hausdok

Hi Les, So, maybe, if TIJ (me and whoever else I can get to help) ever gets around to putting on a home inspector's conference, the subject of how to recognize the residual clues of illegal drug activity could be one of the subjects taught - perhaps by a presenter such as Caoimhin? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

The floor was a little "spongy." I knew when I got in the crawlspace, there'd be something to see. A majority of the subfloor was in bad shape. Cracked Joists, improper bracing. The screw jacks were trying to help, but darn it the lumber was so soft in places the jacks would just bury way up into the joists. The buyer said replacing the subfloor was no biggie, he knew a framer. Thanks to Tim Spargo Antelespec Inspection Services Colorado Springs, CO

This clip from a Missouri television news program highlights the supposed dangers of hiring inspectors in an unregulated state. Ouch!

Here's a little bit of straight talk from syndicated columnist Barry Stone about sellers and their assertions that things are "done to code."

Hi, I think Garet's explanation makes the most sense. There is a lot of bentonite in Colorado and I remember that years ago someone from Colorado, perhaps it was Garet, posted a photograph of one of those Colorado crawlspaces under a basement on the ASHI members' forum and explained the system to everyone. Since those are below the basement floor, one has to have some way to get all of the moisture that's evaporating out of that clay out of that crawlspace and an in-line fan like that is probably a good way to do it. Of course, that still doesn't account for how they're dealing with radon. Perhaps that area of Colorado is like most of Washington State where they don't regularly install radon mitigation systems, in anywhere other than Spokane or Vancouver, because radon levels are so low. I'm left wondering whether it's a high speed or low speed fan. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Walter, I certainly agree about "dinking" around in meth labs. However, how does one even know that one is in a meth lab, and knows enough to get the hell out of there, without some kind of training? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Rosa Salter Rodriguez-The Journal Gazette When it comes to kitchen countertops, it’s hard not to be taken by granite. It’s smooth, shiny and sooo cool to the touch. It comes in all kinds of great colors. It’s used for tombstones, so you know it’s rock-solid. Besides, doesn’t nearly every upper-end home’s kitchen have granite countertops? “Granite is natural, and people like that it has a unique look,â€

By Vaness Ho The United States government has announced the launch of Business.gov, the official business link to the U.S. government that provides a one-stop shop for free business information from all levels of government: federal, state and local. "Our public is the small business community and there are 27 million small business owners that exist and we want to make it easier for those individuals to gain access to the type of information they need in order to comply with federal regulations and policies," said Nancy Sternberg, program manager for Business Gateway program with the U.S. Small Business Administration. The site offers such things as tax information, permit and license information for a user's city or county and information on grants and loans. In addition, users can find information on how to start a recycling program for their company as well as information on how to start a home-based business or hiring their first employee. Also, when users enter information in the site's search engine, the search results will be relevant to the geographic area of the user. Read more at eChannelLine USA Daily News.

By GREGORY SEAY | Special To The Courant Once, the formula for constructing houses was simple for Ron Gaudet and his father: Find and clear a lot, set the foundation and framing, put on a roof — and presto, they were well on their way to completing a new house. Inside, plumbing and electrical systems were connected to a no-frills furnace and hot water heater. Energy technology wasn't fancy, except for occasional buyers who could afford central air or radiant heat installed in the ceiling. In a time when oil and electricity were relatively affordable, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability weren't terms in the builders' or buyers' lexicon, let alone barely known. Today's builders — Gaudet included — pitch almost nonstop the virtues of the energy-saving technology of their houses' construction, materials and appliances, from systems that tap the earth to heat and cool to rooftop panels that harness sunlight to power the microwave. Read more at The Hartford Courant.

Nick Wilson - nwilson@thetribunenews.com A new multimillion-dollar building at Cal Poly, which opened for classes in September, offers students in the university’s construction management department a study workspace similar to what they might get in their future jobs. The $17 million Construction Innovations Center, which took more than a decade of planning and two years to build, includes seven laboratories with cubicles, long tables for student seating for presentations and lectures, and projector screens. Read more at The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA).

New construction guidelines developed by the International Code Council will increase public safety in hurricane prone areas and other high-wind regions. The Standard for Residential Construction in High Wind Regions (ICC-600) provides wind-resistant design and construction details for residential buildings. The standard applies to areas where wind speeds reach 100-150 miles per hour, including the hurricane prone regions of the east and gulf coasts, coastal Alaska, and the special wind region of the Columbia River Gorge in Washington and Oregon. “Communities that adopt this new standard will have a tool based on sound science to help them save lives and protect property,â€

Washington, DC On October 1st, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched the Stay Warm, Save Money website and educational outreach campaign to help consumers be more energy efficient and save on energy costs. The information focuses on proactive ways to implement simple, cost-effective, energy saving solutions for both homes and businesses this winter and will expand to year-round home energy efficient tips. The site also features the Department’s work to develop cleaner, more affordable, diverse, reliable and sustainable energy sources that support the President’s goal to slow the growth of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 while meeting increasing energy demands. “Americans look for tools to help save on energy costs, but also to make our homes and lives more energy efficient – energysavers.gov will help us do both,â€

CPSC Alert# 08-397 PB (Peerless Boilers) Heat of Bally, PA, in cooperation with the CPSC has voluntarily recalled about 1,200 gas boilers for a pressure switch that can have an internal defect that could prevent the switch from shutting down the boilers under vent or air inlet blockage conditions. This can allow the boilers to produce excessive levels of carbon monoxide, posing a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning to consumers. Inspectors finding these boilers should inform their customers about this recall and advise homeowners to contact their installer immediately for a free safety inspection and repair, if necessary. This recall involves the DE and PSC II Gas-Fired Cast-Iron Boilers with the Endura Plastics Model ES2035 pressure switch used for home heating and domestic hot water heating. The boilers were available in either natural or LP gas. These boilers were sold at plumbing and heating wholesale distributors nationwide from May 2007 through July 2008 for between $1,800 and $3,000. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. No injuries have been reported as yet. The boiler-rating label is located on the top jacket panel on Series PSCII models and the left side jacket panel on the Series DE models. The label includes the model and serial number. The following model names and serial numbers are included in the recall: Models: DE-03, DE-04, DE-05 and DE-06; Serial Nos. 5040768 to 5052860 Models: PSCII-03, PSCII-04, PSCII-05, and PSCII-06; Serial Nos. 5040777 to 5052166. Other suffix designation may follow the base model number such as SV-WPC. For more information, contact PB Heat toll-free at 877/257-3300 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s Web site at www.peerlessboilers.com. Series DE Series PSCII

Washington D.C. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Viessmann U.S. and Viessman Manufacturing Co. Inc. of Canada, announced a voluntary recall of about 4,600 Vitodens 200 boilers sold by plumbing and heating contractors nationwide from January 2002 through December 2007 for between $4,000 and $7,500. The boilers can leak gas, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The gas-fired boilers are white, wall-mounted and have “Viessmannâ€

The longer the meth epidemic goes on, the more buildings there are going to be that are put on the market with methamphetamine residue in them. This article is an example of the heartbreak that comes when one unknowingly buys a meth-contaminated house. Unlike alleged toxic mold, which is only really "toxic" to a minuscule percentage of the population, the chemicals used to produce meth are toxic to virtually everyone; yet it's stories of "toxic mold" that are constantly in the news while stories about meth labs usually end up on the back page. Home inspectors are supposed to be specialists at defect recognition and are generally expected to spot the tip of issue icebergs and warn their clients about those hazards. Should be now begin educating ourselves on how to spot traces of meth in order to limit our own liability and protect our clients? What say you?

Information about the National Roofing Contractor Association's 122nd Annual Convention in Las Vegas Feb. 1-5 is available on NRCA's Web site. This year's convention offers exciting new events, including ROOFPAC's first stock car and kart racing event; a revamped NRCA Luncheon featuring the presentation of the 2009 J.A. Piper Award; and the NRCA Cocktail and Awards Reception, which will honor all award recipients and recognize their accomplishments. For more information click here.

Rainbow, CA At first glance, Bob and Anne Atkins' house doesn't look too much like a fortress. Its yellow stucco walls and Mexican tile roof blend in with other houses in the residential area just east of Interstate 15, overlooking Stewart Canyon stretching out to the south. But it is a fortress of sorts, designed to keep flames and smoldering debris at bay the next time a fire roars over the hill. From the gravity-fed sprinkler system to a series of roll-down exterior window shutters, To read more click here

Michael J. Johnston Chapter 2 in the National Electrical Code® contains requirements for wiring and protection. Included in Chapter 2 are requirements covering electric services, overcurrent protection (e.g. circuit breakers and fuses), electrical load calculations, conductor sizing and grounding and bonding, to name a few. Compliance with electrical grounding and bonding rules is a key element to installing a safe electrical system—no big revelation here, right? It is one thing to locate or read a Code requirement; it is another to fully understand the requirement and apply it to a system or installation. To read more, click here

Austin, TX More than 2,300 contract inspectors from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have completed more than 266,000 inspections of homes damaged by Hurricane Ike. The inspectors now average 12,000 homes a day. Damage inspections are free and generally take from 30-45 minutes. FEMA contract inspectors wear official photo identification. They have construction and/or appraisal expertise and receive disaster specific training. To read more click here

You know, I get worried sometimes that someone who was flipping burgers yesterday, and then went out and printed up some home inspector business cards this morning and is now a home inspector, is going to come on here one day, read some of this stuff, take it seriously and then pass it on to customers. Jeez! Besides, everyone knows that you don't repair a hole in a cast iron waste pipe with plastic bags, paper bags or duct tape; you use silicone caulk and a piece cut out of a plastic laundry detergent bottle. Amateurs! ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Oy! Yes, the whole thread, and the text from the Certainteed manual refer to a cut valley; not a woven valley. No, I said not to look at the size shown in that picture; I wasn't referring to all roofs. In the example that you cite the main roof is the greater watershed area and the shingles from the roofs on the gables must curl against and lie flat on the plane of the greaterh water shed, the shingles of the greater water shed overlaps those, and the shingles of the greater water shed (the main roof in your example) are cut two inches out from the center of the valley and adhered with mastic. Yep. [:-banghea

They watch The Simpsons and King of the Hill a lot. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

That seems to change from one area to another and with how sophisticated one's client base is. I write full-narrative reports with very few pictures - normally nothing more than a picture of the house on the cover and a graphic or two - and you all know that I can be kind of,....wordy. The majority of my clients are foreign-born techies in the computer and software fields and most seem to prefer detailed explanations in language they can understand to brevity. I've found that it's normally the real estate folks, sellers, or builders who chafe at the report content. It must be working, 'cuz I'm busier than I've been in many years and lately I've had to field excess work to other inspectors who've been around for decades longer than I have who're complaining that business is too slow. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It's got nothing to do with the air conditioner; it's condensate from furnace exhaust, a pilot light or the water heater. If the furnace hasn't been used, it has to be from the water heater that's sharing that vent. When gas burns, the byproducts are mostly water, sulfur and nitrogen (acid). If that gas can't rise up out of the stack and dissipate, it condenses on the inside of the vent and then drains back to the furnace. The white residue is the mineral salts left over after the acid reacts with the zinc coating in the galvanized coating on the pipe. Find out what's wrong with the flue and stop focusing on the AC lines because they have nothing to do with it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, That's exhaust condensate. For some reason, the flue isn't drafting and the water that's produced by the ignition process is trapped and is draining back into the furnace and is corroding the heck out of everything. It has nothing to do with a storm collar. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike