Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

Okay, it is not as bad as the headline makes it look but, if you understand what you are looking at here, this is a pretty evil arrangement. Prior to the home inspection, it was mentioned to me that the bathroom had an "off smell."  This is the attic view of the home over the bath. Off to the left, the white flex duct, is from the bathroom fan. What is it attached to? You assume it vents out through the roof or the side of the house, right?. Wrong! This vent is spliced or cut into the sewer vent system. And this was a septic system in grave need of pumping.  Over to the far right, that vertical pipe going up through the roof, is the sewer vent stack that is normal on top of the roof. This was a very unhealthy situation. When the bath fan was running, it would force air up into this system so the smell did not come into the bath -- too much at least. But, the moment the fan was turned off, the odor from the sewer was seeping back into the bathroom through the white flex duct. This is yet another good reason for someone to have a home inspection. Also, this is a really simple problem to solve, but to do so, someone has to recognize what the problem is.

Thanks for looking,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

While this squirrel convention has yet to have a specific date, and please understand it is difficult to get a group of chattering squirrels to agree to anything, it sometimes seems like this event is ongoing year-round in almost every Bellingham neighborhood. As a 50+ year resident, I really do not know just how this squirrel population explosion came about. It has been recent though. In the early 1990's I spent a lot of time in British Columbia visiting friends. And there they had an abundance of gray and black squirrels. I always wondered why there were so few squirrels in Bellingham, as the community was so similar to those I was visiting in BC. I have lived in the Cornwall Park neighborhood for more than 30 years and, for most of my life, about the only time I saw a squirrel was in the park, this despite my neighborhood having great foliage and abundant trees. Suddenly, they moved in. I am estimating here, but I would say it was about 2000 or 2001 when the squirrels started showing up in my neighborhood. Now, at any given time, there might be 10 or more cavorting about ( I admit that I feed them). They are climbing trees, harassing the cat, walking across power lines above the road as if the lines are a freeway. A week back one committed suicide on the lines and knocked the power out in part of the town. Whether you like them, and enjoy their antics, or look upon them as "rats with tails", they are now a fixture in about every Bellingham neighborhood. I have seen them on the north-side, the south-side, the east-side, the west-side, at city hall, at the library, down by the creek and on Railroad Avenue -- where no squirrel should ever be. In Bellingham, we have squirrels, no doubt about that. Now all I need, from the AR community, is a collection of your favorite squirrel recipes. 

Squirrel buffet, compliments of King of the House

Rat with tail, or beautiful and interesting creature? You decide!

Thanks for looking.

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

One of the most daunting, and exciting at the same time, projects on the horizon in Bellingham is the waterfront redevelopment of the Georgia Pacific site, just past the downtown area, on Cornwall Avenue. G-P is vacating in the next few years and their departure will make available a large area of prime waterfront. As one would expect, there are a number of problems that remain: Cleanup costs and what to do with the land. Gloomy projections, by some, include having the port turn it into warehouse space. Optimistic parties want to see parks, clean industries that employ local people, a building for Huxley College, part of Western Washington University that emphasizes environmental studies. A marina that would accommodate pleasure and fishing boats is demanded by others. As the Port of Bellingham and the City of Bellingham work together to come up with a workable plan, input is politically hot and coming in from all sides. This is bound to be one of the pivotal issues in the upcoming mayoral election. Current Mayor Tim Douglas told me, at a meeting we both attend weekly, that he sees this as one of the most crucial decisions that has ever been made in the city ofBellingham. I am also on a citizen committee at Western Washington University and the administrators there seethis as an exciting opportunity that will have positive ramifications for the community and the university for years to come, maybe forever.

Public announcement for all to see, on Cornwall Ave

View of the current buildings

More of the present GP buildings

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

In Washington State our state flower, in grand bloom this time of year, is the rhododendron. Some of these colorful bushes are really coming on right now, others are loosing their splendor as the blooms wilt. Regardless, whether talking about the early or the late bloomers, this is the time of year when the rhododendrons provide color to our Pacific Northwest landscape. Here is the history of this plant in Washington State. The rhododendron was first selected as the state's favorite flower 114 years ago. As a promotion, at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, the officials decided that all states that had a state flower should promote their flower at the fair. Washington did not have a state flower, so voting took place around the state. Different flowers, from the clover to the dogwood, were contenders. This was a really strange election because only women were allowed to vote. When the dust settled, and the butterfly ballots were counted, the coast rhododendron won with 53% of the vote. Later, in 1949, the coast "rhoddie" became the state flower. This language was amended yet again in 1959, and it was specified that the native "pink rhoddie" was the true state flower. I remember that announcement being made on the school PA system when I was in grade school. Most of us, who live in the state, commonly refer to the rhododendron as the state flower, without getting too wrapped up in individual plants. A couple photos of colorful blooms, from around my neighborhood, are below.

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

At a home inspection, King of the House Inc, measures the temperature of the hot water. This might seem overly detailed to some, as people often like their water hot and figure it is a personal preference. I can tell you that often the water is dangerously hot. It is not uncommon to find water temperatures of 150 degrees plus and set to that temperature on purpose. I inspected a home once, with a one month old baby in residence, the water was steaming at the tap like I have never seen before and the temperature was 170 degrees plus. I did not know a tank would get that hot. While we all know that hot water can burn people, the issue with the high temperatures is largely one of the time frame in which a burn can take place. If the temp is 140 degrees (lower than how many people set it) exposure of 3 seconds can lead to a burn that will require medical treatment and perhaps a skin graft. At 120 degrees, which is the temperature I recommend the water be set to, it would take more than 15 seconds for similar skin damage. Obviously, a person has much more time to react prior to severe injury. Personally, I knew an older gentleman, years back, who was hospitalized and never really recovered from a hot water burn received in a shower at a hotel stay in Great Britain. The water was way too hot, and hot and cold faucets were reversed so he was unable to quickly turn off or cool the water. He was of such an age he could not easily escape, jump out of the tub/shower, and he was hospitalized with severe injuries.  He passed away from other health problems, that were not helped by the burns, not long after this. He, in fact, had not yet recovered from the burns at the time of his death. This was a few years ago, and in England, so I do not know that any litigation ever took place, plus he had only friends and no family. 

The good news for consumers is that, at gas and electric tanks, the adjustments to temperature settings are not difficult to control.

This issue of hot water that is too hot may seem minor but it can be a matter of life and death -- especially when children and the elderly are involved. For more information, visit the site below:

http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,5837,00.html

Moderately elevated water temperature

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

One of the most commonly seen problems at a home inspection is the placement of an S-trap at a sink where a P-trap should be. Basically, to the novice plumber, as long as the pipes fit and do not leak, then all is well.

As far as the S-trap vs the P-trap, what is the big deal? Well, first, one must realize that the trap is there, to begin with, to retain water in the pipe/trap. That is what keeps sewer gas (smelly, unhealthy) from entering up into the home through the drain. Although the S-trap and the P-trap look similar, that is where the similarities end. The P-trap does it's job of blocking sewer gas, assuming that the sink is used regularly -- any trap can go dry if water is never run at the sink. The S-trap, at the other extreme, is identified by professional plumbers as potentially "siphoning." In short, that means that as it drains, the S-trap may discharge all of the water that should remain in the trap. That will leave the trap dry.

Take a look at the photos below for a better understanding of the two different traps. The stores do not specifically sell S-traps and P-traps. The problem comes in when the novice buys basic parts and does not understand the principal behind traps. When that is the situation, often, he or she will then, incorrectly, assembles the various fittings. 

S-trap 

P-trap

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

Forget the leaks, stains and fungal growth beneath the leaks, forget the S-traps that should be P-traps  (why that is a problem will be the topic of another blog). Forget the flex drain that will fit in that tight spot but has ridges like a vacuum cleaner house and is clogged all the time, forget the shoe goo and silicone broadly applied at all fittings. Forget the hot and cold water being reversed in sinks, tubs and showers. Now that we eliminate all of those common things found with home-style plumbing, what is the topic of this post? That topic is structural damage to beams and joists (or even wall studs but that might be hidden by sheet rock) caused by so-called plumbers. Now, all plumbers have to make way for the drain pipes and sometimes even the pros cut holes or notches that startle an inspector. But that rarely compares to home-style workmanship. First, one has to realize that joists, beams and posts are an integral part of the structural system. These members must be in tact and strong to carry their share of the weight and to  transfer the weight of the home to the foundation and down to the soil. When these wood members are hacked, it is a problem that requires attention. And sometimes the effort in repairing this kind of poor workmanship is, at the least, unpleasant work. This photo below is one of dozens I have collected on inspections, and typical. Repairing this would take more than sistering on a 2x4. Moving the drain and putting in a new member would be one approach. Another, and probably the easist way to do it, and still a hassle, would be to dig below it down to undisturbed soil and then pour one longer, or a couple, concrete piers. The posts could be run up from that, on each side of the notch. As a general rule beams and joists should not be notched. Holes, that are small, may be made at times, if essential, but that decision needs to be made by someone who understands the purpose of structural members and knows the general rules for drilling. 

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

In 1989 the Alaska Marine Highway System, known to locals in Bellingham as the Alaska Ferry, made Bellingham the southern-most port for the ferry.  That was a surprise and a triumph to many Bellingham residents who remembered that the city had lost out on the ferry two decades previously. It went like this: In the mid-1960's Alaska was looking to expand the ferry system to Washington State -- the southern terminus. As those of us living in Washington State know, Alaska is inhabited by a great number of people who emigrated from our fair state at one time or another. Bellingham made a bid for the ferry in 1969 but was quashed by the much larger port city of Seattle. In 1980, when I took the Alaska Ferry from Seattle to Juneau, I had no clue that 9 years later the southern terminus of the ferry would move to Bellingham. I remember those years, just prior to the ferry moving to Bellingham. Aficionados in local government, the state legislature and local business did anything and everything they could to appeal to and woo legislators and ferry administrators in Alaska. And they won out in the long run and now, in the year 2007, the ferry has been in Bellingham for almost as long as it was located in Seattle. I remember, before the move, a number of Alaska residents saying the state would never move the ferry from Seattle, because Alaskans were headed for Seattle and beyond and did not want to be waylaid by stopping in Bellingham. As it was, the cooler heads decided that, economically, Bellingham made sense. With I-5 access so handy, people debarking can be in Seattle in 1 1/2 hours and those not going to Seattle may be able to miss the traffic jams completely by skipping Seattle. As it is now, with the Ferry terminus being on Harris Street in Fairhaven, bus and train transportation is nearby as well. I do not know that the economic impact to Bellingham has ever been quite as good as was forecast in those early days. They have found that many of the people arriving on the trip from Alaska do in fact leave town immediately, without much of a pit stop. However, a number of the Fairhaven hotels, restaurants, stores and the big bookstore do reap positive benefits from the Alaska Marine Highway System. Those boarding the ferry, for the trip to Alaska, often spend the night before in town.  To view ferry information, schedules and routes, please visit:

http://www.alaskaferry.com/Routes.shtml

Getting ready to board on a Friday

The Bellingham Terminal

The ferry, docked in Fairhaven, on a Friday morning

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

The Amtrak station is on Harris Avenue in Bellingham's Fairhaven district, right next to the terminal for the Alaska Marine Highway System (the Alaska Ferry). On a daily schedule, Amtrak travels from Vancouver BC to the Eugene area in Oregon and passes through Bellingham four times each day, both morning and evening. Amtrak is my favorite way to catch a daytime Seattle Mariners baseball game. Hop the morning train to Seattle (it debarks right by the Safeco Field) and ride it back home again after the game. Obviously, Amtrak is also a favorite way for people to get to the Alaska Ferry Terminal as well, assuming they are not taking their cars on the ferry. To see the Amtrak schedule, visit the link below.

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/Page/Schedules_Index_Page&c=Page&cid=1080072922206&ssid=3

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Active Rain realtors and inspectors often talk about the problems found at new homes. The topic always revolves around whether or not new construction should be inspected. Periodically, I plan to post some photos of things I have found at newer homes. The photo below was a home that was one year old and had not previously been inspected. It was being sold after a man lived in it for only one year. It is too bad it had not been inspected, prior to closing the first time. It would have saved lots of trouble, and gritty work, by putting the problem back in the builder's lap. Here is the deal. This home had passed all of the city inspections, but then the sneakiness took place: To save on hauling fees, once the city inspector left the scene, they dumped much of the dirt that had been excavated from the crawl space back into the crawl space and then sealed everything up. Actually, they did this so completely that, a year later, to look in the crawl space we had to cut around the carpet just to get the hatch open. When I got down there, all the posts had dirt around them. The piers were buried. This is, by Washington State Law, a conducive condition to attracting wood destroying organisms and it must be cited, whether the wood is damaged or not. Even if it is treated lumber, this is not acceptable in a crawl space. Treated lumber will decay eventually and it is one thing to use it on a deck, yet another to use it to support the home, which was big -- a zero lot line home. That, by the way, brought up an interesting issue -- shared residences. The buyer decided to purchase the place, and get the dirt out before there was rot. However, she rightly so wondered if the unit next door was not in exactly the same condition (almost for sure it would be) and so much of the structure was shared that it made her wonder if she would have problems the result of the deficiency next door.

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofhehouse.com