A dead bolt with a keyed lock on the interior of a residential door is prohibited. The locked door would pose a safety issue if the key was removed and there was an emergency requiring immediate egress. A knob on the inside and a key on the outside is correct.
Got my attention
Opening the door to the utility closet was like opening a door into a land of make believe, an installation by Walter Mitty! The first person who should take blame for the situation is the architect who designed a closet too small to put a furnace and a water heater into. The furnace requires three […]
Check the weather…
If you are going to do an outside project like painting or concrete work it’s best to check the weather forecast before you start. One contractor failed to do that last week and poured a huge three car wide driveway that ended up a week later across the street in a huge pile. Why you […]
Magnificent Bathroom
Inspecting a beautiful home in Centerville, I was impressed with all the updates. The house while not being old had been recently remodeled and a deep soaking bathtub installed. The scene was like something you would see in a magazine, the bath, the view, the chandelier lights….. Chandelier lights? This was a big no, no! […]
The air we breathe
Even the most fastidious homeowner cleaning the bathroom, kitchen and floors never gives a thought to the ductwork in the home. All sorts of chemicals are used to disinfect and sanitize every part of the home except the part that is most likely to affect your health, your ductwork. The air in your home is […]
New Construction Oop’s
At a recent pre drywall inspection the first thing we noticed was that the floor joists were not secured in the joist hangers, which meant that the outside walls were not being stabilized by the second floor flooring system. Going down the stairs our client mentions that the window framing was the wrong size and […]
Check that Tub Overflow
If you’ve got a bathtub you probably have an overflow, that’s the round disc that prevents the water from overflowing if you fill the bathtub too high. Some of these overflows also have the control for the drain plug on a small lever. You should check that it is securely fastened by trying to wiggle […]
Why two different receptacles?
Have you ever wondered why there is sometimes a single receptacle in your garage? You know that the regular looking one with the buttons is a GFCI protected receptacle ( and is usually supply’s power to your exterior receptacles). The GFCI is a safety type receptacle that turns off the power to the circuit and […]
Race Car?
Inspecting a Dayton home I got excited as I opened the overhead door it saw the banner for the race car that lead Indianapolis in 1998, the red roof of a car in front of it. A sleek red roof, covered in dust had me thinking of a big V8 racer, sleek bodywork, the powerful […]
S-traps are obsolete.
Looking under the sinks in many older homes it is not unusual to see the original trap on the drain, these were often similar to an “S” on it’s side. They are no longer permitted due to their tendency, when draining water from the sink, to finish with a siphon action that can empty the […]
Dryer vent pipe issue
Did you know that one laundry product causes long (dryer) vent pipes to get blocked? Blocked or partially blocked vent pipes pose a fire hazard or a carbon monoxide hazard if it’s a gas dryer. Fabric softener sheets leave a slightly sticky coating on the inside of the vent pipe, then the next time the […]
Neighbors, make a difference!
You are looking at a house, it’s gorgeous from the street, it’s possibly the one. The interior has been remodeled, the mechanicals updated, the bedrooms perfect for the kids, you feel this is the end of the search for a new home. Your Realtor is excited for you and has a contract ready for your […]
A long forgotten company
Inspecting an older home recently I noticed a stamp on most of the floor joists, they were all faded or blurred and illegible which made me more curious. It was obviously something to do with Xenia, but what? It turns out that there was a lumber yard there in the 1940’s, The McDonald & Torrence […]
Location, Location, Location!
Have you ever noticed how some houses feel comfortable with the thermostat set to 68 degrees, while some are comfortable at 74? Thermostat location can play a major role in the way your home conditions. This poor thermostat thought the house was 84 degrees when the oddly placed wall light was on! Imagine the […]
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