Phoenix Home Inspection: August 2010

This Buckeye house, that I drew the plans for, is being built by Alex Carroll of Designer's Choice Custom Homes.  It makes my 1/2 ton long bed truck look like a tonka toy.  Click here to see more photos.

I was inspecting a home in the Westpark subdivision in Buckeye today.  A bedroom door wouldn't shut easily.  I went to the outside of the door to investigate the cause.  It turns out the door had been cut down to fit the opening.  The cut looks like they were following a sidewinder.

The proper way to cut a door straight if you don't have a table saw large enough is to use a drywall T-square or other straight edge to guide your skill saw straight.

I was inspecting a home in Phoenix yesterday.  When i turned the water main on I heard some water running.  At first i thought it was a faucet left on.  I quickly went through the back gate towards the sound.  When I turned the corner water was gushing down the wall.  I rushed back and turned the water off.  Then I returned to investigate further.  The house was built in 1950.  When the laundry room addition was added the supply lines were plumbed on the outside of the wall.  The theives first tried to cut the pipes close to the wall.  When they realised there was a strap holding it on the wall they cut it in another spot.  They only got about 10 feet of pipe.  They also took the water heater.

The rains that came down hard in Estrella Mountain Ranch last week have caused the soft soil under this condensing unit to settle.  Air conditioning compressors like to be level while operating.  It is the same principle as the warning on your refrigerator box to stand it up right for a period of time before plugging it in.  Now is a good time to check out your unit or any other damage that was caused by the rain storms.

Loren Green

Greens Home Design L.L.C.

Architectural Drafting and Home Inspection service

www.GreensHomeDesign.com