mgbinspect

Condensing unit was already replaced four years ago, my brother. I'm not sure how that's going to play out.[:-sonar]

(Ahem, cough, cough.) President Regan's statement was a splendid example of the imperative, but, I doubt that it had anything to do with the removal of the Berlin Wall. The USSR was broke and the economy in collapse - given enough time the wall would have fallen down on its own. Nah, we're the original innovators... What you talkin' 'bout, Willis... [:-snorkel

I saw one, for the first time, in HD about two weekends ago and resolved that I've got to own one. I just cant part with the money right now. But It sure would be nice for inspecting evaporator coils, boiler foireboxes and such. I WANT ONE BAD!

(Ahem, cough, cough.) President Regan's statement was a splendid example of the imperative, but, I doubt that it had anything to do with the removal of the Berlin Wall. Well, it IS rather difficult to imagine the crowd of 45,000 that was in attendance going absolutely bonkers over the second speech. It seems the challenge surprised Gorby, as did the crowds reaction to it. (I know it's thread drift and appears a bit political, but politics certainly isn't my aim at all I just couldn't come up with another statement from anyone that was quite that blatantly active voice, and in this case, definitely "implied command". The aim is results and while the wall didn't come down until 29 months later, and as you point out the speech might not have had much to do with the wall coming down, but the crowds went crazy. Any other similar examples of emperatives are fine. In fact, for the sake of balance: "Ask not what your country can do for you; Ask what you can do for your country." [:-tophat]

Just for fun, here are a couple of marvelous example of the use of active voice from past American and world history. The first is offered up by Ben Franklin and it flawlessly drives home a point. While he doesn't use the imperative mood, it still demonstrates the power of short, simple and direct sentences used in active voice. Notice he does not waste a single word. The setting is a debate regarding a proposal to limit voting to property owners. The intent was to take away the vote from the less privileged - the alleged low lifers. Ben Franklin realized that even the speech of politicians opposed to the proposal was so full of pomp and legalistic formality that the common man would never fully grasp the gravity of the situation to be moved to rally behind the cause. So, Ben employed all his normal wit, charm, humor and efficiency with words to drive home his point in a fashion that even the simplest folks could understand: "To require property of voters leads us to this dilemma: I own a jackass. I can vote. The jackass dies. I can't vote. Therefore, the vote represents not me, but the jackass." Needless to say, we are not required to own property in order to vote to this day. The second example of active voice, which also beautifully employs imperative mood: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Do you suppose the wall would have come down if he had said, "Mr. Gorgachev, this structure of concrete, masonry, steel and barbed wire is a constant reminder of isolation and oppression. On behalf of the people of the world, I ask you to consider dismantling it, so the world will plainly see that your country is serious about perestroika."

Marc, I don't know why I didn't connect the dots sooner, but here is a very credible source regarding present tense and imperative mood when writing any form of business correspondence. I know I keep bringing this organization up but, it is what you need as a reference and here is why: From their "About us" page: "Fred Pryor Seminars and CareerTrack, divisions of PARK University Enterprises, Inc., create one of the most respected international providers of professional seminars. Since pioneering the one-day seminar in 1970 as Fred Pryor Seminars, our organization has built a reputation for high-quality, convenient, and practical business-skills training around the world, in every industry and sector. Today, with more than 8 million satisfied customers, we continue to pride ourselves in providing the superior training you've come to expect from Fred Pryor Seminars and CareerTrack. Our cutting-edge research and course development are designed to meet the adult learning needs of your employees and your organization." And specific to your question, here is a link to a seminar that addresses in detail active voice and imperative mood, as the most effective way to communicate, in business. On the link below you'll find the following statement: "Understand the difference between the active and passive voice — and why voice is one of the most essential elements in business writing" http://careertrack.com/mkt_info/seminar ... itingStyle I've attended the above seminar twice, once as a salesman and conceptual designer for a Design/Build Contractor, and I took my son again recently. Over the past twenty-five years, I've attended five of their seminars and own several of their CDs, which are always outstanding. And, for those of you needing part time employment, Fred Pryor is ALWAYS looking for competent speakers to travel and teach on their behalf within a region. Apparently the pay is pretty decent. I've contemplated applying a couple of times myself.

"Plan (to/for)" "Arrange" "Budget" for the replacement of... Added to the list.

While I have no personal experience with them, my eighty-four year old mom, suffers severely from degenerative back disease. She has no discs left, and while still barely on her feet, she's lost about four inches in height because of her disease. She does not blame it on Chiropractics, but, when a child, she was taken to one and she recalls the experience as being a particularly negative experience. Her ailments caused me, as a child, a lot of rough times, while coming up. She was in so much constant pain that, for months at a time, she simply wasn't available, as a mom - bad times. But, we're drifting here a bit. Let's avoid the thread becoming too focused on a tangent.

No sir. They are absolutely not quacks. Not in my book anyway. The insurance companies don't think so anymore either. I have nothing against Chiropractors and do appreciate their holistic approach to things. I'd have to be pretty desperate to permit one to begin "MANIPULATING" my spine. But, for what it's worth, a quick Google will reveal that Jim K lives in one of the most chiropractic friendly states in America... and I quickly concluded that he's probably heard the good, bad and ugly about the subject.

Isn't that the real problem with repetitive motions in our work? We so easily fall into habits that feel easy and efficient, never really questioning whether they are body friendly movements, until it begins to protest. That is the intent of this thread - to help inspectors avoid dead end streets. Permit us to spare you the pain. As, Jim has already suggested in another thread - there's so much more to inspecting than tools. And, as Kurt has suggested here, it pays to study body machanics a bit and be well aware of what it's capable of, and what it's not capable of.

For the most part, I agree. I've never been to one, but during my bout with my knees, I did get the best advice from my friend who is a chiropractor: use anti-inflammatory drugs as little as possible, since they are pretty hard on the liver, and use ice, which does the same thing in minutes. He was right about ice - almost instant relief. And, I do think there's a LOT to be said about posture. It's something that we all need to work on, and suffer from when we don't maintain it. He's right about the wallet in the back pocket too! If you've got sciatica, start by removing that wallet from your pocket. It's not good to sit on a lump all day. But, I'd never let a chiropractor touch me either. [:-graduat

Yeah, I really need to become religious about this one, as does every home inspector. Thanks for the admonishment, Mike, which I'll second: DO NOT GO INTO ATTICS AND CRAWLSPACES WITHOUT WEARING A NOSE/MOUTH RESPIRATOR WITH A P100 FILTER!

You know, I ran about fifteen years ago and really like it, once it became a habit (bordering on an addiction), but I'm truly worried that I'll get into it at 58 and suffer a ton of protesting, if not damaged, joints. And since my joints are perfect right now, I'm really reluctant to rock the boat. Stick with it, since it's already your habit. Kudos!

Ich glaube, dass Sie zu ihnen, weil sie in Deutschland hergestellt werden, Bruder teilweise sind. - Ihr Haus weg von Haus.

No, MIke, it's not devoted exclussively to repetative motion. It's about ways to avoid permanent injury through our inspection habits and methods. So, feel free to add anything that helps others avoid physical injury. (Regarding your tool bag. I strategically place it ahead of myself at the exit of spaces I'm entering. I developed what I affectionately call "the mouse technique" - running (walking) the length of every wall in the place - testing outlets windows and doors as I go. I view the ceiling and wall as I enter and leave, grabbing my tool bag as I leave the space.) Regarding respirators: I'm not always good at wearing one in crawlspaces, but I have DEFINITELY noticed that, even when the crawlspaces look quite tame, if I don't wear it, when I lay down to sleep at night, I'll be somewhat stopped up (just standard allergies). That's a pretty good reason to wear a respirator in crawlspaces - so you can breathe easy at night.

199.2 lbs and continueing to drop. The Adkins diet rocks! I lost a ton last time I did it (2001). The diet makes sense. Carbs become sugar in the body, and if it isn't burned by the end of the day, you'll wear it tomorrow. It's not a fun diet, because it means you have to say goodbye to most of the crap we like - my favorites are dark chocolate (I can mainline the stuff), and a variety of seasoned potato chips (I miss them). Walking is next. A couple of years ago, I lost twenty-nine pounds, in about nine months, just walking forty minutes a day (about two miles).

I've printed yours, Jerry, and Jim's. And, if I ever get a spare moment, I plan to read them both and learn. I'm usually not one to offer much criticism, unless it's really something important you may wish to re-think. I plan more to learn from the masters and maybe use the experience and report writing of others to enhance my own. "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." ~Proverbs 27:17

Perfect, Joe! You're doing it the way I should have been all along. I did all you do, but when I finally had the cover held at the bottom, by my right hand, I'd pull away the top edge and grasp it firmly with me left hand. Then, I'd release the bottom of the cover and lower it to the floor with my left, which was eventually hell on my elbow. The tendon running through my elbow finally began to protest. Now, like you, I lower the cover to the floor with two hands. You're wise.

This thread is a collection of truths that the veteran home inspectors have experienced and concluded, regarding repetitive motion and injury. It is for the benefit of the younger upcoming inspectors, so they don't repeat our mistakes. This is basically a thread where the veterans can tell the younger guys "what NOT to do", for their bodies sake, because it's only logical that, if you do something stupid long enough, you'll pay for it. Kurt pretty well summed it in another thread: "Every one of us would be well served by studying the basic nursing skill of body mechanics. I did years ago, and it's served well." If you don't believe and heed that truth, then someday you'll be making posts similar to this one and those to follow it. We only get one body in our lifetime, It's wise to study it enough to know what it's capable of, and what it's not capable of. I've always tried to think like that. It's precisely why I never got in the habit of keeping my wallet in my back pocket. If you sit on your wallet every day of your life, eventually the wallet wins and your posture and spine alignment loose. About a year ago, I was enjoying the company of a chiropractor, who readily admitted: "One of the best friends of a chiropractor is a man's wallet." And, on that note, here, again, are my three observations, which were born out of pretty severe pain, that went away when I changed my physical habits: 1. Realize that your leg only bends front to back. Don't perform a task that relies upon it to resist side to side pressure, like trying to rock a toilet with the side of your leg. Eventually, the toilet wins and your knee looses (inflammation and pain). 2. Don't get in the habit of easing electrical panel covers down to the floor, held from the top with one hand. This bad practice also took about twelve years to come home to roost. Eventually the panel cover wins, and your elbow looses (inflammation and pain) 3. Don't wear a tool belt or pouch! This one has been discussed before, and all the supermen out there will insist they've done it for years. So did I. But, it goes back to the truth of Kurt's original statement, and you can ask any chiropractor on the planet, if you have any doubt. If you hang five to ten pounds of weight on one side of your spine for fifteen to twenty years, what do you think is going to happen? Well let's see: natives tied flat boards to the forehead of their babies, and the kid's forehead grew out flat. Native women successively added rings to their necks, and their necks became astoundingly long. But, you're going to hang a weight to one side of your spine for twenty years, and nothing's going to happen? Back pain is about spinal alignment, which in turn is all about posture, balance and symmetry. Don't tempt fate. Think about it. DON'T WEAR A TOOL BELT OR POUCH. Unless, of course, you just like slipped and herniated discs. Then, by all means, wear one. So, veteran HI's: If you have a similar "word to the wise" bit of advice for the up and coming on how to preserve their physical well being, post it here. And, here's hoping that the aspiring veteran home inspectors take heed and enjoy very long and healthy careers in a great profession. All the best!

Well, I originally started the post to warn guys about things NOT to do, in terms of inspecting methods and habits that you'll end up paying for. But, alas...

Actually, I DO have one other "don't do it, regarding inspection methods - breaker panel covers: I used to remove the screws and pin the top of the panel against the wall and lift away the bottom of the panel with my right hand. When I had a firm grip on the bottom of the panel, I'd then pull back the top of the panel cover and ease it to the floor. I used this method to ensure that It wasn't possible for the top of the panel cover to fall into the panel, because I knew the motor reaction would be to grip the bottom of the panel cover, when it fell, which could be electrifying. That worked well, except the easing the cover to the floor with the left arm. Finally the left elbow said the same thing, "You ease even one more panel cover to the floor like that, and I'm going to make you pay." - Tennis elbow. So, now I do it all the same way, except I pop the cover up a bit so I can grab the panel on the upper right side and ease it to the floor with two hands - End of tennis elbow. Regarding my pain threshold - My record ouch was driving a wood splinter about the size of a coffee stirrer clean through my leg. We're talking in at on place to come out about 2.5" further down my leg. when I told the the head waiter that I needed to go to the hospital, he asked why. So, I told him I had a splinter in my leg, to which he said, "Aw, does Mikey have a splinter?" So, I dropped trou right there, and when he saw the splinter he about passed out, and took me to the hospital. They had to pull it through. I wouldn't back out. Fun!

Aw, Tom, What would you do without us to cuss at and fall over when we all come off the lift? You must join us.

Actually, I just told a slight fib on the slidin' thread that I wish to clear up here, for the benefit of other home inspectors. I DID deal with some WICKED pain for two seasons, while learning to snowboard. The reason I'm sharing it here is that it turned out that it had very little to do with the beating I was taking learning to snowboard. So, do read this, because it may help you. About 2007, I began to develop pain in the joint of my left knee. It got worse pretty fast, and soon any time I bent that knee much beyond about 125 degrees, or so, it would make me yelp. The few times I slid on algae and did an accidental full bend back of that knee, it would darn near pass me out the pain was so massive. It would cause me to just lay there - not move for a while, recovering from that instant agony. I'm pretty tough. I've damn near cut my thumb off with my trowel; run a hedge clipper into my leg, foregone stitches a few times, etc. but this was quickly becoming un-manageable. So, I got an x-ray, MRI, and tried physical therapy, but none of those efforts revealed the cause or eased the pain. Finally, one day I figured at out, and as soon as I did, within six months I bounced back to 100%. 1. I was getting out of my truck wrong. As I turned out of my truck, I would lift myself up with my trailing leg still in the car on the floor board. That was causing my knee joint to flex ninety degrees opposed (sideways) to the direction it's designed to bend. But, that was only about one third of the cause... 2. The BIG offender, was the motion I used to test toilets to see if they were loose. I was doing three inspections a day, so that's a minimum of nine toilets a day. Each one, I'd walk up, place my foot beside the toilet and try to rock the toilet with the side of my leg. Well, guess what? The knee doesn't bend that way. So, after about fourteen years of that (probably about 40,000 toilets), my knee finally said, "If you rock even one more toilet like that, I'm going to make you pay." And boy did it. Now I'm back to 100%. So, a word to the wise: if you're going to use your leg to rock toilets, USE THE BACK OF IT - NOT THE SIDE. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. If you have a repetitive motion warning regarding method, add it.

195 used to be my freak-out point back in my bricklaying days. Of course I looked like a body builder back then too, which is depressing. But, I turn 58 in ten days, and it's time to get skinny. As I've declared for year, Ilm shooting fo 120 years old. Why not? I get a cold about every five years. I've only he'd the flu twice. I just don't get sick. I haven't seen a hospital since I got my tonsis removed at age twelve. No aches no pains - NONE. At my age, that's a miracle and a blessing. So, I'm goin' for it. We need to put together an East Coast Appalachian Mountain Snow Sport get together. I suppose we can even permit skiers...

Alright little brother Ben, This is your official notice. I'm down six pounds in six days (206 to 200), and headed for 187, by snowboarding season, thanks to Mr. Adkins (may he rest I peace). Conditioning is next. Get ready... [:-gnasher