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| It's been a while...: March 5th, 2008 Sorry it's been so long since my last blog, it's been a long five months with many things happening with my family as well as business. Since I last wrote President Bush pushed through his stimulus plan which will hopefully jump start an all but dead mortgage industry. I've started to see a rise in home inspections since the end of January which is a good sign for the Real Estate market. We've had a little bit of rain & snow already this year that should help out California farmers & boost the economy at all mountain resorts. Speaking of rain, for those of you that haven't cleaned out those rain gutters in a while, now is the time. It's a relatively easy chore to do & can save you lots of trouble down the road. Now get out there & go surfing... Cherish your home!! Bryce Mirtle Oc Inspectors, Inc. Orange County's #1 Home Inspector |
| The Water Heater: October 5th, 2007 Football season is back, baseball playoffs have begun, and it's finally starting to cool off. OC Inspectors, Inc has had a very busy year regardless of what's happening in the real estate market, and we're looking forward to a BIG 2008. I know everyone is tired of doing those summer chores so I have an easy home maintenance tip for all you home owner's out there. Most people don't flush their water heaters every year like the manufacturer suggests, so take the time this weekend and get it done, it's very simple. Hook up a garden hose to the valve at the bottom of the tank so that it drains outside, into a flower bed, or into a bathtub. Do not turn off the cold water supply at the top of the tank, once you are hooked up open the valve at the bottom of the tank and flush until the water runs clear. Let run for a couple minutes then close valve at the bottom of the tank, disconnect hose, and you're all done, time to relax. After you're done you won't feel guilty for sitting around the rest of the weekend watching baseball playoffs & football. Cherish Your Home!! Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc Orange County's Favorite Certified Inspectors |
| Getting your home ready for winter...: September 10th, 2007 The kids are back in school & summer is officially over, now it's time to get ready for the winter. I know it's hard to think about winter when it's 82 degrees outside, but it's just around the corner & you don't want to be caught off guard. If you haven't had your heating system serviced by a professional in the past year then right now is as good of time as any to get it done. It is recommended by manufacturer's that heating systems are checked by a professional once a year, so get on the phone & schedule someone to come out so you're not left in the cold once winter arrives. Also, spend a little time walking around your home to make sure all windows & exterior doors are properly sealed when closed, you should not feel any drafts. This can cost you money in more ways than one with high energy costs & maintenence or repairs to your heating system having to work harder than necessary to keep living spaces warm. We are due for a wet winter this year so let's be prepared & welcome "Old Man Winter" with open arms. I'd rather spend my money on lift tickets than repairs!! Cherish your home!! Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc Orange County's #1 Home Inspector |
| August Already?: August 1st, 2007 It's August 1st, Barry "The B!#$H" Bonds is on pace to break Hank Arron's home run record, and the OC Fair is just about over, so if you haven't had your share of fried food you better get to the fair grounds this weekend for the finale! Let's forget about the fried twinkies for a moment and consider a couple small things we can do around the house this weekend. Why don't we designate this weekend to the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in our homes, I like the simple stuff!! A simple dusting and changing the batteries could possibly save your life, literally. I've seen alarms recently, that were so clogged with dust & grease they are no longer any good. While cleaning those smoke detectors hit the test button to make sure it's functioning, if you notice they are extremely warn, replace them. They are inexpensive, and if money is an issue go to your local fire station and get one for free. It's not worth losing a loved one because we fail to care for and maintain a $7 piece of equipment!! A simple cleaning of detectors shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, when your done you won't feel so guilty about all that good stuff you eat and drink at the Fair later!! Cherish your Home!! Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc Orange County's Premier Home Inspectors |
| Water Heaters: July 16th, 2007 OC Inspectors, Inc has been doing a lot of home inspections in Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, and Seal Beach lately, and we're seeing a lot of the same stuff over & over. There are a lot of water heaters out there that have not been brought up-to-date with the addition of earthquake straps. It's important to be prepared for the unpredictable, a water heater that is not properly secured can fall over and cause rigid gas and water lines to break leading to fires and flooding. Kits are available at just about all hardware stores, so the next weekend that you don't have any plans get that water heater secured if you haven't already done so, and if you don't feel like doing it, call a handyman to come out and do it for you. Cherish Your Home!! Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc Orange County's Favorite Home Inspectors |
| Chores for the Summer: July 10th, 2007 Well let's see, the California Angels(old school) are 2.5 games ahead of Seattle and the Dodgers are a game behind San Diego in Major League Baseball, while Tiger Woods, to no surprise, is leading the PGA Tour, and Australian Mick Fanning is number 1 on the ASP Tour. Preseason football is only 4 1/2 weeks away and I can't wait! I'd say, "Summer is officially in full swing." The 4th of July has come & gone and I still have a roof over my head and my nieces and nephews still have all their fingers and toes, so I'd say the Holiday was a success! Since we have a break between now and Labor Day it's a good time to bang out some dreaded but important chores around the house. I like to focus on one area at a time, one weekend I'll do the garage, the following weekend the backyard, etc. The laundry area is extremely important because of the possibility of there being a water leak without you even knowing it, and if your laundry room is inside the home and upstairs it can be a disaster if something goes wrong. Trust me, I witnessed it first hand at my Mom's house about 8 years ago and it was ugly! Disconnect, then pull the machines out, clean the areas underneath and behind where the machines normally sit. Thoroughly clean the exhaust ducting and inspect for any damage especially cracks and penetrations which can lead to fires. Vinyl and aluminum flexible ducting is a fire hazard and is not reccomended. While you have the machines out is a good time to upgrade your exhaust venting to a solid galvanized ducting that's more rigid and durable. This is inexpensive to do and relatively simple. Be sure to check your water hoses to make sure there is no cracking or bubbles on the hoses. Metal braided hoses provide maximum protection from bursting lines. And finally, if you see any moisture or water stains on the floor or walls where or adjacent to where the machines sit you should have a professional come out and inspect and service your equipment to prevent further damage. Remember a few small chores go a long way. Cherish your home! Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc Orange County's Home Inspectors |
| Summertime is here: June 12th, 2007 Well Summer is upon us and OC Inspectors, Inc is excited about launching it's new web site thanks to our friends at Matson Graphics. www.OCinspectors.com has added a blog to the site, providing valuable insight to homeowners. Now that Summer is here a lot of us are preparing for that much needed vacation , most of us are so excited to get to our dream destination we forget to leave our homes in a protected state. And I don't mean locking all the doors, securing the windows, or even setting the alarm, there are things we can do when leaving town to eliminate the risk of returning home to a nightmare!! Simple things like turning off the water valves to your washing machine, ice maker, and dishwasher can prevent freak accidents from occurring. If you're planning on leaving for an extended period of time it's a good idea to turn off the pilot light to gas appliances, always remember to use the manufacturer's & the local gas company's start-up procedure when returning home to avoid accidents or bodily harm. If you don't feel comfortable igniting the pilot light it's always best to have the local gas company do it for you. Stopping the mail or newspaper while you're gone or having a friend or neighbor pick it up regularly is always a good idea, along with setting some interior lights on timers to discourage the temptation of a possible intruder. Don't forget to check in from time to time with www.OCinspectors.com for seasonal home maintenance tips and ideas for making the best of your greatest investment. Let's not spend our vacations worrying about what could be going wrong at home & enjoy our much needed time off!! Enjoy the summer, drive safely, and don't forget the sunblock!! Cherish Your Home, Bryce Mirtle OC Inspectors, Inc The "OC's" Home Inspectors |
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OC Inspectors Services the following Orange County and Surrounding Cities:
Azusa, Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Anaheim Hills, Avalon, Brea, Buena Park, Carson, Capo Beach
Cerritos, Chino, Chino Hills, Corona, Costa Mesa, Covina, Cypress, Dana Point, Diamond Bar, El Segundo,
Foothill Ranch, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera
Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna WoodsLa Habra, Lake Forest, Lakewood,
La Palma, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Manhattan Beach, Mission Viejo, Nellie Gail, Newport Beach,
Newport Coast Norco, Ontario, Orange, Palos Verdes, Placentia, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Santa
Margarita, Redondo Beach, Riverside, San Clemente San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Serrano
Heights, Stanton, Sunset Beach, Surfside, Torrance, Tustin, Tustin Hills, Upland, Villa Park,
West Covina, Westminister and Yorba Linda.
If you see your City on this list call OC Inspectors, Inc today! We look forward to hearing from you...