mgbinspect

But then I also happen to believe that all women look better without makeup . . . I'll second that. Makup is a definite turnoff. [:-thumbu]

I understand, I don't use my laptop on site anymore. My software is on a tiny PDA, which is pretty convenient, so the kindle might work for me as a be all reference tool. I will keep you all posted. I've just loaded it with a lot of good PDFs and Word Docs to take with me. I thought you, might be especially interested with that text to speach feature for reading (listening) on the road?

Well, I just picked one up and now I'm even MORE PUMPED than I already was. It just gets better: YO RANDY AND JIM K - You guys might find this of particular interest to you, from a previous thread of mine; It turns out that the Kindle has a "text to speach" feature. Any book you have on your Kindle can be READ TO YOU WHILE YOU DRIVE! Nice!!!! No doubt, it won't be Peter Greaves or some other celebrity reading it to you, but I don't care. A robotic voice is endurable. [:-tophat]

I've been kicking this around for about three weeks, and I think I'm about to jump: I'm thinking VERY SERIOUSLY that the Kindle might be the ultimate reference resource for a home inpsector. I see where there are even a couple of Code Checks available for Kindle. I think they're not legit copies, but no doubt, soon the entire Code Check series, along with the IRC, the NHBA Residential Construction Performance Guidelines, etc. will all be available for Kindle. So, you can have an entire book shelf of references and files (PDFs and Word Docs like our serial number charts) at your fingertips, with: no bootup time; a 3000 book or file capacity; wifi to download and install stuff in seconds; and an average battery life of a MONTH (unbelievable). Not to mention that there are over 300,000 books available for the Kindle and tons of them are FREE (Classics). You can, apparently even bookmark and highlight text. Books are indexed for easy searching. Kindle is apparently the best of the bunch, for a number of reasons: readability in any light is a big one for us if we're going to use it outside. At any rate, for a mere $149.00, I'm not coming up with a downside. I think it's going to be the gift to my business that keeps on giving, as I find more and more stuff to cram into it and access in seconds on a piece of equipment 6" x 9" and about the thickness of a pencil and 5.8 oz in weight - mind boggling... I think today might be the day to give this a try.

Gee... As I survey the original photos (laying my passion for flashing and counter-flashing asided, umm.. where's the step-flashing at the roof junction? What a mess... Glad we could help, Rachel

The pressure is always on here in Richmond, being so close to Williamsburg, to build stuff that looks old - Colonial. So, builders, being cheap, often do the wood framed brick veneered chases with metal flashed and capped chases to resemble an old Colonial chimney. They perform just fine. (Of course, they're not sitting on a wood framed wall, which is one of the original concerns of this thread.) And, I suppose the REAL bottom line here is that this false chimney COULD have been just fine and outlasted us all, if it was properly laid up with flashing everywhere appropriate. Unfortunately, it seems that everyone that had a part in the construction and inspection process dropped the ball, or worse yet looked the other way on this one, and now it's a problem. I wonder if the local building department could be pressured to become an advocate in getting this disaster addressed? Surely, the whole gang involved in constructing it is still around and applying for building permits.

It's really a perception deal - unconventional. But, if you think about it, the average home, according to the manufactured home industry, weighs somewhere between 50,000 to 120,000 pounds. If a home is two stories with a walkout basement, a little less than a third of that weight is resting on a wood frame outer wall (the walk-out basement wall). [This would assume that the center beam is carrying the greates weight, but that is offset by the fact that all of the roof framing weight is on the outer walls.] Does that put things in perspective? We don't think twice about a wood frame wall supporting the lions share of the weight of a home, but suporting BRICK???!!!!! Suddenly we experience a mental disconnect, mostly because it's not what we're used to seeing. That's not to say I like this arrangement, because I definitely don't.

Are you saying that from the point that brickwork rests on the wood framing, the masonry goes up twenty-five feet? That hardly seems likely. At any rate, brick are, on average, about four to five pounds a piece, and you can figure about 6.75 bricks per square feet. If you do the math, you'll realize that it's probably not as heavy as you are tempted to think. We are left to assume that someone calculated the loads, when they ran it through the building inspection process? In the mid 70's strict requirements, regarding the absorption rate of bricks were imposed, which put some brick manufacturers out of business, or at least made them truck in material necessary to keep going. Since then, water rarely penetrates the entire thickness of a brick. Unfortunately, if the brick veneer was installed badly (not full head and bed mortar joints), the system will readily take on water. From your pictures, it does look like the majorority of your problem might be flashing and cap. I've seen situations like this where folks actually had to resort to a drip tray and drain to manage the moisture intrusion.

Whew! That condensing unit is working overtime trying to get anything done in that cramped space - ouch!

No prob. I haven't used any of those formulas since I left the drawing board. Many moons ago. I was reaching.

I believe we're talking volume - a little geometry ala pi. Richtig? If memory serves, it's V = 2 pi R Nah. That can't be right. That's got to be circumfrence. V = piR squared. I think that's it, but I'll look it up. Yes pi R squared is correct.

That'll work. Thanks.

Here' one for the brain trust: A 44,000 btu furnace with a draft inducing blower (right flue) A 88,000 btu furnace with a draft inducing blower (center flue) And a 75,000 btu gas water heater - gravity (left flue) ALL share this flue. It seems to me that it should have stepped up another size after the third flue joined in. Undersized? Any thought? Click to Enlarge 69.73 KB And, all three units are crammed into a 6 x 9 unvented room in the finished basement ... hmm....

Anybody put the fake snow on tChristmas trees in the 50s and 60s? It was a mix of mica and asbestos! Nice! I'm doomed... As far as my drop-down menu goes, maybe I could have a statement that says, "Your guess is as good as mine, but whatever it is, there's not enough of it. And, since it probably contains something bad for you, it's best to add more insulation." []

Yes, John has Rockwool right. It's rather like shredded angel hair that has a lot of gray in it, as if it's been used to polish silver. It always looks exactly the same. But, then I realize that you'd have to be an old fart to know what angel hair is. I could go on to explain how it was the fine white stuff that was on the angel on the tip top of your Christmas tree when you were a kid, but still you'd have to be an old fart. So, I may not be able to help you, Mark, unless of course you already happen to be an old fart. [:-tophat]

Is it correct then to call it "cellulose"? I think so. The reddish-brown shredded wood, I call "shredded wood", as it appears to be less thoroughly processed than what I've been calling "cellulose". I sometimes see "sawdust" that looks like it came straight from the mill. That stuff will burn, I'm sure. What I call "Rock wool" would be predominantly mineral based, and looks like gray fiberglass. But, Balsam Wool has such a nice ring to it -kinda like the difference between a statin and Lipitor.

Bless you kind sir...

Thanks Les. I've always wondered - odd looking stuff. Now I can add it to my drop-down menu for insulations. But, that has me wondering, is it flammable, Les? Or, has it been treated with some lovely, now known to be nuclear or carcinegenic flame retardant meterial?

I see this insulation, now and then in the attics of old homes. This home is 1942. I've alway assumed it's cellulose, but would hate to be wrong. Anyone got a bead on this stuff? I know it's not vermiculite or fiberglass. I'd like to finally nail this one down for my future reports. [:-magnify Click to Enlarge 46.4 KB

Oh goodie!.. Yeah, mine's coming back for sure. Dang it. Oh well, welcome to the world of bureaucracy.

Merely as a starting point of reference, here is a link to the specific requirements that must be met in your applications: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/203k/203khow.cfm I've mailed today a resume meeting the list of requirements, and added a statement confirming that I read and fully understood all the letters and documents, which actually I'm in the process of reading, but since it apparently takes a couple weeks, at best, to get approved, I figured it was safe to make that statement. Is this the format you followed, Tom, and it still got kicked back at you?

Well, there ya go, Randy. You definitely have the consultant part down. [:-graduat And, Tom, Ben and I can share our hard knocks from the current approval process. [:-dunce] This could be a very useful thread. [:-thumbu] Bill, I've modified the thread title to cover all the bases, so you can move the whole thread wherever you wish.

You do realize that associations like ASHI can not provide "group" insurance until our leaders in Washington DC allow it to happen by changing the laws...... Scott, I know that a home inspection organization cannot directly provide the insurance. I was thinking about it the other way around: If a group of professional Home Inspectors can show that there is a lower risk to the insurance companies because of their better qualifcatrions than the average inspector, this would make the group more attractive to them and could hopfefully translate into discounts for the members. The leadership could solicite competitive bids for coverage. This could apply to E&O, Business Liability, Disability, and possible other types of insurance. I would also suggest soliciting for ASHI member discounts for things like office supplies, computers, etc.. FYI- The AIA has lots of these type of benefits available to members. I know that it is permitted by the government. I can even get an AIA Mastercard! Regards, Steve Well, that AIA contract is DEFINITELY a benefit: "I drew it, but I'm not responsible for any of it." [:-snorkel (I'm kidding, Steve, but you know what I mean - it sure was amazing how so much responsibility gets passed all the way down the line to the lowly sub. We, as a masonry sub-contractor, used to scratch out a ton of that contract, and add our own addendum that superseded some of it. Sometimes it cost us the job, but that was OK. It's a darn good thing that most sub-contractors are illiterate.) [] Good for you on the MasterCard! [:-thumbu] Credit is the last remaining form of legalized slavery. [:-tophat] OK, that was thread drift, Pardon' Here in Virginia, since state licensing is voluntary, ASHI remains the Champion certification. So, I'll probably be an ASHI member forever. The state certification was a buzz for a while, but it's really died off. Most people ask if you're ASHI certified, and saying, "Yes." is the answer they're looking for.

I can have one up tonight if the want is there. Just tell me to pull the trigger. I was thinking of creating a category here on TIJ. I think you should, Randy... Can he? can he? can he? Mike, Huh? Huh? Huh? [:-sonar] He really seems to know his stuff. He's helped me immensely - a shoe-in...

Oh, no doubt mine's bound to come back too then. Randy didn't hold my hand during the application process. He just helped me wrap my brain around what the service entails. And with that probable event in mind, if you figure out the application process before me, enlighten me! mike at mgbinspect dot com.