While newer stucco installations are done quite well, the folks installing masonry veneer seem to have a lot of catching up to do on proper installation details.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanNovember 3, 2020adhered concrete masonry veneer, lumpy stucco, manufactured stone, masonry veneer, problems with stone siding, stone siding Comments

Cisterns and abandoned rainleaders

Exterior, Plumbing, Study Guide: ExteriorReuben SaltzmanSeptember 29, 2020cistern, rainleader

Inspecting Permanent Wood Foundations

Another home inspector who attended the seminar said it best: "I was worried about wood foundations before I took this class... but now I'm terrified." I've been turned in to a big fan of wood foundations, but now I'm also pretty sure that about 99% of the wood foundations get built wrong.

Basements, Study Guide: ExteriorReuben SaltzmanSeptember 22, 2020inspecting wood foundations, permanent wood foundations, photos of wood foundation problems, red flags at wood foundations, water problems with wood foundations, wood foundation inspections Comments

Home inspector training: how to find water problems at walls (video)

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanMarch 10, 2020water intrusion, video, home inspector training

Double-Keyed Deadbolts

Study Guide: Exterior, SafetyReuben SaltzmanDecember 31, 2019double-cylinder deadbolt, double-cylinder lock, double-keyed deadbolts, double-keyed lockComment

Not all heat cable is created equal

Study Guide: Exterior, RoofSteve KuhlNovember 12, 2019heat cables

Are gutter guards worth it?

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanOctober 8, 2019gutter guards Comments

Decks attached through brick veneer

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanMay 28, 2019bvlz, deck attached through brick, deck attachment, deck ledgerboard Comments

Q&A: "Will you be checking for moisture during the home inspection?"

"Will you be checking for moisture during the home inspection?" Yep, that's a common question, and the correct answer is Heck Yes.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanFebruary 13, 2018check for moisture, home inspection, moisture, test for moisture Comments

Concealed damage, part 2: stinky bees

Concealed damage was the focus of last week's blog post, and that's what I'll be talking about this week, as well as stinky bees.

Study Guide: Exterior, BusinessReuben SaltzmanOctober 25, 2016concealed damage, stinky bees Comment

Concealed damage: a home inspector's homeownership woes, part 1

You might think that as a home inspector I have some kind of special immunity to house problems and concealed damage, but I don't.

Study Guide: Exterior, BusinessReuben SaltzmanOctober 18, 2016concealed damage, door rot, home ownership woes Comments

How to correct improper joist hanger nails

Back in 2010, I wrote a blog post detailing one of the most common deck defects that I find, which is improper joist hanger nails.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanMay 17, 2016Joist Hanger NailsComment

Melted vinyl siding caused by reflected sunlight

When a neighboring house with vinyl siding is in exactly the right pathway of reflected light, it can lead to melted vinyl siding.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanMarch 15, 2016low-e windows, melted vinyl siding, reflected sunlight Comments

Repairing a window with fogged glass

I recently had several windows with fogged glass repaired, and I took photos of the process to share with anyone who's curious.

Study Guide: Exterior, InteriorReuben SaltzmanNovember 24, 2015broken window seal, cloudy glass, failed seal, fogged glass, repair Comment

Failed window seals vs. fogged glass

One of the most common window and door issues that comes up during a home inspection is fogged glass, which is more commonly known as a broken seal.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanNovember 17, 2015broken seal, broken window seal, failed seal, failed window seal, fogged glass, foggy glass, insulated glass Comments

Problems with LP SmartSide® installations

LP SmartSide® is a great product, but I suspect I'll be seeing failures soon enough, because I find installation errors on nearly every home I inspect.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanSeptember 29, 2015lp smartside, lp smartside installation defects, new construction defects, problems with lp smartside Comments

Q&A: "Why does water leak through the bottom of my chimney?"

After the rain tonight we noticed some water trickling out of a pipe in the wall behind the boiler and have no clue what it is for. What is the purpose of this pipe?

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanSeptember 15, 2015chimney cap, chimney leak, flue cap, pipe coming out of chimney, vent cap, water at base of chimneyComment

Diamond Pier Footings Revisited

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanMay 5, 2015concrete, decks, diamond pier, footing, minnesota, pin foundation Comments

Q&A - Siding Stains: Why Do Houses Cry?

We get brown water stains on our siding over the winter, but they mostly go away over the summer. Will you perform an inspection for those stains only (not a whole-house inspection)?

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanNovember 4, 2014frost, Insulation, siding stains, ventilation Comment

Moisture Testing Homes with Vinyl Siding

Moisture intrusion can happen with any type of siding, and it's always an expensive repair when left unchecked.

Study Guide: Exterior, ExteriorReuben SaltzmanOctober 28, 2014moisture testing, vinyl sidingComment

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