When it comes to garbage disposals there one common issue that seems to repeat itself house after house. The problem is that plumbers are not electricians and electricians are not plumbers. Most garbage disposals do not come with a power cord attached which means that the plumber has to do his/her best to wire it […]Read More about Is Your Disposal a Club Member
Union in Furnac
In the photo there is a big nut on the pipe going into the controller of this furnace. As piping is connected together coming from the controller and in the opposite direction from the gas line you need a way of connecting both pipes: a union. There is a lot of discussion about there being […]Read More about Union in Furnac
The Company No Longer Exists
An old bank building from the early 1900’s has a series of these heavy fireproof doors dividing up the basement so that any fire caused by exploding boilers would not spread throughout the building. These “Fyrgard” doors were made by The Richmond Fireproof Door company of Richmond Indiana. Founded in 1891 and had a 50th […]Read More about The Company No Longer Exists
“Incomplete Installation” of Furnace
A higher efficiency furnace costs more than a standard furnace. Manufacturers realized there was a simple way to make a relatively ordinary furnace high efficiency and add a few bucks to the price. The idea is simple and straight forward. A gas furnace sucks in air and burns it with the gas, the air and […]Read More about “Incomplete Installation” of Furnace
A Rental Water Heater: Who would have though?
This was a first, a rental water heater! In 23 years and more than 10,000 inspections I was sure there was not much more that could surprise me, but then there in an older house I am stopped by the very large notice on the water heater saying it was a rental. Our buyer goes, […]Read More about A Rental Water Heater: Who would have though?
New Construction Oops,
Finishing up a one year warranty inspection we did a final walk around the exterior of the home and noticed that the exterior basement window had a slight angle to it. Well boys being boys, we had to touch it, seemed OK, pushed on it, no problem, gave it a pull and out it came, […]Read More about New Construction Oops,
New Home Inspection, Inadequate Insulation
It never ceases to surprise our inspectors when performing a final inspection on new construction, that there is less insulation in the attic than the buyers contract stipulated. Most of the new builds this year are getting between sixteen and twenty one inches of fiberglass in the attic. Before it is “blown in” the installer […]Read More about New Home Inspection, Inadequate Insulation
Home Owner Ripped Off: No termite Treatment
The home has a very serious termite problem, active termites across full width of the living room front wall right up to the ceiling, across into a bedroom and back along two of the garage walls. It appeared that the home owner was an older person and they had not realized that there was a […]Read More about Home Owner Ripped Off: No termite Treatment
Rare Gasoline Powered Saw
Having spent an hour on the internet I cannot find any information on this portable gasoline powered saw. It has to be one of the earliest portable self powered saws made, one cylinder engine, belt drive (the original was probably leather), steel wheels, wooden chassis with two handles for maneuvering it, a sliding cutting table, […]Read More about Rare Gasoline Powered Saw
Chimney Issues Explained
Brick chimneys need regular attention and maintenance, neither of which appears to be given to most of them. It is more common to find problems with brick chimneys than not, all of which can be expensive. Price is also based on accessibility, steepness of the roof, height of the roof and of the chimney, dangerous […]Read More about Chimney Issues Explained
Garbage Disposal Safety
That wonderful piece of equipment in your kitchen sink makes cleaning dishes so easy! Scrape everything from rice to potatoes into it and with the flip of a switch it’s gone. Between the sink and the disposal there is a rubber flange called a splash guard. It’s job is to stop stuff in the disposal […]Read More about Garbage Disposal Safety
Propane Tank Certification
You may have a large propane tank in your side yard and wonder if it needs re-qualification? (Inspection, testing and stamped as functional for use) Propane gas cylinders like those twenty pound cylinders commonly used for gas grills are required to be re-qualified, ten years after the original date of manufacture. Then they must have […]Read More about Propane Tank Certification
Odor in Home: Beyond the Call of Duty
As inspectors we never know what we are getting into. The phone rings, we get scheduled for a given time and arrive expecting the house to be relatively clean. Opening the door to the house the first inhale of air started my gag reflex, so bad that I went back to my vehicle and got […]Read More about Odor in Home: Beyond the Call of Duty
Crazy Chimney with Poor Support
Some things you see defy logic !This chimney is one of them, constructed out of heavy brick on a wooden plinth: it’s just not done. If you were going to do this the wood framing would need to be so much stronger and bolted together: but it’s not.Probably needed to be supported be a heavy […]Read More about Crazy Chimney with Poor Support
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