Given the number of bank owned properties we have been inspecting it is no surprise we have been seeing a plethora of broken light switches. Along with broken light switches we are seeing scores of missing outlet and switch covers and missing light bulbs in fixtures.

The problem with missing light bulbs is we can not tell if the fixture is functional or not.  As a result we write it up as a safety issue.   We do not know if there is a problem with the wiring, the switch, the breaker or fuse or with the fixture.  Yes usually it is just a missing bulb, but we just do not know.

If a buyer is buying a bank owned property they may want to bring along a few bulbs and a step ladder it could help resolve some questions.  Testing simple things light light switches can be fairly complicated see our post The hidden secrets behind operating a light switch.

Best of luck out there.

Maytag® and Samsung™ Brand Front Loading Washing Machines Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firms named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of product: Maytag and Samsung Brand Front Loading Washing Machines

Units: About 250,000 Maytag-brand units and about 20,000 Samsung-brand units

Distributor: Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, and Samsung Electronics America Inc., of Ridgefield Park, N.J.

Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., of South Korea

Hazard: Water leakage onto the electrical connections to the washing machine’s thermal sensor could cause an electrical short and ignite a circuit board, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Maytag has received five reports of incidents involving ignition in the circuit board. Samsung has received one report of an incident involving ignition in the circuit board. No injuries, fires or property damage outside the washing machine have been reported.

Description and Models: The recall involves certain Maytag and Samsung brand front-load washers. The Maytag washers have model numbers beginning with MAH9700 or MAH8700. The Samsung model number WF306BHW or a model number beginning with WF316. Not all serial numbers are subject to the recall. The model and serial numbers are located on a tag at the bottom of the door opening. Maytag models with a serial number ending in the last two letters identified below are subject to the recall:

Sample Maytag Serial Number: 10123456GN

Samsung models with the six-digit number 100001 through 799999 prior to a letter at the end of the serial number are subject to the recall:

Sample Samsung Serial Number: 230854AL300026B

Sold at: Major department and appliance stores nationwide from April 2005 through August 2006 for between $1,000 and $1,200.

Manufactured in: South Korea

Remedy: Consumers should immediately contact the firm for information on how to receive a free repair. Consumers should not return the washing machine to the retailer where it was purchased.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can call Maytag toll-free at (800) 868-5109 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or go to Maytag’s Web site at www.washerrecall.com – Samsung customers can call (800) 515-7902 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or go to Samsung’s Web site at www.Samsung.com/washerrecall

Maytag Media Contact: Monica Teague, (269) 923-7405 or monica.teague@Whirlpool.com

Samsung Media Contact: Deborah Szajngarten at (201) 229-4090 or dszajngarten@sea.samsung.com

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Send the link for this page to a friend! The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. The CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed significantly to the decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call CPSC’s hotline at (800) 638-2772 or CPSC’s teletypewriter at (800) 638-8270, or visit CPSC’s web site at www.cpsc.gov/talk.html. To join a CPSC email subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx. Consumers can obtain this release and recall information at CPSC’s Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

Our cliets often ask if we inspect washer and dryers, the answer is no.  As home inspectors we do not inspect clothes washers or dryers however as an owner of a clothes washer or dryer you really should, A good place to start is to check with the manufacture as well as use the cpsc link above to see if there are any known problems or recalls with your brand and model.

Bosch® and Siemens® Model Dishwashers Recalled by BSH Home Appliances Corporation Due to Fire Hazard

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Bosch® and Siemens® Model Dishwashers

Units: About 476,500

Manufacturer: BSH Home Appliances Corp., of Huntington Beach, Calif.

Hazard: An electrical component in certain model dishwashers can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: BSH Home Appliances has received 51 reports of incidents, including 30 reports of fires resulting in property damage. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves certain Bosch® and Siemens® dishwashers manufactured from May 1999 through July 2005. The brand name is printed on the dishwasher�s front control panel. Model and serials numbers are located inside the dishwasher door panel on the upper right side.

Sold at: Appliance and specialty retailers nationwide from May 1999 through December 2006 for between $550 and $1,100.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the listed model dishwashers and contact the repair hotline for a free repair.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the BSH Home Appliances at (800) 856-9226 anytime or visit the brand�s Web site at www.boschappliances.com or www.siemens-home.com

Bosch

Siemens

As Home Inspectors we do not check model #s and try to keep abreast of all recalls. Nonetheless, this caught my eye, and may be of interest and/or use to many readers.  For further information about appliances or products please visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission link under the blogroll area.

It is not news to anyone at this point that the real estate market has changed in the last two years.  The news is not always the same as understanding.  We seldom realize what it means for the people in that industry.  What does the change mean for the Real Estate Agents as agents and as people, what does it mean for sellers, or buyers.  What new challenges do Appraisers have?

I can speak as an Inspector, two years ago most of the homes we inspected were “staged” for sale.   For those of you not familiar with the term staging was a method used to make the house marketable.  There were several Staging companies in our area in most cases they removed most of the homeowners furniture and replaced it with their own trendy stuff for a fee of course.  Staging worked, basically they decluttered the house and made it more like a show room.  It was often a sort of Pottery Barn meets Zee Gallery with a European flair thrown in.

They were delightful to inspect and buyers loved them. They were clean, and it was easy to move around the house to access windows and outlets.  They were bright and cheery and then we went home.

Home of course is a different place.  A pile of mail on the counter some dealt with some not, a mixture of furniture bought through the years not a theme running throughout the house. Reality was firmly at home if not everywhere in our workplace.

How times have changed, now it is a delight to go home.  Most of the homes we inspect now are Bank owned. Almost none are staged.  Most of the light fixtures in Bank owned homes are missing light bulbs, the places are empty, the walls are beat up. The carpet is fully exposed because there is no furniture and that is not a pretty sight.  Often the homes have been vacant for awhile and the heat has not been on (the gas is often off).  Sometimes the water is off and the electricity is off. The houses are bone cold, dark and frankly depressing.   We are glad at the end of the day to go home and see our own clutter at least the lights work we can take a shower, and the heat is on.

In my opinion Agents would do well to carry light bulbs and install them.  Banks would do well to heat the places even though they are vacant.   Staging might be out of the question in some cases but dead carpet is dead carpet.  Fresh paint is the difference between a budding romance and a breakup.

In most cases these at heart are good houses they are just currently unloved.  Yes some people see below the grime but most are just shell shocked.   When there are no light bulbs I as an inspector have no choice but to recommend a complete review of the fixture. I do not know if it is a bad fixture or if wiring has melted or a circuit breaker failed, or if it just needs a bulb.  When the gas is off we can not test a gas furnace or determine if a gas water heater works.  If there are gas fireplaces who knows if they work?  The gas stove in the kitchen? again who knows if it works. These situations makes it harder for a buyer to make their decision.  Buy or not buy? Again I suggest Agents would do well to carry light bulbs and install them in their listings.  Show a little love to the property so someone can more easily see below the grime and fall in love with the house.

Banks should shoulder the cost of heating an empty place (keep the gas turned on) and the water service on. Surely a heated place with working lights and fresh paint can not hurt the Appraisers feelings.  Running water is basic.  Will it change my report?, yes in terms of the lights, the plumbing system and the heating system, but not at all in terms of paint.  But paint may well help the buyer decide.

Even though the market has changed our job as Home Inspectors has not changed. Some people say we are paid skeptics.  Be this as it may we at the end of the day are concerned with safety and functionality, Bank owned or not.  However the Agents and Banks have a different job.   They have a back log of properties to match up with buyers.

My gut feeling is they need to give the buyers a reason to love the place and less reasons for inspectors to be skeptical.

A few minutes with the hedge clippers could save your life, and your house.

Homeowners often forget where their gas meter is located or where their main electrical panel is located.  Often homeowners let their landscaping grow up over these items making them difficult to find and access in an emergency.

Keep all vegetation and obstructions well back from these areas at all times. Spending a few minutes pruning the plants or removing stored items from these areas may make all the difference.

To learn more about common items that homeowners fail to maintain or that sellers often fail to correct before a home inspection go to www.beattheinspector.com

A hidden gas meter. You smell gas but can't find the meter!

Electrical panel behind the Rose bush. In an emergency do you want to fight with the Rose bush? How about in the dark or in the rain?

Go ahead do some trimming, it will be good to get out and do something productive with your hands!

Asko Cylinda Recalls DW95 Series Dishwashers Due to Fire Hazard

Note: Toll-free Phone Number Change

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Products: Asko DW95 Model Series Dishwashers

Units: About 130,000

Manufacturer: Asko Cylinda AB, of Vara, Sweden

Importer/Distributor: AM Appliance Group Inc., of Richardson, Texas

Hazard: An electrical component in the dishwasher can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received 21 reports of dishwasher fires. Product and property damage has been reported. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The recalled dishwashers include the ASKO model series DW95 with model numbers 1355, 1385, 1475, 1485, 1555, 1585, 1595, 1655, 1805, 1885, and 1895 manufactured from January 1995 through April 2000. The model number, serial numbers and manufacture date are printed on the name plate on the right interior side of the dishwasher door. Asko dishwashers manufactured after April 2000 are not included in the recall.

Sold by: Major kitchen appliance distributors/dealers nationwide from January 1995 through April 2000 for between $750 and $1,300.

Manufactured in: Sweden

Remedy: Consumers should stop using the dishwashers immediately and contact Asko to arrange for a free inspection and repair or to participate in a rebate program.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Asko toll-free at (800) 898-1879 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.askousa.com

As Home Inspectors we do not check model #s or try to keep abreast of all possible product recalls.  Nonetheless, this caught my eye, and may be of interest and/or use to many readers.  For further information about the appliance in question please visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission link under the blogroll area.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Wolf Appliance Gas Ranges

Units: About 24,000

Manufacturer: Wolf Appliance Inc., of Madison, Wis.

Hazard: Delayed ignition of gas in the 18-inch oven can cause a flash of flames to be projected at a consumer when the range door is opened, posing a burn hazard to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Wolf has received 97 reports of units experiencing delayed ignition, including 15 minor burns. There have been no reports of fires or property damage.

Description: This recall involves the following Wolf Appliance 48-Inch gas ranges with model numbers: P48, PS48 and R48. The gas ranges are stainless steel with a double oven. A “Wolf” appliance logo is on the front of the larger oven door.

Sold at: Home builders and appliance stores nationwide from January 1998 through June 2008 for between $5,000 and $9,000.

Manufactured in: United States

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled gas range 18-inch oven and contact the manufacturer to schedule a free, in-home repair. The large oven and all cooktop burners are not affected and may be used.

Consumer Contact: For more information, consumers can contact Wolf Appliance toll-free at (866) 643-6408 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.wolfappliance.com

As Home Inspectors we do not check model #s and try to keep abreast of all recalls. Nonetheless, this caught my eye, and may be of interest and/or use to many readers.  For further information, and a photo of the Stove/appliance in question please visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission link under the blogroll area. Once there see the recalls, and product safety news section, then click on September 2008.

Wacky question #1:

Q: What is the “R” value of spider webs in the attic?

A: That is a sticky question, and we do not want to be stuck in it.   We simply do not want to get devoured by some rouge Internet spider who differs in our opinion.

Wacky question #2:

Q: Why does Harrison Ford look so damm good when he comes crawling out of some cave covered in spider webs and when your Home Inspector comes out of the crawlspace they look so thrashed, and more than a little relieved.

A: The answer is not genetics.  All home inspectors are good lookers!  It’s the magic of Hollywood, and well that’s real life, we inspectors are damm relived to be out of the sub area.  Bottom line it is just plain hard work crawling around down there.

Over the years a few intrepid clients (see one below) have ventured down under the house with us, even fewer have gone the whole distance, and were they ever glad to go back to their day jobs.  I for one don’t blame them I don’t go home and go under my house…  Well not unless she who must be obeyed says so and that’s it I have to draw the line somewhere!

You have to hand it to this first time home buyer she really wanted to learn about her house. Hats off to Kristina McMillan!

Have a great weekend!

Now that we have your attention, we want to illustrate that there is more than meets the eye to flipping a light switch. We came to realize that this post’s approach may be helpful after reading a post over at Silicon Valley Moms Blog.

Clearly the electrical system is an extremely important aspect of any home inspection. The action of turning on a light switch and looking at the fixture may appear simple to most, however, much like in the natural world there are background complexities that are not immediately apparent. The operation of the humble light switch calls upon several of the home inspector’s physical senses including sight, touch, smell, and sound to identify clues that could indicate problems with the electrical system.

Some examples of what home inspectors check for while operating a light fixture are:

• 1) The switch plate cover was installed and in good shape. This is a good thing.  A missing   switch plate is dangerous for several reasons. One example would be someone touching the         exposed wiring and being electrocuted.
• 2) The light responded immediately. Clearly desirable.
• 3) There was no sparking at the switch or light fixture. Sparks in these locations are never good. Obviously this type of problem would need immediate correction.
• 4) No other lights within view of the room dimmed or flickered. This is a condition that if occuring would need further evaluation and possible correction.
• 5) The switch was not loose and the light fixture did not appear loose. A loose switch or fixture could pose a safety hazard.
• 6) The switch was not hot to the touch. A hot switch would need further evaluation by qualified others beyond the scope of a typical Home inspection.
• 7) No odor was noticed like smoke or electrical wiring burning. Clearly something needing immediate attention/review by appropriate professionals and correction.
• 8) No “buzzing” was heard at the switch when operated. Buzzing is scary it’s right up there with a Rattle Snake “rattling” call a qualified electrician for immediate further evaluation.

As shown by the examples above several mental check lists are implemented by the home inspector to consciously eliminate several clues that could indicate problems. Similar processes hold true for most aspects of a home inspection as well, like operating faucets or testing electrical outlets.

In a perfect world if nothing was verbalized or reported to the clients about a given system it would indicate that negative clues were not observed by the inspector during normal operation of that system.

We hope this post’s approach illustrated that the gathering of valuable information can be accomplished with seemingly simple actions on the inspector’s behalf. Don’t be shy about asking the inspector what they are looking for beyond the obvious. However be warned! You may encounter a lonely inspector who will bury you with an avalanche of information.

To learn about some common items that homeowners fail to maintain or that sellers often fail to correct before a home inspection go to www.beattheinspector.com

The humble light switch