Tim Hance of All Islands Home Inspections shares a video of moss/organic growth at a masonry chimney and discusses why it’s important to take care of (expensive-to-replace) masonry elements.
Tag Archives: inspection
Airplane hangar door inspection
Tim Hance of All Islands Home Inspections shares a neat hangar door operation video from a recent home and hangar inspection. All Islands Home Inspections services all of Anacortes, the San Juan Islands, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, and Snohomish counties. If you’re looking for a home inspector that’s so thorough and experienced that you won’t get stuck buying the “Money Pit,” then you need All Islands Home Inspections working for you! We’ve inspected over 8,000 homes to date and feel we are simply the best in the industry. We look forward to working with you soon, THANKS!
Ant Inspection
“Ants are among the most prevalent pests in households, restaurants, hospitals, offices, warehouses, and virtually all buildings where food and water can be found. While mostly harmless to humans, ants (especially carpenter ants) can cause considerable building damage. Inspectors can expand their knowledge base by being able to identify some of the telltale signs of ant infestation.”
VIDEO: Blocked Vent Pipe Atop Roof at Orcas Island Home Inspection
If you note that some, or any, of your black ABS vent pipes on the roof are capped, there’s a good chance that the contractor forgot to remove the caps after construction. These caps are designed to pressure test the vent and drainage system to make sure they don’t leak as a condition of the building inspection. After the test, the contractor is supposed to remove these caps but this step is sometimes missed. So, if you see caps atop your roof, take them off unless the pipe itself has been abandoned (e.g., from a remodel).
VIDEO: When to Service your Gas Fireplace!
At a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island, I discovered a gas fireplace clearly due for servicing and cleaning. When you begin to see a white, brown or black film beginning to present on the glass front of the fireplace, that’s your first sign that the appliance is due for servicing. As the video explains, it is highly recommended that you hire a professional to do so because if it’s not done properly, you risk carbon monoxide entering the home and soot byproducts outlining the ceiling and wall studs in the home. Manufacturers typically advise servicing annually.
VIDEO: Zinsco Electrical Panel – SAFETY ISSUE!
Sylvania Zinsco electrical panels are known in the home inspection industry to be safety issues and replacement is typically advised by home inspectors. This particular Zinsco panel was discovered at a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. The issue concerns the connection between the breakers themselves and the aluminum fin bus bar which can become compromised and lead to arcs, faults and fires. Home Inspection 101 covers this for all licensed home inspectors to be called out as a safety issue for clients. Were this my home, the very first thing I’d do is replace the Zinsco electrical panel entirely.
New deck joist hangers on old siding
New deck joists hangers were installed directly onto older wood siding, without the installation of a proper bolted 2x deck ledger at a recent home inspection in Anacortes. The most common point of failure for deck systems is at the interface between the deck and home. For this reason, a bolted deck ledger is advised and the deck joist hangers are attached to this instead of thin siding. I recommended further evaluation and repair by a qualified contractor who will likely install a new deck ledger underneath the existing deck joists to the whole deck doesn’t need to be dismantled.
Video: FUNGAL Growth in Crawl Space!
Water intrusion and fungal growth were noted at a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. Fungal growth and water intrusion lead to structural deterioration and insect activity/damage. I recommended further evaluation and repair of the underlying cause of water intrusion and then repair and replacement of deteriorated structural elements, as necessary. Water is the enemy! Keep it away and your structure will be happy!
Video: HUGE Wasp Nest in Crawl Space!
Inspecting a home in Lynden, Washington the other day, I happened upon a HUGE wasp nest just inside the crawl space access hatch. I’ve learned, from experience, that’s it’s very important to make sure the crawl space is safe to enter before diving in. In this case, the nest appeared inactive, but I recommended removal nonetheless. It would be very easy for someone to put their hand right into this huge nest, entering the crawl space, and have a serious problem.
Video: PUZZLING Floor Insulation Install!
How long do you think it took to piece this floor system insulation together? I don’t know the answer to that, but I can tell you it does very little from a thermal efficiency standpoint. Insulation efficiency is about thickness, but just as importantly, it’s about how well it’s installed. Did you know, for instance, that a 1/4″ gap in ceiling insulation between the ceiling joist and R30 insulation can reduce the insulation R-value to around R-11? That’s a huge breach in thermal efficiency. In this particular case, I don’t even know where to start, but I’d judge the insulation value as negligible.