RED WALL Property Inspection

12/31/2021

Here's Troy getting the job done, in spite of the poor conditions! Red Wall is now offering sewer scopes and radon testing in addition to our home inspection services. Happy New Year and we look forward to what 2022 will bring.

01/19/2020

Wayne and I insert in every report a reminder to clean your dryer vent and duct every year. I decided to listen to my own exhortation and take care of mine today. Truth be told, I bet it's been five years since it was last tended. This run is just a bit over 12 feet long and only has one bend. Longer or more bends would just make it worse. Use the can as a gauge, but I would estimate there's two gallons of lint that got pulled out. Mea culpa! Clogged vents are a fire hazard and I clearly had one brewing. I found a tear in the line where it passes through the wall and the wall was full of debris too. If the fire started there it would be in the attic easily. I bought my cleaning brush at Home Depot for less than 15 bucks and it took a couple hours since I needed to make a few repairs upon re-assembly. Get yours checked out!

02/14/2019

Tim and I write up dryer vents all the time and we talk and report on the potential fire hazard. Sadly, these tragedies happen and dryer vent installation is not getting better with new home construction. We often find them running vertically up through the attic and out the roof where no one but a professional can ever get to them. Lines under a home are often very long and consist of improper material and when we inspect multi-family buildings, I find completely clogged vents at the exterior all the time. Who's job is it to take care of these? Take a minute today to think about your dryer vent. It is most likely overdue for cleaning.

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"A clothes dryer is the absolute last thing you'd ever think about."

02/08/2019

Tim and I had the pleasure of 'Tag-Teaming' a home from a bygone era. Built in 1877, the current owners have spent the last 4 decades restoring the home from an abandoned derelict to the warm, inviting historical lady it is today. We really do have a pretty cool job :-) Oh, and that's Tim up on the widow's walk on a slippery, frosty morning.

11/12/2018

Let's get connected! Several times in the past few weeks I've found dryer vents or downdraft kitchen vents disconnected in the crawlspaces. No one REALLY wants to go into the crawls to check the condition of these vents so here's a clean and simple way to check. Turn on the dryer and/or downdraft vent and then go outside and see if the air is moving like it should. Given our cooler temps these days, you will likely see steam. Check the cover while you're there for a build-up of lint or debris and clean it. Make sure there is clearance between the vent hood and the ground and clear away leaves or other debris that might block airflow. The pests that like to attack your home are attracted to heat and moisture, so disconnected vents are a real draw. If you do not see or feel air movement, it's time to suit up and head on down to verify. Call us at Red Wall or another qualified professional. Enjoy this beautiful Fall weather, and keep those gutters clean!

11/02/2017

As I was climbing the ladder yesterday, the seller said, "I had roofers do some repairs a couple years ago". Here are some photos of what I found. As I was coming down, she asked how it was. I said, "It's like nothing I've ever seen before". Her reply was, "They did what the guys at Lowe's told them to do". These guys used buckets of tar and an old sock to slather sealant where they thought the roof might be leaking. Tar is temporary; I understand using it during a monsoon, but when the rains are over, get back up there and have the leaks properly repaired. If you need repairs done, get recommendations from friends, read reviews, ask questions and then ask the licensed, bonded, insured (verify) contractor to show you pictures (everyone has a phone) of the repair. You may not be able to or want to get into the attic, roof, crawlspace to see for yourself so the pictures will be very helpful. Have the pictures forwarded to you so you have them for your records as well. Have a wonderful Fall and ,as always, clean those gutters!

04/26/2017

Water, water, water. Does your house collect it? or keep it moving down the hill? Another way to say it... is your house a bucket or an umbrella? Umbrellas are good :-)

The National Weather Service has measured 45.5 inches (116 centimeters) of rain at Portland International Airport since Oct. 1, making it the second-wettest winter in the city in more than 75 years of record-keeping.The city has also had the most days of r

04/22/2017

Here's an interesting look at the housing market in the Bay area. I wonder how much a home inspection costs?

Our family has been priced out! Has the Bay Area gone crazy? Real estate prices have doubled in the last few years, a tent in the backyard can rent for $900/...

03/18/2017

We have been getting a lot of questions concerning smoke alarms lately. In December of 2016, the state Fire Marshall published this handy guide. Take a look and let us know if you have questions.

11/29/2016

Here's an article about some major flooding in Sherwood. This type of damage is an all too common occurrence both in commercial and residential properties. Tim and I are fans of the Water Cop system. Leaks are recognized and water is automatically turned off before major damage can occur. Something to consider.

100% preventable with our leak sensors, the water from the sink overflow would have been detected then automatically shut-off with only a small clean up

10/30/2016

Hi everyone. This is Wayne with RED WALL. Here is a link to an interesting article about home security.

When performing home inspections, we are always looking for weak security areas and make comments where necessary. Older homes often lack deadbolts or they are not installed properly. I learned a few things in the article and need to make a few improvements around my own home. Be safe :-)

What burglars said were the biggest deterrents, what didn't stop them and how you can protect your home.

09/07/2016

WATER KEEPS ME UP AT NIGHT - I love my water :-) Water is life and a cold glass with some hard work or after a run is awesome, BUT when it comes to your home, water can also be the enemy. I get a call or two every year from a panicked home owner wanting me to remind them how to turn off their water.

In every inspection with a 2nd floor laundry, I vaguely describe equipment which can be purchased to recognize a laundry leak and shut off the water to the washing machine. But that's only part of the problem.

Wouldn't it be awesome if there was something to recognize a leak in all the wet areas of your home? What if the water heater leaks? Or a pipe bursts under a sink? How many times have you heard stories of a refrigerator ruining a kitchen floor?

Well, just recently, I ran into the Water Cop system. Not only will the Water Cop system recognize leaks in all these areas (and more), and turn off you water, but it can also send a message to your phone to tell you what happened.

Because Tim and I were interested in the system, we tracked down and met with Greg Neurohr of NW Water Stop, Inc. Greg is the main distributor of the Water Cop system in the NW. Greg demonstrated the equipment and answered our questions. He is very excited about the technology and has already installed the equipment in many homes and businesses. In several cases, the equipment payed for itself within months as leaks were detected and water was shut off before real damage could occur.

So anyway, Tim and I have decided to tell our clients about this system. In our opinion, no home should be without one. If you would like more information, visit the Water Cop website at www.nwwaterstop.com. You can also contact Greg at 503-487-7108.

A WaterCop automatic water shut-off system will provide your home with round-the-clock indoor flood protection and works with wired and wireless flood sensors, wall switches, and most home security and home automation systems.