bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Chimney Issue
- 06/24/10 12:56 PM
This is something that I probably would not have seen had I not been perched on the roof at this house. The top was wide open on a metal wood stove chimney. This was high on the house and, without being up there and looking down, only a minimal view was possible.
I probably would have figured out that something was amiss from down below, because the metal chimney was rusted. However, this was a situation where I was glad that the slope was such that I could safely access the roof.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: How Fishy Is This Anyway?
- 06/23/10 04:59 PM
I pulled up at a house today out by the bay at Sandy Point and, right away, I knew that something fishy was going on. It did not take a rocket scientist to figure it out. All it took was one look at the mail box.
I thought it was a pretty funny but fishy mailbox. I have a friend who I would love to give it to. He is a fisherman and a fanatic. On second thought, I should have bartered the home inspection for the mail box. On third thought, nobody there owned the mailbox so it would … (20 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Washington State Home Inspector Training: Bellingham Technical College
- 06/22/10 06:19 PM
To learn more about the state approved home inspection training course at Bellingham Technical College, simply click the start button on the video above. BTC is an approved provider of home inspection training in Washington State. The four week course is offered several times a year on the Bellingham campus and it includes three weeks of fundamentals of home inspection training and 40 hours of field training.
… (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Old Paint and Old Asbestos In Your House -- Maybe?
- 06/20/10 09:30 AM
For many years now, those individuals buying older homes have been informed by inspectors, appraisers and the government that pre-1978 houses might contain lead-based paint and/or asbestos products.
The following general information applies to lead-based products and asbestos.
The manufacture of lead-based paint, applied for decades on both the exterior and the interior of homes, was discontinued in 1978; however existing product was used through 1982. In a related matter, up until the late 1980's, copper water supply pipes were "sweated" together with solder that contained some lead. Generally, that is considered to be a minor health risk but, if older … (8 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- No Flashing, Decay Present
- 06/20/10 08:26 AM
Often homeowners build decks based on tips from neighbors or some how-to-do-it guide that they purchase or are handed at a building center. The information that they glean, and what they understand, can lead to problems. Some of the common issues include decks not properly secured to the house, unsafe steps, handrails and guardrails.
One of the more subtle ones, is the deck that is secured right up against the wood siding and there is not a proper metal flashing in place. Below is an example.
Water pools on the flat surface and that leads to moisture accumulating against the … (1 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Note to Self: Cross My Fingers Hope to Die
- 06/19/10 02:48 PM
When I do an inspection at a large house, that is very spread out, I use every technique I can think of to remind myself of what problem was found at what locations. When you have about seven hose bibbs and a number of GFCI receptacles, some hidden, it can be challenging to at least give some guidance to the client as to where a problem might be found. I really do not like to be too generic.
I use notes and I also use photos and sometimes, in my photos, I use symbols. In this case, call it my own … (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bustin' Into The Garage
- 06/17/10 04:53 PM
A real estate agent I work with often sent me this interesting video. Apparently, if there is a window on the garage door, it is pretty easy for a competent burglar to gain entry to the garage and maybe the house. Even if that was NOT the case, now that this video is all over youtube, I suspect that any reasonably up-to-date criminal will be into breaking into garages.
You can see the video below.
Nutsy says: A plastic cable tie, holding the gizmo thingee together, would alleviate this potential security problem in my estimation. Remember only you can prevent crime.
… (13 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: There Is More To Paint Than Being Pleasing To The Eye
- 06/16/10 02:54 PM
People like their clean and brightly painted homes. That was a fun aspect of visiting Burano, in Italy, a few years back -- all the garish colors.
Most of our painting around here is more conservative, or the neighbors talk. However, even if the colors are conservative, you need to keep paint on the wood. That is essential if you want to protect the wood from moisture. When the wood starts looking like this.
It becomes soft and spongy and you end up with this.
Once rot, or wood decay fungi, has developed, then you have more work … (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Salt Spring Island
- 06/13/10 07:00 AM
I just went for a bike ride down to the harbor for breakfast. We had the nicest day so far this year yesterday. Today it is cloudy and overcast -- pretty typical of Bellingham.
Whether it is going to rain or not, that remains to be seen. When I was down at the waterfront today, while I had my camera, I decided instead to post a photo that I took this past summer. These are Canadian boats in the harbor on gorgeous Salt Spring Island in British Columbia -- not far from Bellingham by ferry. It is a very scenic and … (2 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: A Purrrrrfect Place For Cats
- 06/12/10 09:15 AM
While admitting that I tolerate and like cats, I will also state that they can be a terrible pain for the home inspector. A seller walking out and saying that the cat must remain inside seems like a simple request. That is, until you become the inspector who is trying to troubleshoot something that is confusing and, low and behold, the guard goes down and the cunning kitty is on the lam.
The purrrfect solution is below. No offense to kitties or their owners. These cats did not hinder the inspection, for once.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (7 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Tripping Over Deer
- 06/10/10 02:21 PM
Deer seem to be more common all the time within the city up here in Bellingham. Normally I see them every time I do an inspection at Sudden Valley, which is an area out by Lake Whatcom.
Today I was at an inspection in another part of town, city limits proper, and two beauties went by in the course of munching on someones bushes.
We have some in my neighborhood too but this is the first time they have ever chewed on my wife's plants. There doing so does not make her happy.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (10 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Fundamentals Of Home Inspection -- Bellingham Technical College
- 06/09/10 03:29 AM
Since home inspector licensing began in this state last year, many individuals who wish to enter the field of home inspection are interested in taking the fundamentals of home inspection course that is offered at Bellingham Technical College.
We have been running the class every couple months with the advent of licensing.
The course is four weeks long, with one week dedicated to field training. The next state approved fundamentals class will begin on July 12, a Monday. For additional information, call 360-752-8796.
Thanks for stopping by,
Steven L. Smith
… (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Falling Insulation
- 06/06/10 07:39 AM
Inside the crawl space where, typically, the insulation is fiberglass batts under the floor, the inspector often finds insulation that is down.
This is often related to rodent, pest or animal entry -- they like to mess up the insulation. However, it can be related to other factors as well: poorly attached in the first place, damp insulation that is heavy due to evaporation up into it from a wet crawl space, work that was done on plumbing pipes and insulation was never put back up where it belongs.
Sometimes the insulation can be re-installed. Other times it is wet … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Cat and Dog Fans -- Listen Up
- 06/06/10 05:49 AM
Even if you have pets, like my hardly working boys
You need to draw the line, as to what you will do to help them out, at some point. For example, if you have a home with an attached garage -- do not cut a pet door or opening into the, once, fire-rated house/garage door.
I have been seeing this problem a whole lot lately. When you make such a modification, you destroy the fire-rating of the door. That means a fire in the garage can easily end up inside the house, as can CO from a running car … (6 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Rosario Resort -- An Old Friend Is Back
- 06/06/10 05:41 AM
Years ago, back when I owned a radio station in Bellingham, I had a cooperative business relationship with the resort at Rosario on Orcas Island. They received radio advertising and I received lodging and dinners in their kitchen. I cannot tell you how many times my wife and I took friends over there to the "Moran Mansion".
Largely due to the difficulty of getting from the mainland to Orcas and back again on weekends, operating this tourist attraction can be quite the challenge. It has been open, closed, off and on for many years. Last that I heard it was … (4 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Mold Is All About Moisture -- Bellingham Home Inspections
- 06/05/10 04:36 PM
In the state of Washington, the state department of agriculture has defined mold and microbial growths as "wood inhabiting organisms." That is different from rot which is a wood destroying organism.
Mold is a sign of excess moisture, a lack of ventilation or a combination of both. Below is a wall in a poorly heated home. This damp closet stayed damp and mold was the result.
A more startling view of mold can be had below. This is the underside of a manufactured home that was victim to a longterm, and ignored, roof leak. This is among one of the more … (5 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Catastrophic Failure (Bellingham Home Inspections) -- King of the House
- 06/05/10 03:10 AM
Often the home inspector and the buyer will see moss on the deck. Moss is not only slick but it retains moisture against the decking and any structural lumber. Moisture will wick from one area to another and rot will spread, once it gets started. Here is an example.
When you see a surface in that condition, look carefully because, if we just move the camera a few feet farther down the side of the house, we find that the moss and lack of maintenance led to this.
What some people, casually, look upon as simple maintenance issues can … (6 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspection (King of the House) -- Gutters and Downspouts
- 06/04/10 09:19 AM
Since they are often up high, it seems that people seldom recognize problems with gutters and downspouts. Sometimes, to find a problem, you really have to be up above looking down on a gutter.
If there are trees in the vicinity, the inspector is likely to find standing water in the gutter and a clogged condition. Sometimes problems are more apparent if a person takes a look up at the roof from the ground.
In this case, it is evident that the disconnected downspout is allowing heavy quantities of water to be discharged onto the roof below. This is … (3 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Rescued Once Again
- 06/01/10 10:24 AM
Recently I was in a crawl space, part of my job. Fortunately for me, that crawl space was first "cleared" by my certifried home inspector assistant Nutsy S. Wallenda. When I say it was cleared that, of course ties in with Nutsy's strong police and military background.
He let me know, going in, that he had been forced to neutralize one perpetrator who he felt I would not want to deal with. As is usually the case, Nutsy was right on target.
I was very pleased, distasteful as he still was, that the perp was now still and would not be … (23 comments)
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bellingham home inspection: Bellingham Home Inspections (King of the House) -- Connecting the dots
- 05/30/10 02:39 AM
It is always nice to be able to figure out why a problem exists. At a recent inspection I had noted some minor gutter and downspout maintenance issues prior to the deluge of heavy rain. But, when I was down in the crawl space, the otherwise dry area was really wet in one corner. This always requires further review from the outside.
Sure enough, when I got the fine tooth comb out, on the outside, the foundation drain was not functioning and water was running over the top of the drain and out around the downspout. You can see the … (7 comments)
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This is something that I probably would not have seen had I not been perched on the roof at this house. The top was wide open on a metal wood stove chimney. This was high on the house and, without being up there and looking down, only a minimal view was possible.
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