mgbinspect

I appreciate that, Jim! Yes, Facebook definitely has far more negative aspects than positive ones. Best wishes.

I'd be interested in this as well. Please keep me in the loop.

Thanks Marc. You as well.

I too, John, am very guilty of getting entirely too busy to return to TIJ as much as I'd like to . I hope to return here more myself. So, you're not alone at all. Best wishes for a safe, productive and profitable 2018.

Belated, but wishing all of my old friends here a stellar year.

Thanks Mark! Yep, I tell folks basically the same thing regarding brick veneer: It's just an incredibly durable super high PSI rated facade - a siding. Relax!

@Big Tool, If you have a few more pictures to post of both the steel and the openings, I can probably shed some light on the construction - if you're interested. Regarding the work of lintels in general, in most cases the hardest a window or door lintel ever works is the day that it's loaded with green masonry (all dead and completely saturated weight). If a steel lintel is going to deflect it will be that day. Sometimes undersized lintels will merely twist outward in the center causing a belly in the brickwork. And on rare occasions the lintel would twist enough to literally dump the masonry on the catwalk before it ever set up. (Architects or Builders are notorious for selecting undersized lintels.) It's helpful to understand that steel within a masonry system almost never deflects after installation. It can't without massive "tell-tale" cracks in the masonry. (Masonry does have some flex thanks to the mortar, but it's not as flexible as steel.) With all this in mind, you will most often notice that most bulged brickwork on twisted steel shows little or very minor cracking - because it all happened while the world was green. Once the masonry IS set up. The lintel could be removed with no immediate consequence whatsoever as long as there is substantial masonry above. The half bond pattern carries the weight across the opening in a matter of courses leaving only a small triangular area directly over the opening more hanging from the masonry above than supported by anything below. Masonry is so durable. Just picture the bombed out buildings in Europe after WWII with 1/3 of the masonry blown away and still standing. What appears to be flat steel might be a "hung-plate" attached to the underside of an I-Beam. Or the masonry might actually be laid on the bottom flange of an I-Beam. In these cases, steel is flexible and masonry not so flexible. Cracks are inevitable. More pictures would make it a little easier to decide what's really going on. All the best!

Latest shocker on this diet: I just, for the first time in years can do complete full range knee bends. I was dealing with inflammation that I had passed off as permanent injury from snowboarding and past HI related repetitive motion. Negative! It's gone, and my knee is as good as if I was a kid. AMAZING! Every day i realize some new significant improvement in my quality of life through this diet. Wish i had known to do it sooner.

We are Home Inspectors. are we really sane?[:-paperba[:-taped] Have you considered a local TV channel show to compete with Holmes - something catchy? Shanty Shivers perhaps... [:-sonar]

I've seen him about three times: twice purely by channel surfing, and once this morning on Fox. I find him almost instantly annoying. This morning, he's ripping off wall finish to discover damage, and pretty much acting as if a home inspector should have known it's there. I think the main thing that I find particularly abbrasive is his eagerness to find fault with everyone but himself. So, I cant watch him for very long, because I can only handle tiny doses of negativity at a time, before I am ready to claw my way through a concrete wall to get away. [:-banghea

There's no doubt in my mind, as you say, that it comes in handy, and I remember your initial satisfaction with having purchased one. Yet, in my entire career, I have yet to get a call, through which I ever recognized that an IR would have made a difference. I wouldn't mind owning one, but heck I think it's general experience that keeps us out of trouble, by knowing where to concentrate. I haven't had a call back in years. Nonetheless, I am sure that you're right - eventually, we will have to add it to the show.

I love the fact that they loaded the cores of those 4 x 8 x 16 block to properly support the weight of that girder - well almost all of the cores. And, never mind the fact that a concrete block isn't designed to receive a load in that orientation. The whole affair is wrong on so many levels... [:-propell

That could be hazardous if you fall forward - face first into your food, Tom. [:-eyebrow

Yep, that's how we all got the way we are. The funny thing is - most of us would NEVER treat our cars and trucks as we do our bodies...

UPDATE: LDL: 81 (down 6 more points) HDL: 68 (down 19 points) TOTAL: 164 (down 25 points) Triglycerides 74 (down 6 points) The diet is doing what drugs could not.

Unlike auto insurance, home owner's insurance is a great deal, and the adjusters are, for the most part, extremely fair and reasonable. If they sense you are out for profit, they will turn on you, but as long as you only wish to have what is genuinely repaired or replaced they are good at making certain that you get all you are due. My experiences with claims departments were pretty good and encouraging. As Scott said, DOL (Date of Loss) is key. No DOL - no claim. So, again, they need to make that claim before the property transfers, or they will have no way to recover future related damage, yet to be discovered.

I used to do disaster restoration contacting for insurance companies. A lightning strike is a definite "sudden and accidental" (covered) loss. The current home owners should call their insurance company and put in a claim. Often, a direct strike to a chimney will crack the liner or the masonry of the chimney - requiring re-lining. And, typically fifty percent of the GFCI breakers will be fried (will no longer trip). TVs, PCs, fax machines, etc. are often toast as well. He needs to take inventory of these items. Large loss claims (fire, etc.) can stay open for as long as two years, to make certain everything is accounted for. I never had employees while doing that work. I was the general contractor/construction manager, and sub-contracted most trades out. But since it was my trade, I did not sub out masonry or drywall repairs, since I was pretty handy with all trowels. I maximized my profits by doing such portions myself. I also enjoyed restoring old and installing new cabinetry, so I typically did that myself as well. At any rate, encourage them to make a claim, so they don't regret it later when they discover expensive damage.

Very nice, Mike. Great colors.

How nice! I'm on board the wine, but my cholesterol, the first time it was ever checked, was 365 - horrible. I felt great, and was walking, bicycling and hiking year around. I guess I just make the stuff like crazy, and doctors consider me a heart attack waiting to happen. Oddly, my great grandmother lived to 101 and my grandparent all into their 90s. My folks are both on their feet at 87. I'm going for 120! Why not?

This information is available in a thread about audio books, but it is such important and valuable information that I am posting it here as well, in the hope that someone is helped: Are you overwieght and on several medicines for cholesterol and/or blood pressure? Based upon the book The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted by T. Colin Campbell, which reveals that MOST chronic disease can be arrested and often reversed through drastic changes in diet (elimination of animal protein), I have changed my eating habits drastically, with amazing results. The author is a pretty well known nutritional scientist, who was the director of the China Study, and also did countless other studies with NIH, MIT, Cornell and the National Cancer Institute: his findings - animal protein is the common denominator in most forms of cancer, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, and more. He was actually able to "turn on and off" cancer merely by introducing or taking away animal protein. Bottom line: Going Vegan reduces your risk for cancer and heart disease, by probably 70%. As an example: in one of his studies he took a group of elderly patients, who had all suffered heart event (angina, heart attacks, etc.) In the past ten years, between them all they had 380 events. He put them on a strict vegan diet, and in the next ten years none of them ever had another event! He closes by exposing how medical colleges are heavily funded by pharmaceutical and medical device companies, so no one wants diet to be the key player in health. Yet, the medical industry would rather cut on you or medicate you, rather than tell you that if you change your diet, they won't have to. There is too much money involved. All this is why the medical world calls diabetes, heart disease and cancer diseases of the affluent. And, it is why us rich folk live longer today, not because our bodies are doing better but rather because of meds, pace-makers, etc. Poor countries where folks eat a mostly plant-based diet, folks die of more normal diseases: infections, pneumonia, AIDS, flu, etc., but not heart attacks, diabetes, MS and cancer. Our freedom to eat anything and everything we want comes at a high price - an earlier death than we were designed for. (Autopsies reveal that even American CHILDREN have the beginnings of hear disease (arterial plaque). I literally "burned the ship" on the vegan shore: went through every cupboard and filled the trash can with everything that: had salt as an ingredient; every meat product; every oil (empty calories - no nutrients whatsoever); and every refined food. Then I filled the cabinets wish all the dash seasonings (salt-free), non-wheat grain hot cereals, fruits, veggies; etc. (As a funny side note: Now, instead of butter, I give some of my cooked veggies a little saltiness with chicken stock, which works very well. But, last night I put the fork from the pasty chicken stock in my mouth, figuring "Oh, what the heck." The saltiness of it knocked me for a whollup, I literally could not swallow it and had to find the sink and spit it out. I was amazed that a week ago I would have swallowed it and said, "Mmm..." and now it was over-powering! Funny how easily we adjust.) The Results My weight is down from 206 to 198 in eight days, and continues to fall. Blood pressure has dropped from 130/89 to 111/63. That's a 39/27 point drop in eight days My cholesterol is down from168/80 to 87/87 - a decrease of the bad cholesterol by 81 points and the good cholesterol is the highest it has ever been since I began recording it $200.00 of medicine has been eliminate - all just by changing what I eat. I dropped from a Level III to a Level I risk with health insurance companies (A $175/mo savings) That's a net savings of almost $400.00 just by minding "what" I eat, and the cool thing: no calorie or carb counting needed, eat all of the plant based food (leafy greens, nuts, beans, seeds) you wish. Avoid oil (calorie dense with zero nutrition), animal products like meats and dairy (also calorie dense with very few nutrients and also a common denominator in most cancers - a catalyst), wheat based stuff (allergy prone), sugar, and salt. And, from here on out, arterial plaque begins to reverse, and the vulnerability toward cancer, and many other life threatening diseases is dramatically reduced. That sounds like a deal to me! Needless to say, I am thrilled. YOU, TOO, CAN DO THIS. YOU JUST NEED TO COMMIT TO IT. GET WELL!

For anyone curious: My blood pressure has dropped from 130/89 to 111/67, which gets me off blood pressure medicine. My cholesterol is down from168/80 to 87/87, which drops me from a Level III risk with Anthem to a Level I. That is a savings in premium of about $175/m I have a lot more energy, and all joint pain is GONE - HISTORY! Pretty cool $200.00 of medicine has been eliminate - all just by changing what I eat. That's a net savings of almost $400.00 just by minding "what" I eat, and the cool thing: no calorie or carb counting needed, eat all of the plant based food (leafy greens, nuts, beans, seeds) you wish. Avoid oil (calorie dense with zero nutrition), animal products like meats and dairy (also calorie dense with very few nutrients and also a common denominator in most cancers - a catalyst), wheat based stuff (allergy prone), sugar, and salt. Needless to say, I am thrilled.

I find the entire thing frightening. There are more attorneys per ca pita in the US, than any other country. And, if someone has their mind set on suing you, they can easily find an attorney ready, willing and able to follow through, whether it is right or wrong. Justice doesn't always come out of the courtroom. We all know of too many cases where the system fell down miserably. As a father of five, I feel for the parents who lost a child. I just can't help but wonder if the home inspector is anything more than a scapegoat. Very sad indeed.

All this is why the medical world calls diabetes, heart disease and cancer diseases of the affluent. And, it is why us rich folk live longer today, not because our bodies are doing better but rather because of meds, pace-makers, etc. Poor countries where folks eat a mostly plant-based diet, folks die of more normal diseases: pneumonia, AIDS, flu, etc., but not heart attacks, diabetes and cancer. Our freedom to eat anything and everything we want comes at a high price - an earlier death than we were designed for. I hear ya, Bill! I LOVE a nice juicy medium rare steak, but the prospect of shedding about $200.00 per month in drugs that are not good for my liver, no joint pain, and the reversal of arterial plaquesounds pretty good. I'll remember the good steaks I've had for a few extra years this way. And, I am particularly amazed at a reduction in inflammation - that I did not even know I had, until I got on this diet. Now it is pretty obvious that I was dealing with some joint inflammation that was affecting my range of motion and and causing some minor annoying pain - all gone... By the way, autopsies reveal that even American CHILDREN have the beginnings of hear disease (arterial plaque). Now that's sad... READ THIS BOOK. It's a shocker, and the data is undeniable. I literally "burned the ship" on the vegan shore: went through every cupboard and filled the trash can with everything that: had salt as an ingredient; every meat product; every oil (empty calories - no nutrients whatsoever); and every refined food. Then I filled the cabinets wish all the dash seasonings (salt-free), non-wheat grain hot cereals, fruits, veggies; etc. I am now down from 206 to 198 in eight days and blood pressure has dropped from 130/89 to 116/69! I can already come off of my blood pressure medicine if the readings hold steady. The Dr. warned that I might NEED to get of that med quickly, if the diet works well, so I don't pass out. [:-hspin] As a funny side note: Now, instead of butter, I give some of my cooked veggies a little saltiness with chicken stock, which works very well. But, last night I put the fork from the pasty chicken stock in my mouth, figuring "Oh, what the heck." The saltiness of it knocked me for a whollup, I literally could not swallow it and had to find the sink and spit it out. I was amazed that a week ago I would have swallowed it and said, "Mmm..." and now it was over-powering! Funny how easily we adjust...

The author mentions cheese: He states that the consumption of cheese in America has increased a whopping 193% in ten years, which is alarming. He says cheese is a definite killer: Cows milk is designed to turn a 150 lb. calf into a 1200 beast. Multiply milk's content several times over to arrive at cheese - not good... He has figured out that infants weened off of mother's milk and onto cow's milk too early are big time candidates for diabetes in the future. And, kids that develop early - increased breast cancer.

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted ~T. Colin Campbell This one is a SHOCKER! It reveals that MOST chronic disease can be arrested and often reversed through drastic changes in diet (elimination of animal protein). The author is a pretty well known nutritional scientist, who was the director of the China Study, and also did countless other studies with NIH, MIT, Cornell and the National Cancer Institute: his findings - animal protein is the common denominator in most forms of cancer, heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, and more. He was actually able to "turn on and off" cancer merely by introducing or taking away animal protein. Bottom line: Going Vegan reduces your risk for cancer and heart disease, by probably 70% As an example: in one of his studies he took a group of elderly patients, who had all suffered heart event (angina, heart attacks, etc.) In the past ten years, between them all they had 380 events. He put them on a strict vegan diet, and in the next ten years none of them ever had another event! He closes by exposing how medical colleges are heavily funded by pharmaceutical and medical device companies, so no one wants diet to be the key player in health. Bottom line: The medical industry would rather cut on you or medicate you, rather than tell you that if you change your diet, they won't have to. There is too much money involved. Ya gotta read this one. It's a shocker. The evidence is iron clad, offered to you first had, by the scientist that conducted the studies. PS: I am giving it a whirl for a while. I have purged my home of salt, oil, meats, dairy. Consequently, in seven days I have lost seven pounds. I went in for blood work. When the doctor learned that I am following the author's diet, she was happy - telling me that everything in the book is true, but doctors won't tell you about it, because no one really follows through on the diet, and consequently ends up worse than before, since they went off their meds. In my case, she assured me that if I followed through, I could throw away my cholesterol medicines and my blood pressure medicine. I would no longer need them. For the record, I am less tired in the evenings, and what little joint pain I had is GONE! I'm a pretty sold camper right now...