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By David Brauner, WRE Editor Editor's Note: Though this article deals with appraisals, there are some interesting parallels here, because some inspectors have experienced this themselves. Now you see it, now you don’t: that’s what appraisers are saying about data that is disappearing or changing after a report leaves their desktop. Here’s what is happening and why, according to appraisers, vendors and other industry insiders. A certified appraiser, who wishes to remain anonymous fearing blacklisting, recently contacted her errors and omissions insurance provider to report a potential liability issue. Let’s call her Ms. Smith. Smith noticed a PDF report inadvertently attached to a request sent to her from an AMC (appraiser management company). When she opened the PDF attachment she noticed that her original appraisal was altered. “I clicked on the PDF attachment and found that it was a copy of the original appraisal that I had sent to them, except this PDF report was altered and my signature was gone. There was added data on several pages and several pages were removed including my cover page, letter of transmittal and the summary of salient features. Also missing was the additional active listings page. The active listings photo page was there but data was added,â€

Yeah, What every happened to Terry? Did I piss him off too? OT - OF!!! M.

This link may not work for long but I'll post this anyway. Inman News is embarking on a major project to see how the real estate market will reinvent itself as we move through the worst economic downturn in most of our lifetimes. They're looking for input from those who are affected by the real estate market. This is probably a really good chance for inspectors to voice some of the complaints they've had about those in real estate. If you'd like to provide your input on how you think the real estate industry should reinvent itself, read the rest of the article here.

Um, I've been pondering something I thought I'd call either TijTV or TVTij but I need to do a lot more research on exactly what that's going to take to accomplish. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, I hope that you called it out based on an attic issue 'cuz that type of metal roof cover is installed over battens and has lots of airspace beneath the surface for ventilation. Go here, ask an expert, check out the guide and get yourself a free subscription to Metal Roofing Mag. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I enjoyed it; however, they need a horn player to really bring some of that out - a clarinet player wouldn't be a bad idea either. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, I added the information from Buderus on how to dicipher the serial numbers on their boilers. I normally update the chart right away when I find out new information about a system. Sometimes I get that information from folks posting to TIJ; sometimes I'll call a manufacturer to help someone out when they post a query and sometimes TIJ members send me the information email and I add it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Go here and upload the instructions that apply to your area. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Forget it, the FPE panel is like the Corvair of the electrical business; unsafe at any speed. I could point you to a manufacturer that makes new breakers for these panels but I won't because the design of the buses is just as bad as the breakers. Dump it and get a new panel that's not a fire waiting to happen. Looky here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I can't complain, I was busy right through the spring, summer and fall and turned away about half a dozen jobs over the past month because I was too busy to do them. Other inspectors around here haven't been so fortunate; I know a couple of fellows that have been in business since the late '80's and it was they who I fielded the overflow to after they told me how grim things had been. Business has suddenly dropped off over the last week or so, but I don't know whether it's the market or the normal early-winter pattern settling in. I don't know about where you are, but work around here normally drops off every year just before Thanksgiving and kind of idles through to the New Year. We do get the occasional December hiccup where a few folks want to get into a new house before Christmas but with home prices still falling I don't see that as being likely to happen this year. Of course, if you'd prefer I not post and keep info coming to you guys, that can be arranged too. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Randy, My Hansen's says that it's alright for that purpose, however that doesn't look like SEU, SER or URD type cable although it's hard to tell from the picture. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, Unforunately, you don't have a choice; you're going to have to pull new wiring to that appliance from the panel - either 6ga aluminum or 8ga copper. Don't even think about trying to power that with 10ga wiring unless you're looking for a way to burn your home down in a hurry. Hire an electrician!!! This is not something for a do-it-yourselfer to be dinking around with - it can kill you. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That reminds me, Has anyone heard about how the new NHIE is going to have sections of swimming pools, spas, and sprinkler systems? What's up with that bullpuckey? Looks like the ICC isn't the only group that's letting itself be influenced by certain groups with their own agenda. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, Yes, that's true; flashings weren't required until the December 2005 version of the instructions came out. I have a set of Hardiplank instructions from April 2005 which state: Space plank according to joint treatment either in "moderate contact" (joints not caulked) or in accordance with the caulking manufacturerr's written application instructions (joints caulkked), see detail at right). The detail shown had the butt joints labeled "moderate contact" and there are no splines. The December 2005 version shows the two options - splines without caulk and no splines with caulk. That version was still in effect in the February 2008 instructions but that changed with the new 2008 instructions that eliminated the caulk and specified splines. However, I seem to recall that back around the late 1990's they did specify a gap and did require the butt joints to be sealed with caulk. I probably have an old copy of those instructions around here someplace but I'd never find them without an afternoon spent digging though these mountains of unfiled documents. I'll do it though; just forward me a check for an afternoon's worth of work at my usual labor rate. [] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, The Hotstream name goes way back to the early 1900's when J.M. & L.A. Osborn Co. 6486 Rapin St, Buffalo NY was producing sidearm gas water heaters (An forerunner of today's tankless water heaters). To see a picture of one of these, click here. I almost bought one of these for a 1964 GMC schoolbus that I'd converted to a motorhome back in 1972. A friend talked me out of it 'cuz he figured I was either going to blow myself up or asphyxiate myself. The name was later acquired by MorFlo Industries, 18450 S. Miles Rd., Cleveland, OH, and then Mor-Flo was purchased by American in the mid 1990's. The Hotstream brand water heater hasn't been made in at least a couple of decades in this country. However, it is being made in China under a joint venture with Southcorp Holdings Ltd. which was acquired by Rheem in 2001. Obviously, the Rheem-owned subsidiary product and this one aren't even related beyond the fact that it's a water heater. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Walter, Yeah, I understand that Watts' specific intructions state that, and we know that a manufacturer's rules trump code, so, yeah, I use the tag when it's a Watts device installed. However, Watts isn't the only manufacturer out there. Absent another manufacturer's instructions, it would be nice to have a code reference if there is one. These guys keep referring to a code requirement but I've yet to see the specific citation that says the outlet side of a TPR valve must be the same size as the inlet side; the only thing that I've seen is a citation that says that the size of the discharge pipe may not be less than the outlet side of the valve. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Oh Well, I guess I can change the name of the chart to Heating Systems Age Chart or something similar. Picky, picky, picky OT - OF!!! M.

Source: NAHB Nation's Building News In a tight market, remodelers can differentiate themselves and tap into a growing green remodeling market through home performance testing — a series of home assessment tests that can clearly demonstrate where energy losses in a home occur. According to recent surveys, demand for “greenâ€

Hmm, If they're successful in keeping a code requirement for fire sprinkler systems, mayhaps it's time for home inspectors to start learning more about these systems, no? OT - OF!!! M.

Source: NAHB Nation's Building News Citing a failure of the International Code Council to provide a fair and open voting process at its Final Action Hearings in Minneapolis in September, NAHB has filed an appeal to the ICC to set aside code changes mandating fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes constructed under the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) and to consider changes that would restore balance to its voting process. To read more at NAHB Nation's Building News, click here.

By Christina Hernandez | christina.hernandez@newsday.com November 18, 2008 North Hempstead is poised tonight to become the 10th Long Island town to mandate that new residential construction comply with energy-efficient standards. If the town board passes the law, new construction will be subject to several tests to ensure homes have a tight seal, so less heat and air conditioning are used, said Neal Lewis of the East Farmingdale-based Long Island Neighborhood Network, an environmental and civic advocacy group. Lewis said the law requires that home heating, cooling and hot water systems must also be energy-efficient. To read more at newsday.com, click here.

NRCA University has launched Vegetative Roof Systems, an interactive online educational program.id="size4"> Vegetative Roof Systems focuses on vegetative roof system types, components, accessories, design, installation, maintenance and safety concerns. The educational program takes about an hour to complete and is broken into lessons for each topic. Quizzes follow each lesson to test participants' knowledge and reinforce information from the lesson. Editor's note: This course is approved for 1 ASHI CEU. To learn more at NRCA.org, click here.

11/13/2008 The latest employment data released by the U.S. Department of Labor chronicles the bleak conditions that have overwhelmed the country's construction industry. 49,000 construction jobs were lost in October alone. Within construction, residential specialty trade contractors took the brunt, with 18,800 losing their jobs. 13,2000 jobs were lost among nonresidential specialty trade contractors. To read more at Building Online eUpdate, click here.

Hi All, I've just updated the furnace age chart. To get your new copy, go to "Library" above, click on "New Files." ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I went over to the site and found it in about 30 seconds under the tab that says "finding serial numbers." I don't think you have the correct number; at least not if one goes by Buderus' own instructions. Go to this link to learn how to locate the numbers. Here are the instructions. I had to reformat them a little to work here. I'll add this to the serial number decoding chart: Buderus serial numbers for boilers and tanks each consist of 18- 27 digits with clear, consistent patterns divided by dashes. The format for the serial number depends on the product manufacture date. 1. The first format of a Buderus serial number has four series of numbers separated by dashes and looks like this: 63036333-00-7080-3241 The first sequence of numbers is the product part number- this is an ST200 DHW Tank The next series is the product version or series and consist of two digits- this was in the 00 series of boilers. The third series of numbers is the Manufacture date- this tank was manufacutred on the 80th day of 2007, so the first digit signifies the year and the next three signify the day of the year - ex. 005, 065, 365 The last set is the manufacturing date Sequence (four or five digits)- code for the identifying the the series of boilers made that day. The second format of a Buderus serial number (may show an “)â€