hausdok

Look at the two foam-filled holes next to the meter. They'd probably pulled the meter and ran a couple of cables through that wall to power something; grow op maybe? Power company knows it and retaliated. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, Around here, they purchase it from a state-run program through their oil service company. I heard a few years ago that the state wasn't taking on any new accounts because they'd paid out so much in contamination claims. Don't know where I heard it or how true it is; it stuck in my noggin though. OT - OF!!! M.

Jeez, I could only hope and pray that they'd be indoors; most of ours are outdoors below ground. Every once in a while we hear about some poor schlub that had to do a cleanup when one of those leaks. It's usually 60 or 70 tons of dirt later before they finish the job. Woe is the person that doesn't have tank insurance around here! ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Jerry, What Les said, I added a warning to the original post that they take a long time to open. OT - OF!!! M.

A civil lawsuit wending its way through the Harris County Texas district court system has the potential, if the plaintiff prevails, to set an alarming precedent that could have a chilling effect for home inspectors everywhere. On June 25th, 2009, a Houston attorney, homeowner Gary R. Maze and his wife filed a lawsuit against Houston inspection firm Fox Inspection Group and specifically, inspector Rubin Santillan Jr., alleging tortious interference with prospective contracts. In his complaint, Maze alleges that Santillan, who is not a licensed engineer, made structural assessments that amount to the illegal practice of engineering about Maze's house and that Santillan's report defamed the complainants' business (the transaction). Maze is seeking $250,000 - the amount he'd been selling his home for before the sale collapsed - plus exemplary damages of $750,000. To read Maze's complaint, click here, to see a copy of Santillan's disputed inspection report in its entirety, click here and to view all documents pertaining to the details of the case to date, click here and then click on the "documents" tab. (Warning: These documents take a long time to open; even on high-speed cable.)

I agree with Randy, My guess is that there was either a porch there originally that's been removed and the wall was very well repaired or it was built with the intent of there being a veranda there and they just never got around to it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Richard, Well, sure, it might be the only appliance running all summer long. I think in a properly-sized flue it won't make that much of a difference but I think that when a flue is sized for both appliances and then you remove one you have a situation where the flue is waaaay oversized versus just a little bit or borderline or not at all. We don't see them that much anymore but a decade ago we'd see a lot of large flues sized for oil burning furnaces with water heaters dumping into them. I think the HVAC guys are finally starting to "get" it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yep, orphaned water heaters venting into oversized masonry flues are a definite problem. They don't like to draw well and water water everywhere and not a drop to drink! ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

So I guess you won't be disputing him, huh? OT - OF!!! M.

Actually, It sounds to me like the reporter is reporting exactly what was heard from a "Fire Marshal" that probably has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to wood stoves, vent clearances, etc.. OT - OF!!! M.

Check the toggle on top of the gas valve to ensure that it's in the "on" position and then check to see if the exhaust vent is blocked by a birdnest or wasp nest. When it first comes on, you should hear either a snapping sound as the igniter lights a pilot or you should see an orange glow as the glow wand comes on and heats up. If the igniter isn't functioning, she'll never come on and will shut down. Sounds like it's time to call the HVAC folks. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

See that clear port on the lower half? Behind that sight glass you'll be able to see an LED blinking a code at you to tell you what's wrong. Get out your manual, observe the code, look up what's wrong and then call your HVAC tech and tell him the brand and model of the furnace and what the code is telling you so he'll bring the correct parts out with him. OT - OF!!! M.

No, it actually applies to the 340MAV, 350MAV, 352MAV, and355MAV models. It's academic at this point; it's a 340AAV and can therefore be configured with the intake inside the structure as long as the garage is of sufficient volume or has appropriately-sized intake openings directly from the outside. Most HVAC contractors around here install a single large inlet hood on the exterior wall but a few will use the other formula and install one vent through the wall and one vent with a duct to near the floor. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Very kewl new avatar, Terry. OT - OF!!! M.

I think you'd be right if it were a 350MAV furnace but I don't think it is. Builders around here usually go with a less expensive model. I think it's either a 340AAV, 350AAV, 352AAV, 353AAV or 355AAV series and those can be configured with either an outside intake or an inside intake. From the owner's manual: "Your new gas furnace may have been installed in 1 of 2 ways, as a direct--vent (2--pipe--Fig. 1) application or as a non--direct vent (1--pipe--Fig. 2) application. In a direct--vent (2--pipe) application, your furnace uses air from outside the home for combustion and vents flue gas to the outdoors. This type of application will have 2 pipes running from the furnace to the outdoors. (See Fig. 1.) In this application, the vent and air--intake pipes must terminate outside the structure and must not be obstructed in any way. Do not block or obstruct air openings on furnace or spaces around furnace. In a non--direct vent (1--pipe) application, your furnace uses air from adjacent to the furnace for combustion and vents flue gas to the outdoors. This type of application will have only 1 pipe running from the furnace to the outdoors. (See Fig. 2.) The other pipe will terminate in the same space as the furnace and is the source of combustion air for your furnace. Therefore, the furnace must not be enclosed in an airtight room or be sealed behind solid doors. It must have adequate airflow for efficient combustion and safe ventilation. Do not obstruct the combustion--air pipe in any way. The vent pipe must terminate outside the structure and must not be obstructed in any way. Do not block or obstruct air openings or space around furnace." Rob, Use Terry's method to determine whether you've got enough volume in that garage to meet the 50 cu. ft. per 1000 btu rule. If not, figure out what size intake opening you need through the wall of the garage to the exterior to meet the requirements for either one or two openings. Take the sum of the Btu/Hr input of both appliances, knock off the last 3 digits, divide by 3 and you'll have the size of the opening you need. Assume a loss of 25% net-free area for wire mesh, so you'll need to increase that by 1/3 to get your minimum allowable opening. Here's an example. Assume a 120,000 Btu/Hr furnace plus a 45,000 Btu/Hr water heater = 165,000 Total Btu hr. 165 divided by 3 = 55 sq. inches Assuming 75% net free for metal mesh you need a round opening of not less than 73.35 square inches. They don't make them in odd-sizes, so you'd have to use a 10 inch inlet. Or you can go with two openings. 165 divided by 4 = 41.25 sq. inches Assuming 75% net free for metal mesh, you need an opening of not less than 56 square inches. Divide that by two is two 28 square inch openings. Since a 6 inch duct has a cross-sectional area of 28 square inches you'd need two six inch ducts - one within a foot of the floor and one within a foot of the ceiling. WARNING: DO NOT TRUST MY MATH - DO YOUR OWN; I'M THE WORLD'S BIGGEST MATH MORON. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Terry, the 50 cf per 1,000 Btu's applies for indoor combustion air. If there are two vents to the exterior of the garage as you describe, then they need two net-free openings totaling 1sq. in. per 4,000 Btu (2407.6.1). If there is only one opening - which is the way it normally is around here - it needs to be within a foot of the ceiling, and the net free opening has to be not less than 1sq. in. per 3,000 Btu and has to be larger than the cross sectional area of the vent connectors (2407.6.2). ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Well, inside you've got a A-coil under that hi-eff furnace so I expect that behind that fence to the right is the condenser/compressor unit. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Rob, When you say "cold air returns inside the home" are you referring to the air that's going back to the furnace to be re-heated or are you referring to a fresh air intake source at the garage that's letting fresh air into the garage to meet the makeup air for combustion requirement? OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Rob, It would be nice if it were getting its air from outside but there's no requirement for that. It would be interesting to see what would happen with a car that had a fuel line leak, though. That system is equipped with a sensor that will shut it down it if backdrafts and there's no way for any fumes from the garage to get into the air of the house. You just have to make sure that the makeup air rules for that furnace are met so that it can combust cleanly without struggling for air. If it doesn't meet the makeup rules, write it up. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, So, you've got a layer of this stuff stuck to the front of the house without any flashings or a way to keep water out? Are there two layers of asphalt saturated paper and wire lath between the brick and the OSB? If not, throw in the towel now; you'll lose. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

So, what are you saying; that because it's exceeded its life expectancy it need to be serviced, it needs to be repaired, or it needs to be replaced? "Go over well" with whom, by the way? My clients seem to love it; unambiguous and leaves no doubt in their minds about what needs to be done. Immediate attention to what, exactly? What does that mean to a first time buyer that reads it? Sounding "professional" has gotten a whole lot of home inspectors in a whole lot of trouble over the years. Speaking plainly doesn't seem to have really hurt my business; other than to get me fewer referrals from the type of real estate agent that most of us don't want to deal with. Still, I don't market to the real estate folks and I'm turning lots of business away,...plainly speaking. Has talking plainly actually hurt anyone else's business by eliminating the type of work that you want? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Take it from a guy that's been part of a 12 VDC circuit- an automotive battery can light you up pretty darn good. Next time you're all sweaty put your forearms on the positive and negative. It's invigorating. Better yet, pull one of the plug wires off a plug while the engine is idling and hang onto the end of it as hard as you can for as long as you can. OT - OF!!! M.

Maybe he confuses them with sheep shears? OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, I don't know how to keep 'em away. Use a plunge rounter with an inlay bit and adapter to cut out the damaged area and cut a replacement section out of a new piece of siding. An inlay bit used with a pattern will cut it so precise that a little bit of wood glue, sand it, prime and paint it and you'll never find the repair after the house is repainted. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It sounds like ventilation is fine but you're getting too much heat loss into the attic. Before you add a whole lot of new insulation, go through the attic and trace every pipe and wire back to where it enters the attic and seal around them with some Daptex expanding foam. Put some foam rubber gaskets behind all of the switches and receptacle covers and make sure there's a decent gasket on the attic hatch and that every exhaust fan that passes through there isn't leaking into the attic anywhere. Add your new insulation using the existing vent scheme and I think you'll be fine. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike