Rick Harrington's Blog

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission there wer over 15,000 fires caused by clothers dryers.  Just a reminder to check your dryer vents, interior and exterior for blockages or lint build up.   It's recommended to have rigid ducts from the dryer to the exterior vent and clean the scr...

This is one of the times of the year when we actually get to do some great checking of our home drainage systems.  While all this rain and melting snow is upon us, get your umbrella and golashes on and check the gutters, downspouts and drainage to streets, swales or where ever you drain your run ...

I'm looking for a report that is simple for clients to understand that is used for Energy Surveys.  If anyone has a sample that they'd like to share I'd appreciate it.  I'm doing Energy Surveys addressing energy loss and things that can get a nice ROI - Return on Investment for the Client.  I don...

I keep things in perspective and always believe things happen for the best and happen for a reason. But I'll be darn as to why all this has happened lately.On Thanksgiving day my wife slipped down 2 steps and fractured her fibula. Ouch!!!A week later she tried to manuver the SAME staircase on her...

With the freezing temperatures coming on us fast don't forget to detach the garden hose, drain them and put them in a place out of the sunlight.This is one of the items we tend to forget in our busy schedules along with gas stabilizers for the mowers, weed trimmers, and gasoline left in the can a...

I've drawn a blank on getting a Christmas gift that starts with the Letter R at about $30. That is the theme of our Christmas exchange this year.  Each person brings 1 gift and this year we are using the first letter of your first name. Last year it had to be AS SEEN ON TV. and that turned out pr...

During a recent inspection, I decided to just take off my shoes.  One of the few times I've not used slippers.  As Murphy's law would have it they had a dog and did not have it properly trained.  There were a few "diapers" on the floor. Apparently they did not discover all the spots.  I did with ...

With the winter approaching fast and the furnaces kicking on, we all need to be wary of the dangers of components and that they do require periodic checkups so they perform properly.Carbon Monoxide is a poisonous gas that is odorless, colorless and tasteless.  The silent killer. Fuel burning appl...

It's that time of the year again -- just after those trees turn wonderful colors.  Where did those leaves go?  Unless you have gutter protection, an unacceptable amount has ended up in your gutters and downspouts. To maintain proper drainage throughout the winter months when snow and ice can buil...

I have begun marketing Pre-Listing inspections in effort to help the Real Estate agent "buy" back some time on the back end of the deal.I have started to market the idea of paying at closing or 180 days whatever comes first (or some other predetermined time frame). Maybe offer discounts for payme...