mgbinspect

I don't do CDs anymore, I download directly from audible.com to my phone, and play it via my bluetooth speaker on the visor. Latest really good book: The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire That Saved America ~Timothy Egan What a great book! It tells of the beginning or the US Forest Service - back when the government, contrary to Teddy's wishes, treated the Service like a step-child, since timber was big business. The fire was the largest wild fire in American history (3.2 MIL acres burned across three states, and 89 firefighters lost their lives. The smoke stretched 1000 miles at one time reaching up 3000 feet. Congress tried to pass the buck (downplaying the fact that they never adequately funded the Service to do their job, because saw it as in the way of big business - timber.), claiming that if the forests had been privately managed (clear-cut for the timber), the fire never would have been so devastating. The surviving Rangers, never were compensated a dime for their injuries (burns, blindness, etc. and none of them received any type of award or recognition. The government really turned it's back on them. In the end, they doubled the budget for the Service. But that was it. The accounts of heroism and death are amazing and sad. It made the movie Backdraft, seem like a little kitchen fire.

"Unclear on Concept" Good point... [:-tophat]

I agree with Kurt. There was some form of ornate finish there at one time that is no more, and the mortar wash was applied to cover rough masonry - not intended to be seen.

One would think that if it was stress from differential movement, the glass would more likely shatter, than simply crack. I lean toward Mike's assessment - thermal expansion - quick change in temperature maybe?

"and not thinking about myself, which seldom happens,... " OK, John - That was funny. I literally busted out laughing. I really need to stop in here more often... Priceless... [:-hspin]

I usually give them my price, and without any pause, offer all of my years of construction and inspecting experience (1972 - present), and tell them, "Be sure to ask everyone you call what they're experience and background is." Usually, after a momentary pause they say, "Well, when are you available?" It's pretty funny that if someone is about to have heart surgery, they want the best doctor in town, but when they go to make the biggest single investment of their life, they want the cheapest home inspector and never even think to question an inspector's credibility or qualifications. BRILLIANT! [:-banghea

Richmond, VA has a ton of homes ranging between the mid 1800s and early 1900s with plaster walls and ceilings over wood lath. Any time moisture intrudes for a long period of time through plaster, efflorescence is the end result. I can't think of a time I observed it being the result of high humidity. It is typically a roofing/flashing issue or missing mortar in solid masonry walls.

Translation: Alright everybody - break it up and go home.. []

But, Mark (and Chad I guess), I am not grasping how that explains stresses able to separate the sealed tabs from the shingle below, well after installation. It seems there has to be some un-checked expansion and contraction going on - possibly exacerbated by the racking?

Apparently, more stress is being applied to the single tabs than intended, which causes me to return to the suspicion of inadequate or improper fastening. The surface is moving more than it's supposed to?

Could it be a material defect? It seems that the shingle tabs have never properly sealed down. Shingle tabs don't easily release once they have sealed.

Yeah, not only is it more prone to rust, etc., but structurally speaking, it is supposed to be well into the concrete to work properly in harmony. I hated reinforced steel concrete construction - not fun, and I've got some wicked scars from being lacerated by it in merely walking by.

Not to mention rebar is never supposed to be closer than 1.5" to the surface of concrete - a sloppy installation doomed from the start.

A lack of proper fastening can cause this. Many times when you see long lines of vertical or horizontal cracking, it is the result of excessive expansion and contraction permitted by either high nailing (which often doesn't catch the top edge of the lowest row of shingles), or not nailing according to the manufacturer's nailing pattern (typically using less fasteners). High nailing can be particularly devastating. When I was working with home owner's insurance claims departments, I often saw shingles that were prematurely destroyed by the excessive expansion and contraction resulting from improper or inadequate fastening. If you return to the property, I'll bet you can lift shingles to find no nail heads in locations that there should have been nails.

I no longer spend money on CDs, but have found it far more affordable to simply download books onto my android phone from audible.com. Here are the latest books I've listened to and thoroughly enjoyed: The Civil War: A Narrative, Volumes I, II & III Author: Shelby Foote This is the most thorough and pretty descriptive accounts of both the politics and tactics of the Civil War - all offered in chronology. Some of the information about Abraham Lincoln is interesting. In The Hands of Providence - Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War Author: Alice Rains Trulock Joshua Chamberlain - A hero's Life and Legacy John J. Pullen This is an account of the entire life of Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain who, to my surprise, was instrumental in many more battles than Gettysburg. Joshua was living proof that quick thinking decisive leadership of troops was not limited to graduates of West Point or VMI. Many times during the Civil War, Joshua did the improbable, if not the impossible - often specifically asked to do so by his superiors, who knew that if anyone could lead troops against overwhelming odds, Joshua could. Consequently, more than once he spent a night among the dead and dying - trapped in no man's land between the two armies after being the spear head of Union attacks. He was wounded several times and returned to duty as soon as possible every time. After the war, he returned to his job as a college professor at Bowdin College, and finally died from complications of his wounds at a grand old age. Memoirs of General William T. Sherman Still listening to it...

The whole process was new to me, but very well thought out. The base was gravel covered by a layer of crusher run, which was all compacted with a plate tamper. Then, the pavers were laid into place - no worries regarding getting them to the perfect height because the entire installed system received three passes with a plate tamper. A few pieces would break during that process needing to be replaced. Finally, they came behind us and filled in the voides, to within about an inch of the top with soil and seed, and presto! It was the first part of a three phased project, and the pavers never settled or bbubuckled. It was pretty cool.

Believe it or not, they've been around for quite some time. I installed them for the first time at a Magnavox plant outside of Wahington DC., in the mid-eighties. Their original intent was to be a nice way to have over-flow parking, without suffering devastation of a lawn during the intermittent times that it became a parking lot. They are perfectly flat and as smooth as any concrete masonry unit, so they actually can be shoveled or plowed, without too much consequence. The voids, that turf grow up through are only a few inches, so it's pretty hard to catch an edge, as long as the shovel or plow blade is pretty flat and wide.

[:-thumbu] Isn't it a bit odd that it cracked there, with a control joint so close by?

That's impressive - clean as a whistle. I wouldn't have expected it to do that well myself. [:-thumbu]

That's absolutely true! The irony is that world wide markets make it possible to eat, as if we are hunters and foragers, without ever leaving the neighborhood. I suspect that eating as if we are hunters and foragers, is best for us health wise, which doesn't altogether rule out gardening or livestock - just processed foods. I similarly wonder about the rule of eating lots of small meals. It seems that in the beginning, we probably lived lives of constant feast and famine - just like a pack of lions. Some days we ate, and some days we didn't. I wonder if irregular eating doesn't keep all of the body mechanics functioning properly. When we first arrived on the continent, the native Americans found it strange that we ate by the clock. [:-magnify

That's always made sense to me. It's pretty obvious that we started out as hunters and foragers, and it's pretty easy to eat as if we still are. Well, off to Dunkin' Donuts! [:-tophat]

Huh? Well, I received them anyway, but am under strict orders not to release 'em. I don't think Bain will mind my saying they're pretty dang hot though... [:-hspin]

I must take a moment to thank all of my fellow home inspectors and friends, here at TIJ, for all you do. We each have our strengths and weaknesses. It's priceless to have a place where we can come to learn from our peers and share what we know. And, I can't think of any other site where the brain-storming and comradery happens in such a civil and gracious manner, seasoned with a lot of mutual respect and good humor. 2011 has been an interesting year, and I know a lot of you have been through some fairly rough times. But, hard times are far better for us than comfort. It's the tough times that force us to discover who we truly are and come to understand what we really want and need. In that respect, the last few years have probably blessed us all beyond our ability to measure or truly appreciate. And, I'm sure that each of us can make a dollar go twice as far as it did a few short years ago. That alone is a significant mile post. Please know that I appreciate EVERY home inspector here, and consider each of you a great and valued friend and invaluable consultant. I wish all of you the best year you've ever had. [:-party] Happy New Year, brothers! [:-party]

Now, that was funny... [:-hspin] Still laughing... [^] There's a joint here called Carytown Burgers and Fries. The place is always slammed. I went there about a month ago, which I only do a couple times a year. As I sat eating one of their damn near orgasmic burgers - smothered in bacon and nestled between the two halves of one of their extra large and cotton candy soft buns - piled high with a picture perfect stack of: American cheese; vividly green lettuce; a slice of red onion and a slice of tomato, I wondered what the secret was to their, one of a kind good taste, burgers, but quickly concluded that was kinda like throwing on the light during great sex. I returned to eating my burger, as I held it well away from myself so i didn't end up wearing any of it... [:-graduat

[:-snorkel