Saturday afternoon humor. You gotta love rednecks.    Two guys went on their lunch break.  While returning from lunch, they pass a Gas Station, which was stating that there was a sex contest going on if you purchase a full tank of gas.  Needing gas anyway, they purchase the gas and then asked the attendant if this sex contest still going on.     He says, "Yes, I am thinking of a number between the numbers of 1-10."   The guy says, "8."   "No", the attendant states, "I was thinking of 6."   The next day the same two guys return to the the gas station and get a full tank of gas and again asked if the contest was still going on.   The attendant says, "Yes.  I am thinking of a number between the numbers 1-10."   The guy says: "5."   The clerk then says, "No, I was thinking of 6."   So the m... 07/07/2012

A few blooms from Carlsbad, New Mexico. Here are a few pictures of some flowers when I was out and about today. Hope the members of active Rain like the shots. They were really well colored. We just got a good rain last night. Along with quite a storm. If you look at the shot closly, the flowers are planted in an old cast iron bathtub.   Have a nice evening every one.   07/06/2012

Learning the 203 (K) program. What it means for us inspectors. There are a lot of Realtors out there that use the 203 K programs to get client's into homes that they normally would not buy. Hud has a program called the 203 K program that helps home buyers with this dilemma of needing to repair a home after they purchase the home. Many Realots use this program and there are a lot of Realtors who do not. They have told me for one reason or another "it's not worth owr time". If you want more tools at your finger tips getting a home buyer into a home, then look into the 203 k program being offered by HUD. I am completeting the 203 K consultant courses and I will be a 203 K consultant. This way I can offer the expert advice to Realtors and buyers about what they can and can't do with a 203 K... 07/03/2012

Don't take your family's life into your own hands. It happens everyday. Some where some how some one takes the batteries out of a "chirping smoke detector". Don't take your family's life into your own hands. Too often while performing home inspections I see this, I guess the home owner wants to stop the chirping but not keep the family safe at the same time. Some homes I have inspected even have removed the smoke detector as a means to stop the chirping. I have had o tell many home owners and Buyers, what that sound means when I have been in their homes.  This detector was removed from the ceiling. It now is missing and inoperable. No fire safety now in place. This home had a total of five hard wired smoke detectors that had been removed from service. I have found a large number of home... 06/26/2012

It's Saturday, why don't we go to the drive in for a show? Here in Carlsbad, New Mexico we have a drive in theater. Yep, just like the ones you used to go to with the family back in the day. Or should I say back in the evening when it was about to get dark. Here in Carlsbad, we have a drive in Theater called Fiesta Drive In. Fiesta drive in is located at 410 West Fiesta Drive. In fact it sets directly in front of the new Avalon apartments which are getting completed at a fever pace. "That's another post".  Better bring the cash, they only take cash. And it's only $15.00 for an entire car or van load of people. There are only a few of these iconic symbol's left in the United States of America.  And Carlsbad, New Mexico has one of the very, very few that are left for us to enjoy. You can ... 06/23/2012

Chillin' on the Pecos river...Life is good. Last weekend we had a birthday party at the Park here in Carlsbad, New Mexico. This was a birthday party for our granddaughter Haylee. She turned five big years old. The park is located on the beautiful Pecos River. Her "Repunsels cake" was made by her mother. Haylee sure looks happy. The next photo is one of Clint Jr. holding my Grandson Clint the Third.   They had to go down to the water...that was a given. They were watching a lot of watercrafts speeding up and down the river. I hope everyone has enjoyed the post about the birthday party for Haylee. Come join us, we are CHILLIN' ON THE PECOS. LIFE IS GOOD.   05/22/2012

Duct tape, baling wire and or a rope. Is that all I need? I never thought that if the home owner was me, how would I do it. Fix things I mean. After all we all have our "Uncle Bob's" in the family. When inspecting home and commercial businesses, I find all types of good little ingenuity projects around the properties I inspect. This photo here is a gas line that was not properly supported.   This rope is attached to a nail in the ceiling of the furnace closet. "Uncle BOB" hard at work. This time "Uncle BOB" was busy with the electrical tape. The line should have been re routed to stay away from the exhaust vent of the furnace. It does get very hot. Remember, no matter how good you think you are at repairing things. There are professionals for just that job. Have a great day everyone. 05/17/2012

Rain in Carlsbad New Mexico? Is this actually possible? As many of you know, here in Carlsbad New Mexico we have not gotten but very, very little rain over the past couple of years. I had just got home when the clouds started coming in from the South West. I thought this cloud looked pretty neat with the "mushroom shaped head" it was to get bigger. And the last shot before it got too dark to stay out in the what we call the "RAIN". Yes we finally got some RAIN last night, and it's still raining this morning. In many parts of the country you have rain as a weekly occurence. Here... we have not seen a very good rain for at least "TWO YEARS". Now you can see why I am getting excited. I hope everyone has a wonderful day and week ahead.  05/07/2012

Mechanical inspection that wa snot a good one. I did a recent post about inspector who work for the State and or local, county and municipalities. This post is not a rant nut it asks the question. Why are the inspectors not doing their jobs as intended. This  link will take you there. http://actvra.in/zvp  When contractors start cutting corners, it's not a good thing. Just to save a few bucks in the short term. Why add to the problems by "not doing the job correctly the first time"? This job was inspected by a mechanical inspector within three days of the completion of the job. But was it really? Did the inspector do a "drive by inspection" Who knows. This furnace was installed in the proper spot. The duct work was installed correctly. So why was'nt the venting installed correctly? This... 04/29/2012

Cacti's are blooming in Carlsbad, New Mexico. I could'nt help but take a few shots of this Yucca cacti that is in full bloom at a local dealership. The wild cacti have seen very little rain if any in two years. Usually we get to take a drive up the canyons and see all the wild flowers and cacti blooming this time of year. But with no rain, this is all I have to show Active Rain members for the time being. I hope you enjoy. When I saw this huge cacti, I could'nt pass up the chance to get the shots to share. These were taken at a car dealership here in town. Yes I was working.   This is what the "wild Yucca" are supposed to be doing about this time of year. But with no rain I have to settle for the Yucca's in town that are maintained. I have really been busy, I don't have a lot of time fo... 04/26/2012

Upgrade the home or loose the sale. When I send out the inspection reports. There is a summation page that lists all the defects or issues with the home that was inspected. There are a lot of times when the seller say's "I'm not going to fix anything". Or "I will give a dollar amount towards any repairs that are needed". In this case there was a $500.00 dollar amount listed by the seller as for repairs if anything was found to be needed. When I inspected this home, there were electrical issues that were not to be taken lightly. The buyer was from out of town and I have never met the buyer. The seller met me at the home so he could let me in. I did'nt discuss any findings with the seller. But there was issues that needed to be addressed. In the shot above there are no less than four "dou... 04/16/2012

Look at this home inspection....SWEET. Cake Inspection? I had recently got a call for a home inspection from a client that was disturbed by the comment the realtor had said. When the buyer had asked the Realtor about a home inspection and who to call, the Realtor told her to call one of the "two inspectors they had on their list". "Call one of these guys, they give a cake inspection". A "cake inspection"? Really? Did they think they were talking to another Realtor? They were talking directly to the buyer, no one else. Did they think the buyer would not have understood the comment about a Cake inspection? To tell the truth I have never met either of these "Home Inspectors" or any of the employees that may or may not work for them. If a Realtor wants to have the best results for the buyer... 04/06/2012

Don't walk, run away as fast as you can. The final post in a series. At Desert Sun Home Inspections, We strive to bring out the best report we can for our clients. Even if they don't like the results of the report.  This is the fianl post in a series that has walked you through a home inspection that has been to say the least a "nightmare". Follow the links below to get cought up with this home and the "MINI SERIES" The first post... Don't walk run I yelled. Did they hear me. This post was a starter to the rest that was only to get worse as time goes on. The second post...   Don't walk run away fast. Home inspection nightmare. This post will walk you through the attics and roofs. The third post...Don't walk run away quickly. The upper bedrooms. Take a look at the upper bedrooms and the ... 04/02/2012

Warehouse windows. Not a good thing in a home. On a recent home inspection. I found that the majority of the subdivision had been built by the same contractor. Then I had noticed that the homes (a lot of them) had warehouse windows. The biggest problem with warehouse windows is the cranks finally stop working and the window size is not enough for means of egress in case of the need for a quick escape. Another problem I run into is that the home owners always paint the windows shut. This could be a problem when a means of egress is so badly needed. These were just two of the fifteen windows in the home. All but two are "warehouse windows" the other two had been replaced with a vinyl thermal pane window. Remember to leave a way for escape when painting windows. This is called  "MEANS OF E... 03/25/2012

Before you list, sell or buy a home. Read this post. Most Realtors, buyers and seller alike don't have a clue when it comes to the general liability when owning a home. There are a lot of factors that are included when owning a home. Here is a simple example of what to look for when you are listing, selling and or wanting to buy a home. Did you know the sidewalks around the edge of the city streets are the responsibility of the home owner? Even though the municipality is the owner of the sidewalks?   In the shot above you can see where the sidewalk is no longer where it should be. There is a two inch rise because of the tree that has pushed up the sidewalk. Did you know YOU are liable as a home owner? Did you know that if anyone is walking in front of your home and they fall, you could ... 03/21/2012

Foundation issues? I have seen a lot of foundations and venting in my 30 plus years of inspecting. There are issues that can arise from a poorly poured foundation. Even with the best intentions there may be "issues" that come up. On this home the foundation has a few "cracks in the foundation stem wall". The stem wall poured after the foting was poured. When the buyer asked me about the cracks in the foundation wall, I told them that they could be repaired. Then they asked if there was going to be any more seperation in the foundation wall. I told the buyer if there wa going to be any more seperation then it would have taken place already. The home was built in the 1940's and it looks like the stem wall was poured when it was really hot that day. A simple fix would be to use a "concrete... 03/15/2012

"I gave it a slope outward" Why? What's wrong with this picture? When I drove up to this property, I saw this problem right away. The front porch was added after the fact by the new owners. They did'nt want the structure to touch the home. And when I asked "why is the front porch addition leaning outward"? Their response was " I did'nt want it to touch the home. And I gave it a slope outward so the water would run off better". I thought "you have to be kidding me". But i did'nt say anything. Remember if your going to "improve" your home, then have a qualified contractor do the work. There are simply way to many "uncle Bob's" out there who think they can do anything. This was a poor design and a poorly installed "addition" to the home. I think they detracted from the curb appeal the hom... 03/12/2012

Inspection went from good to bad to worse. This recent inspection of a home was going well till I took a look at the "new roof". This roof was installed in 11 of 2011. This is the "GOOD" part. I was thinking before I got on the roof that "being a new roof" there should be "no issues" for me to find. I could'nt have been more wrong. In this picture there are five things wrong. Can you pick them out? This is the bad part. 1. The boot is the wrong size for the vent. 2. The vent has no cap. 3.The vent terminates below an eave. Not tall enough. 4. No step flashing used for the sidewall flashing. 5. The flashing that was used, was not properly fastened or sealed. This is the worse part. Yes, this is a live gas furnace vent. It was not secured in the attic where it connected to the furnace. It... 03/06/2012

Furnace exhaust connections, the way not to do it right. With all the ways to install furnaces, there is the right way the wrong way and then there is the contractors way. It seems that if no one is watching the contractor, corners will be cut. Without a mechanical inspection for the new furnace. The installer will find every conceivable way to cut as many corners as possible. Here are a few reasons to always get a permit and have the state or local "mechanical inspector" follow up behind the installer and make sure the installation was done correctly. Can anyone tell me what this picture represents? This furnace was installed in 2007, and has had "issues" from the day of installation. There was a long list of "wrong" installation issues with this unit. There should have been a "approve... 03/05/2012

It's spring in Carlsbad New Mexico. With that said, there are a lot of ways you can tell spring is here. Remember to fill the hummingbird feeders. Put water in the bird baths. Here the water for the birds don't last very long. I was in the yard the other day when I noticed that I had some flowers that decided it was time to bloom. After the wind storms of the past couple of days I was really surprised to see them saying "Good Morning". These shots are from a new flower bed we just installed last fall. I hope it will do well this year. As you can see this one did not make it through the wind storms without getting a little "dirty". I could have cleaned it up, but I wanted the  "all natural look". At least I have a couple of flowers to enjoy this spring. With the recent and ongoing drough... 02/29/2012