mgbinspect

Thanks to the time of year and a foot of snow, I haven't done an inspection since last Friday morning. And, as I showered and mentally prepared for my 2:00 PM inspection the thought arises - my truck's been sitting in the driveway for four days under a blanket of snow with the GPS plugged in, on and charging. [:-sour] I'm about to deal with a dead battery... RATS! [:-weepn] Don't forget to unplug your GPS for extended down times!

The first and automatic thing I start doing as soon as I see anything like those is trying to locate a filler cap flush with the ground in typically a five for or so foot radius of those vents. If you don't find filler caps, it's probably abandoned, but still could have oil in it, or be empty and a possible future problem due to collapse. In the city of Richmond, they must be removed now and some degree of soil contamination is typical.

I've never seen a bomb shelter built at a residence during WWII, but they were quite popular during the Kennedy - Cuban missile crisis. I had a friend who's pop put one in their back yard, as did several others in the area. It was back when we as children were being basically told, based upon the time it took us to get home, whether we had tiime to run home and be incinerated with the rest of the fam or at school under a desk or face into a hill side. Great memories.. Of course we all knew that the bomb shelter just delayed the inevitable, since you can't come out for something like 7 years without dying from radiation. Growing up in Washington DC meant we were toast for sure...

Most of them are and therein is the initial rub for me. I could see paying for a client delivered, through a service, but paying for a maybe.. nah.. Having been a 100% commissioned salesman in the 80's, this whole scheme is flawed from the start. You don't get paid for leads, you get paid for delivering the exact goods ordered on time and in good condition. The fact was, that I could actually deliver a "sold" client to the company and if they didn't service him right and he didn't follow through to delivery, I didn't get a cent - no check til the fat lady sings. I tried to explain to one of these service reps that I'd consider paying for an actual "done deal" inspection - sure. But for leads that I still have to work and can get off the hook - that ain't much of a service. He didn't have much to say after that. I guess the real "magic" is how much money they make for doing so little. Wouldn't it be nice if we could get paid to deliver home inspection reports that read, "It might be a good house and it might not. But,Thanks for your business!"

Yup, most of the time vents for old underground fuel storage tanks around here (and there are a TON of them), have come straight up with a little mushroom style cap over them, but now and then they'll just be turned down like that. Had I simply walked up on them, that would have been my automatic assumption - underground tanks.

Twin abandoned underground fuel storage tanks?

Well they look like vents, but for what?

Who'd have ever imagined it possible - inspection by cat-scan.

Richard, In answer to your question, Bill is only showing a couple of frames of the extremely rare, coveted and PETA disdained instructional video - Testing Split-Ductless AC Systems by Cat. Only a handful of inspectors were even aware of its existence until Bill let the cat out of the bag (no pun intended) by flaunting his copy here. I myself have been searching high and low for one and am crushed to learn that he has landed one. Well, I guess congratulations are in order Bill. I'm so jealous...

Well, there ya go! It's a pretty good bet that's the original furnace based upon our insights and the house age, unless you see evidence of previous electric baseboard heating. Gee, now that I think about it, I honestly have no earthly clue when electric baseboard heating came on the scene. It may not be an applicable factor here. Any insights from the brain trust? Enjoy your weekend!

Bring back any memories, Kurt? Click to Enlarge 95.42 KB

Yeah, Nolan! That's the ticket, but on a much smaller scale. I actually carry a regular bathroom hand mirror which I use now and then to see in attics and around corners in conjunction with my camera. I also use it to employ sunlight to inspect flues from the rooftop - beats any candle power light on the market. (still carry a million candle light though. They're fantastic.) It sure comes in handy. At any rate, again, if anyone has seen an inspector quality periscope, I want one!

This raises a thought in my mind regarding these old reliable Sherman Tank heating systems. Why hasn't anyone ever developed an aftermarket add-on untit to take the exhaust and wring out a lot of the remaining heat - or have they? It should be a pretty affordable retro-fit producing a pretty handsome return. Anyone ever seen anything like that?

I agree with Brandon. It was configured this way by the manufacturer, probably to recover some of the heat loss in exhaust to pre-heat return air - high tech for it's day. Seeing the burner setup would be a great help in guessing its age, but simply based upon the cabinet color and the appearance of the information plate (dating myself) I'd guess that furnace is pushing 45 to 50 years old.

I couldn't see buying one of these, but there are times when I have desperately wished I had a periscope to peer just a couple more feet over an edge or around a corner. Sometimes the 32' ladder isn't quite enough or wires prevent using it. I've never seen a good professional quality periscope, has anyone else run across one that was really worth latching onto? Those little helos they make these days are amazing. I started working at the local airport part time on the ramp (directing and fueling aircraft) while working on my pilot's license. One of the other students gave us ramp guys one to play with. They're just like the real deal, but wouldn't stand up to a K-9. If anyone has run across a really GOOD and USEFUL periscope, I'd love to hear about it.

It's 8" diameter with a few feet of horizontal before hooking up with a masonry chimney (9 X 13) so I suppose it cools down darn fast. It was just odd for an oil-burner around here - especially at every joint and hole. And, yes, Bill, the chimney is on the rear exterior wall - the NW wall, at that - never sees the sun.

The photos below are of an exhaust system for a 1966 oil-fired furnace Of course I wrote it up as a suspected oil-burner adjustment problem and called for the works. I'm curious what is causing this peculiar type of residue and leaching. I know that H20 is a big biproduct of natural gas exhaust, but I wasn't as sure about fuel oil. Could it be a restricted flue? Thought maybe someone will recognize this specific condition. Thanks in advance. Mike Click to Enlarge 42.19 KB Click to Enlarge 56 KB

Does it really take off, Chad, or merely yield to the heat and flame? Just curious...

Well, the damage is already done (web site) and we'll see how it plays out. Of course, the final say so is always mine. They'll have to convince me the need is legit. And, honestly, Richard, you know yourself, human nature being as it is, probably no one is going to call this in. It's no different than rebates, which I have a $100.00 on sitting around now - everyone means to, but few follow through. I actually DO hope that some agents and buyers do notice, appreciate and use the program exactly as intended, but we'll see. The "idea" that we home inspectors would promise that "no one will ever buy a house without a home inspection because they could not afford one" is, to my way of thinking, just plain kind and noble. And, if I have to suffer a few jerks to see it through, so be it. Like Jimminy Cricket used to say, "Let your conscience be your guide.".. Boy, did I just age myself! I may still mountain bike, hike and snowboard, but I'm getting old. We'll let this be both a charity and social experiment and I'll keep you all posted on how things play out. It could be entertaining!

Whew! I don't see them very often, but speaking of the devil, I just opened a Siemens today about 6 hours ago. [:-bigeyes I once simply backed out a panel cover screw (the cover screw that legitimately came with the panel mind you) and it cut into one of the main entry lines, tripping the main breaker after spot-welding the screw and panel cover to the box in a major fireworks show . It happened so fast I didn't even have time to be scared! I'm never in a hurry around the electric panel and absolutely refuse to remove the cover, if I am forced to be off balance to do so. I want to be ready and able to move or be moved in case something happens.

MY record disaster restoration project was a frozen pipe deal in 1990 - $40,000.00 damage. The poor fellow left for Boston. We had a low of zero and a lot of parts of town lost power. He had a boiler and radiators, so when we lost power, his cast iron radiators froze and burst. Then, when the power came back on and things thawed out, his auto-fill valve flooded the place and he came home to a basement full of water with water flowing out from under the front door as he was nervously eased the key into the front door lock. Some clairvoyant recycler had wisely hoarded radiators and I found myself buying radiators from him down in Austin Texas for $700.00 a piece to get the job done. Of course the insurance company was footing the bill, but it was funny how it all played out.

Gosh, I learn more every day about you guys. I would have never in a million years figured Bill Kilbbel for a rapper. I'm stupified...

Bruce, I hear and appreciate what you're saying. I've been around for a while and they'll have to convince me that their situation is REAL. I'll be leaning on the honor system knowing full well that honor is a rare quality. In otherwords, I'm bound to give away more than I should, but that's OK - better that than the alternative. I promise you this. If it ends up being a rout, I'll be sure to let you know.

Awesome Bill! I love the way your company thinks. I've never done a home inspection for free. not yet anyway, and I have no plans to. They'll have to pay me something. We'll be striking a deal that my heart says is acceptable under the circumstance.

I added a line in my reporting system to identify "freeze vulnerable" pipes and fixtures about two year ago. I wish I could say it was the result of a miraculuous revelation from above, but I noticed it as a line item on another reporting system. That's why we're all here isn't it - to share and learn? It's a great warning for our clients that may save them an expensive lesson.