A Northern Virginia Home Inspector's Perspective

Electric panel box access, or not.During a home inspection it is important to be able to get to everything.The idea is to inspect systems and components!Not only could I not get near to the electric panel box in this garage, but could barely get AROUND the garage!The furnace and water heater were...

Historic house and moving brick.When I first saw the brick work on this historic 1808 townhouse in Alexandria, Virginia I was concerned.  Movement and bulging was immediately evident.The movement was a broad bulge that began between the two windows, and proceeded from top to bottom.The cement lin...

Pressure-treated wood can rot!People think their pressure-treated wood decks will never rot.Another urban legend  rears its ugly head.The first pressure-treated wood was invented by Dr. Karl Wolman in the early 20th century.  He developed a water-based process to infuse salts into the wood that w...

When sharp screws are used in electric panel boxes.I see it all the time.  The original screws that came with an electric panel box have been removed and replaced with different screws not meant for the box.Why can different screws be "not meant" for the box?For a couple of reasons at least:>  Th...

'Tis the season for poison ivy to start.And you have to look for it!  It is easier to remove when it's small.Poison ivy and poison oak are very common in this area. They are similar in that they have three equal-sized, and shiny, green leaves.The shine on the leaves comes from an oil that when to...

I would not walk out onto this deck!Why?  Because it looked to me like it would collapse at any minute.These are only a couple of the problems with this deck.Ledger beams are the long boards that attach to the house.  In this era ledger beams were lag bolted onto the house, and every 24".  That i...

The coolest plumber's tool kit I have ever seen!On this pre-drywall inspection the builder was installing CPVC plumbing, which is the most common plumbing product in this area.This is the only time I can see the house in a skeletal condition.  A pre-drywall inspection is an important opportunity ...

When a dryer vents through the roof.I see it all the time, and for about 20 years now.  Dryers that vent through the roof.To me it is not a smart installation.And problems are inherent for any homeowner with dryers that vent through the roof.Builders will say it isn't a problem because clogs happ...

A passive radon mitigation system installed in new construction.One thing I am seeing more and more in new construction is the installation of a passive radon mitigation system which would only need a fan should a house test positive for radon.Not all the builders do this.But when I see it I poin...

Should a builder change an installation to accommodate a buyer?This is a good one.  The buyer of this house wanted a basement laundry room in addition to the normal one on the bedroom level.  The builder said fine.This is what we found on the pre-drywall inspection.But when the installation was c...