David's Blog

Many people like to begin their Christmas shopping on Black Friday.  I guess people love to mix it up in crowds. Everyone has their own traditions.  Ours is a trip up into the mountains to cut a tree for Christmas.  We did it on Saturday.  Now one could think that cutting a tree this early would ...

I've been thinking about this for a while.  There is a lot of hoopla regarding green building and green lifestyle these days.  There are certainly many levels of greenness and I applaud you for whatever level you have reached.  Unfortunately, being truly green is a lot more complex than it might ...

These days, I have added a new recommendation to the electrical section of my inspections.  "Add a whole house surge protector".  I learned through experience about this.  As our electrical grid ifrastructure ages, we become subject to more problems.  Many of the appliances in our modern houses h...

A recent post reminded me of this old post of mine from several years ago.  Since there are many new members since then, and many did not see it, I thought it might be nice to share it again. First a disclaimer.  This is all in jest and is not meant to offend anyone.  I spend a lot of time lookin...

I've been needing a new computer for a while now.  Went looking two weeks ago and, to my surprise, nobody was selling computers.  It seems that everyone had sold out and were waiting for the arrival of Windows 7.  Got my new unit a couple of days ago.  Took advantage of the removal of trialware s...

Most of my blogs have been related to inspections and/or local color.  This one is slightly different in that it showcases a vacation rental (that I own) near magnificent Mt. Baker in Northwest Washington.  The home is located in a gated community two miles East of the town of Glacier.  This is t...

Many Realtors and Mortgage brokers have written articles on short sales and foreclosures.  One point the haven't touched on is what is necessary to prepare a foreclosed home for inspection.  When banks own  the home they often (usually) have them winterized and often allow propane tanks to empty....

The following pictures are of three different siding materials that look quite a bit alike.  Knowing what each is and the pros and cons of each may be important when you purchase that next home.   Cement Asbestos Siding    Asphalt Shingle Siding    Striated Cedar Siding    As you can see, each of...

  This post is about solid fuel burning appliances and potential chimney fires.  Solid fuel appliances are usually wood burning fireplaces or stoves, including inserts.  The chimney serving these appliances should be cleaned every year.  The picture below shows a chimney with major creosote build...

I have shown a number of photos of my gardens on this blog.  We grow these gardens, obviously for the beauty and enjoyment they offer us, but we also grow them to provide food and cover for wildlife.  We are visited over the course of a year by many birds.  Numerous water birds, including Great B...