sumas: Handrail and Guardrail Safety
- 11/09/14 10:30 PM
Often, at a deck or landing, the home inspector will find that handrails and guardrails are not in accordance with safety guidelines. Another area where deficiencies often stick out like a sore thumb, include when the inspector is hired to inspect an outbuilding. The photo below, stairway to a barn loft, is an excellent example of the problem at hand.The shape and dimensions of the handrail are not readily graspable and there is no rail return at the bottom end. Furthermore, lack of spindles and the gaps at the side of the rail would not stop a child from climbing through the … (12 comments)
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sumas: Skylight Inspections (Concealed components, visual limitations)
- 08/23/14 09:56 AM
It is not good news, but to be truthful, it is iffy as to whether or not a home inspector will be able to reliably detect subtle seepage around skylights. Many factors and variables are involved and sometimes you can, sometimes you cannot.
Flashings and seals around the glazing at corners of skylights are vulnerable to leaks. The watertightness of any given skylight is dependent on the quality of the skylight itself (manufacturers’ responsibility) and proper installation of flashings-seals and the placement of underlayments at the top side (responsibility of in-the-field installers). … (6 comments)
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sumas: Federal Pacific Electric Panel (King of the House) Bellingham WA Home Inspector
- 07/27/14 12:42 AM
The most frequently seen older electric panel of questionable merit, here in Bellingham WA and Whatcom County, would be Zinsco-Sylvania brand. More often than not, when I recommend replacing an electric panel, it will be Zinsco brand.
However, maybe once every two or three years, I run into a "Federal Pacific Electric" service panel with "Stab-Lok" circuit breakers. These old panels are controversial: The manufacturer and the Consumer Product Safety Commission wrestled safety issues with this panel for 30 years. The manufacturer aggressively argued that the panels were safe. Then, only a few years back, the Consumer Product Safety Commission threw up … (6 comments)
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sumas: Building Houses to Last -- NOT!
- 04/27/14 06:16 AM
There are building techniques that will survive for only a few years, then there are methods that will result in materials lasting for many, many years. A classic example of non-durable, short term, construction is the way many contractors pay no heed to the consequences of moisture wicking up into wood.
The photo above is a wood column that supports an overhang roof. The overhang protects part of this concrete patio from rain but not the edge. And, where the post rests on damp concrete, rot-decay was developing. Even pressure-treated lumber lasts longer if it is not damp all of the … (39 comments)
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sumas: Home Inspection: Where the Uncommon is Common
- 02/22/14 12:19 AM
Anyone who says that a home inspector sees the same old things over and over again, is either not familiar with the territory of home inspection or he or she is ill informed. Sure, most of what we see is repetitive with varying degrees of good or bad going on.
But there are so many different systems and devices, and many harebrained repairs, that sometimes the unusual becomes apparent. I think I have seen maybe two systems like the one I am writing about here -- Apollo Hydro Heat. At first glace, the unit looks like a furnace. But, in fact, it utilizes hot … (4 comments)
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sumas: New Furnace, Service It!
- 02/15/14 11:40 PM
When inspecting a new home, the professional home inspector might have to call for service at a new furnace -- even if the furnace is only a few months old. The problem has to do with wet weather. At least in the wet climate of Bellingham and Whatcom County, builders cut wood and drywall in the garage during the fall and winter. They do so, logically so, to get out of the cold and wet. But guess what is located in the garage at many houses. Yep, the furnace.
And all of that sawdust, shavings and drywall dust ends up inside the … (14 comments)
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sumas: Home Inspection: Take Nothing for Granted
- 11/13/13 01:16 PM
Most people believe that a home inspector should, and can, make a number of general assumptions. You know, the basics like if a professional builder did the work, and the code authorities signed-off on the job, then it was done right.
If only that were true, it would make the home inspector's work much simpler and less stressful. Fact is, we have to stay on our toes at all times because there is very little about a home that one can take for granted.
That reality was brought to the forefront at a recent inspection. At a home, less than five years … (3 comments)
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sumas: Government Trusts in Thee (to do the right thing)
- 08/25/13 08:06 AM
In the course of a home inspection in Whatcom County, I ran into an unusual situation. The home was about 30 years of age, so trying to decipher the series of events that took place, from that many years ago, is pretty much impossible to do. But, based on the state inspector's notes inside the remote distribution or sub-panel, I have a hunch as to what took place.
I think the state code inspector approved the electrical panel and wiring subject to corrections: (1) properly wiring the sub-panel (2) installing GFCI receptacles.
As you might anticipate, this was not … (5 comments)
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sumas: Frost-free Yard Hydrants
- 07/07/13 03:02 PM
Most "modern" faucets, that I see attached to the exterior of the home in Bellingham and Whatcom County, will be frost-free hose bibbs with backflow prevention devices -- to keep gray water out of the potable water system.
However, frequently even at new homes, out at the garden or at perimeter locations, I will see a simple faucet mounted on a piece of pipe (anything from PVC plastic pipe to copper or galvanized steel) sticking out of the ground. Most of the time these faucets are not frost-free and, even if they were, the associated pipe would not be. Unsupported plastic … (18 comments)
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sumas: Please Shut The Door
- 05/19/13 04:39 AM
This is an amusing and a revealing photo taken recently at an inspection at a large commercial building. It was dark inside the building, and bright sunlight prevailed at the outside. The picture tells the story, pretty poor energy efficiency at this door. You might be thinking that I should have shut the door before snapping the photo. Well, look again, fact of the matter is that door is shut and latched.
All that daylight is the result of a poor fit, lack of weatherstrippings and a threshold. When you put those missing ingredients together, you have a door that … (36 comments)
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sumas: HUD Manufactured Home Foundation Certifications in Bellingham, WA
- 02/11/13 03:40 AM
People today have too little time in the workday. Reducing the amount of chasing around, paperwork, the number of phone calls and Emails involved in a business transaction benefits any home buyer, home seller, real estate professional or lender.
Locally, I know that many lenders and real estate professionals become frustrated when the federal government is involved in financing a manufactured home sale. The home will probably require a HUD compliant certification inspection stating that the foundation meets with HUD Permanent Foundation Guidelines for Manufactured Homes -- a requirement for FHA-insured loans.
Photo: View under manufactured home in Whatcom County, … (5 comments)
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sumas: So Have You Ever Misplaced Your Keys?
- 02/09/13 11:15 PM
Do you ever misplace, or worse yet, lose your keys? If so, let me tell you about a nifty device.
Over the years, my wife and I have each lost a set of keys. At the best, that is inconvenient. At worst, especially with the transponder car keys that cost money to replace, losing keys is a big inconvenience and a bummer.
I am more likely to misplace keys that to actually lose them. On inspections, I try to put the keys in a special place while I am working. But, a few times, for one reason or another, the keys were … (11 comments)
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sumas: 1957, What a Year
- 01/06/13 11:40 PM
In the history of recorded music, songs do not get much bigger than this one. The impact of this song, how it and the artist who performed it influenced music for the next 50 years and beyond, is quite amazing. It was a real trend setter.
For seven weeks, in the fall and winter of 1957, this tune was #1 from downtown Manhattan to Alcatraz Island. The smash hit was blasting out of AM car radios and, internationally, the artist had the first song to ever debut at #1 on the British charts. Ike was the President, back in the days … (14 comments)
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sumas: Aged Metal Plumbing Pipes, Bellingham WA Home Inspections
- 12/18/12 10:55 PM
In the course of performing home inspections at older homes, along with knob and tube wiring, one of the most common issues that I find involves aged metal plumbing pipes. The old pipes commonly found in the Bellingham area and Whatcom County include cast iron, galvanized steel (drain and supply pipes) and even lead pipe at toilet drains.
Some clients wonder why the old pipes would even be considered a problem. The answer to that, based on when the materials were commonly installed, is that most old metal pipes are at, or beyond, estimated design life of 50 or so years. … (4 comments)
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sumas: The Home Inspector Does Not Pass or Fail Houses
- 12/16/12 05:57 AM
There is a misconception, among many people (including buyers and sellers), that we home inspectors "pass" or "fail" houses. That is not the case. Inspectors do not give letter grades A through F at any house.
On the other hand, the home inspector will report the conditions that are present and visible. For example, there are obvious problems at this building. A good inspector will describe those deficiencies in detail but he or she will not give the house a letter grade.
The inspector's job is to provide pertinent information on the condition of the home. It is the job of the client … (4 comments)
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sumas: Frost-free Hose Bibbs (Bellingham Real Estate Inspections)
- 08/23/12 03:11 AM
Frost-free hose bibbs are nifty devices. For the most part, they end the worry about outside faucets freezing in winter. At least they do the job here in Whatcom County's maritime climate, where it never gets too frigid.
I have seen problems with the devices but that is, usually, due to a lack of common sense on the part of a homeowner or a builder. In the case of the homeowner, if hoses are left on the faucets during the winter, expect both the hoses and the faucets to freeze. In some instances, if a builder has run a long supply … (5 comments)
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sumas: "Nuke-testing" for Fun and Profit, Bellingham, WA
- 02/25/12 12:55 PM
A few months ago, a friend of mine who happens to be a home inspector, showed me this little gadget. The sole purpose of the gadget was to test the function of microwave ovens. Now, fact is, as a home inspector, the obligation for inspecting appliances in this state is pretty minimal -- we don't have to do so if we don't want to, per the state standards of practice.
From a marketplace standpoint, most of us do take a look at appliances as a service. It is basic: We check that range burners come on, that dishwashers don't seem to be … (14 comments)
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sumas: Failed Paint (King of the House Home Inspection) Bellingham, WA
- 01/12/12 07:10 AM
Failed paint can be unsightly, that is the initial reaction upon seeing peeling paint. If that painted surface is on the inside, unless it is old lead-based paint and someone is eating it, the problem usually remains cosmetic in nature. However, if the surface with the deteriorating paint is outside, and weather-exposed, look for negative consequences.
When the failed exterior paint is over wood, expect the wood to swell and, eventually, become soft and rot. If the paint is protecting a steel surface, often the case at outside light fixtures and handrails, rust-corrosion will degrade the metal and make it … (2 comments)
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sumas: Is Your Inspector a Licensed Structural Pest Inspector?
- 07/24/11 09:18 AM
As of a few years ago, when the homes inspector licensing law went into effect, it is no longer mandatory for a home inspector to maintain a license as a structural pest inspector. In years gone by, from a practical standpoint, an inspector was not able to work in this state without the structural pest inspector license. The law now reads: A licensed home inspector may cite rot or conditions that are likely to lead to rot or similar issues. But that inspector, if he or she does not have a structural pest inspector license, MAY NOT reference sightings of, or damage … (3 comments)
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sumas: #1 Single In America, July 1964, 47 years ago
- 07/17/11 02:13 PM
One of the groups that has been classified as, perhaps, the most all-American of all singing groups, had a #1 single for two weeks in July 1964. The song hit the #1 slot on July 4th and it stayed there for two weeks. As a result of the British Invasion, the single had the distinction of being the first #1 hit on the U.S. charts by an American "boy" band in eight months.
The band had formed in high school as Carl and the Passions, from there the name changed to the Pendletons. Needless to say, the numerous tracks of "hot … (8 comments)
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Often, at a deck or landing, the home inspector will find that handrails and guardrails are not in accordance with safety guidelines. Another area where deficiencies often stick out like a sore thumb, include when the inspector is hired to inspect an outbuilding. The photo below, stairway to a barn loft, is an excellent example of the problem at hand.The shape and dimensions of the handrail are not readily graspable and there is no rail return at the bottom end. Furthermore, lack of spindles and the gaps at the side of the rail would not stop a child from climbing through the … (12 comments)
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