KEVIN CORSA H.I.S. Home Inspections Stark & Summit County, OH Home Inspector

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I have been here, and I may be a little rusty at this, so bear with me.

I was thinking the other day, and thought... who gets into more crawl spaces and attics than a home inspector? Not many people get to have these lovely experiences daily, so I'm thinking, why not share some of these wonderful exploits with those of you who do not get the opportunity to be gnarled up in tight, hot, dirty, and sometimes damp spaces.

Thus, a new series is born...

So, let's begin with one of my all-time memorable attic exploits:

It was a hot day in mid July when I pulled up to this monstrous 3 1/2 story converted 3-unit apartment house. From the outside, I could see that it was going to be one of those rather lengthy inspections, since the outside revealed peeling paint, unkempt yard, and cracked windows (just for starters, before I had even exited my truck).

Well, my gut feelings were not far from wrong. Two of the units were vacant, with abandoned belongings left behind, and the third was occupied by a single gentelman, who lived on the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Although the basement was dark and damp, there was not much else remarkable there, other than wiring which was in great need of updating. Since the property was largely vacant, most of the rest of the inspection was fairly easy, except for having to move some of the belongings left behind to get a better look.

By the time I got to the 2nd floor, I was very hot, and dreading what I knew was yet to come...yep- the dreaded attic, where temperatures were certain to be around 140 degrees or so on a day like this.

As I finally got my ladder brought up to the third floor, I stopped for a short rest, and then prepared myself for attic entry (coveralls & filtered mask). As I was standing there on the 3rd floor, I noticed this very large aquarium in the living room, with nothing in it but some gravel, and a large branch. I remember thinking to myself "Wonder what used to be in there?" Hmm.

Well, no matter, duty called, and at this point I really didn't care much what used to be in that aquarium; I just wanted to get this attic inspection over with. So, I set up my ladder in the closet where the attic access was located. I climbed up, poked my head through the access, fumbled for a second finding my flashlight on my belt... ahh there it is!

I turned on the flashlight to get a better look at the nearly pitch black attic space. As I panned around the attic with the light.... uhh... yikes! Something big, long and spotted is staring back at me... from about 4 feet away! I think I let out some kind of girlish scream... and then just froze. After a paused moment, I managed to yell... "There's a big snake up here!"

I heard someone running up the steps... and then he said... "Ralphie! You found Ralphie!"

Panick-stricken and afraid to move, I manage to say "Ok, now what do I do?"

The voice replies "Oh, he won't hurt you, it's just Ralphie, my pet 8 ft boa". "You can just come down, and I will go up and get him".

Still trembling, I manage to slide back down the ladder, and collapse in the chair. The tennant calmly goes up and slowly brings all 8 ft of "Ralphie" down, and deposits him back in his 300 gallon home.

He tells me "Ralph has been missing for almost 3 days. I had no idea he could get way up there!"

Hmmm.. NEITHER DID I, BUDDY! NEITHER DID I!

Well, needless to say, after this unique experience, I am now a little more "wary" of empty aquariums.

Many homeowners fail to realize the VALUE of a good Home Maintenance Schedule, and the long term benefits that almost always save money and aggravation. "Deferred Maintenance" as the real estate industry likes to refer to it, not only ends up costing more money and time, but also may either Prevent you from selling your home, Slow Down the process, and can cause the home to be "Reduced" in price.

There are many homeowners on the market for a home that shy away from homes that have deferred maintenance, or have not been maintained well. The ones that don't care about how well a home has been maintained, are usually the "Bargain Hunters", and are equipped to deal with deferred maintenance (as long as the price is right).

But even if you are not currently selling your home, you can avoid more costly repairs by performing periodic maintenance. I'll give you a couple of good examples:

1. WATER HEATER: If you have a water heater tank, it pays to drain 5-10 gallons of water out from the bottom drain every few months. This is because in most water supplys, there is a certain amount of "sediment" in the water, which settles to the bottom of the tank. This creates "hot spots" in the bottom of tank, which then creates corrosion or rust, thus causing the tank to fail. Simply draining out that little bit of water (quickly) will help preserve your expensive water tank much longer, and prevent eventual failure of the unit.

2. CAULKING: The exterior of most homes, usually around windows, doors, and any other protrusions through the siding, have a caulking sealant around those areas, where one material (siding) stops, and another material begins (windows, doors, pipes, wires, etc.). Most caulking lasts between 3 and 10 years, depending on type, and where it is used. The general tip here, is to take a slow walk around the perimeter of your home at least once a year, noting all the areas where there is caulking. If you can see gaps on either side of the caulking bead, or cracks in the caulking, then it is time to remove the old caulking, and replace it with fresh caulking that will adhere to both materials. (Just going over old caulking usually just creates more problems sooner or later, and is not a good idea). The purpose of caulking is to generally seal out water, and air, so that they do not hidden damage to wall structures that are not designed to be exposed to weather. Doing this simple bit of maintenance can save you THOUSANDS of dollars in repairs.

There are many other areas of a home that also require maintenance, but I don't want to overwhelm you with them all at once. I will write several more blogs in the near future, that will give you more hints on routine maintenance... so stay tuned!

This picture graphically illustrates an example of poor caulking "caulking over existing caulking" that has caused extreme damage. The repair pictured here will cost thousands, because there is hidden damage behind the siding and brick 1/2 wall.

Well, here we are again at the end of another year. For those of you who had a good, successful year... congratulations.... and may you have continued success throughout the coming year as well.

As for the rest of us... who may have had a tough year, or rougher going than normal,... the good news is... we are only hours away from a BRAND NEW YEAR! Hopefully, it will be a brand new year filled with hope, new promise, and lots of prosperity! We have a brand new President to help lead us in a new direction. We have a government and leaders who are at last, now more focused on this nation and it's continued welfare than ever before, or at least since "The New Deal" was implemented.

With God's help, (am I allowed to say that?) and our own dilligence and perserverance, we will come out of all this a stronger, and more focused nation. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

The picture made me start remembering the great weather we enjoyed this year in the fall around here. It was exceptionally clear, warm, and mostly dry (not a lot of rain). If you are ever in Akron, be sure to visit Stan Hywet Mansion and grounds. It is spectacular inside and out.

There is a lot tot see, including an aviary with hundreds of live butterflies.

This is a view as you walk through the vineyard.

Lovely garden shaded path that leads to the Quarry, and retention ponds. This estate at one time was entirely self-sufficient from outside sources, growing its own food, cattle, producing its own electricity and water.

One of the beautiful butterflies rsting ona a plant leaf.

And finally, this is one of the terraces that overlook the Japanes Gardens.

Hey Ohio! We have a brand new group to post all of your events, public, private, or corporate. the only requirement is that it be located in... you guessed it... Ohio!

Please be specific about dates & places, and include a picture or video if possible.

Birthday events of you, your family, friends, co-workers, or other AR members can also be announced here.

You do not have to live in Ohio to post, but the event should be located in Ohio. Birthdays of AR members can be from anywhere.

Congratulation to Ohio AR members are also welcome. Check it out and see what OHIO has to offer!

(Don't forget to post to Localism too, so you can get double-exposure!)

OHIO... The Heart Of It All!