mgbinspect

Just what the doctor ordered - very nice. Thanks Jim.

\In all honesty, I'm not sure myself. I just notice the option to search "non-archived posts" and assume maybe some aren't available? I do remember posting about a similar unit that was suspended horizontal from the floor joists and Les identified it. Unfortunately, I don't accurately recall what he said it was. I thought it had to do with the water heater that is beside it, but I don't recall the connection.

Well, either I didn't make the original post (could have sworn that I did), or it's been archived. Sorry I can't help.

Unless I'm mistaken, I believe Les identified one of these a few years back for me. I'll try to dig up the original post, and we'll hope Les saves the day.

Here's another first - The photos below are of the vent hoods for the half bathroom and microwave exhaust fan, both of which vent through the soffit. Obviously, these flapper style vent covers aren't going to function as intended when installed at the underside of a soffit. I'm really not crazy about the kitchen exhaust fan venting this way because it's difficult to confirm that the junctions are airtight. In fact it's doubtful that they are. While I toy with the wording of the deficiency, I am wondering if anyone is aware of a similar self-closing vent cover that is well suited for this location? I suppose one could always turn them out ninety degrees and keep the current vents, but is would be ugly. Any thoughts? Click to Enlarge 23.39 KB Click to Enlarge 37.5 KB

Marc That clears it up nicely. Thanks Marc!

Little WHATS!!!! - Don't get me started. Between typing with two thumbs, and a phone that wants to anticipate and insert what you were about to type, you can't win. It may be time to turn off the smart-spell feature. That's not to suggest that I can spell, because I struggle with spelling. But, sometimes when I see what ended up on the screen, it's pretty clear that smart spell got me again. I've actually watched it change a word right before my eyes. I sure wish you had caught that one earlier.

Yeah, I know. I was just going to do it for the entertainment. But, I think I'll just skip it and change out the shower head. Thanks for the advice though, David. Over and out...

For those interested, I haven't changed out my shower head yet, because I plan to actually do the experiment. With that in mind, here is what I plan to do in case anyone feels a better procedure is needed. 1. Have a piece of drywall with flat paint on it in the bathroom. (I'll probably lay it down on the vanity top to prevent the backside from being exposed to the humidity, so all things will be equal.) 2. Run the shower for 20 minutes. 3. Wipe down the semi-gloss surface so surface moisture doesn't throw off the measurements. 4. Use a both a probe moisture meter and a Tramex Moisture Encounter to compare the moisture content of both drywall materials - front and back. (I hope latex semi-gloss paint won't corrupt the measurements.) Any suggestions for a more scientific approach?

Perfect! That's precisely what I needed and will save it to my link library. Thanks Mike. PS. Around here, there is a pebble-dash, which is quite popular - gaudy I think. It has little river rocks ranging in size between large peas to marbles.

It seems somewhere back in my dusty memory banks I've even heard the mumber 115 thrown out.

OK, all you stucco experts out there: What is the name for this traditional stucco finish that looks like the stucco was literally spattered on. They actually used a tool that flicked it on the surface with metal tines like you'd see in an old music box. It's not pebble-dash - no pebbles. Just strait consistently spattered cement stucco. Click to Enlarge 130.04 KBfield.

I don't know why your son said load was the factor in arcing distance on medium and high voltage power lines. It's the voltage level and the presence or absence of sharp or pointed conductor surfaces that matters. Loading, when within the line's specs, has nothing to do with arcing distance. Show your son that 2nd photo in your OP. Ask him if he thinks that could be 2400 V. To me, the line on top seems to me to be the hot wire and the insulator securing it to the top of the pole is too small for the higher voltages. Marc Hey Marc, My son, Keith, was fortunate to land such a fine job right out of the Navy. He's gone on to run an airport ramp, which is more to his liking, since he worked a Catapult on the USS John C Stennis for four years. That's where I worked part time and worked toward my pilot's license (thanks only to substantially reduced flight time and fuel charges - membership has its privileges). Of course anything he understands about electrict is the result of a few apprentice classes, personal field experience and shop talk. So, he can very well be wrong - a bit of hear-say and superstition. I asked for his thoughts sight unseen, so you probably know better what we're looking at than he does.. I can only tell you that transmission line continues on to other properties.

That's a good point, Jim, I had not thought to mention the potential for arcing in the report. I just texted my son and asked him what he's actually witnessed with 7600 Volts. He texted back, "I've seen some crazy sh*t, I'd say maybe six feet. But it all comes down to load. Voltage matters little. Load is everything. A single house on a single tap line, the load is gonna be minimal. A tap line with a few houses like what you describe will have more load. I've watched 100,000 volts explode." I remember that when he worked in the outer banks, he said when a buried line failed at the beach, they'd just dig along the line, where they suspected the failure was, until the sand bagan to become glass - bingo!

No, I wouldn't bother. It's beyond the scope of the inspection. What your son said. In all my years, I've never seen a distribution line insulated. 2400 & 7600 are older common voltages for distribution lines. The trend now is towards 13.8 KV which is usually adjusted to just over 14 KV by the utilities to better tolerate voltage drops over long distances. Whether it's 7.6 or 13.8 really doesn't matter, you're toast either way if you bridge the gap between it and the earth. When I was in my single digits, I tossed a kite string over the distribution line in our front yard. I don't know why I did it, but I happen to let go of it just in time to see it vanish into a line of sparks and smoke. It likely made a loud noise because the neighbor came running out his front door across the street. I was badly hard-of-hearing at that time and didn't hear anything. Marc You know what I found shocking (no pun intended)? I was watching a show in Discovery Channel about the transmission lines that cross the country and all that goes in to maintaining them. (I used to work part-time at our local airport fueling aircraft. One of the regular customers was the helo that hovered over the lines with a thermal imaging camara to see and document the insulators that were begining to fail, so they can be replaced.) But, the one thing they said in that show that I found amazing was that, if a good ground got within 11' - 8" of the highest voltage lines out there, the current would jump that arc! Now that's freaky.

Of course, all transmission lines crossing the country from tower to tower are bare conductors. But, only in rural areas will they be seen feeding a house. Then, just the drop will be covered. That's why I called my son. He was a groundsman for several years in the Outer Banks and on the mainland. He said the only time they used covered wire was in very special cases where it was running through the woods with a high probability of shorting out. Last time I suggested that the home owner send a certified letter to the power company laying out the concerns. That way, the power company's attorneys will have to decide whether they want total liability for not eliminating the potential disaster.

(Mostly because I could imagine the buyer's #&@ little brat of a son doing it.) [:-propell

Well, here's an interesting one for the brain trust: I see this about once a year: It's a rural property. About 20 feet from the back porch is a utility pole with a step-down transformer and a service drop from the transformer to the house. The pole is probably 21 feet tall +.-. Primary and neutrals lines of bare twisted copper run the length of the property (probably 100 yards) at an average of 17 - 20 feet off the ground. Click to Enlarge 41.7 KB Click to Enlarge 147.1 KB I gave my son a shout (he used to work for the local power company) and he said the primary is probably pushing 7600 volts - standard procedure to be bare wire. And, my son readily admits that people have been killed by leaning something conductive up against that wire, but the power company probably won't change it out for a covered wire. I plan to include a BIG warning about the potential of accidental electrocution since they have kids. Would you?

I would also guess that it is an abandoned underground drainage system for the downspouts? When they fail, they can really cause problems with moisture intursion into the basement.

Terence McCann is your man. You're talking his old stomping ground for many years. He can tell you more than you ever needed to know. If you need the info quick shoot him a PM or e-mail.

It was indeed, I meant to say so myself, Marc. (Big envelopes and big offering plates.)

In general, I don't have time to polish my own writing. Far too many mistakes are passing through my outbox these days. However, I couldn't help but notice that you tended to mix up "elude" and "allude" twice in the last 24 hrs. Also, "fewer" and "less" this morning. - Jim in Oregon (Used up my grammar advice for the week.) [:-thumbu] That's precisely what I'm talking about. Be merciless. Crack the whip. I'll thank you for it.

It's a trap that I fall into all the time. Sometimes, if I have time before sending out a report, I'll do a search for "may." I nearly always find at least one place where I misused it. - Jim Katen, Oregon Well, since writing is a passion to me (even if it isn't obvious [:-wiltel]), PLEASE never hesitate to polish my word-smithing. It will ALWAYS be welcome and greatly appreciated.

I think you should have used "might" instead of "may." With "may," you're saying the opposite of what you intend. - Jim Katen, Oregon Great catch! Thanks. It's too late for this report, but I'll make that needed change in the smart-comments. Thanks Jim. [:-graduat

"The drain line for the utility sink in the attached garage does not appear to join up with the central waste water system. It may go to a gray water system - a sump designed to re-introduce the water directly to the earth. These systems were common many years ago, but are no longer approved in most areas. Attach the drain line to the central waste water system."