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Hi Ellen, I can probably find it in one or more texts around here, but the standard recommendation in most parts of the country is 1" per foot away from the house for at least the first six feet from the foundation. In some parts of the country where they don't have snow - here for instance - you can get away with only about 1/2 inch without any problems. I should think that down in Florida you can get away with that as well, so 6 to 12 in 10ft. is pretty good. Didn't Florida just adopt the IRC? The IRC[401.3] requires a minimum of 6 inches in 10ft. away from the foundation. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Okay, Douglas' paper from Alcan has been added to the downloads section. I was wrong (I often am when it comes to computer-related things). [:-banghead] If anyone needs to add something to the downloads section it needs to be done by an administrator, so contact me via e-mail when you want to share something with everyone. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I have them both and haven't encountered any problems. I'm running an old computer with a 500 Mhz chip and 164 Megs of ram. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Man! If I could get people to book me and then pay me a hundred just to go away, without doing any inspections and without doing any paperwork, I'd book 20 of those a day! [}] Some guys have all the luck. [:-banghead] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Okay, so you spent a ton on the SureTest, Tramax, Monoxir or Protimeter, etc.. Do you charge extra per inspection to pull each out of your bag?

Hi Douglas, Go to resources above, click on downloads, and then follow the instructions. If that doesn't work, shoot it to me via e-mail and I'll add it to the downloads library for you. OT - OF!!! M.

Yep, If you go to resources above, click on downloads, you should be able to download the whole pdf file. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Chad, I personally use an ordinary maglight and keep a bevy of cheap D-cell flashlights available on my vehicle for those times I need an extra light. Though I don't have one of these Streamlights, I think, based on what I've read on other forums, that the burnt out bulbs might be the result of having touched them. Apparently, you have to absolutely wear a pair of latex gloves when handling these, so as not to get oils from your hands on them or they'll burn out very quickly. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, I dunno, but Douglas might. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Donnie, I don't think anyone will be able to do that because it isn't actually 'required'. This is from Douglas Hansen's Electrical Inspection of Existing Dwellings: ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Holly Hannah! Has anyone spent more than half a minute watching the home page today? That pesky programmer has snuck some more stuff in here when nobody was watchin'! We B jammin' [] ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Willie, It seems to me that either Chris Prickett or Scott Swarga once related how he does that in conjunction with new home inspections. OT - OF!!! Mike

Hi Folks, Just an admin note: I just realized that this post was in the Marketing Tips column below the main board, instead of on the main board, so I've moved it to Marketing Techniques on the main board. The Marketing Tips area below is the stuff that shows up on the main page and is where I feature articles about marketing a business from specialists in that area. This is a good discussion. I used to be a member of the BBB but only remember one person every saying they'd checked me out. After several years of getting those little plaques from them that said there'd been no complaints against me, I asked myself, "What's the point?" and dropped it. It was more that that though. I'm 52 years old and have never called the BBB to check on a business or initiate a complaint. Frankly, I rely more on the folks I know or a business's past references to know whether they do a good job or not. And, if that business should turn out to be less than what I expected, I let that same sphere of influence know all about my experience. In an era when insurance companies can suck $4,000 a year out of your pocket, regardless of claims history, I personally think there are better places to spend one's business dollars. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Douglas, I sure hope you've got a good makeup air supply to that laundry room. Clothes dryers can cause water heaters to backdraft something fierce and laundry rooms tend to clog the air inlets on the bottom with lint, making them reburn air and produce CO. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Donald, Apparently, Douglas isn't available right now to comment, but I'll quote his book instead. From Electrical Inspection of Existing Dwellings: So, I guess the bottom line is what the local jurisdiction allows, and then if it's permitted the largest motor can't exceed 6 amps and the combined load can't exceed the rating of the circuit. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi All, Had a hot water system yesterday that used a Burnham boiler. I've never seen one of these before - Buderus seems to be popular here though. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how Burnham codes the year of manufacture. This unit was a Model PXG-200417-WNI, serial# 01-010070. The ANSI standard cited on the tag was 1983, so I'm guessing it is around 1985 to 1987, which would be consistent with the remodeling done on the home. I'd appreciate any tips on reading these in the future. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Not!! I was doin' that, but Bill began to object when I ran out of space for all of those beer can tabs on his clothing and started clipping them to his skin. He says he is no longer your Bill. [:-eyebrows] OT - OF!!! M.

Hi Brian, That is where some flux was left on the pipe and reacted with the pipe. In most cases it won't hurt anything, but some types of flux can continue to corrode the pipe and are supposed to be wiped off. You don't see flux spatter damage on much plumbing anymore. For an explanation of the various type of soldering flux, go the the November Issue of Reeves Journal (p48) and read that month's technical article. You'll find it at this link. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Jim, I see them in Plumbing & Mechanical mag all the time. The cheap ones start at about $2800. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! M.

Which? The laugh or the waste disposal system inspection? [:-dev3] OT - OF!!! M.

My sympathies, I went through it in October. 2 polyps removed. Jeesh. They can send little radio operated cars to mars and drive 'em via remote control, why can't they figure out a better way to do this kind of thing? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Oohh, I can see you and Kurt are gonna get along just fine. Careful guys, we have visitors of the opposite gender visiting here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Gosh Kurt, I hope you don't answer a doorbell to find two uniforms there thrusting a warrant into your fist and arresting you for assault w/battery! You're a brave guy. I'd be afraid they'd run over me with their Lexus' here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Uh, As long as you've got all of those extra TV's to unload, my address is...... OT - OF!!! M.

Thank you Chad! You've just unwittingly proven to those skeptical on the IHINA Forum that their secrets are protected. IHINA has a forum here, that's true, but it is only accessible to their members. Think of it as my owning a club with a bunch of private banquet rooms that I rent out. Those folks are welcome to come out and sidle up to the bar for a drink, but since their party is private only members and invited guests can enter. If you want access to that forum, talk to Dennis Robitaille. His user name here is denable and you can shoot him a private message. I don't know if he'll allow you to visit for a while as a guest or you'll have to join IHINA, because that is up to them. By agreement, I have nothing to do with how they handle access there, what is said on their boards nor do I care. Bidness is Bidness as Kurt said on another thread. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike