Category Archives: Fix It & Use It
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The cost of clean breath
Posted on April 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItIn an ongoing effort to improve the air we breath I offer three cost options for improving the air we breath: #1 – Install an air scrubber. This must be installed by a licensed HVAC company like CM Heating in Everett – they were the ones to first introduce me to this. The cost at […]
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Rad Fads and Fun #4
Posted on April 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThis fun little game continues in this post. One of the many enjoyable parts of home inspections are the variety of eras seen in the homes I visit. Some of the decor is nostalgic and interesting and sometimes makes you really wonder… So here are a few rad fads and fun to see if you […]
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Answer for a garage drywall question
Posted on April 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThe people I meet and build a relationship with are my favorite part of this job. I’m always thrilled when someone reaches out with home questions. This comes from a client who wanted to know how finishing his garage with drywall would impact his house. Hey Mike, thanks for the occasional blog posts and reminders! […]
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Explaining those “ribbons” on some roofs
Posted on March 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItBack to one of the two biggest topics for my clients, roofs. No one enjoys dealing with roof problems. Leaks make life unbearable. Climbing atop them makes people dizzy and queazy. Replacements gobble up savings accounts. There are good reasons for roofs being an important point of maintenance. One method folks use to deal with […]
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“I’m a little water drop…”
Posted on March 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItWhat’s the number one enemy of our homes? WATER! When it comes to inspections this is my major concern and what I’m always thinking about as I evaluate houses. I write this article as Mariner Cactus League baseball is underway in Peoria. There is much speculation and many interviews with coaches and players that I’ve […]
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Second thoughts about tea-in-seconds
Posted on March 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItI remember my parents getting our first microwave. One of the coolest features was setting the mug of cold water in the compartment and two minutes later pulling it out boiling hot and ready for a tea bag. In those days the “microwave culture” was born in my family, and that was about as far […]
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Slap a little grease on it!
Posted on February 28, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItDo you know why we have hoods over our cooktop ranges? It is because of all the moisture and grease that comes off cooking. Physics dictates that heat rises and these vapors rise from cooking. Where do they go? They collect as micro-dots that grow into larger bodies of grease and promote organic growth. We […]
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Heat Pump Maintenance in Snow Storms
Posted on February 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItWith all the recent snow fall, collapsing shrubs and broken tree branches, there has been a major maintenance issue with heat pumps. After we had 18 inches of snow the second weekend of February, it seemed like my heat pump was running too long and sounding a little strained. I peaked outside and was alarmed. […]
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Rad Fads and Fun #3
Posted on January 30, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItThis fun little game continues in this post. One of the many enjoyable parts of home inspections are the variety of eras seen in the homes I visit. Some of the decor is nostalgic and interesting and sometimes makes you really wonder… So here are a few rad fads and fun to see if you […]
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Facts about hot water – tanks vs. tankless
Posted on January 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItIt is very common to have clients ask my thoughts about “upgrading” to an instant hot water tank. These tankless hot water systems are very popular right now and are commonplace in new construction. They take up less space, provide endless hot water, and are acclaimed to be cheaper and more efficient than the traditional, […]
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