“World's Most Complete Neighborpedia”
Sponsor a Community — What is Localism? | Register or Sign In
Explore:   What's happening in your neck of the woods?
Home James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

Blog_tag

Who Left Dirt On The House - Can You Tell Me The Culprit

09-17-09
James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

What's missing?Here's a little mystery from a home inspection the other day. Actually it wasn't that mysterious because I knew what had caused the dirty spot. That little grimy patch is actually quite common to find on many homes, but more often it's on an older house.

What has caused this smudge is missing. So I'm wondering can anyone tell me what is missing from the house that made the spot.

Sorry there are no prizes, but you get to bask in the glory of your superior home inspection knowledge :D

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.
Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Wethersfield, West Hartford, West Haven, West Redding, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, Westville, Wethersfield, Wilton

18 Comments
Blog_tag

The Kick is Up....It's Good!

09-12-09
James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

It's Good!That's what I thought when I saw this beautiful installation of a radon mitigation system. They split the ol' uprights with that pipe. What most people would notice is that the pipe is plastic. The "uprights" are two outdoor spotlights.

Plastic last time I knew melts when heated. PVC in particular has a very low melt temperature (I worked in plastics for 20 years). Light bulbs, especially high wattage incandescent bulbs, get very hot.

This installation shows;

  1. A lack of planning
  2. An unwillingness to adjust to the situation
  3. An I-Just-Don't-Care-Attitude or lack of pride in my workmanship

I think this installation really all boils down to my number three point, lack of pride.

One of the most prevalent characteristics I see with AR members is pride in what they do. It takes a certain amount of pride and more importantly passion to be able to write blogs that are good and helpful.

I think the guy that installed this system could take a lesson from the members here on Active Rain.

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.
Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Wethersfield, West Hartford, West Haven, West Redding, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, Westville, Wethersfield, Wilton

11 Comments
Blog_tag

Upside Down, Inside Out

09-09-09
James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

Sometimes when walking around a house something stops me in my tracks because it just doesn't look or feel right. Call it instinct, intuition or an inspector's sixth sense, it really makes no difference. It's a little voice that tells me to pause and look a little longer.

upside downThis hose spigot spoke to me the other day as I was walking around the outside of this house. It may just look silly to most people being upside down and all. Causing someone to think the installer got started on his after work imbibing a little early. But there is more to this than meets the eye.

The drinking water that comes into our houses is all interconnected through a large network of pipes. You use the same water from the same pipes as all your neighbors. Why is this important?

In a word; Contamination.

The potable water in your pipes could become contaminated through your neighbor's pipes.

Seem hard to believe? Contamination through backflow has happened and continues to happen frequently. If a drop in pressure occurs in the water pipes, for example due to a power outage or repair work being done, a back flow can occur.

Getting back to that hose spigot, if there were a drop in water pressure the hose water could be siphoned back into the house pipes causing contamination. There have been cases where this type of back siphoning has contaminated several homes on a street.

vacuum breakerThe installation of a hose bibb vacuum breaker, second photo, will safe guard against cross contamination.

Backflow prevention is not limited to the outside hose spigot. This very brief tutorial from Watts explains about all areas in your home that can be a possible source of cross contamination.

So installing that spigot the wrong way is actually more of a problem than it first appears.

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.
Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Wethersfield, West Hartford, West Haven, West Redding, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, Westville, Wethersfield, Wilton

15 Comments
Blog_tag

Don't You Just Hate Negativity?

09-08-09
James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

eeyoreWe all know a glass half empty kind of person. You know the type; you say it's a beautiful day and they point to one cloud in the sky and say it's going to rain. They complain they have the worst luck and nothing ever goes right for them. You just want run away and leave them and their dark cloud behind.

Home inspectors I think are looked at as kind of negative people. We are hired to look for the negatives, but that doesn't necessarily mean we are negative people. The old adage of; it's not what you say but how you say it, is especially applicable to the home inspector. The key to pointing out those home inspection negatives is a good, unbiased explanation by the inspector.

wrong wayNo one likes a Chicken-Little-The-Sky-Is-Falling kind of inspector. On the other hand the No-Problem-Everything's-Fine guy isn't any better.

A house can have some negativity to it as well. Like our sullen friend it can be unpleasant and in some extreme cases deadly to be around.

On one recent inspection I found a mildly annoying and a potentially deadly case of negativity.

The first instance was under the kitchen sink. Most people understand the concept of gravity. Based on that knowledge we know water runs down hill. However it would seem that the installer of this sink drain is in disagreement with Sir Isaac Newton.

not goodThe second case was found in the basement. This problem was much more alarming as it could be potentially deadly.

The flue pipe for the gas fired water heater was pitched downward. The entire installation had several flaws which is a sure sign someone other than a professional installed the unit.

So you see a house can have some negativity residing inside its four walls. But as long as those mechanical negatives are addressed a negative house then becomes a job for the Feng Shui practitioner.

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.
Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Wethersfield, West Hartford, West Haven, West Redding, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, Westville, Wethersfield, Wilton

9 Comments
Blog_tag

My New Neighbor, Chuckie

09-04-09
James Quarello - ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

the 'real' chuckieDoes anyone remember that silly movie; actually there were a bunch of sequels, Chuckie. A puppet, Chuckie, comes to life and he turns out to be a maniacal killer. He can't be killed because he's a puppet. As the movie progresses he becomes increasingly more gruesome and sadistic.

Earlier this year I noticed I had a new "neighbor". I didn't actually see him right away, but found signs of his presence. He has become an unstoppable nemesis not unlike that crazed puppet.

You see I have a small vegetable garden with tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, peppers, squash and this year my girls planted carrots. They were very excited about eating carrots they grew. It turns out our new neighbor has a liking for carrots. And he's rude and impatient.

I went out to the garden one day to find all the carrot tops munched down to stubs. My girls were not happy. We had an idea of who this masticating marauder might be, but as yet had not laid eyes on him.

brazen grazerThen one early evening there he was brazenly grazing in the middle of our back yard, Chuckie! A fat little woodchuck. He heard us and bolted right under our deck!

Turns out he not only was dining on our vegetables, but he was squatting under our deck.

Talk about an uninvited guest. This was like having that sloppy, over eating old college friend show up at your door unannounced and spending the summer with you sleeping on your couch.

We or more like I mounted an attacked against this interloper. First a fence, but I could not block off the deck (the garden is right against the deck. Front porch dining for Chuckie).

chuckieChuckie then expand his culinary curiosities. He started chowing cucumbers and next on to tasty tomatoes. He was taking out my low hanging veggies with methodical precision.

The next weapon in my arsenal on advice from some family members and the internet is moth balls. I salted them all around and under the deck where Chuckie resides quite comfortably.

The next day I saw my nemesis again grazing in the yard and snapped this picture. It seems the moth balls are not making Chuckie's life unpleasant enough for him to pack up and leave.

I am contemplating my next move and believe I have a solution that would end the problem once and for all. I'm a little reluctant to carry out the plan because I believe my neighbors might get alarmed if they hear gun fire.

I have enhanced the picture of Chuckie the way I would enjoy seeing him on our next meeting.

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our other high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services. Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.
Ansonia, Avon, Bantam, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bloomfield, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Cheshire, Colchester, Coventry, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, Deep River, Derby, Durham, East Hampton, East Hartford, East Haven, East Norwalk, East Windsor, Easton, Essex, Fairfield, Farmington, Gales Ferry, Georgetown, Glastonbury, Granby, Greenwich, Guilford, Haddam, Hamden, Hartford, Huntington, Kensington, Killingly, Killingworth, Litchfield, Madison, Manchester, Marlborough, Meriden, Middlefield, Middletown, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, New Milford, Newington, Newtown, Norfolk, Northford, Norwalk, Oakdale, Oakville, Orange, Oxford, Plainville, Plantsville, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Redding, Redding Ridge, Ridgefield, Riverside, Rockville, Rocky Hill, Roxbury, Sandy Hook, Saugatuck, Seymour, Shelton, Simsbury, South Windham, South Windsor, Southbury, Southington, Southport, Stamford, Stepney, Terryville, Thomaston, Torrington, Trumbull, Unionville, Wallingford, Washington, Waterbury, Waterford, Watertown, Wethersfield, West Hartford, West Haven, West Redding, Westbrook, Weston, Westport, Westville, Wethersfield, Wilton

38 Comments