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Thanks, I'll do that. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I think the "builder" doesn't know what he's talking about. With the amount of heat created in a fireplace I think anything you attempt to bond to the face of that refractory wall will likely just fail in short order. Tell your client to get a good chimney/fireplace restoration firm like Atlas or Puget Sound Masonry & Restoration out there to look at it and give him/her some estimates. If he's still there, Stan Phair at PSMR spends his whole day doing nothing but restoration estimates. If you leave it to the "builder" he'll attempt to TP that box with ordinary concrete. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Of course you know, any decent attic/closet/basement find on a P or J bass will cost you somewhere between $2K - $20K+, right? I say find an ace luthier to build one to your specs. Fender does not love you. Your luthier will... Or, try Warmouth. WJ Aw crap! I knew we should have eaten rice for a few months. I'm going outside now to play in traffic. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Brad, Yes, a study guide has been written. The board was allowed to preview an advanced copy at the last meeting but I don't know whether that's going to be released by the vendor prior to the May 1st test launch target. The CofE and the SOP is all part of the WAC and that's viewable here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Back in the early 70's I dinked around some with a bass. Bought it from a co-mechanic in a Toyota dealership I'd spent 3-4 months working at. #662 as I recall. Had a Traynor Bass Master MkII tube amp with 4 100 watt speakers. I remember one night in the winter of '73; I was snowed in in my little cottage in Woodinville, CT and bored out of my skull so I sat there practicing variations of some lochrian scale riffs at danged near full volume. A neighbor from 1/4 mile away trudged through 2-ft. deep snow to knock on my door and holler at me to turn the damned thing down 'cuz I was vibrating his window and he could hear it over the TV in his house (I still blame my hearing loss on the Army though. []) I later bought a Fender jazz bass so I wouldn't take a chance on ruining her. It was OK but just didn't have the mellowness of this old girl. Wish I had it today; sold 'em both when I was a $344 a month private in the Army and had to choose between keeping them or feeding my wife and new baby and paying the rent on the trailer. Haven't picked up a guitar since somewhere around 1977. It's just as well, I pretty much mangled whatever I played. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Click to Enlarge 27.45 KB

I think it depends on the type of receptacle that you use. If you use receptacles with side terminals I think they'll accept 12ga fine and 14ga is the smallest allowed. If you're using those cheap receptaclss with the two stab holes on the back I don't think they'll accept anything larger than 14 ga. I'm probably wrong though - 'lectrickcity taint my strong suit. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

By Mike O'Handley - TIJ Editor March 31st was the last day that inspectors in British Columbia were allowed to operate without a license. Effective today, the 300 to 400 home inspectors who are actively performing home inspections in BC were supposed to have all obtained their licenses or face potential fines of up to $5000. TIJ had previously featured an article about these new rules on January 30th. Under the new licensing guidelines, practicing inspectors had until March 31st to apply for their license and become "grandfathered." Inspectors who requested grandfathering underwent an assessment of their background and experience and had to undergo a criminal background check and satisfy the Canadian authorities that they have professional liability insurance and had met the requirements of one of three professional home inspector associations operating in British Columbia. Practicing inspectors who had applied for licensing but had not yet met the requirements of one of the three associations may have been issued licenses so that they could continue operating; however, these inspectors then have only two years to meet all of the education and training requirements. From April 1st 2009, inspectors who failed to apply for their license before the March 31st deadline are supposed to have ceased operations; these and any new inspectors will need to satisfy the Canadian agency tasked with managing this program that they have met all prerequisits before they'll be issued a license. For more information, click here.

Hi, It isn't anything that I'd be concerned about here as long as the filter access opening has a cover on it and isn't sucking air from that room. I don't have the winter temps you do in CT though. How old is the furnace and how has it been "weathering" (pun intended) this installation? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Poltergeists - probably Elvis. OT - OF!!! M.

Jerry, Save your picture as a JPEG file, reduce it so that it's less than 200 Mb and then rename it so there aren't any gaps or special symbols in the name. Then post it using the "post a visible picture" choice below the composition box. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Ugh! I had some of that stuff at Element in Redmond. I called it segmented fiber-cement panels with metal trim. Couldn't think of anything else to call it except uuuuuuuuuuugly. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

We board members had to show 5 years experience and more than 500 inspections, so when I applied for the state board, I sent them copies of my first business license and a couple of other business documents (insurance or something like that - I don't really recall) that proved that I'd been in business more than 5 years. Then I sat down and listed the last 500 jobs I'd done in reverse chronological order by date, address of the inspection, Client name and phone number. Heck, the rest of you have it easy compared to the board. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Jerry, That's right. The testing contract has been awarded to the vendor and they anticipate the test will be ready on May 1st. Just ensure you check with Rhonda to ensure that whatever you've got available to show your time in business, plus the 100 inspections, is going to be satisfactory to them. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

By Mike O'Handley - Editor, TIJ Attention Washington State home inspectors, if you haven't already done so, you need to start getting yourself organized because you only have 90 days until the new state licensing law for home inspectors kicks in. According to the Washington State Department of Licensing (WSDOL), after July 1st, 2009 every practicing home inspector in Washington state will need to meet the state licensing guidelines by the cutoff date for their particular category or be forced to close their businesses until they've met all state requirements. The new law states: "Beginning September 1, 2009, a person shall not engage in or conduct, or advertise or hold himself or herself out as engaging in or conducting, the business of or acting in the capacity of a home inspector within this state without first obtaining a license as provided in this chapter." Depending on how much experience they have, home inspectors in the state are classified into three categories: 1. Experienced Inspectors - Inspectors in this category must have been in the business at least two years and have completed at least 100 inspections as of June 12, 2008. Inspectors in this category must apply for a license before September 1st, 2009 and will need to have taken and passed the state-mandated home inspector's exam and provided the state with proof of time in business along with a verifiable list of more than 100 inspections. Inspectors in this category who haven't completed those requirements by September 1st, will be forced to close their companies and then complete all 120 hours of the state-mandated classroom training, complete 40 hours of supervised inspections with a licensed inspector, and then take and pass the state-mandated home inspector exam, before being issued a license and allowed to reopen their companies. 2. Less experienced inspectors - these are inspectors who were actively practicing inspections but hadn't been in the business more than two years or completed at least 100 inspections as of June 12, 2008. Inspectors in this category have a window from July 1st 2009 until July 1st 2010 to complete all of the mandatory classroom training, supervised inspections and take and pass the state-mandated home inspector's exam. Inspectors in this category that have not met all state-mandated requirements by the July 1st 2010 cutoff date will be forced to close their companies until they've met all state requirements. 3. Very new inspectors - these are inspectors who entered the profession after June 12, 2008. As of July 1st, 2009, these inspectors are not allowed to practice home inspections until they've completed all of the state-mandated education and supervised inspection requirements, as well as taken and passed the state-mandated home inspector's exam. According to the WSDOL, the initial application/exam fee is $300 and the cost of the initial license will be $680. Licenses will be good for 2 years and the licensing fees are expected to be reduced once the initial round of licensing has been completed. There may be some wiggle room for inspectors in the second category that have attended non-state-approved inspector training courses. Depending on the course, the Department of Licensing might allow them partial credit toward the 120-hour classroom training requirement as long as they complete a state-approved makeup course; these will be handled by the state on a case-by-case basis. Where licensing has been implemented in other states, some inspectors have resisted change and been slow to comply. Practicing inspectors who ignore this new law, or attempt to fraudulently obtain their license by submitting false information to the state, do so at their own risk; under state law the Director, Washington State Department of Licensing, has the authority to apply for relief by injunction without bond, to restrain a person from the commission of any act that is prohibited under RCW 18.280.140, and thus can legally shut down an inspector's company. In such a proceeding, it is not necessary for WSDOL to allege or prove either that an adequate remedy at law does not exist, or that substantial or irreparable damage would result from continued violation. The Director also has the authority to issue civil infractions under chapter 7.80 RCW in the following instances: 1. Conducting or offering to conduct a home inspection without being licensed in accordance with state law. 2. Presenting or attempting to use as his or her own the home inspector license of another. 3. Giving any false or forged evidence of any kind to the director or his or her authorized representative in obtaining a license; 4. Falsely impersonating any other licensee; or 5. Attempting to use an expired or revoked license. Any home inspector cited under these rules would need to appear in court to answer the charges and all fines and penalties collected or assessed by a court because of a violation of the law would be remitted to the Department of Licensing to be deposited into a special business and professions account. Under state law, should WSDOL have a company shut down by injunction for failing to comply, both WSDOL and the Washington State Home Inspector's Advisory Licensing Board are immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, based on disciplinary proceedings or other official acts performed in the course of their duties in the administration and enforcement of the new law. To learn more about these new rules, visit the Home Inspectors' Licensing section at the Washington State Department of Licensing website or contact Rhonda Myers, Inspection Program Manager, at 360-664-6487 or email the DOL at: DOLINTHomeInspectors@dol.gov.

"He's got his head so far up his ass that he has to go to the proctologist to get his teeth cleaned" - Hugh O'Handley Sr.

It looks like it's the end of a strongback. Was the center of the ceiling below hanging from that one clips? If so, the notch probably hasn't affected it much if at all. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

When customers ask me about power lines, I opine that until they have verifiable studies with proper conclusions I'm going to consider it hocus pocus. I have a compass that I use to verify the direction that the house points. I'll walk them out on the front lawn, show them which way the house points and then walk inside the house and check it again and it's almost always off about 8 to 10 degrees. That's when I point out to them that all of us living inside of electrified homes are subjected to electro-magnetic radiation 24/7/365 so what possible difference could living 200 meters from a set of power lines make. I'd guess that a big screen TV emits more measurable radiation than a set of power lines 200 meters away. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Harold, It happened. Ferry doesn't want it to be true so he keeps yammering about it. Doesn't change a thing. As for the inspector, If he doesn't want to dink around placating Joe he doesn't have to. I'm glad he shared the information about the case with us and, as you said, just because Ferry says so, doesn't mean it ain't so. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I dunno, It looks like an old #2 rag-wrapped tin-coated copper SEC rated for 125 amps. OT - OF!!! M.

OK, Let's explain something before this gets out of hand. I posted this as a news issue to let folks know that maybe, just maybe, there are going to be some foreclosured home inspection opportunities for some enterprising inspectors when/if these houses get rehabbed and hit the market. The post was not meant to promote any political view one way or the other about the Obama administration or Bernanke or to comment on the state of the economy; it was simply to alert inspectors to something that they should probably keep their eye on. When I saw the comments by Terry and Scott yesterday I considered for a moment warning them that they were getting pretty close to the edge on what constituted political discussions, which, along with discussions about religion, are prohibited here, and I thought better of it. Now we've got Mr. Ferry in here saying that deleting political comments is an abridgement of free speech. Well counselor, it's not and I would think a lawyer should know that. We are not the government - if we choose not to allow discussions about religion and politics on this site, in order to keep things on this site civil and friendly, we have a right to do so because it's a private site and you yourself agreed to those restrictions when you agree to the terms of use when you signed up as a member. If you want to go somewhere else, where they welcome all of that political yammering, go for it, but it is not welcomed here. We have managed for more than seven years to keep things very friendly here by avoiding religious and political discussions and we intend to keep it that way. Nuff said. Focus on the story - the potential for inspection work and keep the political stuff out of it or I'm getting out my pruning shears. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Looks like one of those old houses with the head tucked up under the eaves and vinyl siding and soffit material slapped all over the outside of it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Reputable or not, we're there to do a home inspection and alarm systems are not part of a home inspection. How does this work? Do the Brinks guys come in at the same time as the inspector or are is a home inspector supplying the Brinks people with the name of the client or is it the other way around and the home inspector gives the client some 3-folds from Brinks that explains how they can get a free 90 day warranty by having Brinks come in? A seller gives tacit permission for a home inspector to enter his home; I guess that it would be fine to bring along and electrician or an HVAC guy, because those inspections are directly related to what a home inspection is - but bringing along a guy to look at the alarm system? I dunno, if I'm the seller and I know that I'm going to be living there for the next 30 to 60 days before closing I'm not going to be happy about anyone sharing the details of my alarm system with someone else until I've moved out, closed on the house and no longer have to worry about the place. Wasn't there a big stink about this with the TAREI guys a few years ago? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Not sure why you'd want it when the cable is below the entry point. The whole point of the drip is to prevent water from flowing downward into the weatherhead and mast if the weatherhead and mast are higher than the cable wouldn't a drip loop be pretty much good for nothing? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Mark, Thanks for your comments. About the fascia, generally speaking, on this site we refrain from commenting on other issues in photos posted here for two reasons; 1) the photos are posted by another inspector and we do them the courtesy of assuming that they'd seen it rather than put them on the spot. So, if an inspector asks about window flashing, that's what we try and discuss. and 2) we try to avoid thread drift as much as possible, so that when someone uses the search feature to search for something like, say, "window flashings" they don't have to slog through twenty minutes of discussion about stuff unrelated to window flashings in order to find the pertinent information. Thread drift is still pretty difficult to control, especially given my tendency to initiate most of it. [:-dunce] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Interesting, did he mention whether this is a frequent issue with these Appolo units? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike