Bellingham Technical College is an approved provider of home inspection training in the State of Washington. The state law requires anyone who wishes to enter the field of home inspection to complete a 120 hour course in the fundamentals of home inspection. To sit for the state test, that individ
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04/16/2012
The commonly installed neoprene rubber stack flashings may be acceptable for a few years when used to flash the plumbing vents where they exit the roof. But these flashings are prone to problems, including deterioration as a result of the harsh environment up on the roof -- UV rays being primary,
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04/16/2012
We have all heard the expression -- "A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words." Every once in awhile, on an inspection, there is a photo-op that turns out to be quite amusing. Often, for whatever reason, the photos, at least in my case, involve some pet that decides to help me out while I am on-site w
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04/03/2012
I find myself loosely using the term "firewall" on occasion when I am reporting on the garage at a house I am inspecting. I am working on breaking that bad habit since "firewall" is one of the most misused terms in construction. I cannot even guess how many times I have heard someone, including
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03/26/2012
Green building is a buzz word in our society today. I hear many agents and builders discussing green building and I run into clients who wish they were buying a green building. Despite there being considerable controversy over the whole topic of green building and just how environmentally benefic
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03/25/2012
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
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02/25/2012
Hello all, I have been very busy lately and not been in the rain as much as I probably should be. I had some time tonight and decided to write a blog post. I have put up some draft material, appropriate photos and all ready to go. I just had to compose the words. But when I went to my home page,
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02/17/2012
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 ene
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02/06/2012
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
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02/01/2012
