ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2010
16
Comments
One thing commonly noticed on older decks is a sagging staircase. Can you see the sag just about the middle of the staircase? That is because the stair stringer is stressed the most at that point. It is sagging from this stress. The stair stringer is cut from a single board into 90 degree chunk...
02/27/2010
13
Comments
A little history. Two months ago, on a pre-drywall inspection, one thing I noticed outside was a kitchen vent placed right where a stairwell guardrail would need to abut the house. Faux stone siding, the vent and the guardrail were all installed so that the result was clearly visible: a 12" ga...
02/24/2010
9
Comments
How often have you gone outside after a wind storm to see your siding hanging at all angles? Have you ever wondered what to do about it? Or how much it would cost to get it fixed? Well wonder no more! Hi, Billy Jays here! I am inviting you to be the first in your neighborhood to own a very spec...
02/24/2010
24
Comments
I received a nice compliment the other day. The couple with the house where I had diagnosed some leaking with my thermal infrared camera asked me back to take a few more images. They wanted some "after" shots to show the insurance company. Smart. While there the wife said, "You provide a fabulo...
02/21/2010
23
Comments
Every home inspector has seen this. New construction. Kitchen cabinets. Installed wrong. Same old, same old. At least they used the ring! The ring doesn't really improve the strength, just makes the whole thing look a little more "professional." But it is still incorrect. That is a drywall...
02/19/2010
14
Comments
Have you ever been on a cruise, or a fishing trip, or even a boat ride with your friends? Of course you have! And what's the first thing they want you to know about? A sturdy, form-fitting, attractive life preserver! Hi, Billy Jays here! When was the last time you noticed your hose bib loosely h...
02/15/2010
16
Comments
When deep snows happen, ice dams often happen too. Notice two words in the left diagram: Convection and Conduction. An easy way to remember what they do is this: Conduction is THROUGH and convection is TO. Cooking heat is conducted through a frying pan into the food, which heat also convec...
02/15/2010
5
Comments
has lots of people around here saying, "Damn icing!" So much snow in such a short amount of time can do little but build up at the bottoms of roofs as it melts. That build up will be a problem sooner or later. I had a call yesterday from a couple in Reston, VA who were experiencing just that. ...
02/14/2010
24
Comments
I had two different phone calls this week, from clients. They could not have been more different. The first was from a Realtor who met me on an inspection. Her client chose me as his inspector on the recommendation of an office partner for whom I recently also did an inspection. This Realtor r...
02/10/2010
32
Comments
Well, it looks like a sunny day coming up! Woohoo! But not supposed to get very warm. Hopefully things will begin to melt. We cannot use either back door. So I will have to create a path to one of them the old fashioned way. Here is the upper deck on our house. I was happy to see the unders...
02/06/2010
Rainmaker
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2,049,943
Jay Markanich
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia
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An experienced home inspector's look at current home inspection events and conditions along with his useful recommendations.