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Friends and Oddities Found Along the Way
Love this job. Always new friends to make and new mysteries to solve. This happy, huge fellow graced my inspection the other day. Very...

Paul Cummins
Mar 8, 20221 min read
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Rethinking Gas Stoves
Everyone has strong feelings about how to cook. Those old electric coils that rattled around were certainly awkward. However, electric...

Paul Cummins
Feb 19, 20221 min read
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Goldfish Can Drive: What's Limiting Us?
Not having such a great day. Normally I would call it the Februaries but two years into Covid it's at a whole new level. Did you see the...

Paul Cummins
Jan 25, 20221 min read
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Some Design Tips for Best Showing
My Home Inspector recommendations are to set the HVAC fan to "On" instead of "Auto" to ensure fresh air in the home, and to add new...

Paul Cummins
Jan 13, 20221 min read
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The Art of Ruin
Did a 1930's house today that will get a new life soon. These poignant photos share a beauty in the decay.

Paul Cummins
Oct 28, 20211 min read
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Excellent new design for tub mat!
This plastic lufa-like substance can be used inside or outside the tub to prevent slipping and provide a pleasant experience for your...

Paul Cummins
Sep 3, 20211 min read
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Top View Mirror: Boon to the Bald!
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Delta-Flynn-Tilt-Mirror-1-per-pkg/1003011622 This Flynn tilt mirror allows for a good view of your whole head:...

Paul Cummins
Jul 7, 20211 min read
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Too many flues!
Just because it's a new build and costs over a million bucks doesn't mean there will be fewer problems. This unit had only two...

Paul Cummins
May 30, 20211 min read
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The Art of Inspection
Psychedelic Skeletor?

Paul Cummins
Apr 18, 20211 min read
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Great financial tips for first time home buyers
Did you catch this in the Real Estate section of the Washington Post this week? I have taught at some of the classes mentioned and...

Paul Cummins
Mar 27, 20211 min read
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Getting up in the world
Inspecting at Paws veterinary office on Connecticut Avenue.

Paul Cummins
Mar 10, 20211 min read
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Good News in a Bad Year: My Angel Wife on TV
Piece from Channel 9 on preventing evictions, (click on image) yet this is only part of her work. Melanie is head of outreach for Christ...

Paul Cummins
Dec 31, 20201 min read
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We're all stretched to the limit these days!
What a wild time! Masks we can't breathe through and that fog our glasses. Thank Goodness we have work and are managing to stay healthy....

Paul Cummins
Oct 26, 20201 min read
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Too cute not to blog about...
This is Bella, our quarantine grandchild proxy. She's full of affection and enthusiasm and rarely watches the news... Watch her cruise...

Paul Cummins
Oct 13, 20201 min read
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Sign of the times: COVID summer gear
Yes that's sweat on my bald pate and the shirt is soaked through for the second time that day!

Paul Cummins
Jun 5, 20201 min read
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Building new the old way at Mount Vernon
Note the overlap of shingles on the ridge. Today we would cover the ridge with cut flaps from asphalt shingles or with metal flashing. ...

Paul Cummins
Feb 24, 20201 min read
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100 Years Of Kitchen Appliances
Back to color in appliances. Please, no avocado, harvest gold or dusty rose! The retro look in this new kitchen hides lots of advances...

Paul Cummins
Jan 31, 20201 min read
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Museums Need Home Inspectors Too!
Here is a Rodin sculpture in the Kreeger Museum (we have him to thank for GEICO) with failed seals in the windows behind.

Paul Cummins
Jan 28, 20201 min read
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Old Joists Meet New Joists in Old Town Alexandria
Same strategy hundreds of years apart.

Paul Cummins
Jan 28, 20201 min read
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Dystopian Flamingoes
Inspected 1847 house in background. This display captured the feeling of a grander time for this neighborhood. Hard not to take in the...

Paul Cummins
Jan 28, 20201 min read
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