Lets see there are spiders of all colors, black , brown, tan and even some colorful spiders found in a space. Black widows are common to Eastern Washington and generally leave me alone. I disturb a lot of spider webs when crawling around so I do pay attention not to get to close to these Black spiders with red hour glasses on the belly’s. Occasionally one surprises me with an up-close encounter. So far no dangerous bites!

Snakes are to be avoided if you have an aversion as I do. I have never liked being close to snakes so I avoid and keep a close eye on these slithering companions. Some homes I inspect are near to rock formations that some snakes like the Western Diamond back like, as of yet I have not seen any rattle snakes in a crawlspace but I keep my eyes peeled just in case.

Ants, Termites, Beetles, earwigs, potato bugs and numerous other bugs can be found in these dark spaces. Some of these can be fascinating but elusive to identify.  Most are harmless and this post is not about the Wood Destroying Organisms so enough about them.

I have been in crawlspaces with bees nesting in the insulation. This is probably my worst nightmare. I am allergic to some bee stings so I have to use extreme care when bees are present. These critters tend to make me the most nervous. With limited space to maneuver if I accidentally disturbed them they could be a real danger.  I keep a can of bee-spay and an Epi-Pen hand for these inspections.

On a recent crawlspace inspection I encountered some friendly helpers or co-inspectors in the down under. I think they were happy when I left so they could get back to what ever they were doing.

Freindly inspection helpers

Frogs are cool and a dark moist place is just what they want. I think they were trying to show me the wire that needed proper anchoring:)

Eastern WA Home Inspections

Dennis R Chamberlain

509-347-6425

With  WDOs such as Anobiid beetles and Termites the area should be evaluated by a Structural Pest Inspector (SPI) and treated by a Pest Control Operator (PCO or Spray company). Any damaged lumber or components should be removed and replaced as is needed. I always recommend a qualified professional to insure a thorough job. Also the conducive conditions that led to the infestaion should be remidied. This may be poor venting , lack of vapor barriers and a number of other items the SPI should note for you.

Joist has been sistered, damaged lumber was not removed.

Above we see a damaged joist that has been sistered. The beetle damage was not removed and probably not treated. Re-infestation is more likely with this damaged  lumber still present. This home had extensive work done in the crawlspace at some point after the initial infestation. As shown some areas were “repaired” but not replaced. Below we can see the result of not properly treating and removing the damaged lumber.

Anobiid Beetle damage.

Anobiid beetle  began to damage the sistered board and  spread to the newer sill and trimmer boards. There had been a lot of repairs/upgrades made in this crawlspace but much of those repairs were now damaged and it will all need to be redone. If things are not done right Murphy may move in, at least he would at my home and he did in this crawlspace.

When doing a job do it right, have a professional SPI inspection, follow the recommendations to remove any and all damaged lumber and have a PCO treat as is needed. Don’t forget to correct the conducive conditions that led to the infestation.

Eastern WA Home Inspections

EWAHI Google Places

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An interesting factoid for us located in Eastern Washington is (Vermiculite Northwest)  located in Spokane, Washington processed the vermiculite ore between 1951 and 1973.

So what is recommended if vermiculite is found in your attic or in other areas of your home. This depends on what you are planning to do. If a remodel is planned and the insulation is to be disturbed then testing and professional removal should be considered. In general what is recommended is to not disturb it if possible to limit the chance of air born particles. Here are the recommendations from the EPA website.

• Leave vermiculite insulation undisturbed in your attic or in your walls.
• Do not store boxes or other items in your attic if it contains vermiculite insulation.
• Do not allow children to play in an attic with vermiculite insulation.
• Do not attempt to remove the insulation yourself.
• Hire a professional asbestos contractor if you plan to remodel or conduct renovations that would disturb the vermiculite in your attic or walls to make sure the material is safely handled and/or removed.

Home inspectors are often chastised for quoting codes and most Home Inspectors do not put code references in their actual reports.  I refrain from doing so myself.  However, when pressed by a builder, I have no problem resorting to” public information” to support my opinions—whether it is the Building Codes or Manufacturer’s Instructions.  With many builders, it is not much of a challenge to win these arguments.  Having been a builder for 33 years myself, there have been many opportunities to have interpreted the codes improperly or to have not even known the codes.  This school of hard knocks approach to “learning” the codes helps me today in understanding how things get built out of compliance.

Of course codes change with the times  and they vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction—so one must be VERY careful when citing any code on any given property.  The language of any defect in the home is almost always “softened” with appropriate language like: “may not conform to current standards,” or that the installation is not: “typical of requirements in most jurisdictions at time of construction.”  Some code requirements are more universal (covering all jurisdictions) and have clear-cut start dates as to when they became required.  This would lead to wording in the report that might say that the item is “missing” as opposed to “may be missing” or would make a “good safety improvement.”

I once had an instructor in a code class make the following statement (or at least something close to this):  “The code is not what you think it says, what you wish it says, what you hope it says, what someone told you it says—or even what you know it says.  The code is just the code.”  This was just their way of getting across that one has to be very careful “interpreting” the code—it is very easy to read it to say what one needs it to say.

Officially, “interpretation” of the code is left to the Jurisdictional Inspectors—they have the final say.  Like any good referee—even when they are wrong they are still right.  Resistance is futile as they say.  Of course, even among jurisdictional inspectors, there is almost always someone above the guy actually doing the inspections to appeal to—and sometimes that will work out alright for you—sometimes it won’t.  Just remember that it is OK to be wrong—this is how we learn about the codes sometimes—especially the many nuances of the codes.

So now to the famous line that we have all heard—perhaps have even used:  “But it passed all the Jurisdictional Inspections and I have the Certificate of Occupancy right here!”  Your version of this statement may vary, but they all amount to the same attempt to get across that there could not be anything wrong with the house because it passed all these various inspections.

Welcome to: JURISDICTIONAL INSPECTIONS 101.

If the jurisdictional inspectors spent the kind of time looking at homes that most home inspectors do, nobody would stand for what the permits would cost.  In other words, the jurisdictional inspectors MUST rely on builders to know what they are doing.  (No laughing in class please!)  It is true nonetheless.  In fact right on many permits it will say something to the effect that not only is the jurisdictional inspector not responsible for code violations that are missed but that it is the builder’s responsibility (actually whoever draws the permit) to build everything to “current regulations.”

In a sense these jurisdictional inspections are “feel good” rules and regulations that allow the consumer to feel protected.  Now before everyone gets all up in arms at what a crappy job these guys do, let me remind everyone that  we do get what we pay for.   For the jurisdictional inspector to “actually” do what we “think” they should be doing, it would likly cost at least 10 times as much as what a permit costs now.  Permits are very IN-expensive when you really think about it.

In fairness to the jurisdictional inspectors, based on my many years of dealing with them, they ARE VERY GOOD AT CATCHING THE IMPORTANT STUFF IN MOST CASES.  In other words they are pretty good at keeping builders from killing people.  This is what you are paying for with the permit—not all the little nit picky code violations the Home Inspector finds after the CO is issued.  

In a vary real sense, the fee of the lowly home inspector can be seen as part of the checks and balances of making the house safe for the public that we are unwilling to pay for in the purchase of the original permit.  

The Jurisdictional Inspectors and the Home Inspectors are not to be seen as adversaries—but partners.  And like all partners—there will be disagreements.  It does not bother me in the least that sometimes I might be over ruled—as long as my buyer is being taken care of and they are getting the information they need to make the right decisions.  This partnership is especially important as it relates to all those misguided folks that attempt to do things without permits.  I know this is “America,” and it is our God-given right to avoid paying higher taxes, but the amount your taxes will increase will be nothing compared to what it might cost you to get that new addition to pass code after-the-fact.

Class, you have now graduated.

So when you get that famous line that the house has passed all “Jurisdictional Inspections,” you will have the appropriate response:  “So what?”

You can reach Charlie at this links-

http://activerain.com/cbuell

http://www.buellinspections.com/

Charles Buell Inspections, Inc
         206 478-7371

Eastern WA Home Inspections View our Place Page (Click Here)

509-347-6425

Wood Destrying Organism Damage

Here is an article from Pro-Sight that discusses the merits of a pest inspection and WDO reports.

Summertime is here, and nature is flourishing.  That means that while many homeowners are planning family vacations or enjoying themselves on the deck or around the back yard grill, others are fretting over costly damage from wood-devouring insects.  Nothing ruins a summer like having to stop to deal with that kind of expensive and labor-intensive headache.

Buyer Inspections
But home owners are not the only ones who need to be concerned about wood-munching insects, because those looking to buy a home are also at risk.  Without a professional inspection to try to uncover evidence of termites, carpenter ants or other destructive insects it is possible to buy a home that is literally about to fall apart around you.  The structural damage may be completely camouflaged to the naked and untrained eye, and a home can function just fine for months or even years despite being colonized by wood-eating culprits.

By the time the problem is discovered it is often too late to salvage the home without extraordinary repairs, because wood damage can attack a home like a cancer.  The structural integrity and health of the home is wrecked from the inside-out in a hidden and insidious fashion.  But eventually the visible traces of rotten wood finally emerge from beneath the exterior paint.  Or major structural beams collapse because they have been chewed into sawdust.  The safety and value of the home is severely compromised, and the extent of the destruction may run throughout the entire building.  Thanks to a labyrinth of tiny tunnels, networks, pathways, and nests that result from unchecked and untreated insect infestation many homeowners suffer a catastrophic loss.  But the whole scenario can usually be prevented by affordable routine maintenance and annual or semi annual professional inspections.

Seller Inspections
If you are hoping to sell your home in today’s market – or even in a bull market, for that matter – evidence of prior insect infestation can spoil your whole effort to successfully market and sell.  Buyers and their Realtors often get nervous about a purchase once they find out that something as serious as termite infestation and damage is a possibility.  Rather than waiting around for you to treat for the pests, repair damaged wood, and then have the property inspected again to ensure that everything is okay most buyers simply move along and buy someone else’s house instead.  So before you find yourself in that awkward situation it is a good idea to order a homeowner inspection.

The process works essentially the same way as it did when you had a termite inspection done in order to buy your home, except that the Wood Destroying Organism Report is delivered to you.  After checking it over you can solve any problems that the WDO Report might have uncovered.  Or if you have a clean bill of health you can use that as a marketing benefit.  Showing potential buyers a recent termite inspection can substantially increase their confidence level and convey to them that you are a conscientious homeowner and a seller who believes in full disclosure and transparency.  This often translates into a faster sale at a higher price.

EWAHI Place Page

We get to the hard to reach areas for our clients!

What you cannot see is there are pipes below the access that blocked me from using my ladder and the pipes were tight against my back. Cody had to lift me up into this hole and help me out so I did not brake any of the pipes. I did not know he had taken this photo until I was reviewing the report.  He had posted this in the report for me to stumble across prior to the report being finished (we removed it for the final copy). We should all be able to laugh at ourselves shouldn’t we?

Have a great Day:)

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  Lead Paint Laws and You

  Federal lead paint laws direct how your contractor approaches renovations in your pre-1978 home. Before you begin a project, get the lowdown on regulations. Read

Some of the components we look at are the foundation, piers, beams, joists, and sub-floor.  What we look for are rot, moisture or moisture stains, substandard building practices, and more. The space should be clear of debris that can attract wood destroying organisms, wood or any cellulose debris. It should have adequate ventilation, with the vents open, some spaces are conditioned and these will not have vents and need to meet other standards to function properly. We want to see the floor, plumbing and heating ducts insulated to avoid condensation (moisture is the homes enemy). A vapor barrier should be in place to block the migration of moisture from the ground to the structure.

We will pull down the insulation to investigate around plumbing fixtures, any corners, and at suspected problem spots. These areas are the most likely to have leaks or other issues.

Crawlspace that is in pretty good shape.

The space above is in pretty good shape. The wire hanging down is low voltage so it is not a safety hazard.  Note the floors, ducts are insulated the vapor barrier is in good shape and it is dry. This is what we want to find when we enter a crawlspace.

Some Crawlspaces are more problematic.

The last photo shows a space that was not ventilated properly and lacked a vapor barrier. It is important to note the homes of both of these photos were nice clean “normal” homes. The crawlspace is not viewed regularly so over time issues can develop if the space was not properly setup.

Having a quality inspection of the crawlspace is good insurance against costly damage.

Chimneys are inspected, looking for  cracking or leaks around the flashings. How is the attic ventilated, and is there adequate ventilation. The roof is checked for leakage, or staining that may indicate past/present leaks. If the area is suspicious then the moisture meter is pulled out to test.

Attic should be traversed if safety permits.

Traversing the attic is important  and can be a challenge but we make every effort to view all that we safely are able to.  Often when we find faulty components or roof leaks we find them in areas that are hard to get to.  Eastern WA Home Inspections, LLC often gets to areas that have not been seen since the original construction.