ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2013
Nothing about this staircase meets code - what does the inspector do? But wait! It is beautiful! It is a work of art! It is placed with architectural and landscaping purpose! It is one of three such renderings on the property! It is extremely expensive and made from local materials! It is green! ...
11/15/2013
This mobile home in Northern Virginia was a mess from top to bottom. Perusing the outside of this mobile home I stumbled across this interesting hole. It is poorly insulated. It is exposed to the weather. It is shiny and clean! It is close to the ground. It is crushed. It is made of sharp metal a...
11/13/2013
34
Comments
I can answer this question: are there bats in Northern Virginia? The answer is -- of course! Our house is next to a pond. During warmer weather we can sit on our deck near dusk and watch the bats, in large numbers, dart about enjoying the local mosquito feast. And, as we sit, we are not bothere...
11/12/2013
You could see pulling up to the house that in this Northern Virginia mobile home the windows were sweating it. They really were. All of them. First, they are all single pane windows. Very inefficient. But second, entering the house I could feel the moisture. The seller was boiling a chicken. Some...
11/10/2013
When I get a phone call that includes this statement, I begin itching in odd places to find out why - the voice on the phone says, "The GFI never trips in our new basement bathroom." I know, the title said Northern Virginia, but they didn't actually say that on the phone... Let's just say that a...
11/09/2013
In addition to the features list of this house the seller decided to add that the crawl space was bone dry and had never gotten wet. So, crawling into the crawl space, through an opening 18" wide and a space a hefty 4' high, I saw this. There is a mud stain on the wall, all around the space, 10" ...
11/07/2013
18
Comments
When installing canister lights in the ceiling that extend into an attic space, the must be insulation compatible light fixtures. If they are not, and if they are covered with insulation, they can overheat. If they overheat too much the obvious result is fire. Why take that chance? On a recent ...
11/05/2013
46
Comments
So, let's hear an answer - is it possible to break disposal blades? Disposal blades are called "impeller blades." They are designed in different shapes to attempt to cut and chop debris in the disposal. The smaller it is chopped, the easier it is to wash away. The larger the motor (builder size ...
11/03/2013
It's not often that I see older EIFS in Northern Virginia, with all the expected problems. EIFS is an acronym for Exterior Insulation Finish System and it is the generic word used when referring to "synthetic stucco." The first synthetic stucco used was a Styrofoam product literally glued right t...
11/02/2013
Rainmaker
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Jay Markanich
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An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.