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

 A dilemma for home inspectors is when to call for further evaluation, and when not to. Some cases are pretty clear cut, like when an inspector finds a number of exposed wiring splices or a chimney like the creosote coated wonder I posted a couple days ago. Foundation cracks are one of those things that requires a judgement call. Often the cracks are simple shrinkage cracks, a natural part of the concrete curing and there from the early days after the pour. On the other hand, there are often settlement cracks and these are not necessarily anything to worry about either. But they can be! An inspector, who understands his or her role, will look at a number of factors before deciding what to say. How wide is the crack, how old does it appear to be, how many cracks are there, does movement appear to be taking place? Sometimes it is not easy to discern all of this data but, simply put, a 1/8" to 1/4" crack that has been in place for 50 years on a 100 year old house is less of a concern than a 1/8" crack that looks like it is spreading at a two year old house. The photos below are among the largest foundation cracks I have seen. This crack, one of five in a 100 year old house, was between 3" and 4" across and crumbling. In the first photo you can see it peaking out behind the tree. The other two pictures are closeup and one from in the crawl space. Those of you who have not been in crawl spaces, looking at these, will see that sometimes they are different looking from the back. In this case, it is big but not as wide. This crack, and the whole foundation, requires further evaluation by a structural engineer. This is one of the few times I have made that recommendation but it is sure justified here.

Thanks for reading and commenting,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Bellingham Technical College, part of the state college system, has a home inspector training program that educates around the state. The next scheduled classes will be in two larger eastern Washington cities: Pasco, August 6-21; Spokane, Sept 9-Oct 5. This is a fast-track program of 160 hours of training in all aspects of home inspection including wood destroying organisms--which is essential in Washington state. It is my view that, in this wet state, if you have an inspection without a WDO inspection, you are pretty much missing the point of the inspection. Three members of active rain -- Charles Buell, David Helm, and myself, are the instructors of this class. One goal of the program, and a big one, is to attempt to provide not only guidance and understanding of the issues to students but also some standardization to home inspection concerns and recommendations. Those of us who teach in the program, and have to review other inspectors reports, know what realtors are speaking of when they criticize how different one report might be from another. What one inspector sees as a big issue, another might see as nothing. We all know that there are variations and different points of view but sometimes what we see in reviewing reports is hard to figure. I reviewed a report the other day where an inspector called for evaluation by a certified arborist on a tree about 15' from a 50 year old foundation. The foundation was not having problems, neither was the tree and, to complicate the practicality of the recommendation, the tree belonged to a neighbor and was on his property. That kind of call makes the inspector look goofy and afraid of making any type of stand. We try to educate students so they know when to call in someone else and when to make a decision on his or her own. If you are a realtor east of the mountains and know of anyone wishing to get into home inspection, please let them know about this program. A link to information about it is below.

http://www.btc.ctc.edu/Courses/Programs/ResidentialHome/ProgramMain.asp

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

I saw this chimney this past weekend, and thought I just had to post it. If you look at the first photo, it does not look too unusual other than there is no rain cap. But, when you look down the flue, it has more creosote than any chimney I have ever seen before. The creosote was about an inch thick and caked from the top clear down to the inside of the stove. I got a pretty clear shot top to bottom and I am sure that everyone at AR, working in this industry, knows that this is a real fire hazard. And besides, it would ruin Santa's whole trip next year. Can you imagine how black he would be coming out of this thing? In fact, this was not a hard call to make as an inspector: Get a chimney sweep in to clean it, the wood stove and do a full safety inspection. Sometimes these conditions are borderline, it is fairly clean and might be fine for some time. That was sure not the case here. This was a fire waiting to happen and with shakes below it could have been really out of control.

First glance

The view down below

I thank you, and Santa thanks you, for the comments,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

More often than not, when you hear the words "dry rot", the term is being misused. It is often incorrectly used by the general public, builders, realtors, remodelers and (ugh) even home inspectors. Often what is called dry rot is merely rot (wood decay fungi). The common example of wrong usage would be wood that is under a bathtub. People bathe, the tub leaks and a beam or joist below rots and a rot probe might go clear through the lumber. Even if the wood is dry, this IS NOT dry rot. I teach wood destroying organisms for the state college system, Bellingham Technical College, and we offer classes at major cities around the state. One thing we make sure of is that students, at the end of class, know that true dry rot is rare. In fact, WSDA says it is not found in this state. Also, that term alone implies that wood can rot without moisture. In fact, wood requires 20% moisture to rot and usually a higher level than that for the rot to get started in the first place.
 

So what is true dry rot? It comes in two forms, and it is very distinctive. The two fungi are serpula lacrymans and meruliporia incrassata (more common in Europe). Both are vines that will grow from the soil to the wood. They attach to the wood and act as a conduit, moving moisture up into the wood...like wicking. So, bottom line: No vine then it is just plain old rot! You will have a pretty good clue as to how how much someone really knows about their profession if they are bantering around the term dry rot when in fact, they are talking about plain old rot. In wet northwest Washington an inspector almost never sees true dry rot, but lots of rot. Look at the photos below. The difference is startling.

This is NOT dry rot

This is dry rot, the vine wicks moisture from soil into the wood

Thanks for reading and the comments,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Some of the best views in Washington real estate are found at Birch Bay. Birch Bay addresses are part of the small city of Blaine, and it is north of Bellingham near the border. I remember back 35 years ago and recall that Canadians have always had a strong presence at Birch Bay. The young people would come down to party at Birch Bay State Park and the adults would establish second homes for summers and weekends. People were smart enough, even back then when I was a kid, to know the beach was a good place to be. Today there are a number of residences and condos at Birch Bay, available in different price ranges. The property is highly desirable, especially for those people who can afford the water view. But, sometimes just being nearby is good enough. The area has campgrounds, restaurants and great walking, hiking or beachcombing. And, please don’t forget the beautiful sunsets. Every time I do a home inspection in Birch Bay, or Semiahmoo (a beautiful and exclusive part of Whatcom County that is part of the Birch Bay area) I am amazed by all of the walkers (solo and in groups) obviously happy as can be and out to start the morning by exploring the seashore and the sights so prevalent in this unique locale. By the way, you know you are getting close to Birch Bay when you see the waterslide, which operates during the summer months to entertain the children when they are out of school. 

Waterslide

Morning stroll

The beach 

Thanks for reading,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Boulevard Park, below the south hill, is one of the most spectacular parks in all of Bellingham and Whatcom County. And, between the city and the county, our region has parks that I believe are among the best in the nation. Boulevard Park has really changed from those days, 40 plus years ago, when a friend of mine and I would bike down to the area and do some beach combing. Back then, most of this area was industrial and you can still see signs of that history as you enjoy the park. You are likely to find people playing Frisbee, walking, beachcombing, picnicking or even crabbing. The park affords a wonderful view of Bellingham Bay and the islands. The photos below give you an idea of the beauty. If you are there, at the right time, you will see Amtrak or the Alaska Ferry come through.

Thanks for looking,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Marine Park is not the first park most residents would think about, when they think of the Bellingham city parks. It is not as widely use, or known, as two other nearby parks: Boulevard and Fairhaven Parks. Marine Park is great for kids, but not specifically designed for them -- no playground equipment. But it works for kids or anyone who likes to prowl the beach and view Puget Sound and the nearby islands. There is a nice covered picnic area that can be reserved. The park is just past the terminal for the Alaska Ferry and the Amtrak station near the end of Harris Avenue. The local shipyards are nearby as well. Despite the park's low profile, it becomes more prominent this time of year. The internationally attended Ski to Sea race ends at Marine Park. Hundreds of people line the beach at the park that day, waiting to see their favorite teams come rowing in. Marine Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. If you want to go for some quiet time, and great views, go any day, except on Ski to Sea day. Great views, evidenced by the photos I took, are abundant in Marine Park.

Thanks for looking,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

The truth about water pressure at homes. Water pressure is somewhat subjective. What one person thinks is adequate, may be a trickle to another person. This can be problematic for a home inspector who is supposed to tell the client if the pressure is satisfactory or not. Almost all of us will try to make a judgement by performing a multi-flow test -- running more than one fixture at a time. Sometimes it is obvious that the pressure is whimpy, with just one faucet or tub running. So, what can one do? Well, you can take a reading with a professional instrument, a pressure gauge. Normal pressure is 40 to 80 PSI.  Here is one potential snag: Most inspectors find it easiest, and less chance of getting water inside the home, to attach the pressure gauge to an outside hosebibb. Not often, but sometimes, the hosebibb is plumbed in before a pressure reducing valve and, in that case, the high reading is not accurate for the rest of the house. When that happens the inspector should try to get a gander at the supply pipe arrangement in the basement or crawl space, to see where the hosebibb is attached. Failing that, with experience an inspector kind of knows what high pressure looks like and gets a clue that way. Now, almost everyone recognizes really low pressure. The problem with going solely by readings is that issue of pressure being subjective. I have a rental and the tenant thinks 70 PSI is not much pressure. At inspections I have had clients who were thrilled with the pressure when it was in the low 40's. So what is wrong with having too much pressure? Wouldn't that make everyone happy? The problem is that, when pressure is over 80 PSI, it may void warranties and can damage devices such as water heaters and dishwashers. How is a pressure problem, either way, resolved? It may be as simple as installing or adjusting a pressure regulator or adjusting a pump. Or it might entail putting in a new service line. I was thinking, a basic water pressure gauge is about $9.00 and might be a good tool for a hands-on realtor. I know a number of agents who carry basic circuit testers to see if the wiring looks reasonable at a quick glance. The water pressure gauge would be another handy device, in a similar vein. If the pressure is too high a plumber can put in a regulator, if it is too low, well that too can be figured out before the buyer's inspector arrives and cites a problem.

Too low                                               Way too high

Thanks for looking

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

The Eldridge neighborhood, overlooking Bellingham Bay and the north side of town, is one of the most prestigious communities in Bellingham. Historically, it dates back to the 1860's and some of the founding fathers and families in Bellingham settled and built here: James Eldridge and Henry Roeder. Many of the residences are on the national historic register and a number of the homes have interior décor designed from imported hardwoods that were signs of status at the time the homes were built. Stained and leaded glass is original, and in wide use, in the neighborhood. The homes, on the bay side of the street, have the waterfront below and also busy railroad tracks, which are used regularly by the freight trains. I have included some photos that I took below, along with links to interesting sites associated with the history of the neighborhood.

http://www.whatcommuseum.org/pages/history/eldridge.htm

http://www.cob.org/pcd/cd/historic/tour/22.htm

Thanks for looking,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com

Yesterday I wrote a blog on asbestos and, in it, mentioned asbestos fiber siding. Here is something that might be of use to realtors. If you did not know it, striated cedar siding is sometimes confused with asbestos. So, if you are ever at a house and decide the siding is asbestos, make sure you know that for certain. Although asbestos is a fine and safe siding (if it stays put) some people are put off by the mere word asbestos. So one would certainly not want to list a house as having asbestos siding when it was cedar. Just so you know what I am speaking about, take a look at the two photos below, from the home inspection class at Bellingham Technical College. Which is asbestos and which is wood? Is asbestos on the right, or is that it over there on the left? The answer is below. 

Cedar or asbestos?

 Cedar or asbestos?                                    

Answer: They look much the same. But, as asbestos siding is old, and brittle from day one, you will probably see some mechanical damage to it. The photos above were cropped, so you could see just how similar the materials are if there is no damage. It is likely to be cracked, have corners bent out, that kind of thing. The cedar will not be like that. And, of course, if you are still in doubt you can closely examine it. The asbestos is hard and cedar is soft. They sound different if you tap on them too. The asbestos was on the right, and here is the full photo. This asbestos siding was the original version of today's cement sidings.

Thanks for looking,

Steven L. Smith

www.kingofthehouse.com