Randy West, Home Inspector Daily Courier Articles
2017
December
- Happy New Year and a Swan Song
- Slippery steps and hiding handrails, oh my! part II
November
- Slippery steps and hiding handrails, oh my!
- Choose a home inspector who knows the area
October
- Continuing confusion over what home inspectors can fix on the job
September
- That lazy home inspector wouldn’t tighten my toilet!
- Randy readily replies to random researchers’ requests
- Inspector offers shocking sarcastic snappy answers
August
- To RO or not to RO, that is the question
July
- MI Windows tour impresses state home inspectors
- Air Conditioners Part II: older refrigerant can be costly
June
- Air Conditioners Part I — oversized fuses can be costly
- Home inspectors are not two-faced about insulation
May
- What should, should not, be in home inspection report
April
- Handling letters from our fan clubs
- Karma comes back to this home inspector
March
- Randy receives, ruminates and regularly replies to readers requesting recommendations
February
- Catching up on emails from my last columns
- New furnaces equal new problems, part II
January
- Better furnaces equal new problems
2016
December
- Inspector infringes on illegal inhabitant’s itinerary
- Randy readily replies to readers’ responses
November
- Politicians and criminals (but wait, I repeat myself)
- Flipping TV shows – I prefer my fiction in books
October
- Top 10 defects found in new homes, part II
- Common defects in new, used homes are surprisingly similar
September
- Dual cylinder deadbolts don’t deter doers of dastardly deeds
- ‘Muscle car’ air conditioners are not a good idea: Air conditioners should run most of the time on hot days
August
- What comes after the home inspection?
- FSBOs can be risky to sellers, inspectors
July
- Hot Garages - Part II Fans and Evaporative Coolers
- Hot Attics, Part I: Most people like hot cars, but not hot garages
June
- Sharing inspection results often brings unintended results
- Two trees or not two trees, that is the question
May
- How to choose a home inspector in Green Cay (not Green Bay)
- More than you ever wanted to know about multi-wired branch circuits
April
- I love (most of!) my job – a home inspector’s lament
- Inspectors are not privy to Realtors’ conversations
March
- Home inspectors must have a hard head ...
- Attic insulation, Part II – where no man has gone before
February
- Attic insulation and brain damage, Part I
January
- Garages, snowblowers, microbuses and Darwinism
- Readers speak out about power-hungry HOAs
2015
December
- Randy rants again, this time about HOAs and CCRs
- Let's have a safe holiday season
November
- Inspectors cannot step over a dead body...
- Water heaters, Uncle Sam draw readers' comments
October
- Randy rants about new water heaters, Uncle Sam
- Pyrolysis, thermolysis, and other terms you don't care about
September
- Gas appliance vent pipes, drain lines commonly misinstalled
- Attic stairs and water heaters: Part II
August
- Water heaters, attic stairs in garages: a primer
- Lift stations 101, or perhaps it should be 202
July
- Predicting the time for a home inspection is impossible
- Evaporative Coolers and Ceiling Fans 101 (and 202)
June
- Tips for staying out of hot water
May
- You should always get a second opinion
- Inspectors: INSPECT thyself!
April
- A lot of hot water (heaters) ....
- Don't use that Hoover on your smoke alarms
March
- Woodstoves part II and New Product Fails part II: Not all woodstove fixes are equal
- Woodstoves can heat a house, sometimes too much!
February
- How old are those roof shingles?
- 1985 vs. 2015: New technology makes home inspecting easier
January
- Smoke alarms, again? Part III
- Smoke detectors - that is, alarms - Part II
- Smoke alarms save lives - and maybe your baseball cards
2014
December
- Have a woodstove insert? Better get it checked... and clean your chimney while you're at it
- Programmable thermostats save energy, money
November
- Pre-sale inspections minimize late-in-the-game surprises
- Home inspectors should avoid referring contractors
October
- Gas water heaters and GTOs
September
- Bedroom poltergeists and other heating/cooling myths
- Difference between fire-resistant, fire-rated walls
August
- How to adjust your overhead garage door ... and why you shouldn't
- Termite-free home needs maintenance to stay that way
July
- Ten Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector: Excellent advice from HUD
- Home inspector fads that didn't work
June
- House-flippers not always interested in improvement recommendations
- Evaporative coolers go high-tech
May
- Turn off your ceiling fans to save energy: Air conditioners vs. evaporative coolers, part 2, plus ceiling fans
- Air conditioners vs. evaporative coolers
April
- Sellers may have to 'warrant' items that are not inspected
- Electrical 101: Breakers, eyeball polishers, and AFI vs. GFCI
March
- Are inspectors and contractors liable for damage? Part II
- What happens when a home inspector breaks something?
February
- A penny saved ... may not be a good thing!
- Home inspector laid a solid foundation for the industry
January
- Zoning is a four-letter word to home inspectors
- Smart meters not likely to be dangerous
2013
December
- To paint, or not to paint, that is the question
- Whirlpool bathtubs are low-maintenance, but not no-maintenance
November
- Randy rambles and whines about washers and woodstoves
- The difference between a cozy and chilly winter is home maintenance
October
- The Mystery of Electricity, Part 2
- Don't pay to heat your attic this winter
- How many home inspectors does it take to change a light bulb?
September
- A new danger to fire fighters
August
- Fire sprinklers save local building
- Do home inspectors only want to cover their behinds?
- Inspectors should be required to move once a year
July
- Avoid these mistakes when choosing a home inspector
- 'One size fits all' rules don't work with energy codes for new construction
June
- DON'T CUT CORNERS Proper installation, maintenance vital to deck safety
- It's time for air conditioner maintenance
May
- Volume vs pressure high pressure vs low volume
- Poor functional water flow can lead to angry, naked men
- Determining roof shingle age is difficult
April
- For many questions, there is more than one answer
March
- Furnace on roof not as counterintuitive as it seems
February
- Concrete answers on post tensions slabs
- Invisible risk: Gas fireplaces near opening windows require proper venting
January
- Fire sprinkler debate continues to smolder
2012
December
- Fire sprinkler systems save lives, property
November
- Home inspectors are not perfect (contrary to popular opinion)
September
- Certified home inspectors are 'general practitioners'
August
- Billing escrow puts home inspectors at risk of perceived bias
- Column: Some solutions to rid homes of 'sweet skunky' smells
July
- Recurring skunky odor stumps the pros
June
- Energy audits, utility rebates are good values
- Complications can arise at new home inspections
May
- Inspections not just for older homes
- 40 psi is low end of water pressure range for Prescott
- CFLs, smart meters continue to generate debate
April
- Home inspectors can draw on experience or just go along with Sam
- Dealing with outrageous people a hazard of being a home inspector
March
- High water pressure can get you in hot water
- Some CCRs defy common sense
February
- Continuing Fluorescent Litany, part 3: How to dispose of CFL bulbs
- Continuing fluorescent litany, or CFL part 2
January
- EPA agrees: CFL bulbs can be hazardous
2011
December
- Some red flags on green technology
- With specialized services, you get what you pay for
November
- Remove hoses to avoid frozen faucets
October
- 'Flipping' house a bad idea then, and now
September
- Some issues require a specialist's diagnosis
- Banks make it hard to inspect foreclosed homes thoroughly
August
- Pre-offer home inspections are not a good idea
July
- War stories: Big snakes and even bigger birds
- Home inspections are not the same as code inspections
June
- Answer to saving energy, money is in owner's manual
- Inspectors can't 'show' a home
May
- Common sense, safety trump 'letter of the law'
April
- Voltage information for homes that's, er ... shocking
- Water heater tanks help stop explosions
March
- Attic noise could be electrical or paranormal
February
- Melted snow can find its way into your foundation
- You don't always get what you pay for
January
- There are many possible causes of condensation inside windows
- Prescott presses homeowners to add backflow valve
2010
December
- Readers answer request for help
- Ghostbusters needed to solve the Mystery of the Poltergeist Plumbing
- Wood foundations are pre-treated to repel water, insects
November
- Debris needs clearing after water to home is shut off
- Questions about water heaters keep flowing in
October
- More on water heaters and hot water circulator pumps
- Polite e-mails get answered; rude ones go to Thor
September
- Gas space or zone heaters are allowed in homes
- Non-working cable outlets only a danger to blood pressure
August
- Home inspectors are not home connectors
- News about mandatory pool inspections is erroneous
July
- Buyers are hot under the collar over air conditioners
- Warning: Instruction labels can cause dizziness, headache
June
- Stuck on stucco options? Here are some facts
- Low-e windows great for homeowners, but not for neighbors with vinyl siding
May
- Quality home inspections take time - and avert lawsuits
- Issues to look for when buying a manufactured home
April
- Billing through escrow is a conflict of interest for home inspectors
- How to boost wimpy water pressure
March
- Turning on utilities is in best interest of the client
- Water heater elevation rule makes sense
February
- Rules and standards for water heaters, outlets in garages
- With inspectors and candles, you get what you pay for
January
- Inspector waxes on about candles, ladders, the hereafter
2009
December
- A Christmas tale about infuriating garage doors
- Please keep pets away from the home inspector!
November
- Take extra care with carbon monoxide fumes
- Randy West replies to questions, endures annoying drivers
October
- Carbon monoxide monitors a must with gas fireplaces
- Take safety precautions with space heaters
September
- Blurring the line between the definition of 'bedroom'
- Don't let planters touch exterior walls
August
- The dos & don'ts of inspectors
July
- Inspection of foreclosed homes can be a life-saver
- Buying new windows not a clear choice
June
- Repairs are between the buyer and seller
- Inspectors report on safety issues, not code violations
May
- Professional Building Consultants
- Code of ethics protects both inspector, client
April
- Unofficial inspections cost in long run
- Should a home inspector turn on utilities?
- The water heater saga continues
March
- Hot water circulators have ups and downs
- Water heaters are a hot topic
February
- Some warm to hwc column; others boil
- Hot water circulator speeds delivery, saves money
January
- Randy reflects on safety glass questions
- 'Update 2008' not another 'best of' list
2008
December
- How legalese has changed the home inspection profession
- Who's to blame for code violations?
November
- Propane furnaces in crawlspaces can be dangerous
October
- Weep screeds pose an array of special issues
- Inspecting a home with utilities off unethical, unsafe
- Bank-owned homes in particular need of inspection
September
- Dirty clothes dryer ducts a leading cause of house fires
August
- Homeowner blowing his fuse over old wiring
- Multiple smoke detectors a life-or-death necessity
July
- Mock trial an eye-opener to home inspectors-in-training
June
- Some 'cool' tips from Randy
- The ups and downs of stairs
May
March
- Court decision benefits builders
- Prescott has two kinds of concrete: 'cracked and not cracked yet'
February
- The top 5 questions a home inspector should never answer
- Warranty inspections are for new homes
January
- Ground fault outlets prevent chance of shocks
- Winterizing your home prevents unwelcome surprises
2007
December
- A requisite for home inspectors is a sense of humor
- After-market hot water circulators do lukewarm job
November
- Inspecting your home inspector, Part 2
October
- Old homes can never be 'new' again, but they have character
September
- I-Drives, the BBB, breakers and more
- Commercial buildings need inspections, too
August
- Common problems with older decks
- Everything you ever wanted to know about evaporative coolers
July
- Take preventative measures against water damage
- Plumbers can cap, pressurize gas lines to check for leaks
January
- Inspections uncover a comedy of errors
2006
November
- Inspectors cannot be on 'preferred vendor' lists
September
- You never stop learning and that's part of the fun
July
- Home inspector didn't consider the age of the home
