this I always look around it from a distance to see things like uniformity, level, ...
10/06/2011
60
Comments
So, is this a gas line sediment trap or escape hatch? You decide. The features list in the house said, "Newly installed HVAC system 2011!" All true. And done professionally! Judging from the duct work the previous system was quite old. Replacing it was only smart. And good for my clients! Th...
10/05/2011
37
Comments
What are cobwebs? And why do they appear in houses? What does a multiplicity of cobwebs mean? As regards cobwebs, the word cob has nothing to do with corn! It probably originated with an Old English word - "COPPE," which meant spider. So the word "cobweb" might just be a sloppy way of saying ...
10/04/2011
It's that time of year again. Fall and winter provide excellent opportunities to do some sprucing up and getting ready for the season ahead. So, once again, it's time for: Jay's List! Specifically, the Fall/Winter Seasonal Chores List. You have to do it anyway, so this gift is for you. It see...
10/03/2011
"The State provides a legal, orderly, systematic channel for predation on the property of the producers." Murry Rothbard (1926-1995) Dr. Rothbard was famous for saying a lot in few words. Just the word "predation" says it all! What is a predator? Most animals, and some plants, are predators. T...
10/03/2011
Sometimes new things impress buyers as they walk around a house, and very often a new staircase isn't always a stairway to heaven. The deck has been there a while. The stairs have not. There are buyers who're sure, all that glitters is gold,But they're not buying a stairway to heaven.Oooh, they'...
10/02/2011
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Jay Markanich
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia
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An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.