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Open invitations will be answered-----I promise.

By Charles Buell

Home Inspector with Charles Buell Inspections Inc.

June 22, 2010 09:41 AM

As a Licensed Structural Pest Inspector, or even as a Licensed Home Inspector, in Washington State, I am always reporting on what is called “conducive conditions.” Conducive conditions are anything that will tend to attract or lead to damage to wood structures by wood destroying organisms including decay/rot and wood destroying insects.

The list of conducive conditions is almost endless. One really common one is maintaining proper clearances to siding and trim-----6 inches in most cases. This can be very difficult to achieve with older properties and sometimes if I see any amount of clearance at all I am happy.

In the following picture I think almost anyone can see that the window sill being buried in the grass makes a perfect “condition” than any self respecting bug or fungi could appreciate.

Highway to heaven

Open invitations will be answered-----I promise.

Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector

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Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

I, for one, happen to like conducive conditions. The wetter the better is my motto.

Very kindly,

Croakster

Jun 22, 2010 09:49 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Well that certainly doesn't look like the best idea I've ever seen.

Jun 22, 2010 09:51 AM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

I've always thought of you as a fun guy!

Jun 22, 2010 09:55 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Jack and not a water type well either :)

Croakster-----yes the bog is the perfect place for you

Tammy----it took quite a while for this to happen. I bet when the house was built 90 years ago it didn't look like this.

Alan, yup :)

Jun 22, 2010 09:57 AM

Dennis Chamberlain

Eastern WA Home Inspections, LLC - Moses Lake, WA

Eastern WA Home Inspections

As a home gets older the ground can build up around it, some times with help from Mount ST Helens. I have seen a lot of windows like the one pictured.

Jun 22, 2010 10:04 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Dennis, yes. Sometimes I think Landscapers should be considered a form of wood destroying organism----or at the very least a conducive condition :)

Jun 22, 2010 10:06 AM

Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

Moist soil + wood = dry rot waiting to happen

Good picture of the inevitable!

Jun 22, 2010 10:15 AM

Cheryl Willis

RE/MAX Solutions- OZARK MISSOURI - Mount Vernon, MO

MO Broker - Mt Vernon, Monett, Aurora, Barry & Law

The ants go marching on and on...Cheryl(I had a few of those visit lately)WIllis

Jun 22, 2010 10:17 AM

Alan May

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL

Home is where the hearth is.

Carla - I think soil + wood = equals ACTUAL (moist) rot!!

Jun 22, 2010 10:19 AM

Glenn Roberts

Retired - Seattle, WA

Charlie, that look like it only goes into a crawl space so what's the problem? Many crawls have creatures living in them and some of them eat wood.

Jun 22, 2010 10:30 AM

Craig Rutman

Helping people in transition - Cary, NC

Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

"Landscapers should be considered a form of wood destroying organism"!!! That's just too funny!!!

Jun 22, 2010 10:50 AM

Kate Kate

San Diego, CA

First Comcast stupidity, next Carpenter Ants move in and now you've inpsected a house with Conducive Conditions? Is the whole world against you my friend?

Jun 22, 2010 01:49 PM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

Do all conducive conditions involve water, worms and wood?

Nutsy

Jun 22, 2010 02:44 PM

Jay Lloyd

Cape Coral Florida - Cape Coral, FL

Allpro Home Inspection

Hi Charles, Nice photo, really illustrates the the effects of improper clearance. It's common down here with wood fences attached to the home. jay

Jun 22, 2010 03:40 PM

Robin Dampier REALTOR®

Coldwell Banker King - Hendersonville, NC

Hendersonville & Western NC Real Estate Source

Gosh, that house really settled! Was it a main level bedroom before it's sinking. In actuality it appears to be a crawl space???

Sue of Robin and Sue

Jun 22, 2010 03:43 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Carla----actually "wet" rot :)

Cheryl, they will rule the world one day

Alan----sooner or later

Glenn, are you saying that is what crawl spaces are for?:)

Craig---and oh so true

Kate, houses in themselves are conducive conditions----all we can do is slow down the process

Nutsy, you have "w's" on the brain

Jay, thanks

Sue, ahhhh---the sinking house :)

Jun 22, 2010 04:32 PM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

I could squeeze in there at the lower left corner.

Nutsy

Jun 23, 2010 04:45 PM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Nutsy, you would chew your way through the hardware cloth I am sure----like usual

Jun 23, 2010 05:36 PM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

You can run, but you cannot hyde.

Nutsy

Jun 24, 2010 07:06 AM

Donald Hester

NCW Home Inspections, LLC - Wenatchee, WA

NCW Home Inspections, LLC

Charles, I think it's a boiler plate item that should be on everything.

Mr/Mrs client do your breath? Hmm well that is a conducive condition, could you please stop? Ooh I 'm breathing, now I'm the conducive condition. I will have to put on my handy dandy- " Conducive Condition arrestor model CC2000-J" Keep even pesky inspectors at bay!

Later Don

Jun 24, 2010 08:59 AM