hausdok

August '75 thru April 1996 Dix, McClellan, Gordon, Bragg, Red Cloud (Kor), Devens, Presidio of Monterey, Bremerhaven (Ger), McClellan, Bragg, Zweibruecken (Ger), Desert Storm (Saudi & Iraq), Yongsan (Kor) and Carson in that order. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Don, We did discuss making it Texas compliant, but I frankly don't know whether in it's current version it would be considered compliant by TAREI, because it's never been reviewed by them. I don't see why it wouldn't though, because when I was helping DevWave to figure out how to lay it out the ASHI, NAHI and TAREI sop's were what we used as the model in order to produce something that would be as complete as possible. We figured that if it complied fully with all three of those, that it would comply fully with all others as well. That's why there are portions of the program that go into some details - appliances and air conditioners, for instance - that neither ASHI or NAHI SOPs require an inspector to do. I suppose you could attach it as an enclosure to that 6-7 page report format you gys down there are required to do. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I wasn't aware that aluminum wiring was ever "outlawed". Care to expound upon that statement? OT - OF!!! M.

I think I would have responded sardonically - something like: Gosh, I didn't know there was another way to test a hydro-massage tub, other than to fill it up to a point above the jets and turn it on. Would you be so kind as to instruct me and your buyer in the correct method that I should have used to test your tub? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Jim, If I may, IE is exactly the type of program that fellows like Gene need. It runs in MS Word, so it does have a spell checker as well as a grammar checker - although the grammar thingy is pretty wacked most of the time. SOP's require one to observe certain things and describe them in the report, in addition to the issues encountered. Gene works through the engine by making choices from drop down lists. As he makes those choices, the program orders them into a specific sequence and produces a narrative text. For instance, as Gene works through the Structure section he makes choices from drop-downs about how many stories the home has; whether it is attached/detached; the type of framing; whether it is single or multi-family; when it was constructed; number of bedrooms; number of kitchens; number of bathrooms; type of foundation; whether it is built over a basement, crawlspace, slab or on piers; stud spacing; size of studs; ceiling joists size; rafter size and spacing; whether the roof is a stick-built or manufactured truss assembly; how the walls and floors and roof are sheathed; and the type of supports posts found. As the program strings the choices together in their sequence, the lead-ins and tail comments for every descriptive choice dovetail with the choices before and after to produce a narrative text. Here's the raw, unedited text the program produces for a two story home built in 1942 on a crawlspace: The subject residence is a two-story detached, wood frame, single family dwelling, built about 1942. The residence has three bedrooms, one kitchen, two bathrooms and is built on a crawlspace. The structure is typical platform framing of 2 by 10 floor joists on 16-inch centers and the floors are sheathed with one-by sheathing. Wall framing is 2 by 4 studs on 16-inch centers sheathed with one-by sheathing. The ceiling joists are 2 by 6. The roof is a wood frame assembly, the rafters are 2 by 6 on 24-inch centers sheathed with skip sheathing. The building has wooden support columns. The foundation is conventional reinforced concrete design. This is just the description. After working through the description drop downs, the user picks defects from a series of checkboxes. The program then takes the boilerplate and either strings it all together into a narrative paragraph or each issue can stand alone and be highlighted by a convention, depending on what the user chooses. That's in narrative mode. There is a semi-narrative mode that produces a more linear report that is very similar in many respects to the InspectIt, 3D, InspectVue and other reports of that type. Now, it isn't perfect - punctuation needs work and there are some tense and active/passive voice conflicts, but it does produce a written narrative that is understandable, won't embarrass the inspector, and provides the reader with the information needed. To produce the text above, Gene would need to make about 30 seconds worth of choices, which you'll understand he'd much prefer to do, rather than labor over a keyboard trying to think how to write something and get it into proper context. For strong typists like you and I, that paragraph might only take 30 to 40 seconds to write, but for fellows like Gene it might take 10 to 15 minutes. Those who have strong writing skills and can touch-type very fast, might not care to let a computer program like IE compose their reports for them. But, those who are still learning the English language or those with poor typing skills and folks trying to wean themselves off of years of using NCR checkbox type reports will be able to appreciate it like Gene does. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike P.S. Gene, go into your options settings for Word and turn on your spell checker.

Hi, The rule for NM is secured within 12 inches. That's more than 12 inches. They should have brought it in from below or the side and held it in place with anchors within 12 inches of where it goes into that box. That said, in the grand scheme of things it probably isn't going to mean much. OT - OF!!! M.

Article in a Missouri newspaper today about some Pulaski County commissioners quizzing some newly elected pol what he was going to do to raise more money for the state. This excerpt was kind of interesting: These two guys were a realtor and a developer, so this kind of trash talk is to be expected, but you gotta know that they knew a reporter was right there scribbling as fast as he could and they were trying to slam HI's. These are the kind guys who get dumb legislation that favors the realtors pushed forward. Here's the link to the entire article: Trash Talkin Pol Comments from someone in Missouri? Seems like this oughta earn the guy an open letter in the paper from the local HI orgs. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Don, You're right, I should have caught the doubled neutrals. I call the danged things every day, don't understand why I missed 'em here. Interesting that our electrician friend calls this crappy workmanship. Compared to most of what I see around here it's a jewel. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It looks fine to me. The green screw effectively bonds the neutral bus to the panel. Since there is an extra ground bus, the cross bar isn't really needed. It's redundant, but not really an issue. Basically, it's now a panel with two neutral buses and one ground bus. I'm guessing that the extra bus is just the electricians own personal quirk. Pretty clean panel compared to a lot that I see. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Nope, I'm talking about pre-Thomas & Betts. For years, the only way you could find a Zinsco breaker was to purchase them used or new old stock from places like The Breaker Broker and other electrical outlets. At the same time, you could get look-alikes at the orange box that were made in South America and were pieces of doo-doo. Thomas and Betts is probably making decent Zinsco replacement breakers. That still doesn't correct the problems with the Zinsco boxes - insufficient bending room, crowding, no way to know which bus you're connected to without unplugging the breaker to examine it, aluminum buses that get all pitted from arcing, breakers that are loose due to loose tangs, etc. There are a ton of 'em out there still, but I wouldn't want to live in a house that had one - new T & B breakers or not. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention that. Thanks for reminding me Jim. That top breaker is newer than the others. It's one of the replacement breakers made in South America that used to be the only option besides new old stock for anyone looking for Zinsco breakers, until a few years ago when Thomas & Betts bought the tooling equipment and the rights to the Zinsco name. Those also have a poor reputation. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, The CU-AL on the breakers means that they are approved for copper or aluminum wiring. That is copper cable. You should be more concerned with the panel. It's a Zinsco. Bad Ju-Ju. Get rid of it or double your fire insurance. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, The bottoms of crawls here are anywhere from 12 inches to 8ft. below grade and we keep water out all the time. A crawl isn't anything more than a basement with a dirt floor. It isn't hard to keep water out of a basement, you've just gotta think like water. [] Make sure all roof runoff is conveyed to a point at least six feet from the foundation view downspout extensions or bubbler pots and that you've got the lot around the home graded so that there's about 1" fall for every foot for the first six feet (6"). As long as you don't have a high water table, you're not at the bottom of a draw or in direct line of flow down a slope it will stay dry. That said, if a barrier is done right. Even if you get some infiltration the barrier will float up on top of the soil stay intact and then return to it's proper position when the water recedes. That's a lot of vents, which is good if you don't have a hot/humid summer climate, but what's the point of insulating the foundation walls with vents, unless of course they are closing them up in winter? OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Chris, You didn't say whether the crawl was ventilated or sealed. I'm guessing it's not ventilated or what would be the point of having insulation on the side walls. If it is sealed, I'm with Jim 100% - water under the house is bad. Fix the source of the infiltration and then do a super good job of applying your poly. Then you can insulate it like Jim says. If you'd like, I can shoot you one of Jeff Tooley's articles about how to 100% seal a crawlspace so that you can turn that into conditioned space and won't have to lose any sleep about it any more. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I guess it's the alzheimers kicking in, but I can't seem to comprehend this question at all. I think the notion of an inspector apprenticed to a licensed inspector, while being out there doing inspections on his own, unsupervised on-site, and collecting a fee for it, while being called an associate inspector, is silly. I used to think it was okay, but I've altered my thinking. True apprentices must work under the watchful gaze of their mentors, not on their own. Once the guy/gal solos, he or she should be called 'inspector'. What you've got there isn't an apprenticeship, it's a probationary period. I think it would be better to make them pass the NHIE upon completion of training and then call them 'inspectors' until they've done X-number of inspections which the mentor reviews during a probationary period. At that point they should be required to submit to an on-site peer review. Pass the peer review, and then the inspector gets to use the term 'Certified Inspector'. Kind of like what architects and engineers have to do after they complete their internships. Wait, the fog is clearing. I think I know what you are asking now. I can't render an opinion on your question because I don't know how that law reads there. I suppose if there is nothing in the NJ law that says that the apprentice must be working for another firm then it would be okay for him/her to hire a licensed guy to supervise him, although I bet that wasn't their intention when they set things up that way. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I talked to Jeff by telephone just a couple of months ago and asked him what he thought about all of this mold testing during home inspections. He said he doesn't do it and won't. He acknowledged that he has a separate IAQ business, but said he agreed with the CDC and EPA that it was of little value. I talked to another PHD who's firm does mold analysis down at the AII convention in Portland, OR. I think it was two years ago. We later had a series of e-mail exchanges to talk about what home inspectors do. He said that air sampling for mold is of little value because there is mold everywhere. He said that the only reliable way of doing it is by the tape-lift method. Now, I don't know a whole lot about the subject. In fact, I make it a point not to. I think it is clear that the true 'experts' in the field think that air sampling has no value and that looking for mold in the course of a home inspection is pointless. Since the bill of goods that testing labs sell is primarily air sampling during home inspections, I consider it a scam. I tell my clients very pointedly up front, "I don't inspect or test for mold, period. So don't even expect me to go there. If you're concerned with mold, hire a reputable IAQ firm to check the place out, but don't hire one of me. Home Inspectors have no business dabbling in mold. That's like an ophthalmologist dabbling in brain surgery." They get it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, About the brass connectors - you guys are a lot of years getting off the pot on that one. CPSC began recalling those brass connectors way back in 1996. 1996 Notice Fall '97 Consumer Product Safety Review 1997 Notice 1997 Safety Alert Wa hoppen? OT - OF!!! M.

Somebody needs to have a word with the moron working for the pipefitter who installed that pipe. apparently it was too much trouble to put a couple of elbows on that pipe to get it clear of the joists, so he just attacked them with a hammer to make room for his pipe. Someone needs to lay that hammer upside of his head. OT - OF!!! M.

House Kewl - Erosion Not Kewl! OT - OF!!! M. The Kansas City Star Ennis Brown House

Well, We are said to get a fair amount of rain out here in Seattle and I've seen about a half dozen of these. It's almost always on houses built in the 20's and 30's. I've always expressed a little pessimism about the concept in my reports, but they're all holding up. In fact, I stopped by one of my former client's house one day as I was driving by and asked about the roof. He said it has been great. Go figure. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

by Matt Michel Whether you choose to acknowledge it or not, you are a salesperson. Everyone sells. Visit the supermarket. You will see closing attempts all around that are far more aggressive than anything you witness in the world of professional sales. “Junior, put that down this instant,â€

by Matt Michel JENNIFER Jennifer is one of the top salespeople in her organization. Her peers roll their eyes when discussing her. She’s in a whole other league. She’s a sales machine. As good as Jennifer is, any of the salespeople in her organization could match her if they were willing to put out a similar effort and practice similar disciplines. They don’t, so she outsells them. What are those disciplines? 1. Jennifer Doesn’t Sit Around - A lot of salespeople would rather sit around and complain than hustle. Not Jennifer. She doesn’t waste time. She works. She’s out making sales while the other salespeople are trying to figure out what they’re going to do. 2. Jennifer Plans During Downtime - With every product or service, there’s a time when you can sell and a time when you can’t. Jennifer takes advantage of the downtime. She uses it to pre-plan her sales. She doesn’t waste sales time getting ready. She’s already ready. Sales time is for selling. Downtime is for preparing. 3. Jennifer is Opportunistic - Jennifer makes sure everyone she knows, knows what she’s selling. She’s not shy about it. As a result, she gets orders other salespeople from her organization miss. Show the least little interest and Jennifer’s ready. She’s always got an order form with her. She knows her product line backwards and forwards. She’s alert for buying signals. She scripts what she’s going to say, but will vary the script based on the circumstances. 4. Jennifer Keeps Records - Many salespeople fail to keep records of what they sold, to whom, when, and where. Jennifer keeps detailed records. She reviews these every year. As a result, she knows what to do to maximize sales time. 5. Jennifer Retains Customers - Buy from Jennifer once and she considers you *her* customer. She learns and records your preferences. She reminds you what you purchased before. She asks for a reorder and suggests new items. 6. Jennifer is Efficient & Unconventional - The best salespeople are willing to try new approaches. They are willing to go beyond their training. The products Jennifer sells are typically sold face-to-face by a direct sales force. This is how they’re trained to sell. Jennifer sells that way too. She also telemarkets. She simply calls her old customers and asks for orders. With the telephone, she can reach more people. She can extend her selling time. 7. Jennifer Sets Her Own Quotas - Jennifer disregards the quotas handed down by her organization. She sets her own quotas. Jennifer is 12 Years Old Yes, Jennifer is 12. She’s a Girl Scout. She sells cookies. Every year, between school, scouts, softball, and soccer, she finds time to sell more than 400 to 500 boxes of cookies. She has a cookie clientele. KATIE If Jennifer is a sales star, Katie is a Girl Scout Cookie superstar. This year, 9 year old Katie went from 210 boxes to 1,869. How did she do it? Simple. She created a new approach. While other girls went door-to-door in residential neighborhoods, Katie went business-to-business. She walks in, asks to see the manager, explains that she’s selling Girl Scout Cookies, and explains the program where people can buy cookies for the troops overseas. Katie then asks how many *cases* they want – not boxes, cases. That’s new paradigm selling. If a 12 year old can follow those seven sales disciplines, so can you. If a 9 year old can create a new sales paradigm, so can you. Why are you still sitting around? Remember the first discipline? Copyright © 2004 Matt Michel - The Comanche Marketer Source: Comanche Marketing. Reprinted by permission. THE COMANCHE MARKETER They were a tribe of warriors. They were masters of the horse and masters of war. Through their tactical brilliance, they overcame the inferiority of their numbers to drive the Apache out of Texas and beat back the Spanish. The Utes called them "one who fights me all the time." The Utes called them Comanches. The Comanche warrior was one who fought all of the time. The Comanche marketer is one who markets as fiercely, as brilliantly, and as relentlessly as the Comanche fought. The Comanche marketer is "one who markets all of the time." Free subscriptions to The Comanche Marketer are available at: http://www.serviceroundtable.com -- click on the Comanche Marketing tab. Editor's Note:You might ask why TIJ features marketing articles written by an HVAC sales guru like Matt Michel. The answer is simple. Matt's stories are lessons learned over decades of overcoming obstacles to sales and can be applied to any profession. Home inspectors, as a breed, are uncomfortable marketing and are their own worst enemy when it comes to selling their services. Michel's lessons can help each of us defeat that enemy. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

by Matt Michel Sales are not merely transaction related. If you want to get anything done in your company, you have two choices, you can do it yourself or you can get others to do it. If you’re the boss, you can order others, but it’s far better to elicit them. It’s far better to “sellâ€

by Matt Michel The Kid didn’t like the fact that he was “the kid.â€

Infrared (IR) inspection is a powerful new non-invasive means for home inspectors to monitor and diagnose the condition of buildings and identify problems behind finished surfaces in areas that previously were impossible to inspect.id="left">Inspectors can immediately document those problems with full color thermal pictures that are downloaded into an easily understood thermal inspection report. Clients and customers immediately understand the value this adds to the report, so the IR camera is a great new tool that not only saves time and money, but elevates the inspector in the eyes of his customers from simple technician to a true technology professional. How It Works Thermography enables us to see and measure heat. All materials on earth emit heat energy in the infrared portion of the spectrum. Unfortunately, the unaided human eye cannot see in the infrared, so a thermal imaging device (camera) is necessary. Infrared images allow the camera user to see thermally, revealing temperature anomalies that indicate problems in buildings and components of electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and waterproofing systems. With today’s lightweight and rugged infrared cameras one not only sees in real-time, but can also record infrared images and measure the temperatures of target objects quite accurately — to within +/-25°F or better. Points of possible concern show up clearly as either hot or cold in relation to their surroundings. Recorded thermal images can be easily inserted into reports, and e-mailed, greatly facilitating communications among trades, attorneys, and other professionals. These images can also serve as invaluable, rational, evidential data in controversial cases. How It's Being Used Missing or damaged insulation - An IR camera can quickly and non-destructively detect areas of missing, moisture-laden or otherwise damaged insulation in walls, crawlspaces and attics or around doors, windows, electrical outlets and other access plates. All of these problems can increase a building’s energy costs by facilitating a home's heat loss in the winter, and the reverse in the summer. IR can also identify poorly or uninsulated pipes, another source of costly heat loss. Faulty electrical mechanical systems- Infrared cameras are very effective at detecting overloaded circuits, faulty wiring, and loose electrical connections. These generate heat and can pose serious fire hazards. IR can detect thin spots in furnace heat exchangers and flues and mechanical problems such as worn, under-lubricated pumps, motors, and bearings in fans, compressors, and furnaces, as well as electrical faults, refrigerant leaks and blockages in HVAC components. Leaking roofs - Roof leaks can cause costly damage to a building’s contents and discomfort to its inhabitants. An infrared inspection can quickly identify missing or moisture-soaked insulation under a flat roof membrane roof where the insulation needs replacement, permitting the surgical repair of failed areas rather than the much more costly replacement of the entire roof. Construction defects - The increased use of EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems) and stone, stucco, brick veneers and siding as facades on residential as well as commercial buildings invites the possibility of water intrusion if they are not properly installed. IR can detect or verify moisture infiltration in these weatherproofing ‘barrier’ systems, usually the result of insufficient detailing such as inadequate or improperly applied flashing or sealants. Post-fire inspections - After fires, IR can quickly locate remnant hot spots, assuring the fire is completely extinguished and provide invaluable data for insurance companies’ Cause and Origin investigations. The clear IR images of normally invisible diagnostic evidence can assist in the planning and execution of the restoration effort and in the settlement process. Even termites - Although considered cold-blooded creatures, termites are hosts to bacteria, which help break down and digest cellulose, the main ingredient of the wood they digest. The digestion process generates heat, and when large numbers of termites in nests congregate, a substantial amount of heat is concentrated in one area. As this heat moves through the walls or floor of a building, an IR camera can detect it on the surface. The Need For Training Regardless of how an IR camera is used, its effectiveness depends on the contractor’s skill in operating the camera, knowledge and understanding of the components being inspected and the science involved in the assessment of the thermal evidence. A properly trained and experienced thermographer knows that not every hot or cold spot represents a problem. In fact, many may reflect a component’s normal operation, performance or location in a structure. A thermal image may show heat from sources other than the target that is reflected from or transmitted through the target material. That’s why it’s often said in the thermal imaging profession, “There are IR camera operators, and then there are thermographers.â€