Category Archives: Fix It & Use It
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Roof Maintenance – plumbing vents
Posted on November 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThere are open pipes sticking out of our roofs. And you might wonder, Aren’t holes in a roof bad? Not in this case. Let me explain what they are and then offer a suggestion for keeping these in good working order in the future. These are plumbing vents so that when you pull the plug […]
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The p-trap is not a pee trap
Posted on November 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItBelow every sink and tub is drain-piping shaped like a sideways letter “P”. This is called the p-trap… and, as you might imagine, the source of plumber humor and bathroom misunderstandings. The p-trap performs two important functions. First, it water collects in the lower crook that traps the odorous sewage gases from escaping up through […]
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Treating gut(ter) indigestion
Posted on November 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItSome of you started reading this with concern – I’ll give Mike one paragraph and he better not gross me out. Some of you have dealt with some intestinal issues and thought a home inspector’s perspective might be helpful. And still others of you enjoyed my play on words and hoped more cleverness was to […]
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What in the world is that?
Posted on October 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItAlways appreciate the opportunity to be an ongoing resource for clients. One of my clients earlier this year moved in and sent me numerous pictures of items he had questions about. After our email exchange he gave me permission to share the pictures and correspondence. You might have the same question he had! This thing […]
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So many uses for the common nail
Posted on October 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It#1 – Gate Catch Use it as a catch for your gate bolt. With a simple bend of the nails you can adapt to any size latching mechanism. #2 – Tool Hangar Do like your great grandpa used to do and skip the peg board – the whole wall is a canvas upon which to […]
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Can you name this old plug?
Posted on September 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItI’m always interested to find old things in my inspections. This home built back in the 1950s had a feature that I had never seen before. I was puzzled until I came across an actual telephone attached to one of the plugs. And it worked!! If you ask your kids what they think this used […]
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A Perfect “10” in Creativity
Posted on September 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItAs the fall arrives with the rain and darker days I think this might brighten things up for you. I dedicate this to the many do-it-yourselfers out there who may not always be praised for a perfect attempt, but deserve a perfect 10 in effort! Here are more of my recent home inspection discoveries. Old […]
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What is “LP” Siding?
Posted on September 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItWhen clients or real estate agents hear that a house has LP siding there is a lot of concern. Let me explain few things that these folks have found helpful. First, this is a manufactured material made from wood-fibers (ground up trees) and a resin glue that holds its together. It is pressed together, cured […]
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Up Periscope!
Posted on June 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThis was a peculiar sight in a recent attic. This picture is of a plumbing vent pipe improperly terminating in the attic. In short, there are pipes sticking out of most roofs to allow water to drain quietly and smoothly when we flush toilet and pull stoppers on drains (see the next picture). This one […]
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How do rodents get in my crawlspace?
Posted on May 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItRodents are motivated to get into your crawlspace because it is their Promised Land – safe, warm and they live at the top of the food chain! There are three common ways I have seen rodents enter crawlspaces. The first is through the foundation wall where the sewer line enters. Crawlspace clean-up companies will install […]
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