mgbinspect

Thanks Mike. I'll be sure to post any concerns I find here at the forum. So, does the correct softer mix of mortar typically have a lighter shade such as in this picture? How can the condition of the adjoining units affect this one? John, this is where it gets a bit tricky. As I'm confident Bill will agree, if the brick is as hard as nails, then mortar hardness is far less of a concern. So start there. If the brick appears well fired (dark shades of red and very dense and hard), there probably isn't that high a potential for future damage, even if they did use a harder mortar. But, if the brick are poorly fired - lighter shades of red and porous/soft, then mortar compatiability becomes critical. All of that aside, another more cosmetic tragedy in re-pointing is bringing the new mortar out flush to the face of the brick, if the brick edges have weathered (rounded). Doing this makes the joints appear fatter than they actually are , because of the rounded brick edges (simple geometry). If the bricks are weathered, you need to stop the mortar right where the weathering of the brick edge begins, and slick the surface right there. Make sense?

John, regarding turn of the century mortar: My pop was one of the assistants to the Architect to the US Capital. They elected to have the Capital power Plant re-pointed (built around the same time as your subject house). The masonry contractor came back to my dad asking for a considerable change-order, because the mortar was so hard. They flatly abandoned the project. It was not a Portland based mortar. (Not all lime based mortars are soft. If it's mixed and cured properly it can be quite hard.)

Ha, we were typing at the same time, Bill. Didn't mean to step on your toes.

Looks like a decent re-pointing job (materials compatability aside.) And, it looks like a decent brick. If things look as nice close up as they do in this picture, I'd simply mention that re-pointing is a science, which if done wrong, can accelerate deterioration. You have no way of knowing how it was done. Feel free to shoot me closeup pics of any area that concerns you, John.

You're probably correct. I've heard that species mentioned often. The older woods must indeed be rot resistant, because the deterioration is typically so isolated that the joist appears notched. Only the crush of the remaining wood, evidenced in the grain of the wood, and the appearance of the other unaffected joists tip you off that it's deterioration. It could be Douglas Fir, from the appearance of those joists. Or Pine, certainly a softwood, of which Fir is best. That's what I think too, John. I can't identify the exact species, but that certainly appears to be a fairly clear grained softwood. I have seen some oak joists and studs here, and it's pretty hard to miss (typically rough-cut).

Bill, I am interested to learn how you handle this situation. There are a lot of inspectors here that will ride, in like a cowboy, and condemn the whole floor system - calling for major invasive repairs. I'm very much opposed to that. I always warn my clients that there's about a 50/50 chance they'll deal with a buyer listening to one of those cowboy inspectors, when they sell the place. So, they should be sure to disclose the condition of the floor system, and make it an "as is" situation - non-negotiable. If you don't like it, don't waste our time with an offer - period. Most of the cowboys insist that all affected joists be sistered from bearing point to bearing point, which I understand is the latest requirement. But, I see it as absurd overkill - especially when it's just the bearing end of the joist that is in question. Fortunately, an engineer can supersede code around here, so I tell folks to avoid the unreasonable constraints of the code by getting an engineer instead. They'll probably save a ton of money that way. I typically suggest lifting all the joists with a properly sized steel lintel (upside down) or a steel channel, and bolt it to the foundation. Of course, that won't work with stone. As a backup, I suggest beams on columns (or piers) on proper footings just inside the foundation. What's your typical recommendation? When I inspect the building it: A) Needs to be repaired. B) Has already been adequately repaired. C) Has had a lame attempt at a repair. In this area, almost every repair has been to simply add beams, supported by posts or columns. About 35-40% of these repairs are well executed and will support the affected joists for another century. The other 60-65% of the attempts at repairs are bits of lumber assembled to look like it might be doing something. Click to Enlarge 58.82 KB Do you ever make a general stab at what you feel is the best direction to go, regarding the method of repair or reinforcement? I am willing just from the standpoint of trying to preserve any historical features or appearance. BTW, I just hung up from talking to my favorite structural engineer, who pretty much agreed with my attitude and position regarding the condition of this particular floor framing. I'll refer them to him, if they wish an engineeer. He's a geological structural engineer - a soils guy. He explained that most of richmond is clay over what must have been swamp. The good news - settlement happens fast and when the water's squished out of the soil, it finds equalibrium.

I suspect I've seen that a number of times and didn't have a clue that's what it was. Cool. Bill, I am interested to learn how you handle this situation. There are a lot of inspectors here that will ride, in like a cowboy, and condemn the whole floor system - calling for major invasive repairs. I'm very much opposed to that. I always warn my clients that there's about a 50/50 chance they'll deal with a buyer listening to one of those cowboy inspectors, when they sell the place. So, they should be sure to disclose the condition of the floor system, and make it an "as is" situation - non-negotiable. If you don't like it, don't waste our time with an offer - period. Most of the cowboys insist that all affected joists be sistered from bearing point to bearing point, which I understand is the latest requirement. But, I see it as absurd overkill - especially when it's just the bearing end of the joist that is in question. Fortunately, an engineer can supersede code around here, so I tell folks to avoid the unreasonable constraints of the code by getting an engineer instead. They'll probably save a ton of money that way. I typically suggest lifting all the joists with a properly sized steel lintel (upside down) or a steel channel, and bolt it to the foundation. Of course, that won't work with stone. As a backup, I suggest beams on columns (or piers) on proper footings just inside the foundation. What's your typical recommendation?

Will do, Mike. I do have a ton of books (all none fiction). This transition is something I've dreamed of doing for about ten years. As it stands right now, I just met with a couple, from a networking group I'm a member of, who will sell EVERYTHING I own, through an estate sale. I've always been pretty good about only keeping things that have genuine value, and it's about to pay off. When the guy arrived to assess the situation, he told me that almost everything I own will probably sell outright at the initial sale, and what doesn't will sell at his consignment shop or over the internet, in a matter of months. So, in a matter of days from the sale, I'll get a decent check, followed by several more on the 15th and 30th of each month until everything is sold. In a matter of days, I'll go from completely nailed down to a fixed spot on the planet to completely mobile. And, my cost to live will be reduced by another 50% or more (that will make the total I've reduced my cost to live in about two and a half years to about 75%) and my ability to save will skyrocket. I'm on track to be completely debt free in about a year or two. And, my life will be boiled down to simply the things that actually matter to me: Working; Saving; Seeing the kids and grand kids; wilderness hiking and biking; wildlife photography; Snowboarding and Travel. I still plan to do as many home inspections as ever - just get lean and mean on the living side, which seems prudent, based upon the times. If I decide it's time to relocate tomorrow, just turn the key and go. [:-thumbu]

My burdensome sense of naivety has been thrust into new territory... No pun intended, of course... Well, I'll assume that any books I've acquired are worthless - fire starters.

Will do, Jim... I think the closest I can get is "The Scarlet A".. [:-tophat]

I do have a training manual from an HVAC association, which Terence will quickly ask why I never read. when I get home I'll post it.

Interesting. I'm certainly not emotionally attached to them, and have no problem sending them to the landfill. I just kinda figured someone might want them. [:-wiltel]

I kinda thought Carson Dunlop was as serious as it gets. Oh well, it's all down hill from there. And, I can't part with my Architectural Graphic Standards. I'll be buried with it.

Well, after years of talking about it, I'm in the process of actually down-sizing to my travel trailer. That will make it possible to actually pay the bills on a mere four inspections a month. I'm kinda tired of the anchor of home ownership. I'll probably keep the house and rent it out. But the reason for this post is that a lot of decent HI stuff will need to find a new home. This first item is a real opportunity for a HI just getting started: The complete Carson Dunlop study at home series - in perfect condition. I never touched them. (I'm a little compulsive ((ya think?)) and got the series as reference material and a way to earn CEUs at home, but I like travel and seminars so much that I never used the series. I'm a CEU junkie. One year I think I racked up 54 CEUs.) At any rate, we're talking several three-ringed binders with the testing correspondence paperwork for each section. My original cost many moons ago was $3000. If you are interested, e-mail me and make me an offer. And, remember there will be shipping costs, as this is thousands of pages.

OK, here are photos from the crawlspace, which was a real challenge to navigate. I could only truly inspect about 15% of the floor framing. And, it was so tight that it was impossible to turn around, at the end of the ditch. I simply had to back out the way I came in. At any rate: Below is one of the beams on screw jacks which lift the floor joists off of the settled foundation bearing pockets. The screw jacks, thankfully, are on poured concrete footings. (As you can see, the clearance, based upon the brick coursing, is about 10" (except in the ditch). Click to Enlarge 61.39 KB Below is a good shot of a notched joist end lifted up off the settled foundation. The wood grain does suggest a species of pine, I guess. But I'll let you wood gurus make that call. (The decayed joist ends were visible, but not photographable. They were too far down the small space between foundation and the added beam to successfully photograph.) Click to Enlarge 47.52 KB Below is the best shot I have to identify the wood species. Click to Enlarge 50.83 KB Below is the ditch, with the dead end ahead. (love the wiring fastened to the temporary shoring... Yes!... [:-propell Click to Enlarge 44.06 KB Most of the shoring is decent - a good attempt, but then there's support like this. Oh well, I suppose it's been like this for easily twenty years or so, but I am going to offer a budget for the perfectionist. Click to Enlarge 47.08 KB All things considered, I told the folks that the overall condition of the place is great! Regarding the first floor framing, I said, "I guess the big question is what will happen if I don't do anything to the first floor framing? And, I think that nothing will happen - what you see is what you get. But, if you want someone to go down there and make every support perfect, budget between $5000 - $7000 which represents a lot of labor and cussing. One of the other homes here had major floor problems and it was easiest to simply pull up the flooring and plank sub-flooring to make the repairs.") The attic did have knob and tube wiring and plaster over wood lath ceiling, so no insulation to date. I made that priority number one. All of this is pretty normal for really old homes around here. The good news: Typically the wood on these old homes is kinda petrified - it reaches a point that fungus and wood boring insects can't deal with it any longer. Also, for some reason, most of the crawlspaces under these old homes are as dry as dust.

You're probably correct. I've heard that species mentioned often. The older woods must indeed be rot resistant, because the deterioration is typically so isolated that the joist appears notched. Only the crush of the remaining wood, evidenced in the grain of the wood, and the appearance of the other unaffected joists tip you off that it's deterioration.

As the oak floor joists/beams in many, much, much older homes throughout Europe seem to still be doing fine, I would suspect the wood species has a lot to do with it. What did they use? Good question. When I get home I'll dig up a photo, by which one of you wood sages can identify the species. This crawlspace had a 14" x 18" access and about 12"- 14" joists to earth clearance, so I was restricted to one ditch that offered about 14", and I had to excavate with my long screw driver to wiggle under a gas line. (It was one of those exhale to get through spots.) That ditch got me about half way to the front. Beyond that, only those skinny as a rail can go. Needless to say, photos are limited.

You know, I hadn't really given it much thought, but it definitely wasn't marble, so I bet you're on target, Les. It sure is prevalent here, Les - especially because so many flat roofs displace all the water from the entire roofing system at the rear foundation wall. So, the front joist ends usually fare well, but the back ones are typically a mess - slowly rotting away at the bottom bearing end.

Actually, I believe I posted a similar tank about two years ago and Les chimed in with an identification. I don't think it turned out to be an expansion tank. Terence, I'm drawing a blank: What's it called when you have tons of tubing within a jacket - a form of heat exchanger (notice the ports in the jacket at the top and bottom closed loop)? I think turned out to be a heat exchanger (domestic water heater) that used the original boiler for heating.

But is it leaking?... (Sorry, I just couldn't help myself.) [:-eyebrow Actually, I haven't had an agent hit me with that line in years - progress!

Thought some might enjoy the architectural features of this inspection I performed yesterday. It's on the National Historic Registry - built in 1927. (Notice the massive solid wood window lintel.) Unfortunately, the home is solid masonry, and the joist ends all rotted away years ago, so most of the floor system is on added beams and screw jacks. (I've done four in here and they're all in pretty much the same condition.) Also, this one had a major repair to the rear wall, because the foundation had settled and rotated outward, taking the floor system with it. Click to Enlarge 124.67 KB Click to Enlarge 62.22 KB Click to Enlarge 58.94 KB Click to Enlarge 62.4 KB Click to Enlarge 58.38 KB Click to Enlarge 58.72 KB Click to Enlarge 82.13 KB Click to Enlarge 72.47 KB Click to Enlarge 111.61 KB Click to Enlarge 73.38 KB Click to Enlarge 53.29 KB Click to Enlarge 125.65 KB Click to Enlarge 119.77 KB Click to Enlarge 143.44 KB Click to Enlarge 84.83 KB Click to Enlarge 18.8 KB Click to Enlarge 72.58 KB Click to Enlarge 49.97 KB Click to Enlarge 67.67 KB Click to Enlarge 83.2 KB Click to Enlarge 25.92 KB Click to Enlarge 73.73 KB Click to Enlarge 38.8 KB Click to Enlarge 27.44 KB

(Valentines Day massacre...)

In all honesty, I've never seen a builder do it any other way. Sad, maybe, but true...

It's rather hard to be sure, from those photos, John, but concrete block, from that time period were also nicknamed cinder block. Apparently, a lot of trash went into block back then, iron, slag, etc. (I've even seen strips of inner tube hanging out of cinder block.) At any rate, most likely what you're seeing is metal that rusted and expanded, much like steel lintels do over windows. The surface popped away. As I said, these photos are a bit hard to read and be sure, but if there's any rust in there, that's most likely what's going on. As a matter of fact, since you mention gray powder, it may actually be cinder (fly ash or bottom ash), which didn't get mixed in properly. Even in the eighties, concrete block came in a couple of grades. One manufacturer made a product branded Solite, which was, as the name states, very light - easy to handle. On the other hand there was a concrete block that came out of Fredrick, MD that was an absolute ball busting 72 lbs for just one 12" block. (Now there's an isometric for you - ease 200 of those in a day down into a bed of mortar.) Obviously, the Fredrick block was the one to use if you were building a bomb shelter. I've noticed that block back then often had very large aggregate and not enough fines, which made the block very porous.

(I realize there's some truth in what you're saying, since they've started applying expandable foam to the backside of roof sheathing. I'm stiill scratching my head on that one...)