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Hi, Click here to Ask The Log Man ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

by Matt Michel PROLOGUE 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." The Mousetrap Series - Tips 21 thru 26 The Mousetrap Series Continues. 21. Pictures Trump Clip Art Clip art has it's place, but the proliferation of clip art has done almost as much harm to graphic design as the emergence of 10,000 font CD-ROMs. While clip art has it's place, pictures trump clip art almost every time. I used to test this by flipping open a yellow pages directory I had to the rental car section. There were two, nearly identical ads, side by side. One featured a line art drawing of a can. The other featured a gray scale image of a car. I asked people to pick the ad that caught their eye. Nine times out of ten, people picked the ad with the picture over the ad with the line art. What holds for rental cars, holds even more for people. Use photographs and cut the image out of the background if necessary. 22. People Prefer Pictures of People Contractors love trucks. There's nothing more appealing to a contractor than a great big shiny new service or installation truck. If you want contractors to look at your ad, put a truck in it. If you want people to look at it, put a person in it. People are warm, friendly, and expressive. Trucks are cold and metallic. The same thing is true about condensing units, water heaters, and so on. 23. Extend Graphics Into The Page Extending a graphic into the text on a page, which wraps around the graphic, makes the page more interesting. It links the graphic and the text, adding a sense of harmony. 24. Continue The Lead Story of a Newsletter Inside If you want people to open your newsletter, continue the lead story inside. It gives people a reason to opne the newsletter. This same tactic is used with every newspaper. Editors could easily cut the story to the first page, but they don't. They want you to open the paper. 25. Break Box Borders to Break Out of the Box Borders make things nice and neat. They can also be confining and boring. Engineers love borders. Add visual interest by extending graphics or text outside of or past borders. It adds visual interest and can be used to direct people to focal points. 26. Look Into the Page Unless You Want Them to Read the Ad Next Door If you've got a graphic, it should be pointed into your ad, not outside of it. Images of people should be looking into your ad. If images are directed off the page, you're leading the eye away from your ad, your copy, your sales. Since it helps to "see" examples, you might want to download a copy of the "Build a More Profitable Service Business" notes by clicking on the link below. http://www.serviceroundtable.com/Freebi ... p?PCID=295 Source: Comanche Marketing. Reprinted by permission. Free subscriptions are available at: www.serviceroundtable.com -- click on the Comanche Marketing tab Copyright © 2004 Matt Michel

by Matt Michel PROLOGUE 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." The Mousetrap Series - Tips 15 thru 20 The Mousetrap Series Continues. 15. Every Inch Does Not Have To Be Filled Nature abhors a vacuum and marketers abhor white space. "Hey, look. There's some empty space. Let's say something else about how wonderful we are!" Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! Uh, note to self. Remember this one. A filled to the gills, busy piece tends to overwhelm and intimidate people. They get intimidated and they don't even attempt to read all of the wonderful things about your wonderful business. In one of the most successful print ads of all time, a bank utilized almost an entire page to say, "Free Money." Granted, this is an easy sell. Any bank that offers free money would get my attention. That's the point. The bank didn't need to say anything else. The bank didn't need to say anything else, except the fine print footnote explaining that the bank was offering a free copy of Microsoft® Money. White space is pleasing to the eye. It also helps draw attention to the important stuff, you want people to read. 16. Don't Use All Upper Case Because It's a Lot Harder to Read In seminars, I put the following text up in upper and lower case, and in all upper case, side by side. Immediately before I load the page, I divide the room in half. One half reads the upper and lower case text. The other side reads the upper case text. I tell people to raise their hands when done. It never fails. The half reading the upper and lower case text beats the half reading the all upper case text every time. Which do you think is easier to read? PEOPLE ARE USED TO READING UPPER AND LOWER CASE. AS WE AGE, WE LEARN TO READ WORDS BY SHAPE. WHEN WORDS ARE WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS, WE CAN'T READ BY SHAPE. People are used to reading upper and lower case. As we age, we learn to read words by shape. When words are written in all caps, we can't read by shape. 17. Delete 9,998 Fonts From Your 10,000 Font Collection Just because you have hundreds or thousands of fonts doesn't mean you need to use them. It's like using every possible color. It's annoying. Don't do it. There are three types of relationships to think about. First is a concordant relationship where the fonts vary slightly, but come from the same family. Variations might include bolding the font or italicizing the font. A contrasting relationship involves more than one font and the fonts are definitely different and distinctive, such as Arial and Times Roman. There are places for both concordant and conflicting relationship. There is no place for a conflicting relationship, which involves fonts that are only slightly different, such as Times Roman and Courier or Arial and Verdana. Try to use one font for headlines and a different font for everything else. That gives you contrast, without tiring the reader. 18. People Read Roman Roman is the font used in newspapers and in most books. People are used to it. It's easier to read. Use a Roman typestyle for body, for sentences and paragraphs. 19. San Serifs Are Good For Headlines San Serifs, the smoother fonts, such as Arial, are great fonts to use for headlines. San Serifs bold well. They contrast well with Roman typefaces. They work wonderfully well for short lines of text. 20. Use Reverses For Emphasis If you have a piece of text that you really want to draw attention, use a reverse, such as white text on a black field. Reverses provide a strong element of contrast with a very simple graphic element. Reverses are also a great way to break up a document into clearly defined sections. (Next: Tips 21 thru 26) Since it helps to "see" examples, you might want to download a copy of the "Build a More Profitable Service Business" notes by clicking on the link below. http://www.serviceroundtable.com/Freebi ... p?PCID=295 Source: Comanche Marketing. Reprinted by permission. Free subscriptions are available at: www.serviceroundtable.com -- click on the Comanche Marketing tab Copyright © 2004 Matt Michel

Hi Steve, I think that as long as it has that full steel chassis underneath it and is built to HUD and DOT specs it will always be considered a mobile home. That aside, a gas-burning water heater and furnace aren't supposed to be installed in bedrooms or laundry rooms unless they use outside combustion air. Every time that clothes dryer kicks on, it is going to depressurize that laundry room and cause either one or both of those appliances to backdraft. The HVAC guy had his head tucked up his ass on that job. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, For any of you living in Deleware, this is a 1400sf Sears kit house that needs to be moved. Perhaps you know someone capable of tackling a project this big who has an empty lot looking for an occupant to sit on it. http://www.historicproperties.com/detai ... y=mawil004 ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

My guess is that the bath was re-plumbed and the plumber just added these. Around here anyway, it is rare to see pipes for lavs coming straight up out of the floor. We usually see that when the original pipe in the wall was too occluded to be used anymore and they want to bypass it without tearing it out. OT - OF!!! M.

Are you saying that he installed cells behind pegboard in the detached garage? Cells isn't generally musty smelling unless it gets wet. The borate the cells is treated with is kind of neutral - like being in a warehouse full of salt - but it stinks to high heaven when it gets wet, stays that way for a while and molders. Also, rats and mice love to tunnel into the stuff and live in it and those incontinent little bastards will saturate it. OT - OF!!! M.

Like Brian, I think that weight is the biggest factor here. Cells is heavy. Hope they've using better than 1/2 drywall there. I think that anything beyond R40 in cells is wasted money, because I've heard that beyond that you get diminishing return on the thickness due to convective looping. That said, a few years ago I did a double-walled house designed by an HVAC engineer that had blown-in fiberglass wall insulation a foot thick and attic insulation that was about 48inches deep. He was so finicky about the insulation that he built a complete catwalk system through the attic so that nobody would ever have to walk on it or wade through it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yep, Once left my car in outside storage in Texas for two years while I was stationed in Korea. Nobody told me about the hail. Came back to find my baby covered with peach-sized pock marks, the back window gone and the windshield cracked. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It's algae. It will usually appear on the side of a roof that slopes away from the sun. Here in Washington, that is the East and South sides, but we also get it on the other sides when they are shaded. UV kills algae, so it is rare to see it on the sunny sides of a roof. It's a fungal organism and secretes oxalic acid to eat, so it is mildly corrosive and can, in some instances, cause accelerated loss of granules. Removal is simple. For every 10 squares that need cleaning mix up a batch of cleaning solution. On an overcast day mist the roof with clear water and then apply the solution and allow it to work about 30 minutes and then rinse it off with clear water at low pressure. Never use a pressure washer! Make sure to wet down and temporarily cover with plastic any vegetation near the eaves, because the overspray will kill it. Solution (Can treat 1000 sf): 1 part liquid swimming pool chlorine (sodium hypochlorite), 4 parts water and 1/8 part non-ammoniated liquid dishwashing detergent. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

by Mike O'Handley, Editor As summer draws to a close, thousands of home inspectors around the country, who’ve just had one of their busiest seasons in years, are seeking ways to garner the balance of their annual continuing education credits for either their state licensing requirement or professional organization. A great many will do so by attending one or more of the larger educational conferences, but will dread writing another check, knowing that they’ll have to sit through two or three days of the same old repetitious conference fare. Well, for those of you who appreciate historic homes and whose inspection practice consists of largely older housing stock, the solution is near at hand. Get on the phone now, make an airline reservation to New York and plan to be in Kingston, NY on September 13th and 14th for the second annual Historic Homes Seminar, hosted by the Hudson Valley Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors. Just a 90-minute rental car drive from JFK to the foothills of the Catskills, this year’s two day conference is worth up to 12 ½ continuing education credits for at least two states and ASHI®. Conference fare consists of classes specific to older homes - cedar and metal roofs; framing; historic home analysis; one-pipe steam systems; masonry and foundations and vintage plumbing. With the current cost of a one-way ticket to New York on at least one major airline from anywhere in the country being as little as $89, and with a total conference cost of only $305 for non-ASHI members – less if you register early - this conference is a bargain. Toss in area hotel costs that are little more than half of what you’ll pay in the better-known conference venues, as well as a historic buildings tour, and it’s a steal. For more information, log onto the HVASHI site and start packing those bags.

Yeah, it's on - barely.

Editors note: Though most companies in this profession are one-man shops, the following article may be of value to multi-inspector firms. WASHINGTON, August 18 - The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a Web page containing information and tips specifically related to safety and health for workers in the residential construction industry. The Web site was created with guidance and assistance from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). OSHA’s Residential Construction Safety and Health Web page features information about OSHA standards that apply to residential construction as well as the hazards present in residential construction and solutions available to the industry. “This new OSHA Web page focuses on residential construction industry-specific safety and health information that can help employers and workers establish and maintain safer worksites,â€

by Mike O'Handley, Editor A new professional association for home inspectors, called the Washington Association of Property Inspectors (WAPI) has recently incorporated in Washington state and is inviting all inspectors who perform home inspections in Washington to join. According to the association's newly-elected President, Larry Stamp, the association was formed to support the home inspection profession in general and Washington inspectors specifically. As stated in their bylaws, WAPI's purpose is: To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, information, and knowledge among its member inspectors To provide a source of continuing education to enhance the knowledge and professionalism of its member inspectors To interact with related professions and government agencies, to benefit the home inspection industry According to Stamp, WAPI members believe that there is much to gain by collaborating for the good of the profession, as it is unlikely that industry standards, regulations and licensing requirements will remain static in Washington state, and that a well-informed and cooperative group of Washington home inspectors can strongly influence future developments. Stamp says that WAPI welcomes experienced inspectors, who have not elected to affiliate themselves with a particular association, as well as new inspectors and those who are considering entering the profession. Welcome too are those from all recognized associations, and there is no requirement for an inspector to drop his or her membership in a current organization, in order to join WAPI. WAPI currently meets at 9:00 AM on the third Saturday of the month, in a private room at the Denny's Restaurant in Federal Way, WA. At their next meeting on August 21st, WAPI will conduct a short business meeting and then feature educational topics relevant to the profession. Stamp says all are welcome to attend to learn more about the association without obligation. Those interested should contact Renee Stamp at 360/459-1632 or e-mail her at cameo@callatg.com.

EDITORIAL It's taken 6-1/2 months, but the number of respondents to TIJ's "unofficial" poll featured at the bottom of our home page, which asked inspectors whether state licensing of all home inspectors should be mandatory, has finally topped 500. Of the 502 individuals who, as of this writing, have taken the time to participate in the poll, 375 (75%) favor licensing of home inspectors in every state, while 111 (22%) are against licensing and 16 (3%) are undecided. Surprisingly, these results have remained relatively consistent through the past six months, hovering around 73%, until July when the numbers in favor began an upswing. TIJ has long advocated cooperation among home inspectors and the various professional home inspection organizations, on matters pertaining to state licensing, establishing uniform standards of practice and certification of home inspector qualifications. We think this poll speaks to the desire of most inspectors for just that. While this poll is by no means a "scientific" study, it does provide a snapshot of the mindset of those in the profession. Given these results, perhaps it is time for those who are presently opposing licensing in any way, shape or form, to read the handwriting on the wall and understand that licensing is ultimately going to come whether they like it or not. In the past couple of years, opposition to licensing has resulted in some well-written laws being watered down to the point where anyone with a clipboard and a flashlight can qualify for a license. At the same time, others have managed to get processes in place that are essentially a rubber stamp for those already in the profession, that don't require any peer review or truly relevant testing for established inspectors, while at the same time erecting huge obstacles to those who wish to enter the profession. Essentially, protectionism at its worst. The net result of all of this in-fighting has polarized the profession, turned long-time colleagues into enemies and slowed our progress toward becoming universally recognized as professionals in a true discipline, instead of merely as service providers. The only winners are those who continue to benefit from a home inspection profession that remains divided - namely less-than-honest real estate professionals and "inspectors" who perform less-than-thorough "friendly to the house" inspections. It is high time that those on both sides of this issue put aside their personal agendas, stop sowing the seeds of enmity among their peers and begin to participate in helping to shape the future of this profession, instead of continuing to hold the entire profession back. "ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!" Mike O'Handley, Editor

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces the following recall in voluntary cooperation with the firm below. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of product: Ceiling Fans with Light Units: 1,200 Manufacturer: Vaxcel International Co. Ltd., of Glendale Heights, Ill. Hazard: These ceiling fans were assembled without the proper wire insulation sleeving, which could result in exposed wiring. Consumers could receive an electrical shock during installation or removal. Incidents/Injuries: None reported. Description: These down-rod-mount, dual-motor, 36-inch ceiling fans were sold in chrome, stone white, brush nickel, polished brass, antique brass, or weathered patina finishes. Model number 355-6645 is printed on the box and on a label located on the central housing of the ceiling fan. The brand names of the fans are "Aire Tek" and "Turn-of-the-Century Apollo Series" which is written on the packaging only. A label located on the central housing of the ceiling fan displays the File Number "E215078," the UL Listing Mark, and the model number 355-6645. Vaxcel had previously recalled the same model fan sold under the "Aire Tek" brand name. Sold at: Menard stores nationwide between January 2002 and May 2002 for between $350 and $450. Manufactured in: Taiwan Remedy: Consumers should contact Vaxcel to verify if they have one of the recalled ceiling fans and to receive a free replacement ceiling fan if they do. To avoid the risk of shock while checking or removing a recalled fan, consumers should turn off the power source to the fan. Consumers are encouraged to use a professional electrician. Vaxcel will reimburse consumers up to $75 for charges incurred in removing recalled fans. Consumer Contact: Call Vaxcel at (800) 482-9235 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. To view this press release online, use the following link: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml04/04198.html

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns of dangers from generators, candles, and wet appliances after a natural disaster such as a hurricane, tornado, or flood knocks out electricity. The Commission offers these safety tips: Never use a generator indoors, including garages, basements, and crawlspaces, even with ventilation. Exhaust fumes contain high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) which can be deadly if inhaled. Use a portable generator outdoors in a dry area away from doors, windows, and vents that could allow CO to come indoors. Never store gasoline in the home or near a fuel-burning appliance, such as a natural gas water heater in a garage where gasoline fumes could be ignited. CPSC has more details about safe use of generators at: www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/portgen.pdf Plug individual appliances into heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cords and plug the cords into the generator. Check that the extension cords have a wire gauge adequate for the appliance loads. Make sure that each cord is free of cuts or tears and its plug has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin. Do not use electrical or gas appliances that have been wet and do not turn on damaged appliances because of the hazards of electric shock or fire. Do not use gas appliances that have been submerged because silt can make valves inoperable, leading to a gas leak or fire. Never use charcoal indoors because burning charcoal produces high levels of carbon monoxide that can reach lethal levels in enclosed spaces. Make sure the batteries in your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm are fresh. Test these alarms to make sure they are working. Exercise caution when using candles. Use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Keep burning candles away from drafts. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave the room. To view this press release online, use the following link, http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml04/04197.html

Hi, I agree with Bill, way too much exposure of the felt and not enough offset. This guy needs to go back to school. Around here, that roof would begin leaking at about the 8 to 10 year mark after the felt had completely rotted away. Can't speak to Nebraska. I don't know what your sun/rain conditions are there. Go to the Shake and Shingle Bureau's site and get the correct skinny. You'll find them at http://www.cedarbureau.org. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It still looks like a urethane surface to me. Is it possible that there is another drip edge beneath the one that is showing that the roof was originally bonded to. Urethane surfaces are nothing more than a layer of liquid urethane poured over a deck that has been especially primed. The joints, flashings and edging are all taped in first with fiberglass mesh lain in urethane and then another layer or two are applied waiting a day or two between coats. At some point, sand is spread onto a fresh coating while it is still wet and it is allowed to dry. Finally, a topcoat goes on over the sanded coat and the whole thing is air cured. The final product can be anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick and is extremely durable and hard. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Are you absolutely sure it is concrete? It doesn't look like a concrete roof to me. It looks like a urethane textured surface. One Team - One Fight!!! Mike

Hi Chad, Looks like some old Masonite. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Donald, They use stone veneer here but it is always applied over extruded wire lath and a barrier of felt is used between the lath and the OSB. Don't remember where I saw it, but OSB is not supposed to be exposed continuously to the elements for more than 90 days. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Alan, I'm not sure about Chad's assessment that most of us could probably fix your oven. After all, most of us are home inspectors. It might surprise you, but home inspectors don't generally inspect appliances. Yeah, yeah, I know, in Texas they are required to do so. However, turning an oven on to see if it works and fixing it are two different things. I'd call a local appliance repair guy and have him come over and fix it for you. Chad's option, buying a new oven to replace one that is 15 years old and at about 150% of service life is a good one. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, They don't use vapor barriers in walls on this side of the Cascades. Most sheathing here is plywood or OSB anyway, and these are, technically, moisture barriers anyway. Can't speak to what they do in Eastern Washington. They use either wrap or felt here - felt mostly. I've seen the Pactiv product used on a couple of new homes. It is like any other type of 'wrap' - it is designed to be an air barrier, not to keep out moisture. Because there have been so many problems with homes rotting, because water got past the wrap and became trapped against the sheathing,Pactiv designed their product to provide a slight gap which is presumably deep enough to allow drainage. I'm skeptical, but I'll give it a year or two to see how it compares to felt's ability to allow a wall to dry out. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Okay People, Edumakate me! I just replaced my 8-year old computer with one that has Windows XP and whenever I'm on-line these damned square boxes from something called "Messenger Service" keep popping up in the middle of the screen from somebody who says I can get a masters degree in 3 weeks and another one from something called Updatenow.org that is telling me to go to their site to fix a buffer problem. Well, I know that they are junk, but where the hell are they coming from? The MSN messenger icon in the systems tray has an x over it, so I thought the danged thing is off. How do I shut this crap down? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! (Against spam today!) Mike