Tag Archives: insulation

Home Inspection Vocabulary: Vapor Barrier

Posted on March 4, 2013 by welmoed

The term is simple enough: it’s something that blocks vapor. But all too often we don’t see it installed properly, or at all. Why do you need a Vapor Barrier? Many things affect the humidity level in a house. But … Continue reading →

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Take the Chill out of Old Windows

Posted on December 12, 2011 by welmoed

We live in an old house. Now, old is relative, but in our part of the country (Maryland suburbs) anything built before the housing explosion in the early 1990s is considered pretty old. Our house was built in 1942 and … Continue reading →

Posted in Do It Yourself, Maintenance | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Upgrades: Which makes most sense?

Posted on August 2, 2011 by welmoed

Which is a more cost-effective upgrade: a new furnace or new windows? Would you believe… neither? Calculating the cost savings for replacing either an HVAC unit or windows can be tricky, but it’s worth doing the math to make sure … Continue reading →

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East Coast Endures Heat Wave: How’s Your House Holding Up?

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Bob

The Washington, DC area is in the midst of a sizzling heat wave, with triple-digit highs. Air conditioning units are being stretched to the limit, and some residents are finding out that their systems are just not up to the … Continue reading →

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More on Ice Dams

Posted on February 20, 2010 by welmoed

Bob did an inspection shortly after the big snowstorm hit the DC area last week, and it provided a great opportunity to illustrate how poor insulation can cause big issues with ice dams. Even though there were no indications of … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Things, Inspection Tales | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment