hausdok

Hi Les, Remember a while back when they were producing paint mixed with ceramic beads? The big selling thing was that the ceramic was supposed to slow passage of heat down through a roof in summer and slow heat loss in winter. If that's even a real thing. Could it be dependent on the type of ceramic? Could your tile be glazed with a type of ceramic that resists thermal transfer? I have no f*****g idea. It's just a wild guess based on some foggy s**t saved in an old file on my organic hard drive. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Lots of them built on those here too, except the ground under them isn't nearly as level as that.

Hi Jerry, I haven't had E & O in 18 years. Have had GL through Liberty Mutual.

It seems like if they were using them to hold them down on a truck during the delivery they'd have done it on every one of them. No?

I think it would work, but I'd be nervous about having it up in a hot attic unless it was treated so it wouldn't burn. I don't know how true it is, but someone once told me that Silva Wool was tossed into a tank filled with a water/borate mix and then stirred for a certain amount of time to ensure it absorbed enough borate to make it fire resistant. Then the solution was drained away and the Silva Wool was dumped into a big tumbler and air dried before it was packaged. If I was going to put that stuff in my attic, I'd probably try and duplicate that Silva Wool technique on the stuff first so I wouldn't ever have to worry about the stuff spontaneously combusting in a 130° attic. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Well, It being La-La Land an all, if California legislators are finally seriously going to start pushing to put some kind of regulation on home inspections, I cringe to think what the pols will come up with down there. In 2005 here in Washington State, one inspector got with a legislator and tried to create some kind of a "registration" scheme. Inspectors got wind of it, saw that it was seriously flawed and put pressure on the legislator to back it off. Then in January 2006 a senior state senator tried to push through her own version of a licensing law with a board that was top heavy with non-inspectors - educators, realtors and engineers and not a single inspector. Even before that legislator submitted her first version of a licensing law to the Senate, the local ASHI chapter got wind of her planes and began to marshal resistance to licensing. Then another association got wind of what the local ASHI guys were doing and tried to throw up their own road blocks. It soon became a contest to see who was resisting more. It was a waste of time and energy. Some of us agreed that, no matter what we did to resist it, licensing was coming whether we liked it or not; and, if we continued to fight it, we inspectors were liable to end up on the outside looking in as those unaffiliated with our profession decided how best to regulate us. We wanted to have a say in our own destiny and didn't want it to be decided by a bunch of pols who were bitter about some inspection that didn't measure up to the pols' standards. We agreed that it needed to be something that was fair to both consumer and inspectors; and that it had to be a joint effort - not led by one association - and that even independents with no association standing needed to get involved. A coalition was formed and then a working group. For months, and then years, the coalition's working group worked to thwart that state Senator's efforts. Finally, unable to get her bill out of committee due to efforts by the coalition aided by ASHIWW's lobbyist, she came to the coalition hat in hand and agreed to listen to their concerns. Then, three days before submitting a third version of her proposed legislation, she asked the coalition to proof and edit her draft as necessary. Members of the coalition met on a Sunday and worked late into the evening to re-work the entire piece of legislation and then sent it back to her. Two days later, she submitted her bill in the Senate with a few tweaks of her own. The next day, as insurance against a double-cross (She'd double-crossed the coalition two years previously), the coalition had a State Representative friendly to the coalition drop a companion bill into the hopper in the house. The companion bill was identical to what they'd sent back to her on Sunday night, without her tweaks. Checkmate! She revised her version and agreed to the coalition's version, The bill sailed through the senate, went over to the house, the house voted to accept it as written and withdrew the companion bill and it got sent back to the senate and on to the Governor's desk. The Governor signed it and it became law 90 days later. The board consisted of seven inspectors - not a single realtor, not a single engineer (well, there was one inspector with an engineering degree and license, but he was chosen for his home inspector input and not because he was an engineer) and not a single non-inspector educator - there was a requirement that one home inspector, who was an educator, hold one position. There was also a requirement that, as much as possible, the board would consist of at least one member from each major association, as well as at least one independent. Two months after that, the Governor appointed a State Advisory Licensing board - some of whom were members of the coalition - made up of members of all major associations plus independents - and the board got to work creating all of the rules for licensing, continuing education, schools, a state SOP that was unique and not a carbon copy of an association's SOP and an enforceable code-of-ethics. By the time the first licensing deadline for established inspectors came around, the framework was in place. In the end, those already in the business were required to prove they had been in the business for a minimum number of years, had done a specific number of inspections and had passed the National Home Inspector's Exam (NHIE), the only inspectors exam that had been crafted with the assistance of psychometricians, the point being to require all inspectors in the state to prove they had the basic knowledge needed to do inspections by passing that exam, regardless of their time in the business. Those new to the business were required to prove they'd completed the mandatory number of training hours, that they'd spent 40 hours accompanying a licensed inspector and had written a specific number of reports, and they were required to pass the NHIE. All of the time the coalition was working to put together something that would be good for inspectors and consumers alike, they were met by resistance from those in the profession who were opposed to licensing. Lots of folks reviled them on the net - claiming that those on the coalition were designing a system that would put them above others and enrich them and that it was all a money grab by the state - never mind that it was required to be an un-funded revenue-neutral program that paid for itself and made almost no money. One group of about thirty five inspectors put together their own bill and got a legislator from the east side of the state to craft legislation that would allow them to be exempted from the law's requirements. They were so confident that they would get things their way that they refused meet the requirements for experienced inspectors; and then, three months before the deadline for new inspectors to have completed all of the licensing requirements, that group had their legislator drop their bill into the hopper in Olympia. A public hearing was scheduled to get public input on the bill. The coalition had representatives at the hearing to speak in favor of the current law as written, and against that group's attempt to do an end-run around the new law. The meeting chairman sent the bill to committee, which essentially killed the bill, because it couldn't get out of committee before the deadline for new inspectors came around. That group of 35 found that they had to get the mandatory number of hours of training and pass the NHIE, just like the rookies had to, before they could be licensed. About half of them failed the NHIE - some of them failed it multiple times - and about a quarter of them quit the profession. Imagine that - inspectors - some of whom had been in the business in excess of fifteen years by then - who tried to make an end run around the new law because they claimed to have superior experience, and to already know all they needed to know to be great inspectors, failed an exam designed to gauge a rookie inspector's competency. Who'da thunk it? If there was ever an example of why inspectors should never be grandfathered unless/until they'd passed the NHIE, that was it! The law has been in place now for nine years. None of the coalition's working group started schools and got rich off of teaching inspectors. None of the terrible things happened to established inspectors that those opposing the legislation said would happen. No plethora of lawsuits against inspectors developed. The board meets every quarter when the state budget permits and lots of inspectors have had their say at the board meetings. The board has accepted some ideas and rejected others, as it should be, and the original board members, some of whom served for two terms, have all been replaced and new board members are continuing with the tradition of working to keep the law fair and reasonable for both inspectors and consumers. Down in California, if only one association tries to bird dog legislation designed to regulate all inspectors in the state, I can guaranty you it will turn into a pissing match between associations, pols there will write off the profession as a bunch of thugs and ner-do-wells and inspectors' concerns will be ignored. If California inspectors don't want to end up being saddled with stupid legislation they'd better put their petty little association differences aside, band together, roll up their sleeves and get ahead of whatever is being proposed down there or, I guaranty, they are going to end up with nightmare legislation.

Well, When I was in everyone called it either a CH54 or a Sky Crane, but the military model name was Tarhe. At least that's what one of my NCO's called the one we were close to while sequestered on the green ramp at Pope AFB waiting to go do a pay jump. He pronounced it 'Tar-Hey', but he had a southern drawl as deep as the Atlantic trench and he used to pronounce all sorts of things odd - like vehicle wasn't 'vee-ick-ul' as I was taught to say it. With him it was 'vee(slight pause) hick-ul' with an emphasis on the H sound. As you may know, most US Army helicopters, for some reason, have been named after native American tribes or persons. Nobody I knew had ever heard of a Tarhe tribe, so it wasn't very memorable and just about everyone referred to them as a CH54.

I was still in the Army when they retired those and sent them to the National Guard. We were sad to see them go. For a while they could be seen here and there when the NG outfits that had them were drilling but after a while we didn't see them anymore.

Nope, Lyctids. I'd bet a Mars bar on it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

We have 'em both here, John, split and rift-sawn. Still lots of folks here with shake roofs.

Years ago, Helped Mike and Rose improve their report format. Then took one of my reports, where I liked the format, and I just saved it in MS Word. Then I overwrote it again, and again, and again, changing the descriptions where necessary, names and dates and places, and word-searching and then grabbing an old comment about whatever issue from an old report and editing it as needed to make it fit the current report. I guess I've been doing that for the past 12 or 13 years. I write all full narrative. Some of you will note that I've never posted reports here. Reason is simple, I know they'll generate a lot of blather that I just don't care to hear, cuz they are long and boring; and, someone above was right - it is a 144 character world now, 'cuz most Americans - particularly millennials - tell me they want me to boil it down to a couple of sentences per issue. I tell them if they want to boil it down to a couple of sentences, wait until they get the report and then have at it, 'cuz I write the way I write and I don't see a need to apologize for it. I hear what everyone is saying about the 144 characters, etc., but most of my clients are Chinese, Indian or Russian university graduates; who've got more initials after their names than it takes to spell my name. I must be doing something right, 'cuz, oddly enough, they seem to love my reports just the way they are. Lately, I've been seeing a lot of customers from years ago. They are buying again and moving into more expensive neighborhoods. Lots of them tell me they still use the old report(s) all the time as guidance for how to care for their homes and the detail in the report was why they came back. A couple told me that in intervening years they'd tried a different inspector on their next house, had not liked the inspection or the reports, and when they'd got around to buying again had called me because they wanted to get that same kind of report again. I'm not averse to trying something new, I just say that if it ain't broke I'm not going to try and fix it. From '96 to '01 I used a different format. Some liked it, some didn't but I eventually achieved a following and things got solid. Then I sold my franchise, dumped the franchise's report format and went to a full-narrative format like I'd used when I'd written investigative reports in the military. Business died off for quite a while until my new way of writing reports caught on with certain demographics. After that, Native American clients went from being the majority of my clients to the minority; and the number of Chinese, Indian and Russian clients, who incidentally in this area tend to buy bigger and more expensive homes (= higher fees), went through the roof. A couple of weeks ago, one of them needed the report done within hours. Told him, "You know me. I've got two speeds - slow and careful - ain't no way I can get it to you by then. I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll throw together something super brief with the issues as simple bullets along with the photos, and email it to you in a couple of hours. You know what the issues are, so you'll understand what the comments are about. You and your agent can use that to respond to the seller. Meanwhile, the report will be in the queue and I'll get to it when it's turn comes up and you'll get it in a couple of days. OK?" I got him the bulleted version with the photos. It was easy to throw together; but sending that over felt like I was somehow shortchanging the client. The bulleted version worked and he was able to negotiate what he wanted to negotiate, but he wasn't really happy with it. He still ended up pestering me for the full monte before it was completed, explaining to me that my report was the icing on the inspection cake as far as he was concerned. I guess, to him, in his native country, that's the kind of report he expects and appreciates. I think what this proves is that, though most new customers come to us without the faintest idea of what kind of an inspection or report they're going to get, or what they should get, they all have their own ideas of what they want in terms of an inspection and the resulting report. There are lots of different types of clients. Some want short and simple, some want check boxes and icons, some want big photos with captions, some want anal retentive and long. There is no one-size-fits all answer for the entire profession across this continent. Play to your own strengths and you'll eventually find your niche - then just keep on repeating what works for you. In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

OK, Is it just me; or are those photos about an inch on a side, cuz on these big monitors they look miniscule.

Probably. Dry things out and then mix a little bleach with some soap and water and clean things up. No, it is NOT toxic.

I live about a quarter mile from Kenmore Camera, one of the oldest camera stores in the Puget Sound area. Probably not the cheapest but for me it's good to get the face-to-face interaction with someone 'cuz I'm an idiot about the tech in new cameras. Don't know how it compares, but that camera is priced at $745 there.

Ditto

Maybe they used black felt as a WRB and there is a tear in it and a piece is lying against the backside of the siding and bleeding asphalt.

What is the room where the window is? Small window. Is that a bathroom? Had house a few years ago where a leaking drain was draining to an exterior wall and then through the wall to the outside and out through the siding. Very weird but in that particular house water found a path from the underside of a tub to the outside wall without ever dripping into the interior below.

I've never seen fire sprinkler systems like you guys are describing. Out here, there's usually a single pipe coming into the house and it splits just after entry into two separate lines - each with it's own cutoff - and the sprinkler sides are fitted with an anti-backwater valve, so potable water is unaffected by sprinkler water regardless of how long it sits in the pipes.

Look at the bent meter enclosures where someone has been trying to get into the box. My bet, their trying to power both panels simultaneously, in order to have only one bill, without having to hire an electrician to re-wire the home. And, as Jim said: They are (unintentionally) trying to burn down the home.

Yeah, lyctids (PPB), We don't have those out here; but we do have anobiidae (death watch beetles). They favor the exact same environment that lyctids favor and the damage and frass looks just about identical. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I'd be lost if I moved my business to your areas. We don't even test for radon here. The "radiation guy" in Olympia is a retired boomer captain. He says there are only two hot spots in the entire state - around Spokane and around Vancouver.

Bleaaahhh, Never understood that cigarette thing. When I see it happen in a movie it grosses me out. There aren't many things less attractive than a woman with a cigarette between her lips.

Where's the main disconnect? If it's at a big see-saw disconnect somewhere else inside or outside the building, aren't those grounded (neutral) conductors and buses each supposed to be floating - without any bonding screws or straps installed; and the equipment-grounding (ground) conductors and ground buses all supposed to be bonded to their respective enclosures?

It looks like a really poorly done urethane membrane. If you saw the pattern of the decking beneath it the installer failed to detail the joints between decking and then applied the surface material way too thin. You start with a clean deck - preferably marine-grade plywood. The plywood is roughed up on the surface with some 80-grit and then flashings are installed 12 to 18-inches up the inside of the parapet walls and the sides of the house and integrated into any pan flashing below the doorway to the house. Coil stock is bent to form a trough that will pass through the parapet for scuppers. A hole will be cut in the up flashings where the scuppers are located and then the inside ends of those scuppers are inserted through the holes, notched and bent flat to the flashings. A special primer is painted onto the floor, onto the flashings and up the up-leg to a height several inches above where the siding is to end above the balcony. They allow the primer to dry for about an hour and then a thin layer of liquid urethane is applied with a squeegee over the flat leg of the flashings out onto the wood for about four inches, over every seam in the plywood deck, and over the marriage points between the up-leg of the flashings and the doorway sill pan and the scuppers as well as onto the outside of any floor drain flanges. Fiberglass mesh is imbedded in the urethane to strengthen the membrane where there are joints in the plywood, over all vertical joints in the up flashings, and at all other transition and marriage points, the squeeze-out is smoothed out and then they leave and allow the surface to cure for about another twenty-four hours. The next day the installer comes back; and, using his trusty squeegee, the installer applies a thin coat over everything. That coat is about 1/16-inch thick; and, if it's done right all transitions where the flashings change from metal to wood deck, where the metal is bent at the scupper onto the up flashings, the joints in the deck, and all metal tabs are all smoothed out and none are visible. The installer leaves and gives it 24-hours to cure. The next day, he's back again and applies only enough urethane to make the surface sticky. He then sprinkles a thin even coat of fine sand into the wet urethane and leaves. The next day he comes back, uses a soft-bristled brush to sweep away the excess sand, blows off any loose sand using an air tank and nozzle and then applies a finish topcoat to the deck to seal the sand in place. Nobody is allowed to go onto that balcony for the next two (preferably three) days. After the stuff has cured properly, the cladding can be installed on the walls of the house on the inside of the balcony and the inside walls of the balcony parapet, being careful not to drive any nails through those flashings any closer than about six inches from the balcony floor. If he's done it right, when it's all finished the membrane will be about 1/8 to 3/16-inch thick and extremely durable. Like Jim said, you should be able to push your thumb into the surface and the little ding your nail makes in the membrane should slowly disappear. None of the fiberglass mesh, the seams between adjacent pieces of plywood decking, the transition points between flashings and deck or where the scuppers and drains are integrated into the balcony will be visible. The last time I had a deck or balcony surfaced with that stuff, that was done the way it appears to have been done in your picture, the adjective I used to describe the application was abysmal.

Is it possible that those don't go through the wall at all and that they are made to fit around some steel that's tied into the structure behind the wall cladding, so it only looks like the balcony is supported by those timbers?