U.S. Inspect Blog

Here is the fourth installment of the five-part series, The Top five Failed Building Practices.

I always knew that my years of sport climbing would prove beneficial for me; however, I never thought that they would assist anyone else. Funny how sometimes you can actually be glad to be proven wrong.

Tuesday was Groundhog Day, and guess what?! Six more weeks of winter. Oh well! I guess that means it's not too late to finish up our talk about winterization!

In an earlier post My House is Winterized! What is Winterization? I described what winterization is. Today, as promised, I thought I'd talk about what winterization means to an inspector--what an inspector mentally goes through when he/she arrives at a house and sees the "Winterized" sticker all over the place. 

Sinkholes are a common feature of Florida's landscape, and being a resident of Florida myself, they are something I have become familiar with. 

Over the past month, they have become a major issue with many appearing in the corridor between Tampa and Orlando. In fact, they have had to close the Interstate #4 which connects Tampa and Orlando a number of times during the past three weeks due to sinkholes compromising the roadway and exits. So I thought it was a perfect time to take a minute and talk about what Sinkholes really are.

Here is the third installment of the five-part series, The Top five Failed Building Practices. You can read Part 1: Aluminum Branch Wiring here, or Part 2: Fire-Retardant Treated Plywood here.

ANSWER: Wires improperly bolted to deck

This electrical lateral is bolted to the second-level deck on this home, which is a major life/safety hazard for the people living there. The contact with the wood can also lead to premature deterioration of the wire sheathing, which can cause fires. All laterals and drops should have at least 10 feet of clearance from grade, and at least 15 feet of clearance from the ground.

The December existing home sales report was published on Monday. December sales were down 17% from November due to the planned expiration of the $8,000 first-time home buyers' credit.  November was artificially high and December artificially low.  Existing home sales were up 15% from a year ago and are now at a rate of 5.5mm.  Overall for all of 2009 the pace was 5.2mm homes, up 5% from 2008.

Sometimes what we don't know about an aspect of our home or how something works in our home can really complicate a situation. Knowledge really is power, and having it--especially when it comes to our home--can ultimately save money, time, and aggravation. I think everyone can relate to that. Has anyone ever gone ahead and began repairing something in your home or making a decision about something, only in hindsight to realize that you should have read up on it first? Or worse, that you did the complete opposite of what you now know was right--yikes! We've all been there.

Since we are currently "enjoying" a cold winter day (week), I thought it was very fitting to write a couple of posts on Winterization. 

It is always interesting when I arrive at an inspection to find signs on the windows and doors, as well as the water heater and all of the plumbing fixtures, proclaiming that the house has been "Winterized."

So, what is winterizing, why is it done, and when should it be done?

This week's maintenance tip covers caulking and keeping your exterior siding properly maintained, especially in high moisture areas. The pictures below show what happens when wood siding is not properly sealed: