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

 A few months ago, a friend of mine who happens to be a home inspector, showed me this little gadget. The sole purpose of the gadget was to test the function of microwave ovens. Now, fact is, as a home inspector, the obligation for inspecting appliances in this state is pretty minimal -- we don't have to do so if we don't want to, per the state standards of practice.

From a marketplace standpoint, most of us do take a look at appliances as a service. It is basic: We check that range burners come on, that dishwashers don't seem to be leaking and are properly plumbed. We might look in the refrigerator but, even my certifried assistant, Nutsy, is not allowed to try anything from the fridge to make sure that it is cool and goes down smoothly. As for testing microwave ovens, well that is kind of over the top. At the inspector's choosing, he or she might heat a glass of water to see if it gets warm. 

But, what if doing that microwave test can provide a great thrill and hours of fun and enjoyment for the home inspector, his assistant and the inspector's clients (especially kids)? Now we are talking aren't we? Excitement and fun is what life (and home inspection) is all about!

The device that I bought to do my own theatrical version of this test is called Magic Lights. It is battery free and, casually eye-balling the test bar, it simply looks like a small Plexiglas bar.

But looks can be deceiving. Wait till you see it in action. You put Magic Lights in the microwave, along with a "load" -- a cup of water. Then when you push the oven's "on" button -- it is a great thrill -- fireworks erupt in your own, or the seller's, kitchen. Take a look at this live video.

The flashes occur when the device is being zapped by the microwaves. So, if the bar does not light up, then the inspector knows that the magnetron in the oven is DOA. Of course, an inspector might suspect that anyway if the water in the cup does not heat up. Per the manufacturer of Magic Lights, a person really into microwave oven testing, like a service professional, can determine from the flashes if there are dead spots -- not nukin' where it should be nukin'. And, in theory, you can determine if the power settings are providing the proper intensity, but that is well beyond my area of interest or expertise. Heck, I like the show. I am just "nukin" for fun and my clients, and my certifried assistant, find it quite thrilling and unusual to watch the flashing lights.

If you want to own your own Magic Lights "nuke-tester" one will cost you a hefty $9.95 Online. Therefore, only the most successful among us can ever hope, or afford, to buy one of these specialized devices. See the official endorsement below.

I, Nutsy S. Wallenda, master chef, endorse this product

Signed,

Nutsy S. Wallenda, master chef

In an older home, the home inspector should attempt to determine if energized knob and tube wiring is present. It is not always possible to definitively make that determination, but often it is possible to do so. In fact, frequently it is fairly easy to state, no doubt about it, that there IS energized knob and tube wiring. It is more risky, and often harder to determine, that there is NO LIVE knob and tube wiring at an old home that was built in the era when knob and tube was the system of choice -- the era of Edison up into the 1950's.

Here I will take my readers behind the scenes at a recent inspection in Bellingham. The house is pre-1900's, so there was no question about it that knob and tube wiring had been present at some point. One of the likely locations to find the remnants of the old wiring, and to access it to check if it is hot or not, is up in the attic.  The first scene was taken right after I popped the hatch cover. I am looking for signs of the wiring, figuring it would be there somewhere -- live or disconnected.

This second video was taken while I was traversing the attic and testing the circuits that I saw. This was an easy one because I knew right away that the wiring was live. For the record, the neutral side of the circuits will not test as live, but the other (hot) side will activate the voltage alert tester. When an inspector checks knob and tube circuits, it is important to make sure that both sides of the wiring are tested. Checking only the neutral, and stating the wiring was disconnected, can lead to big problems and misinformation.

There you go! Live knob and tube wiring. If you are interested in the history of, and the potential complications of knob and tube circuits in today's houses, please click on the video below.

My wife and I are back home, in Bellingham, after our annual jaunt down to Oaxaca, Mexico. Secret: We missed the big winter snow and wind storm that took place here in Whatcom county. Oaxaca is near Guatemala, so almost to Central America. We love it in the city and we have made some fine friends among the Mexican people since we have been going there for four years now.

We enjoy the color, the sounds and the lively atmosphere. The environment is anything but bland. The public square or zocalo is full of poinsettias in bloom, people in bright clothes, vendors with handmade wares, women balancing heavy loads on their heads as they walk (you see some of that in the video) and lots of music.

This video I shot on the spot is an example. My wife and I were walking home from the zocalo, after dinner, and we ran into this joyous wedding procession, complete with a marching band, about 9pm in the center of town. That is much of the fun of visiting this city, you never know what you might see next.