ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2012
77
Comments
This is something I am finding often in the REO market - gone, gone, and gone! This is a lonely scene. I am seeing it more and more. To the left is the discharge tube to the former dishwasher. The (very dirty) tube remains, but the dishwasher does not. IT IS GONE. To the right is the cable to the...
02/19/2012
35
Comments
On recent home inspections, I had the disappearing disposal - twice in one week! I pay attention when notes are left for me at home inspections. They are usually very helpful. Sometimes they are downright devious. The most recent was yesterday. The photos would have been very similar to these...
02/18/2012
43
Comments
My clients are listening to me! This is good news, because I tell every client at every inspection that if they have any question at all, at any time, they may call me. And I mean it. Just this week, here are a couple of the MANY calls from clients: 1. "Jay, you said to listen to my house and ...
02/17/2012
Good thing this dryer vents into the attic, cause it sure can't vent outdoors! Combine a makeshift laundry room, with a holey (not holy) dryer vent, and the most interesting, but clogged, discharge outdoors I have ever seen and what do you have? Well, for one thing, you have a lot of mold! Intere...
02/15/2012
88
Comments
So often, more than seeing something flashed correctly, I see how not to flash a chimney, or a roof. Roof tar does not flashing make! Period. It's great UNDER "stuff," like shingles, or vent covers, and when under it is long lasting. But it is not intended to be installed (my word is "gooped")...
02/14/2012
"The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell." Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919) What does that mean? Carnegie is the quintessential rags to riches story. Moving to Pennsylvania in 1848, he found work as a bobbin boy changing spools of thread in a cotton mill. He worked 6 days a week...
02/13/2012
13
Comments
One very important thing to look for on new construction, pre-drywall inspections are hurricane straps. Also called "hurricane ties" or "twist straps," let's keep it simple for the post and call them hurricane straps. A simple piece of engineering, a hurricane strap is a single piece of metal wi...
02/12/2012
22
Comments
Hi folks! Billy Jays here! This will bring a tear to your eye! It does to mine! I have brought you many products in the past. As you know, our wonderful wares are sold nationwide, even internationally. And why not! We have wonderful wares! And when we hear back about the success of our product...
02/11/2012
88
Comments
Where oh where could the dryer vent be? Sometimes you know a change has been made, but you don't know where. This dryer vent has blown directly onto the AC compressor since the house was built. That would be 1979. A dryer vent should not be within 12' or so of a compressor. Too close, as in th...
02/10/2012
25
Comments
What is a preposition? My 8th grade English teacher, Miss Braun, taught me that a preposition was anything you can do to a house. What? I mean, you can go inside, or be outside, over or under, beside or behind or in between, before or after, up and down. All those kinds of words are prepositi...
02/09/2012
Rainmaker
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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.