mgbinspect

The only bad I can immediately invision is making about half as much per inspection as you could on your own.

Good one! Didn't think about that. Hopefuly not the contract page..

It just so happens that this morning I'm inspecting the home for sale of my buyer from yesterday's inspection. As I entered the master bathroom I saw my report at the top of the reading material by the commode. I just never really gave much thought to when and where somone might consider my findings. Just kinda funny.

A word to the wise, (from a previous disaster restoration contractor who had to figure this stuff out all the time to detirmine what was a "covered loss"), take the time to lift a few tabs. I'm reasonably confident that you will find that this roof is improperly fastened (either high, missing or overdriven fasteners) That eventually allows considerable stress to be applied to the sealed shingle tabs as the system at large expands and contracts with temperature changes. Do check for this along the cracked shingles! I've seen systems that were only fastened by two instead of four nails! They were naturally cracked all to #@*. It is far more likely that this is an attachment problem than a material problem. Good luck!

Only in my head... sorry...

Lol, Ok, Brian... that was funny...

It's in the mail, Les...

Well, Happy Birthday in advance, Kurt! It's been a genuine pleasure getting to know all of you fellow HIs. Thankfully, things are beginning to pick up dramatically around here and I'm off to another day in the field. Best wishes to all!

Yup, in the last 48 hours there were times I could not get it to load at all. I was getting an error message.

Here's a helpful article on a sub-panel. http://ths.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/wiri ... 07600.html You can also find the answer to just about any electrical question at www.mikeholt.com Good luck

I know that's true and actually I'm doing pretty darn good for 54. This past Summer I rode my mountain bike about 3 times a week and kayaked any weekend I was able to. The average bike ride was about 3 to 4 hours and typically about 900 feet up a mountain. That hurricane surf just became way too much. Often you'd get within 10 to 15 feet of being beyond the breakers and next thing you know a wave would push you all the way back to the beach and you were starting all over again. Gruelling!

Dutch was meaner that a polecat, but one heck of a teacher.

This morning as I was responding to the messages and looking at Kurt on his wind surf board, I was reminded of my past. I grew up as a competative swimmer. I swam breast stroke and individual medally in the AAU from age 7 to 17 and was a life guard for about 4 years. Well, from age 28 to about 44 I was pretty big into boogie boarding and used to go to Virginia Beach any time a hurricane came up the coast and ride. Finally, at age 44, my son, who now was going and riding with me, and myself dashed to Croatan Beach and began the treck out past the breakers. The surf was particularly brutal. It was taking several tries (including failures) to make it out. I think I might have made it past the breakers once or twice and caught some pretty nice rides. But, my last attempt back out I ran out of gas and just about drowned trying to get out. Finally, me and about three other guys my age basically washed up onto the shore like logs. We all kinda looked at each other realizing we were all approximately the same age (washed up). Not a word was said. We all just pulled our boards up the beach a bit, sat on them and watched the young guys do their thing. Never been back since. Aging sucks! But, No worries! Now it's mountain biking in the appalachians, kayaking in the marshes along the coast with a camara, Thi Chi Chuan, a bit of Yoga and hiking. Never fully surrender!

Lol, no it's not!

Amazing! When I was in masonry and still a member of the BIA, there was a real concern throughout the trade because the everage age of the mson in america was 55! That was around 1978. During all the years I was in masonry, I only met two foreigners, one from Britain and the mason from Holland that trained me. When I worked with large firms (150 employees) that average age rule appeared to be true. Very few young men were entering the trade. The only reason I left the trade, I was surrounded by masons that physically needed to quit, but financially could not afford to! So, I moved into sales and estimating and began the long journey to here.

Ok, Bill. You made me bust out laughing. I wasn't going to go there... but you hit the nail on the head. Can you say, "Cima"? But, where is the superintendant and the county building department? Why am I the first to make an issue of this? The house next door has the same setup.

Ya really think, Jim? I'd like to think that most home inspectors really want to do the right thing, but hey, I tend to be naive and overly trusting.

Whew! Never seen them like that, but I've seen some masterfully built trusses using plywood gusset plates, back when it was acceptable to build your own.

Thanks for the input, Les. I've seen about probably 40 +/- here.

Interesting! Thanks for the input, John. So far I've only seen them on furnaces in crawlspaces, attics or eaves. I bounced it off an HVAC tech on one of my inspections and he had mentioned that the extremes of going from cooler outside temps to heating exhaust proved to be too much for the material. He's the one that offered the replacement cost. At any rate, I've mentioned to several of my fellow home inspectors who were not aware of the problem, so.. here it is.

Download Attachment: Cracked Draft inducing fan.jpg 401.14 KB Keep an eye out for this black plastic draft inducing fan. When these units are found on a furnace that is in unconditioned space about 40% of them with any age on them will be cracked as this one is at the bottom center. In the early stages it will simply show as a hair line crack with efflorescence along it. It's about a $350.00 replacement.

Download Attachment: Porch on lintels.jpg 615.69 KB This picture shows about 1.5 tons of masonry sitting on the center of the spans of a series of concrete masonry lintels all layed on their sides. If the masonry itself were bearing on the piers, it might have a prayer. As it is now, it's destined to fail. Concrete masonry lintels are actually cast with a crown in them and intended to be set crown up similar to a floor joist. That is why they have a clearly marked "Top". Each 4 x 8 lintel has typically two #3 or #4 reinforcement rods in it, one to prevent compression and one to prevent expansion. The inner lintels especially are carrying unbelievable weight all concentrated on simply an edge of the side of the lintel. The more you stare at this picture and apply the weight, the worse it gets! When these units are layed on thier side like this they are useless. The only thing holding most of this porch up are single reinforcement rods and cement with course aggregate about the size of bbs! When the lintels finally crack only the rods will prevent the porch from sinking out of sight, but it will definitely rotate and settle! It's just a matter of time.

Yup, when I was doing insurance work I used to jokingly say, "The greeters in h#ll will be chimney sweeps and roofers." Please forgive me all honest sweeps and roofers, but most honest ones know EXACTLY what I'm talking about.

Yesterday on my first inspection a chimney sweep was on site. As I inspected the interior of the home, I listened to this guy sell the poor young lady about $3400.00 worth of crap! The house was constructed in 1950. The fireplace had NEVER been used. (56 years new!) Firebox, throat and flue appeared very acceptable. (I'm a mason remember) No camara was used (a screen was set into the crown). There were no visible signs of voids between liners. What is it with sweeps and conscience? I strongly encouraged her to get a second opinion.

That's good. I know that seemed proper and logical, but you never know.