Richard Moore

I've also had a screw loose for a number of years. So far, it doesn't seem... What was the topic?

Ditto.

I wouldn't be worried about the pipes deteriorating, but most of the fittings are bass-ackward at best (the hozizontal "tail-piece" behind the sprayer nozzle for instance). Suggestions? Have the whole mess re-plumbed by someone who can read instructions.

Agreed, not a big deal (but called) unless, like mine, the screw is buried in the SEC. I swear the hole was deeper than the insulation was thick, although I couldn't actually see metal. There, I'm going to disagree a little. To me it's another indicator of a homeowner being in the panel and I would normally want it in the report. Especially in occupied home, I leave 'em as I find 'em (immediate deathtraps excluded). I DO make sure there are no wires that could come in contact before replacing the screws. In this particular case, it was a pre-list inspection (verbal only), the homeowner was shown the problem, and I left that one screw out. I also managed to force a small kink into the SEC so that even a blunt screw won't come into contact. I do carry extra screws for when I drop one and can't find or get to it. Touch wood, I've been fortunate so far. The only "shocks" I've had are when a client suddenly takes a flash photo just as I'm removing the cover. That can make me jump!

Why you shouldn't mix these... Click to Enlarge 45.58 KB with one of these... Click to Enlarge 57.42 KB Very, very, scary close! Click to Enlarge 53.84 KB

Can't think of anything humerous right now. Sorry. You need to settle on either singular or plural in that first sentence. Springs of overhead garage doors should have safety cables through the centers to arrest or contain the springs, or parts of them, in the event of failure due to repetitive stress. or... Each spring of an overhead garage door should have a safety cable through the center to arrest or contain the spring, or parts, in the event of failure due to repetitive stress. Then, I would just replace the second sentence with "The springs of this garage door should have retention cables installed."

Home has been vacant and on the market for many months with the lights left on for "security"(?)...plus what Bill said.

Yep, same basic rules apply (10ft in this case), although the code reference is 225.18, as opposed to 230.24 for service drops. I would suspect there's also problems with the wiring method (cable type, size, support, etc), but I can't tell from the photo.

OREP has GL that supposedly covers stolen tools etc. It says it starts at $150, but I don't know what the actual figure would be. I believe you can get it even if you have E&O elsewhere. see.. http://www.orep.org/gl-flyer.pdf

That "53 week" person will still need the 24 hours of CEU's I assume? With my birthday in October, it seems I'm going to get shorted. Mike, I know this isn't your decision and I don't want to whine (too much) but, if they can keep track of my birthdate, why not the date of issuance and 2 years from there? The $680 is bad enough but, at least, I thought I was going to get a 2-year license as well as 2 years to try and find some meaningful CEUs. Oh well! It is what it is.

Update... First, I got brownie points from the client for following up on this. Thanks again Randy. Buyers agent calls me today. Naturally, despite the clear code requiring "heating facilities", the builder is giving the clients a hard time. The excuses so far are... 1: It's a "green" building with good insulation. 2: The "open" design will allow heat to rise up the stairwells. (Evidently, he didn't explain how that heat was going to get past two doors that might be closed and into the bathroom.) 3: My favorite. He's built 30 units just like this and no one has mentioned it before. The agent was also wondering how he got a CO. I think we all know the answer to that one.

I believe you can use Simpson Strong Drive screws on their joist hangers. - Jim Katen, Oregon Jim, I had to Google those screws. I can't find anywhere where it says they can be a substitute for nails, when nails are called for(?). The following is an excerpt from the Simpson pocket guide... http://www.strongtie.com/ftp/catalogs/S-INSTALL06-R.pdf Click to Enlarge 56.72 KB

John, I believe the main concern is shear strength (aside from rust of course). To accomodate the threads, the shank of a screw is much smaller than the hole it fits through, and therefore much weaker. So, without drilling a larger hole in the hanger, I don't see how any common screw would be the equal of the appropriate nail, or allowed. Same thing for those pull-down ladders.

Guilty! I've never actually owned a pocket protector but I will confess to having been a gizmo freak and installing X-10 receptacles, switches, etc, all over our first house in the late 80's. For some reason, one that makes little sense now, it seemed like a good idea to be able to dim every light in the house from the bedroom! It was a phase I went through and somewhere in the basement of our current house there's a box full of the stuff gathering dust.

Ahhh... Click to Enlarge 28.68 KB Cool! Looks like us Seattlites don't like cold bathrooms and changed that section. Thank you very much Randy. I'll pass that on to the clients.

Hi Randy, I'm not getting any page numbers when I look at your link. At the top of the chapter it states that "Chapter 11 is not adopted by the city of Seattle, etc." In any case, I can't find anything in Chapter 11 (your link or my hard copy) that would pertain. What code number are you are pointing me at?

Thanks Bill, The trouble is that the IRC, in its definitions, says that bathrooms are not considered "habitable" spaces, so I can't use that. I'm going to go with "unusual", "not typical" or maybe "cheapskate" and let the client battle it out. The whole heating system was a little out of the ordinary for around here. Most new townhouses either have a gas furnace or a combo water heater/boiler serving hydronic heat (under-floor or wall convectors). The MLS had this listed as natural gas for the heating but there was nothing but unitary electric wall heaters (and one gas fireplace with no blower). You have to wonder if the builder felt the market collapsing during construction and started cutting corners. BTW Bill, I see your evil penguin is up to new tricks, same victim. See http://www.maniacworld.com/Evil-Penguin-The-Trip.html .

New townhouse. Master bathroom on top floor with vaulted ceilings, access through the master closet to the bathroom door. Tile floor but no source of heat. I checked everywhere for a floorstat thinking it might be radiant, but none found...and the water heater was just a normal model with no extra take-offs or circ pumps. While it was warm enough today, with the door left open, I can see this large bathroom getting very cold in the winter if the clients close the door. Common sense tells me there should be a heater of some sort. The clients agree and are going to ask for a heater but it would be nice to throw some "code" at the builder. But...I can't find anything. Am I missing something.

...and at the other end of the scale there's this from today's inspection. Click to Enlarge 112.03 KB Click to Enlarge 157.91 KB Click to Enlarge 139.72 KB Evidently, you can do it anyway you want as long as you caulk between every tab! [:-propell

Whoda thunk our Mr Jowers was a Clapton fan? Rock on Walt! [8D]

"segmented fiber-cement panels with metal trim" Good enough! You have to wonder in what bizzare world an architect actually thinks this looks good. Anyway, thanks!

Besides "ugly", is there a name for this type of siding? Click to Enlarge 33.7 KB Click to Enlarge 77.14 KB

Any idea what they actually want for that proof and list? Can I just say "talk to Mike O?"

I had one once, a GreenLee I believe, that was overly sensitive to the point that I couldn't even use it to determine polarity in a 2-prong, ungrounded outlet. Anywhere in the vicinity of the receptacle and it would light up. It may have to do with the voltage sensing range(...?). Anyway, I've been using Flukes for a while that don't have that issue. I do think they have their uses as long as you understand their limitations. Besides KT wiring, I also find them very handy for quick checks of AFCI & GFCI protected receptacles (basically to make sure they are off) and checking that ceiling fans are grounded. A fridge plugged into a hidden ungrounded receptacle (via one of those damn "adaptors") will also light up the tester touched to a metal part, like the hinge, if the compressor is running.

There were actually 4 similar ones entering the panel, 2 at the other side. Circuits were all indoor (according to the labeling). Maybe just some early plastic NM? Yep, been there before with similar results. The heat dissipation concern doesn't actually make sense to this old head and I'm not going to call it. Because of other issues, the client is probably going to end up installing a new panel anyway to replace this old split-bus Bryant. Y'know, I've done a bunch of wiring in the past but, thinking about it, I've never had to use any UF and never actually stripped any of it. Didn't realize it it was "tighter" than normal NM, although it makes sense thinking about it. May have to go buy a piece to play with. Follow-up question if I may: If there are 8 throws in the main section of a split-bus panel, but 2 are unused (no wires connected), does that still meet the 6-throw disconnect requirement?