groundupinspect

November 19, 2020

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 07:06:25 GMT

Today I did an inspection on a home that looked great and all appearances suggested it was in above average condition. However, When I entered the attic I found rodent infestation and a leak around the skylight. In the crawl space I found a non-functional sump pump, standing water and mildew/mold growth on building components as a result.

As a reminder, this is a good time of year to peek your head into the attic and crawl just to have a check especially after heavy rains. Just opening the hatch can sometimes alert you to a problem such as musty ammonia (from rodents) smells or the sound of dripping indicating a leak. I recommend checking you crawl space and attic at least twice a year even if its only sticking your head in.

You may also benefit from an annual or semi annual check up of your home with a qualified home inspector such as myself for the best information as to what may need maintaining around the home.

Pre-Purchase Inspection Misconception

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 07:06:18 GMT

As a home inspector in the greater Seattle area, I believe there is a misconception about the term Pre-inspection by some people, especially first-time buyers. Pre-Purchase inspection is a home inspection done prior to buying a home. In the Greater Seattle area over the last few years there has been a low inventory and an influx of buyers leading to bidding wars on homes. This has driven the price of homes up and lead to a situation where desirable homes in desirable areas don’t hit the market and wait for someone interested in the home to show up. Houses are now put on the market and offers are not accepted until a few days later in the hopes of multiple offers. In order to have your offer accepted its not just about how much money, its also the fewest contingencies in order to win the bidding war against sometimes 10 or more other interested parties.

All that said, I will reiterate, a Pre-Inspection is an inspection done prior to the purchase of a home. However, in the Seattle and surrounding areas this can be difficult to do when given the short window of opportunity. Not to mention you may have to do multiple inspections before you win a bid for a home. Our crazy market has given rise to an alternative understanding of the term Pre-Inspection. This term has recently been used to identify an inspection that is done prior to submitting an offer on a home in order to do away with the inspection contingency.

There is an alternative to spending money on a full inspection and another reason the term “Pre-Inspection” is used to describe the inspection before the offer. Some inspectors have decided that instead of losing business they offer a discounted “Walk Through” where a report is not provided. For the home buyer this is a great option in this fast-passed market, and you can get the information you need to make smart buying decisions. These are usually cash only because as a home inspector it is against the Code of Ethics in the state of Washington to provide an inspection without a report and many inspectors won’t take the risk of potentially losing their license to perform this service.

As a Home inspector I cannot condone this type of inspection however as a business owner and family man I can understand not wanting to lose the business because others may suffer due to the lack of work. It will always be my recommendation that you get a “full” home inspection no matter the situation. If you decide to do a cash “walk through” you should know that there is no documentation to prove an inspection was performed and no grievances can be filed.

Many home buyers are skipping the inspection because they don’t want to spend money on an inspection for a home that they may not even get or have already spent money on homes they did not win and don’t want to spend more money. I strongly advise against this and not because I am a home inspector but because I have done several inspections for people who have skipped the “pre-inspection” and brought me in after the home was purchased and in most cases nothing major was found but there has been a few where the issues found cost the home owners thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to remedy.

At From The Ground Up Home Inspections I can provide a thorough inspection that only takes a couple hours, I have competitive pricing, and on-site reporting to you can make decisions quickly.

Snow and your house

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 07:06:09 GMT

It’s the snow season in the greater Seattle area and there are some things you should know. In my last blog there are some great ways to prepare for the winter and cold weather. Now that it’s here, there are some things you should keep an eye on.

With the freezing conditions that come along with snow you should keep an eye out for “ice damming” at the soffits. Ice damming is the freezing of the snow that melts over the attic “warmed by the house” that freezes at the soffits or overhangs causing water to build up behind the ice dam. This can lead to water infiltration in walls and attic leading to mold and mildew. If you observe ice damming, there are options for keeping the soffits warm by putting a heated coil on the soffit on the roof where ice damming is occurring. You should also contact a certified thermographer to inspect the home to determine if water infiltration has occurred.

If you have a wood burning fireplace in your home this is the best time of year to use it. It is not always easy to accumulate wood during the year and it can be expensive to buy but it is a great way to save energy if you can procure wood at a low cost. Not only can it be a great way to keep worm but if you have electric heat such as baseboards or cadets this will conserve on heating bill in the colder times of the winter. If you are heating with a heat pump or ductless heating with electric back up heat your heat pump will lose the ability to convert heat from the outdoors due to the cold temperature. Your heating system will switch to backup heat and if it is inefficient it can drive you energy bills up. By using a wood fired or gas fireplace you can stay warm and conserve energy.

This is also a good time to check your attic and crawl space. With ice damming possible and wet of freezing conditions water infiltration in both these areas increases. If you don’t have full access, I always suggest at least opening the attic and crawl space hatches and stick your head in. Many times you can smell, hear or feel if there may be a problem and you can call a professional that can investigate for you.

Keep these things in mind as well as the items in my “preparing for winter” blog post. When the snow starts falling, you will have less worry and more fun in the snow!

Preparing your house for winter

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 07:05:54 GMT

For the most part WATER is your big enemy during the cold winter. Pipes can freeze and burst causing massive damage not just immediately but smaller leaks can go unnoticed and cause damage and unhealthy conditions over time. Also, frozen water in the gutters and overhangs can cause damage to fascia boards, soffits and rafter tails. High energy bills can also be a concern in winter especially in older buildings.

Some easy ways to protect your home from the damaging and uncomfortable winter months are as follows:

Make sure you unhook hoses from the hose bib. Even if the spigot is an ani-freeze it can still burst if the water in the hose freezes. Turn off the spigot when not in use and cover with something that will insulate from the cold.

Blowing off the roof and cleaning out the gutters will help protect against water backing up due to clogged downspouts and ice damming at the soffits and overhangs. The soffits and overhangs are not insulated by the attic and can remain frozen as the heat from the attic melts the rest of the roof. This as well as debris that remain frozen can back up the melted water and cause it to enter behind the roofing material.

Check weather stripping on exterior doors. This includes the garage man door because most garages are considered to be an unconditioned space and do not have a heat source.

Keep blinds closed during the night and on very cold days to add an extra barrier to protect against the radiant cold of the windows and frames. Even though most windows are double pain and vinyl they are still considered to be a penetration in the overall thermal boundary. The stagnant air between the window and the blinds can raise the insulative quality of the window by up to R-5 adding to the efficiency of the window and your home overall as well as helping keep away condensation down around the windows.

Close the dampers in wood burning stoves when not in use. Although there is an equilibrium in the flew or stack that will usually keep cold from entering and heat from exiting in normal conditions this can change if the pressure differences between the inside and outside change due to wind and high pressure systems and even disconnected ductwork within the homes unconditioned spaces. Wood and gas inserts can also be drafty but more difficult to seal because the drafts don’t come from the insert itself but from around the insert compartment. Consult your handyman or contractor for the best ways to seal inserts.

These are some simple ways to help keep your home safe from damage and help keep you cozy during the cold winter months in Western Washington.

What To Expect When Getting a Home Inspection With From The Ground Up Home Inspection

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 07:05:10 GMT

My home inspections usually start with a short introduction followed by some questions such as:

Do you have any concerns about the home.
Are there any questions you would like to ask me.
Is there anything specific about a system you want me to give you information about.

After the initial meeting you will be asked to sign an inspection agreement which is required prior to the start of the inspection. At this point I will start my inspection of the home. I typically Start on the exterior of the house and my process is as follows:

Roof: If the roof is accessible and safe to walk on I will walk to roof looking for damage, signs of age, proper instillation, excess debris and moss, condition of gutters and downspouts. Skylights and roof penetrations and chimney condition.
Exterior: I will walk around the home identifying any issues with the siding, doors, windows, soffits, decks, porches, patios, grading and drainage, and retaining walls that may have an effect on the structure.
Garage: The garage will be inspected for condition of fire barriers on walls and ceilings, slab or garage floor, garage car and man doors, safe operation of garage door openers.
Electrical System: I will start by checking the panel for defects and open the panel to inspect for proper wiring, check plugs and switches for proper wiring or damage, test GFCI for proper operation and inspect lighting fixtures.
Plumbing System: The plumbing system will be thoroughly checked for leaks and popper operation at fixtures, leaks and proper insulation at drain and supply lines in the crawl space, inspection of gas plumbing for leaks and inspection of water heating system to identify deficiencies and age.
HVAC System: I will start at the thermostat to inspect for proper operation, determine components being operated by the thermostat and start the system for inspection. The Furnace, hydronic system and space heaters will be inspected for proper operation, safety issues and determine age.
Fireplaces: I will determine the type of fireplace and check for proper operation, venting and installation.
Interiors: The interiors will be inspected for major damage to floors, walls, ceilings, cabinetry, operation and condition of doors and windows and inspection of stairs and railings for safety. I will observe signs that may be linked to structural issues and stains that may indicate plumbing or roof leaks.
Appliances: The appliances will be checked for proper operation and condition.
Attic Space: I will inspect all accessible areas in the attic for signs of leaking, proper ventilation, fungi growth, damage to structural components, safety issues and inspect for proper insulation.
Crawl Space: Upon inspection of safe conditions and accessibility the crawl space will be thoroughly inspected for signs of water intrusion, structural issues at foundation and footings, structural issues at under structure and supports, inspect for rodents and wood destroying insects, determine proper insulation and vapor barrier.

Thermography: After a thorough visual inspection and mechanical inspection a thermal imager will be used to aid in identifying moisture intrusion from exterior or plumbing and check the thermal boundary for missing or lack of insulation in walls and inaccessible ceiling areas.

Throughout the inspection process I encourage you to ask questions. I will usually stop periodically to keep you informed on my findings. At the completion of the inspection I like to take time to go over any major issues and make sure you have all the information you need to make informed decisions in your home buying/selling process. I will also go over the report and how you will receive/view it and gather any other information I may need.

My reporting is done in part on a device that allows me to make comments and take pictures that I can upload to my main computer. This allows me to get reports out rather quickly. You will usually receive your report within 30min after the physical inspection. I will also make sure you have all my information in the event you have questions about your report once you receive it. I am always happy to answer questions my customers may have!