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I know what you’re thinking. The big difference is that with home inspections there are five participants looking for satisfaction; the prospective home buyer, the seller, the sellers’ agent, the buyers’ agent, and the inspector. The inspectors’ focus should always be to satisfy his client, the home buyer in most cases. I know of inspectors that claim to be able to perform a complete inspection and report in an hour or two. Then there are those who can spend an hour in the crawlspace ... Read Full Post

Yes, I do look fondly back on the days of tripping out to Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, and Cream, but today I am referring to the stairs and stairwells of the homes we inspect. While, generally, inspectors do not cite code, it is important for homeowners to understand all possible safety concerns when it comes to stairs. Since 2009, modern safe building practices require a minimum ten inch tread run, and a maximum seven and three quarter inch riser height, with a variance of no greater than three e... Read Full Post

During my forty-plus years in the construction trades, part of that time, in the late sixties and early seventies, was spent working with a construction outfit that worked exclusively for HUD, repairing and retrofitting very old homes in the greater L.A. area on low-cost loans. My main tasks were replacing support posts, insulation, and replacement and refinishing of drywall where needed. I would crawl under the house and add support posts under the beams. The existing “posts” that I was ... Read Full Post

“ An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” If you really think about what that phrase means, and if something was prevented from happening altogether, then there would be no need for a cure, which would render the cure priceless. Unfortunately, it seems that we are unable to completely prevent the ravages of time and the elements, whether we are talking about our homes or our faces and bodies. Therefore, in the context of the real world, we need to consider the implications of ti... Read Full Post

Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector and Home Sweet Home Recently, I wrote an article on a few critters that exhibit homing instincts and tend to return to our homes year after year. Some of these unwanted guests can have a profound effect on our dwellings, both structurally and environmentally. I wanted to include a couple more seasonal visitors that seem to have “homing” instincts but, in fact, may be inhabiting our homes for entirely different reasons. The invaders that I am speaking of are ... Read Full Post

Every year, in the Northwest, we are revisited by many indigenous birds and critters that seem to display uncanny “homing” ability. Among these, there are several species of birds that can have a profound effect on your home. Probably the most common ones we see every year are sparrows, starlings, swallows, bats, and pigeons. If you are an avid bird-lover, a member of the Audubon Society, or perhaps a gourmand who relishes a seasonally varied diet, you may very well appreciate the return ... Read Full Post

It is estimated that approximately 60% of American households have at least one cat or dog. Many of these homes have multiple pets. I myself have one cat and have had other single cats in various places I have lived in the past. We love our cat and she brings us a lot of joy. It is understandable that peoples’ pets are loved and respected as a family member. What is not as understandable is when pets are allowed to treat a home or any part of a home as their personal litter box or chew toy.... Read Full Post

With the cooler than usual temperatures that we have been experiencing in the Northwest, we may find ourselves bumping the thermostat up a notch or two to keep our teeth from chattering. The frosty temps and the ever rising cost of fuels can compel us to revisit just how well our homes are insulated. There is a plethora of insulating materials that may well be worth our while to consider. New construction codes and requirements are continually becoming more stringent, as energy savings become... Read Full Post

Many older homes still have their original galvanized water pipes. And, depending upon the water quality in your area, often these pipes have given up their ghosts as far as their ability to transport water. Failure factors may include a build-up of mineral deposits from hard water, attrition from rust especially at the joints, electrolysis caused by contact of dissimilar metals, and mechanical damage. Galvanized pipe that has been buried in the ground can be corroded to the point of failure ... Read Full Post

When we look around the world at buildings and dwellings that have stood the ravages of time, the common denominator on the oldest of the bunch is that they were all built out of stone, brick, marble, or granite. From pyramids, temples, castles, monuments, coliseums, to the grandest dwellings, the common thread for longevity seems to be stone of some sort. Stands to reason. We don’t last forever, so should our homes? I personally try to avoid looking in the mirror anymore. Very few “stick... Read Full Post