Tag Archives: whatcom county

SATURDAY REVIEW: THANKS ALL ISLANDS HOME INSPECTIONS!

Google rating: *****

Positives: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness 

“I spoke with Tim about two homes, and he inspected the home we’re buying for us. What a pro! Not only was he able to summarize in person all of the notable things he found requiring attention, but his detailed report contained clear and easy to understand descriptions of the issues with the house. He gave practical, no-nonsense opinions on what to do and how soon it needed to be done, whether something was structural, cosmetic, or code-related. He also shared some tips for ongoing maintenance that will help us keep our home in tip top shape. Tim’s a very kind and generous man, sharing his knowledge and his personal experience without a sense of salesmanship or ulterior motive. I’m confident that Tim gave us a thorough, detail-oriented report on our home, and that he did so with a true interest in us being satisfied and comfortable with our home purchase. I’d strongly recommend Tim and All Islands Home Inspection to anyone and everyone looking to buy, sell, or know more about their home in SJC!”

-P.S.

DOES MY FOUNDATION NEED VENTS TO THE EXTERIOR?

If your home is missing foundation vents, I recommend having a qualified contractor come out and evaluate/install foundation vents around the perimeter of the home to ensure that the foundation and underside of the home are properly cross-ventilated.  Ventilation is CRITICAL to homes in the Pacific NW; lack of ventilation can lead to myriad issues including, but not limited to, attracting wood destroying insect (i.e., carpenter ants, termites and anobiid beetles) and mold.  Truth be told, mold is VERY RARE in crawl spaces under homes, but insect activity is not.  So, keep the underside of the home well ventilated and they’ll have no interest in your home.  It’s all about moisture!  If it’s impractical to cut in or install foundation vents, a mechanical vent fan on a humidistat can be easily installed.  Personally, I prefer foundation vents because they don’t rely on electricity or anything fancy to operate.  Keep them open and let Mother Nature keep your home’s crawl space ventilated!    

9 things to fix around the house before they get worse!

Old Hammer from ToolboxHere at All Islands Home Inspections, one of our continuing themes is “fix small problems before they become big ones.” While this is hardly an original idea, it is a proven and important principle. Popular Mechanics says: “No matter how much time you spend safeguarding your home and performing routine maintenance to keep everything in tip-top condition, you’ll still be blindsided by unexpected breakdowns. But often you can eliminate potential problems before they arise, saving yourself a lot of money and hassle.” See their list of nine things to fix around the house before they get worse.

  • Serving ALL San Juan, Skagit, Island, Snohomish and Whatcom Counties
  • Experienced- Over 3,500 Inspections To Date
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STANDALONE SATURDAYS: OFFSHORE CALM

As a home inspector, I’m often on the road, traveling around San Juan, Island, Whatcom, and Skagit counties. Along the way, I’m often awed by what I see. On the first Saturday of the month, I plan to share some of these great scenes with you. 

I invite you to share your Northwest Washington imagery, too! Take your picture or video showing why you appreciate the region, tag it with #AllIslandsLife, and share via social media.

If you have questions or comments about home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).

IT’S A CUTE LITTLE WATERFALL!

What does it mean when your dishwasher air gap dispenses a little stream of water, not unlike a teeny tiny waterfall? Although somewhat sensorily pleasing, this could be caused by blockage in the dishwasher drain line.  

This is most commonly caused by food and grease backed up over time, or possible areas of slack in the drain line where waste can accumulate.  If you’re comfortable disconnecting the hose between the disposal and air gap, you can give that a shot and see if it flushes out.  If that doesn’t work, I would recommend having a qualified plumbing contractor or handyman come in and take a look at other possible causes/fixes. 

CRAWL SPACE SUPRISES: STRUCTURAL ISSUES NEED EVALUATION

One of the more interesting (and challenging) aspects of my job is crawling around underneath homes. While it’s not necessarily my favorite part of the job, I do, on occasion, see some curious things.

During a recent crawl space excursion in Whatcom County, I noted that many of the CMU masonry block support columns underneath this particular manufactured home were installed upside down (e.g., the holes in blocks should face upwards). 

Additionally, I noticed that some of the CMU masonry block support columns had settled, and some are not fully bearing underneath the floor structure. In my report, I suggested further evaluation of the support columns by a qualified contractor. 

If you have questions or comments about asbestos issues or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).

TRANSITION TROUBLE: LOOSE TRIM STRIP NEEDS ATTENTION

Home inspections sometimes yield significant findings (like dire structural problems or water intrusion issues), and sometimes it’s all about the small details. My job is to point out what I see, big or small.

During a recent home inspection in Whatcom County, I came across something in the “small” ledger: a transition trim strip within the kitchen that was loose. While these details seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, competent home inspectors should catch these issues.

Ultimately, it’s up to my clients to determine what to do with that information (e.g., ask buyers for repairs, etc.), but it’s up to me to point them out. 

If you have questions or comments about interior trim or home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).

Fun Facts Friday!

  • More people visit France than any other country.
  • France spans twelve different time zones – more than any other country in the world – thanks to its overseas territories, which are dotted round the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, as well as the South American continent.
  • France boasts more roundabouts than any other country. 30,000 in fact – which represents over half of all the roundabouts in the world.

STANDALONE SATURDAYS: TINY BUBBLES

On Saturdays throughout the year, I hope to give you a peek of what I see as a home inspector traveling around San Juan, Island, Whatcom, and Skagit counties through photos and videos I’ve taken along the way.

I’m sure if you know or live in Northwest Washington, you probably feel the same about how special it is here. That’s why I invite you to share your Northwest Washington imagery! Simply take your picture or video showing why you appreciate the region, and tag it with #AllIslandsLife on Twitteror Facebook.

If you have questions or comments about home inspections in general, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).

STANDALONE SATURDAYS: NOT A BAD WAY TO END THE DAY

On Saturdays throughout the year, I hope to give you a peek of what I see as a home inspector traveling around San Juan, Island, Whatcom, and Skagit counties through photos and videos I’ve taken along the way.

I’m sure if you know or live in Northwest Washington, you probably feel the same about how special it is here. That’s why I invite you to share your Northwest Washington imagery! Simply take your picture or video showing why you appreciate the region, and tag it with #AllIslandsLife on Twitteror Facebook.

If you have questions or comments about home inspections in general, tweet us (@AIHomeInspect).