by AMANDA WINTERS
Sequim Gazette
After 24 years as a United States Postal Service letter carrier and 14 years before that as a lobsterman, Bill Teel decided to semi-retire to Sequim and start his own business.
Fascinated with buildings even as a child, Teel became interested in being a home inspector; his plan grew from there to include pest inspections and energy audits.
The Maine native moved to the Sequim area in October 2011, driving across the country with his daughter in eight days.
He already had some training in Maine, where he took building-inspection courses and joined an international association, completing close to 200 hours of class time, he said. But after reading an article in the Men’s Journal magazine on the 50 Best Places to Live, one of which was Port Townsend, he decided he wanted to live and work in Washington.
“I’m not ready to sit in a rocking chair yet,” he said of his new business.
Upon arriving in Washington, he took more classes to learn about Washington State inspection requirements. He passed the state test for home and pest inspections and this month will take the test to become a certified energy auditor, he said.
“I’m excited to get started,” he said.
Inspections are important for homes, old and new, for many reasons: to help homeowners know what to disclose when selling their house, to help homebuyers know what they are getting, to identify pest problems and to improve the health and safety of a home’s residents.
Teel said energy audits are about saving money and creating a healthy environment.
Energy auditors look for water infiltration, instances in which homeowners might save energy and any leaks in seals or in gas appliances.
“I think it’s more about health and safety than energy, but energy is a part of it,” he said.
In addition, Teel is a certified FEMA inspector to be deployed following natural disasters. So far, he has not been deployed but he does have the training to inspect areas that have suffered floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes, he said.
Teel offers inspection services in Clallam and Jefferson counties. For more information call Teel at 457-1972, e-mail him at peninsulainspections@gmail.com or go to www.peninsulainspections.com.
Reach Amanda Winters at awinters@sequimgazette.com.
