Modern homes and older homes have many things in common. Systems like plumbing and electrical have changed materials in use, but the premise hasn't changed much. Heating and air conditioning systems have changed more over the decades,  as efficiency has improved dramatically over recent years.
One thing that still shows up on new homes just like it did on older homes is design flaws.
Design flaws like the one pictured above can have big negative effects on the structure of your home. Pretend for a moment that it's raining. Where is the water going to go? And where will the water sit long after the storm has passed? This could have a negative impact on the home. Damage from moisture intrusion can become costly and may even pose a health hazard!
That's where a home inspection from Double C Home Inspections comes in handy! I am here to find problems that others might miss. The design flaw pictured above is over 30 years old! How many other inspectors may have missed this defect?
Homes on the South Plains and Permian Basin are not exempt from design flaws, so I urge you to call Double C Home Inspections today to schedule a money saving home inspection!

As a born and bred southerner, I have had this thought more than once in my life. My current home in Lubbock is served by above ground power lines. However, several other places I have lived have been served by underground service lines. My dad worked for a local electric complany for more than 30 years. I can still remember many times he had to leave home during bad weather to work to restore power somewhere or other. I have experienced first hand what ice storms & hurricanes and what they can do to electric service. Like many other folks, I've experienced power outages that lasted a few minutes, to as long as a few days. Lubbock and West Texas in general are most susceptible to wind damage and ice. The following article discusses what the real cost may be and whether or not it could be worth it.


The majestic trees that line streets across the American South are a beautiful sight most of the year.

Then there are the weeks when a winter storm hits, and the trees shed ice-laden limbs that crash down on the power lines below. It's at those times when millions of normally genteel Southern voices rise as one to ask, "Why aren't these wires underground?"

In one word: Money.

After a 2002 storm that knocked out electricity to 2 million customers in North Carolina, regulators there took a look at what it would cost to bury the three major power companies' overhead lines. The state Utilities Commission concluded the project would be "prohibitively expensive."

"Such an undertaking would cost approximately $41 billion, nearly six times the net book value of the utilities' current distribution assets, and would require approximately 25 years to complete," the report states. Customers' rates would have to more than double to pay for the project, the commission' staff found.

And underground lines "are not without their disadvantages," they concluded. While more reliable "under normal weather conditions," they take almost 60% longer to fix when something does happen to them.

Underground power lines make up about 18% of U.S. transmission lines, according to the federal Energy Information Agency. Nearly all new residential and commercial developments have underground electric service, the agency said. But it noted that underground power lines cost five to 10 times more than overhead wires, don't last as long and cost more to replace.

"Buried power lines are protected from the wind, ice and tree damage that are common causes of outages, and so suffer fewer weather or vegetation-related outages," it concluded. "But buried lines are more vulnerable to flooding, and can still fail due to equipment issues or lightning."

But there are some cities that have decided to go ahead and dig.

In Anaheim, California, the city is gradually burying its above-ground power lines, a project thatdates back to the 1990s. The city added a 4% surcharge to electric bills to pay for the 50-year project, which costs more than $3 million a mile.

Growth in the Lubbock area real estate market has generally enjoyed a steady increase over the last several years. Lubbock generally doesn't experience the massive increase/decrease of volume and sales in real estate that some other areas of the state experience. One major factor that continues to help our area experience this steady growth is Texas Tech University. Texas Tech is by far the largest single employer in our area, and along with the Ag industry and the Health Care industry, Tech generates millions of dollars in tax revenue for Lubbock and the surrounding communities.

The school year begins anew in a few short weeks. 

Red Raider orientation is August 16-29, 2015. Per the Texas Tech website: "Red Raider Orientation (RRO) is an opportunity for new students to learn about Texas Tech University and the programs and services offered. Red Raider Orientation was designed to guide each new student at Texas Tech to success. While at RRO, students will get the chance to meet other new students, get advice from current students, meet with an advisor, register for classes, learn new Texas Tech traditions, and have fun!" 


We are blessed in Lubbock and the South Plains to have Texas Tech students and faculty call our area home. For more information, visit www.ttu.edu.