hausdok

I guess that depends on what electrical code you work off of up there. If the electrical code you use is based on the IRC, I should think it would, as long as the breakers are listed as being compatible with the enclosure. Two days ago I did a home with a Murray panel. According to the labeling, the panel was approved for the manufacturer's breakers as well as two types of ITE breakers and one type of GE breaker, yet there was a Cutler Hammer in there as well as an ITE breaker that, though they fit perfectly, aren't approved for that panel. I wrote it up. OT - OF!!! M.

What size van and what's the average ceiling height of most homes in your area and the height of the top of the foundation above grade? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Washington, D.C./April 26th - Release #07-168 The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of product: Holmes® Oil-Filled Electric Heaters Units: About 300,000 Distributor The Holmes Group, of Milford, Mass. Hazard: A poor electrical connection within the heater can lead to overheating. This poses fire and thermal burn hazards. Incidents/Injuries: The Holmes Group has received reports of 59 incidents involving the recalled heaters. There were 12 reports of minor injuries including four reported burns. There were 36 reports of property damage including four fires that caused between $41,000 and $200,000 in damage. Description: The recall involves Holmes oil-filled electric heaters with model number HOH2505 and HOH2520. The model number and "Holmes®" are printed on the side of the unit near the bottom. Sold at: Discount department stores, hardware stores and other retailers from September 2005 through February 2007 for between $40 and $50. Manufactured in: China Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled heaters and contact the Holmes Group to receive a free replacement heater. Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact The Holmes Group at (800) 306-2471 anytime, or visit the firm's Web site at www.holmesoilfilledheaterrecall.com To see this release on CPSC's web site, please go to: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml07/07168.html The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $700 billion annually. The CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children. The CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals - contributed significantly to the 30 percent decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Well, sure, you can find places in this country where there are still laws on the books that say you have to stop and park your car and wait for any horse and rider to pass before continuing. So, if we're to ignore safety issues that weren't known about in 1920, should we be ignoring those old laws? Tell him that you'll welcome a trip to small claims court but that as soon as he files you intend to counter-sue for payment for what he owns you for the telephone consultations. Of course, you could always suggest he log on here and ask the brethren what they think about his position. I'm sure some folks here would have some choice words for him and he could benefit from the combined wisdom. [:-devil] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Braces? Waddayamean braces? Braces are for teeth !!! Many thanks to Charlie Sessums (User Name: charlieb) Alpha Inspection Brandon, MS

Hi, I see those water heaters all the time. the fiberglass packed against the exhaust vent might have violated the manufacturer's rule, although you can usually put your hand on those things and they're just warm because the cold air comes in thorugh the outer ring and the hot air goes out through the center. It's a regional thing, I guess, but around here, because it's earthquake country, there'd need to be flexible connectors as well as full-circumference strapping top and bottom third of the tank. Outlet souldn't have been reduced. I'll let Kurt or one of the guys who sees boilers every day speak to that boiler. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, If it's that much, you could a 5/4 or a 2x under the original sill. Or shim it at intervals - I dunno - every 16 to 20 inches - and then grout the gap between the top of the foundation and the mudsill with a really stiff mix. Or, just say, "The foundation wall at X has cracked and settled substantially. Have a competent foundation contractor, working under the direction of a licensed engineer, repair it as appropriate," and stop worrying about how to repair it and simply report it. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, Well, you didn't say how much height differential there was in the walls. They rarely shim them around here if they're less than about 1/2 inch because it usually isn't that noticeable inside the home. Of course, though around here about 90% of them have at least one vertical crack without any differential settling, most of those with differential settling are pretty old and folks come to expect uneven floors in those old homes. There's about 4-5 ft. of soft glacial till here before one starts hitting bedrock and really good bearing soils, so it's prevalent with the old bungalows around here. Hell, when I find one without a cracked foundation and nice flat floors with square doorways, I'm immediately suspicious that it's either had a new foundation placed underneath it or the house or had been lifted someplace else, put on steel, brought there and then set down. Seem to find my fair share of those. I did have a doozy about two weeks ago. The entire south half of the foundation had cracked and settled on a 1930's brick veneer tudor. The sills on that entire side of the foundation were shimmed up about two inches. Don't even get me started on the condition of the veneer. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, You're first sentence pretty much is the diagnosis. A level lot is as bad as a lot that's graded toward the house. However, if the settling is consistent and shows no sign of recent changes, I certainly wouldn't recommend replacing the foundation. Hell, those footings have had over half a century to reach final compaction, if you replaced the foundation without improving drainage the same thing is liable to occur. I'd tell 'em to talk to a reputable/competent foundation contractor about what it will cost to inject the cracks with epoxy. Do it right, and the repaired cracks will be stronger than the foundation. Just don't forget to get the exterior drainage improved and ensure those downspouts are discharging at least 6ft. from that foundation. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Bob's right, I do not believe in interrogating new visitors to either TIJ or JLC, but, now that the introductions are over, perhaps we could get back on-topic and attempt to answer some of Bob's questions? Yeah, I understand that Steve didn't mean to offend, wasn't trying to interrogate him and that Bob may have taken it the wrong way, but it's a point worth making. FWIW, TIJ is open to anyone who wants to visit. One has to actually sign up to be a "member" to post in most topic areas, but there are one or two where that's not necessary. In the five years that we've been doing this, it's a pretty rare event when a homeowner or a do-it-yourelfer stops in here and actually takes the time to register so that they can ask a question. So, if you'd rather not answer someone's query without knowing more about them, just don't. Someone else probably will and then, if you feel comfortable talking to the person after they've revealed a little bit more about themselves or their intent, do so if you're inclined. Other than that, I think it's nice when someone has their geographic location alongside their user name, because knowing that helps me know whether what I see regularly can be applied to their clime, but it's not absolutely necessary. For what it's worth - from my perspective, when I read Bob's post, I had no problem understanding that his intent was to work as a construction consultant - which is what we all are, really - and that he intended to limit his practice to new construction. Bob is very welcome here and can probably contribute significantly to many discussions here. No need to respond - this thread has spent enough time off-topic - let's steer it back and all have a great day. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yeah, That's 'standing on the quarter'. He literally has to keep that stick consistently balanced in a space the size of a quarter to keep it steady like that. Bet that pilot's got a bigger set than the wire walker. Probably drinks a lot of caffeine so he doesn't get a little bit drowsy on the job. OT - OF!!! M.

Man! That dude has a big set. OT - OF!!! M.

No need for an apology, you weren't bothering me. Sometimes I'm not the sharpest tack on the bulletin board. [:-dunce] OT - OF!!! M.

Here's another post where it's discussed: http://www.tijonline.com/forum/topic.as ... Terms=code OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, Go here: http://www.tijonline.com/forum/topic.as ... ms=bonding ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Or they may have created a nice tight home but didn't bother to do anything to balance the humidity in the home and now excess water vapor that used to diffuse into that attic and got carried away by the attic vents is now becoming trapped in the attic. Icynene is permeable but remember it's intended to be an air barrier. Without some means to balance that interior atmosphere, moisture will build up on the interior faster than it can diffuse through the shell and they could end up with musty conditions. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Give them the TIJ Water Heater Serial Number Decoder card and tell them to tell the client before you do when the thing needs to be replaced, instead of telling you how pristine the water heater from the crustaceous period works. I print out both sides on a single piece of card stock and keep a supply of them in my car and hand them out to folks. Best of all, it's free (after you deduct the cost of your card stock and toner). Download Attachment: .pdf"] WaterHeaterSerialNumberDecoder3[2].pdf 100.57 KB

Dat's wut we B here fo! OT - OF!!! M.

Here's some mold commentary some might find interesting http://www.hvi.org/associations/4692/fi ... 090606.pdf OT - OF!!! M.

By Kurt Mitenbuler, Chicago Editorid="left"> Is anyone else out there curious and mildly offended that the allied trades of mold sampling, testing, remediation, and EDUCATION are being usurped by non-medical professionals? I know several medical professionals, a couple of them mycologists (those who study fungi specifically), who are amazed and horrified that this possibly serious health concern is being plied by individuals w/no health care training whatsoever, i.e., home inspectors. These are folks who have spent their entire professional lives attempting to understand the health effects of mold. They don't understand it yet; how is it that those pushing the mold agenda on the HI profession think we are supposed to understand it? Why aren't the mold trades pushing this to the medical & health care professionals? Why do they think that home inspection, which doesn't even require a GED to practice for Gods sake, is a vehicle for disseminating useful health care advice to the public? Benjamins. It's about the Benjamins. If one looks for a bunch of HI's willing to provide add-on services, one will find a bunch of HI's willing to talk about things they know little or nothing about for a fee. If those flogging mold services were concerned w/public health, they'd be pushing this to public health officials, medical schools, legislators, school systems, and the like that have a chance @ making a difference. By flogging this to a profession completely unrelated to health care, they expose themselves as being less concerned about public health as they are w/the business trade services they promote. [Editor's Note: Got something on your mind and want to sound off about it? Submit your article by going to the menu bar at the top of the page, choose "contribute" under the "news" category and then follow the instructions. If the article is relevant to the home inspection profession and in good taste, we'll publish it.]

Here's some mold commentary some might find interesting http://www.hvi.org/associations/4692/fi ... 090606.pdf OT - OF!!! M.

A little heavy on the ads, but there's some stuff here that helps explain some of this. http://www.hvi.org/associations/4692/fi ... 006Low.pdf http://www.hvi.org/associations/4692/fi ... nFeb05.pdf OT - OF!!! M.

http://www.hrai.ca/site/skilltech/docs/ ... WORK11.pdf

Hmmm, Some of you guys should drift on over to my building science forum at JLC once in a while and do battle with some of the crotchety contractors over there. Warning: There's also a bunch of guys over there that know their building science better than the average home inspector, so expect that, if you don't have your stuff in order, to be soundly thrashed. Either way, it would liven things up over there. Come to think of it, I oughta invite them over here! Man, wouldn't that make for some dicey discussions - a bunch of contractors drifting in over here. That's be like a bunch of Hell's Angels stopping in to lunch at a bar where the local frat boys hang out. Hmm. [:-devil] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Lots of old houses around the Seattle area without insulation in the exterior walls, new windows and no problems. We've got a temperate climate like northern California but with more rain. I agree with Jim and Kurt, increase the amount of air changes taking place and it will no longer be an issue. The Fantech solution is good, you could put some FAV80 through wall vents in for intakes and put the Fantech on a 24 hour timer and set it to change the air in the home every few hours. Better yet, take a belt and suspenders approach and install a humidistat along with the timer to kick the system on in the event humidity goes over about 46% between the times it's programmed to come on. OT - OF!!! M.