Bob White

http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/bu ... /34902.pdf is the 2002 version of the U.S. Department of Energy's Insulation Fact Sheet. There's some good info in there, and the table on page 6 helps you calculate R values for different types of insulation.

This was an unfinished basement, but it had been humid under there. The driveway led down from the street to the basement garage door, and drainage from the yard also was directed to this drain just in front of the drive-under garage door: Image Insert: 130.97 KB The flue cap was missing (I don't know how long) and the flue was rusted through. The subfloor around the flue was rotted but not wet yesterday (but it hasn't rained much here of late) 70% of the plank subfloor under the half bath was missing (It rotted away over years of neglect) .... There was active leaking (toilet seal, among other things) in the full bath, and the subfloor measured greater than 20% with my Extech over about 100 sq. ft. of subfloor under and around the bathroom area. There's prolly a lot of raw sewage embedded in these subfloors --- might be what's holding up the bathrooms...

That was a 1962 Fannie Mae house i did today for a couple of brand new "investors" --- I'm out of it now, an' I ain't going back in. 1200 square feet (in the Adamsville part of town, for youse who knows Hotlanta), and I coulda written something about every foot, I think.

I'm scratching my head.... Can anyone tell me why the cold water piping in this house is blackened? The hot water piping remains copper colored.... Image Insert: 62.12 KB

You mean this document? Download Attachment: doubleneutrals.pdf 14.18 KB

Download Attachment: MXT.pdf 59.66 KB This tool is a must have for the successful HI, or the HI who wants to look successful..

Guess I shouldn't market my inspection services to him, then.....

Georgia amended the 2000 IPC and has amended the now applicable 2006 IPC with it's not OK to have them in the newly constructed house, but it's plenty fine to add them yourself the day you move in, I guess....[:-crazy]

Michael -- Are you composing your posts on a text editor or word processor, and then copying them onto TIJ for positng? If so, your editor is hosing the works. Your apostrophes and quotation marks are coming up as gobbledegook.

I just didn't understand why you would recommend replacement of the entire door. I mean, I don't recommend an entire door be replaced when only one panel is broken. I recommend they get it repaired, 'cuz I know that the overhead door companies have replacement panels. It's the same with the springs and such. I just recommend they fix them. I'm not interested in getting the client a whole new door or what have you - just getting what's there to work right. Does that make any sense or am I being too much of a hard nose about it? OT - OF!!! M. I thought I recanted in my last post. That is why I write the report on the evening of the inspection, proofread it and make corrections that same evening, then wait 'til the next morning, read it again and replace the many stupid things I said yesterday with something closer to what I meant to say, and selease the report. If I worked this forum that way, I'd never actully say anything. (maybe that'd be better [] Thank you sir, may I have another?

After my post, i read my own statement and anticipated that very question. Knowing I didn't have a good answer for it, i got away from the computer and assembled four park benches for the churchyard. Now that that's done, i see tha Jim has answered your question to my satisfaction.[^] I suppose, after thinking about it, that maybe I should recommend replacement of the springs with new springs with safety cable or other containment.

I'm talking about extension springs, the kind that run along the door tracks on either side of the door. What I mean by containment is either a steel cable that runs through the center of the spring, or a (usually) plastic tube that covers the outside of the spring. With either containment method, a broken spring will not fly about and break things. It will be contained. Older doors usually don't have any contrainment method. The new ones usually have the steel cable.

While there's no way (in my meager arsenal of weapons) to test the springs, if I see a door with no spring containment, I always urge that the door be replaced.

House I did a couple months ago had the humidifier tapped with a saddle valve to the TPR discharge line.

Randy, if you're just trying to stick photos on a page and then stick text under the photos, and since you're using MS Office, why don't you just use the Office presentation software (I think its called powerpoint)? Stick photos anywher you want, resize them in any dimension, glue text boxes anwhere and in any format you like. short learning curve, easy to master. I don't use it anymore, since I'm using the free OpenOffice suite, but its very simple, and you don't ever have to worry about the program picking up your graphics and moving them for you. They stay where you put'em.

Article 90.1 of the NEC sez. "This Code contains provisions that are considered necessary for safety." Call it minor if you wish, but is is the minimum standard. I believe the major issue is that the UL and NEC folks really want the grounding condutor to remain intact while the circuit (line and neutral) are disconnected to isolate a circuit. I call them "grounding conductors (grounds)" and "grounded conductors (neutrals)" the first time I mention them, and refer to them as grounds and neutrals thereafter. As for your electrician, refer him to code, or, since he hasn't paid you for any information, ignore him.

NEC 2005 408.40 Grounding of Panelboards ... Grounding conductors shall not be connected to a terminal bar provided for grounded conductors (may be a neutral) unless the bar is identified for the purpose and is located where interconnection between equipment grounding conductors and grounded circuit conductors is permitted or rquired by Article 250. 408.41 Grounded Conductor Terminations. Each grounded conductor shall terminate within the panelboard in an individual terminal that is not also used for another conductor. Exception: Grounded conductors of circuits with parallel conductors shall be permitted to terminate in a single terminal if the terminal is identified for connection of more than one conductor. For information on parallel conductors and where they are permitted, you must go to Article 310.4. That article permits parallel conductors smaller that 1/0 under certain circumstances. None of those circumstances are likely to me met in a residential panelboard.

My better half can certainly find all the things in my house that need fixin'. I wonder is I should bring her along on inspections??? (Closer to original thread) I just picked up an EXtech non-invasive moisture meter, but I haven't used it in an inspection yet. I cannot say anything to its usefulness or its durability.

I always check them. The photos below are from a 11 month old home, All four tub overflows were still blocked. Download Attachment: garagewater3.jpg 26.92 KB Download Attachment: garagewater4.jpg 27.99 KB Download Attachment: garagewater.jpg 38.06 KB I usually fill all sinks and tubs to the overflow, and a little before I go into the basement or crawl, I go around the house and pull all the plugs at once. If there are leaks, I can usually find them.

Ten year Navy vet, mostly riding around in steel tubes underwater --- (just call me bubblehead) Hope you don't mind my sneaking in and watching what the folks who work for a living do.....

Gat a wider shot than that?

I kind of remember the story... This house was 3" or 6" above the maximum height allowed by the AHJ, I think. A neighbor didn't like the fact that the new house was blocking HIS view, I think, and forced the owner of this house to limit the height of the structure. In response, this fellow designed his unique gable vent for his neighbor's enjoyment.

No, it's exactly what I said it was, a crank type screwdriver. It's got an offset handle, like a brace and bit, and it's very fast. OT - OF!!! M. A two fisted tool . . .

Is that a regional term, or am I ignorant (or both, I guess)? What's a crank type screwdriver? Is that a ratcheting driver?