Richard Moore

Both, either, together. If I did, it's not inside the home. From where the street feed entered the basement, all of the home's plumbing was easily visible and basic. Nothing labeled at the panel either. There was an inaccessible area of a crawl (another matter) but it was under a corner of the house, well away from any likely plumbing. I also checked an older report from a nearby home. 75 psi there so it seems unlikely a booster pumper would be needed. They're very rare around here.

1935 3br 1½ba house with all interior plumbing newer copper but galvanized street feed. The house sits well back from the street (150+') and probably 25' above. 70 PSI static pressure. So...when I first turn on the bathroom sink, flush the toilet and turn on the tub faucet the flow rate was good. Cool, I think...briefly. But then, over the next 30 seconds or so it slowly reduced down to maybe a quarter of the initial flow. Hmmmm. I wait for the toilet to finish filling and try just the sink and tub. Again, the flow rate was good, but then slowly reduced at both fixtures. Odd. I turn them off and back on again immediately. Same poor flow. BUT...if I wait a minute or so, the flow starts off good again. Here's the even stranger thing...After the flow reduced and I turned off both fixtures, then, if I first turn on the tub shortly after, the flow is still poor there. If I then turn on the sink the flow at the sink AND the tub suddenly jumps back to good...and then slowly dies again. The copper plumbing looked to be professional and well sized and there was nothing unusual about the risers (all visible in the basement). Nothing else out of the ordinary (no well pump, storage tank, etc). There was a normal sized thermal expansion tank at the water heater. I've seen lots of poor flow due to clogged old pipes, but it's always immediate. I've never seen flow rate slowly diminish like this (or jump back temporarily to good). I suspect it is somehow related to the galvanized feed and my recommendation is for plumber evaluation and repair and/or upgrade. I'm not given to "guessing" in the report. But, if anyone has any idea what the hell is going on here, it might help de-addle my noggin. [:-spin]

Somehow I doubt that this was part of an approved installation kit. Click to Enlarge 99.26 KB And yet, I doubt it is doing any real harm. Well...at least until a quake hits while the stove is on. [:-bigeyes

My thoughts often aren't professional, but here goes... 1: I'm not going to guess at the quality of the splices. 2: The incoming SEC's would have to be rated to handle both panels. As the "sub" doesn't have a main breaker, I think it would be whatever it was rated for + the 150 at the main panel. 3: Forget #1 & #2. There's really no way to prevent the "sub" from being used for more amperage than it's rated for. There are also more than 6 throws to disconnect all power (unless there is an outside disco). The "sub" should be fed from an appropriate breaker at the main. 4: The stick shouldn't be inside the panel. 5: It needs fixin'.

"There was nothing wrong with the inspection or the inspection report," It can't be much fun getting ambushed by a TV crew, but it seems pretty clear that that is nonsense.

"The question are these lugs designed for 2 wires or a real large wire?" With the two set-screws, that would be my best guess, but it's only that, a guess. I've never seen lugs like that.

I wonder if Terry's client had a cell phone pressed against his skull when he called worrying about the relatively distant HT lines.

There's always this alternative... Click to Enlarge 31.26 KB

All boxes must remain accessible. You say "inside a wall". If this was going to be buried by the drywall, then it would be wrong.

Putting energy efficiency aside and assuming everything was working and in acceptable condition, I don't see any special issues in only using the pump as an AC unit. The only real difference is that you are not exercising the reversing valve. I don't see why that would matter if you have no intention of using it. How they have wired the thermostat to the units might be interesting though. Is the furnace still "emergency heat" or just normal "heat"?

Yes to both, assuming you aren't counting clothes and other stuff. I'm recommending it gets boxed in with a dry-walled chase. Also suggesting a CO monitor for that bedroom.

OK...so how about this "heated" bedroom closet from today. Judging from the gaps at the panel, the place had an electric furnace originally. When they changed to a gas furnace and water heater, this must have been the most direct route to the roof. If it wasn't so downright dangerous I'd give them points for a nice, neat install. Click to Enlarge 82.98 KB

What you have there is a 16/20 panel, meaning that there are 16 full size spaces, but the panel is rated for 20 poles, total. On newer panels (at least) the tabs are different and the upper slots would not accept twins...of the same brand. Off brand breakers can often circumvent that. The purpose is to prevent Johnny Homeowner from over-cramming the panel. But...there's nothing else magical about the upper or lower ends of the bus-bars. As long as the breakers actually fit (and haven't been modified or forced), and he hasn't added more than 4 of them, there's really nothing wrong with it...at the moment.

30 years! Wow! Gongratulations. BTW...I hope you are doing something a little more special today than hanging around in here.

Phil, you are talking about metal and tile roofs, right? When we did a road trip around New Zealand 3 years ago, I saw one, just one, house with asphalt/comp shingles. Currugated tin seemed to be the roofing of choice with tile running a distance second. Is it the same way in Oz? It differs in other parts of the US, but up here in the NW, asphalt shingles absolutely rule. I'm not saying it's a good thing, but it keeps the re-roofing companies busy.

You have that right...and I agree with Chad. If they are within 10' measured horizontally from the edge of the pool then they need to be 22.5' above the water level and any pool deck within that 10'. In the case of a hot-tub I would interpret that to mean 22.5' above the highest rim of the tub. So, yes, directly overhead is allowed, but you have to maintain the height clearance.

??? The only way the stain makes sense (to me) in relation to the AC unit is if the fan was running in reverse, sucking down and blowing out the sides. Then it might be a warmth loving mold(?). BTW...is that just sitting on the dirt? One other WAG would be a leak in the pressure line "misting" the wall. And then it could be something totally unrelated that was sprayed on the wall before the AC was installed just to confuse future home inspectors. "Weird stain on wall. Inspector not know why. Have HVAC guy check it out." Sometimes you just have to punt.

I just got a call from a client wanting to know if he needed to upgrade to a 200-amp service for the Zinsco (125-amp) change-out I had recommended. Evidently, the seller is willing to pay the $1800 for a replacement 125-amp panel, but they were quoted an extra $2200 a 200-amp weatherhead, meter box, panel, SECs, etc, and won't pay for that. Supposedly, they got two quotes, but they were much the same. $4000, total, seems a bit steep. I told the client that a 200-amp service would be preferrable but, with gas heat and water, the 125-amp would probably suffice...unless he was planning a grow-op. That was in Redmond. I also had an FPE in Marysville this week. I'm betting that one will be cheaper if done by a local.

LOL. Priceless! Who needs slope when you have Power-Draining by Little Giant? (automatic switching not included)

Besides the unprotected NM buried in the asphalt, you gotta love the little roof the guy built for this receptacle. Click to Enlarge 58.51 KB OK...maybe not!

Click to Enlarge 70.71 KB I make that 7 short ladies to the top of the parapets. I don't think even a 32 footer would get you there. I know it wouldn't work for me. Just the thought of trying gives me vertigo.

Hell...nails are expensive...I smell staples! I don't tend to use language quite as colorful as Mike in my reports, but the gist would be the same. Crap installation using the cheapest materials available. Good luck during the next windstorm. How was the rest of the flip?

It doesn't make the old wiring any safer elsewhere but it does make those particular receptacles safe to use with a grounded appliance (and actually safer with two-prong aplliances like lamps). The GFCI will trip if it senses an imbalance between the hot and neutral and does not need a ground wire for that function (unlike our GFCI testers). The homeowner might get a very brief buzz from a short to the chasis of a device but the GFCI should then trip. You might want to read this... http://ecmweb.com/mag/electric_gfcis_work/

Got a close-up of one of the weatherheads?

...or maybe the power vent blower not fully functioning?