hausdok

There might be an explanation in the first paragraph. It mentions an auto shutoff that detects a loss in pressure. Maybe the water heaters we had in those days were equipped with some kind of device like that. I wouldn't know, I was a kid and wasn't really interested in such things. My workshop was in the basement next to that water heater. I had a table stacked with old bicycles and parts and antique typewriters that I used to fix up. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Deconstruct and redo. OT - OF!!! M.

I'm remembering all of those homes in my home town in upstate New York where folks had propane-fired water heaters located below grade in basements. We had one. I can't remember ever hearing about anyone's house blowing up due to propane pooling in the basement. Got a code citation for that restriction? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

No you wouldn't. That's what anti-licensing folks always say - that licensing levels the playing field and puts inexperienced folks on the same level as experienced inspectors in the eyes of consumers. That simply isn't true. We've had licensing here for more than two years now and the only one's it's made it harder for are new folks getting into the business who no longer can do so by simply hanging out a shingle and must actually get some training. Oh, and it was an annoyance to long-established inspectors who were forced to take the national exam who felt that it was unfair to require them to prove that they know how to do what they claim to be able to do - inspect homes. I haven't heard a single complaint from any experienced/established inspectors that they've had to change their way of marketing their business. I have heard bitching from inspectors that they don't like the idea of having to comply with the state SOP; and they want to be able to inspect to their individual association SOP's - but from a consumer protection standpoint there's something to be said for having one consistent SOP versus the 4 - 7 different SOP's of a plethora of associations. Consumers are smart enough to know that a license just means that you've met the minimum requirements to be considered legal - they are still asking as many discriminating questions as they ever asked when interviewing inspectors while trying to decide which inspector to hire. I'm seeing that experience, level of training and recommendations from former clients are far more important qualifications for potential clients than realtor recommendations or a state license. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I'm surprised. I would have told you to go screw yourself. Honestly, that's one of the worst responses I can imagine. It's condescending, rude, and belligerent. Yep, that's me in a nutshell. OT - OF!!! M.

I don't know about appreciating it; it did cause me to chuckle knowingly. My lowest fee for a full inspection, regardless of type of structure or anything else, from 1sq ft up to 1500 sq. ft.(I don't care if it's the size of a doghouse) is $395. I probably would have asked him which major component of the home - roof, foundation, electrical system, heating system, plumbing system - he did not want to have inspected and told him that he'd have to accept a 1 page handwritten checklist type report in order for me to take off $100, and the fee for a home that size would have still be substantially north of $375. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I agree with Jim, Look at SIPS roofs that have failed. They failed due to leaks in the roof membrane or due to poor sealing of gaps between panels where interior vapor was able to migrate close to the roof surface and condensation was able to form and soak into the top layer of OSB. In roofs where those gaps were fully closed, condensation issues and subsequent damage were not an issue. A fully and properly foamed roof should not develop condensation issues whether it's closed cell or open-celled foam. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Your home is small enough that a hi efficiency tankless water heater married to a small plate exchanger and a couple of circulators might work; however, for what you'll pay for a 90+ condensing water heater plus the mods you'll need to marry it to that system, I think it would make more sense to look at one of the new compact wall-hung condensing boilers that are designed for hydronic systems. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I should probably point out that I do provide a $50 discount off my normal fee for employees of a few (only 5) local firms that each has over 500 employees. When someone calls I ask them where they work and how they learned about me. When I learn they are employed by one of those firms, they are told, "My regular fee for a home that size is $XXXXXX, plus a distance surcharge if it's outside of a 20 mile radius of my base here in Kenmore; however, because you are a XXXXXX employee, I automatically deduct $50 from the regular fee and I'll waive the distance surcharge. That makes your fee $XXXXXX." I standardized that about 2-1/2 years ago. Before that, I used to quote fees for employees of those firms based on an either/or formula that depended on location of the home. It was inconsistent and I found myself constantly explaining to callers why my quote wasn't consistent with so-and-so's fee, another employee of that firm with a home similar in size. When I went to a consistent formula, the fee dickering practically disappeared. It does crop up occasionally, such as in the example above, but nowadays it's pretty rare with employees of those firms. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Jimmy, Here's part of a recent email response I sent to a client who was doing the same thing to me as that potential client was doing to you: You called me because you already knew the quality of the work that I do. You told me that you learned about me on your company's intranet message board; where dozens of your co-workers had strongly recommended me to others in your firm. The fee I've quoted you is based on the same fee structure I used when I did those inspections; nonetheless, you want me to reduce my fee by comparing me to other inspectors whose level of expertise and competence you cannot verify beyond what the inspector tells you or what you've read on the inspector's website. Frankly, I find that to be a little insulting. If dozens of your co-workers had been successful in court proceedings because they'd all hired a certain very experienced lawyer to represent them; and then you wanted to hire that same lawyer to represent you, would you then try to get that lawyer to reduce his or her fee by comparing what that lawyer charges to the fees charged by a lawyer that's six months out of law school? Professionals charge professional fees; that's the way it is. Why, when you are about to make the most expensive purchase of your lifetime, would you even consider trusting the investigation of that home to the lowest bidder? More than 80% of new home inspection companies fail within two years; that's a fact. After 15 years, my company is still around because I know what I am doing and because I know how to charge fairly for my services. So, if the lower fee charged by an inspector whose competence you can't be sure of is more important to you than hiring the most qualified, competent and experienced inspector you can find, than by all means you should hire the $350 inspector. Otherwise, at the present time I can accommodate you on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday of this week at 1pm only. If none of those dates works for you, I'll be happy to provide you the names and phone numbers of other experienced and competent inspectors whom I trust to do a good job for you and maybe one of them will be able to accommodate your schedule. She booked the inspection within an hour for the Tuesday afternoon slot. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Michael, If there was more weight there, how would they support an arch like that - custom-bent angle iron lintels? Is it possible that if formed angle-iron lintels would be the norm for windows with those kind of arches that said lintels could be actually be there and concealed by the brickmold? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Around here, unless it's .60 concentration and approved for ground contact, PT will last about 15 to 20 years with minimal contact with the ground. Buried in wet soil about 10 to 15 years. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, It looks like PT wood. I'd poke around to see if it has a footing beneath it. If so, I'd let the client know that the post will probably last another 3 to 4 years before it starts to rot, due to that earth-to-wood contact, and recommend that, if they'd like to try to get it to last longer, they should try and clear the soil away from the base of the post and keep it as dry as possible. When/if they eventually replace the post they can seal the end grain and use a deck footer that will keep the new post above grade. I wouldn't worry about linking to TIJ. Most non-inpectors that poke around in here have no idea what they're looking at anyway. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yep, When you see those, make sure there is a cover on them. If they are left exposed to the weather the boot around the base will eventually degrade from UV/ozone and start to leak. When that happens, the framing inside gets wet and eventually rots. Find 'em rotting every once in a while. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Nah, Just google "King county parcel viewer" or "Snohomish County Parcel Viewer" etc. Works great for me. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Les, Don't you mean that if you weren't already nuts Marc would make you nuts? [] OT - OF!!! M.

It sounds like they turned the water on but never bothered to fill the tank or water lines and there was a lot of air trapped above the water in the tank. Once you turned the water on, all that air had to bleed out and the tank had to fill before the hissing and sputtering stopped. OT - OF!!! M.

Hi, You guys might be interested in knowing that Fluke just came out with what they call their P3 series. For building diagnostics it includes the TiR32 and two new models, the TiR27 and the TiR 29. The TiR27 and TiR29 are so new that I couldn't find any prices online yet. You can do a search by zip code for a distributor in your area and then call them direct for pricing. To learn more, click here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Good shots, Rob The second photo shows all three required characteristics very clearly. OT - OF!!! M.

Here's where long traditions conflict with new thinking. It's long been accepted that shakes and shingles are normally applied over skip - shakes with felts interlaced into the roof plane; and that's what all of the home inspection texts say - however, that's not what the roofing industry says these days. The roofing industry has moved on and is now saying that plywood beneath shakes is perfectly acceptable as long as the deck is properly detailed. The overwhelming majority if shake roofs here in the Seattle vicinity are on skip but every once in a while I find them on solid decks. The Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau (CSSB) considers solid decks ideal. CSSB recommends installation over solid decking for shakes but says that shakes may be installed over skip. They also specify eaves protection material (IWS) at the eaves to a height of at least 24-inches inside the exterior walls but not over the entire roof. They specify 36-inch wide felt over the entire roof on solid decks. The use of rigid insulation in certain climates is a little bit of an issue because CSSB considers the use of overly long nails unsatisfactory. In a situation like that they say that strapping is needed. Doing that, you lessen the number of thermal conductors. In areas where ice-damming or condensation can be a problem CSSB recommends a cold roof system along with horizontal strapping and ventilation at the eaves and the crest of the roof. They specify nailing 2 by 4 sleepers on edge in line with the rafters, filling in the space between these sleepers with foam insulation and then installing nailers across the top of these members, giving a ventilated air space and avoiding compression of insulation. Alternatively, one can install a second false plywood deck on top of the insulation and eliminate the horizontal nailers. CSSB warns though that under certain conditions of slope and loading the entire roof above the decking might tend to creep downward and compress the insulation. In those cases they say stick with the vertical nailers. The Cedar Bureau actually specifies solid decks for humid areas and prescribes four methods for fastening directly to solid decks in humid areas. 1.Apply the shakes or shingles directly to the sheathing. 2.Apply vertical strips over the sheathing in alignment with the rafters below, then place horizontal furring strips on top of the vertical boards. 3.Apply horizontal furring strips to the deck, spaced at the exposure of the product. 4.Use a continuous ventilation product beneath the roofing material. Knowing the kinds of winters that Terry has in his area, I think a properly detailed solid deck would be perfectly acceptable. If anyone wants to download CSSB's latest Shake and Shingle Installation Manual, you can do it by clicking here. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yeah, Sounds like a 15-amp MWBC to me. Like Chad says, I bet that 'separate' white is pigtailed back in the box. See disposals and dishwashers on the same MWBC all the time. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

OH Yeah, Now that I've enlarged it, I see what you're talking about. I thought it was a rusty piece of metal. Agree seriously FUBAR'd. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

They might have epoxied it to the wall. Any sign that the plate was fitted over the end of a couple of rebar barbs, welded and then ground flat? If it's epoxy, the foundation will probably break before the epoxy joint will let go. Is the beam sized sufficient for the span and platform that it's carrying? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Here are some good images. Click here. More Here's a good one from WSU extension service. OT - OF!!! M.

Changed my mind. They all look to be pretty uniform in size and the heads aren't really out-sized for the larger ants. With CA swarming like that, you'll normally see a bunch of drones and workers with a few huge soldiers guarding the rest. They might be thatching ants. You really need to be able to pick one up and examine it's physical characteristics, in order to be absolutely sure. Still looks like they're infesting that wood though. End grain soaking up moisture? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike