Tag Archives: Attic

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  That Scary Place Where “Monsters” Live

  Posted on May 2, 2023 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  What to Know Before Hiring an Attic and Crawlspace Service Part 1: Shuttered closets and underside bed caverns are dark places that can be scary for children. Peering into those spaces is to face the worst fear imagined. From a distance shadows cast frightening possibilities. The safest space seems to be pulled tight under the […]

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  Solstice House Check Up

  Posted on December 30, 2022 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Essential House Maintenance Chores Repeated every December and June The summer and winter solstice are great times to perform needed house maintenance so let this article be a “maintenance needed” dash light to gently prod you toward some simple house care. Addressing these tasks will make you familiar with possible repairs, alleviate the worry of […]

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  Up Periscope!

  Posted on June 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  This 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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  Answer for a garage drywall question

  Posted on April 10, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  The 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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  What is a whole house fan

  Posted on October 30, 2018 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  There are two types I’ve come across… On hot summer nights my good friends have an interesting solution to cooling their house. Windows are kept open but their secret weapon is engaged when they flip a switch near their bed. A large fan turns on, metal louvers installed in their hallway ceiling open, and air […]

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  Have you ever found crawlspace treasures?

  Posted on September 30, 2018 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  This is a question I am frequently asked or the variation, “Have you found any bodies?” Nope. Y’all have watched too movies. But if I ever find one there’s bound to be another movie made about it! No cash stashes or valuable treasures. But here are some of the things I have found… Old-style pop cans […]

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  Allowing your attic to vent a little

  Posted on June 30, 2018 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Have you ever wondered about those square black boxes on house roofs? What about those round holes cut into the eaves? Ever wondered where all the moisture and heat goes in your house? Let me answer those questions by explaining your attic ventilation. Hot air and moisture escape from the attic through four common vents, […]

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  Houses to flip over!

  Posted on April 30, 2018 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  In this market many folks have found investment opportunities fixing up run down houses. As an inspector I’ve entered countless “flips” and there are some things that are good signs, and some not so good signs. I operate from the perspective that we ought to do right by one another – it doesn’t take Biblical […]

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  What’s in your attic?

  Posted on January 30, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  What is the most critical part of our body to cover when trying to stay warm? Our head! What is the most critical part of our house to cover when trying to say warm? Our attic! There are a couple of things that I frequently see that causes heat to pump out of our houses through the […]

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  The insulation everyone is scared of

  Posted on September 5, 2016 by mikew in Fix It & Use It

  Last year I entered a home built in 1962. The furnishings and finishes did not appear to have changed since the year the house was built. As I walked in there was a planter present with a welcome sign from the listing agent. At hand level filling the planter were small pebble-like crystals. It startled me […]

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