hausdok

Hi Douglas, I think the answer to your question is, "That depends." 1. On whether it is an attic in the sense of a storage attic or an attic in the sense of a utility space 2. On the flame-spread and smoke characteristics of the material used. R316.4 Thermal Barrier. Unless otherwise allowed in Section R316.5 or R316.6, foam plastic shall be separated from the interior of a building by an approved thermal barrier of minimum 1/2 inch (12.mm) gypsum wallboard or an approved finish material equivalent to a thermal barrier material that will limit the average temperature rise of the unexposed surface to no more than 250°F :(139°C) after 15 minutes of fire exposure complying with the ASTM E 119 or UL 263 standard time temperature curve. The thermal barrier shall be installed in such a manner that i;t will remain in place for 15 minutes based on NFPA 286 with the acceptance criteria of Section R302.9.4, FM 4880, UL 1040 or UL 1715. R316.5.3 Attics. The thermal barrier specified in Section R316.4 is not required where all of the following apply: 1. Attic access is required by Section R807.1. 2. The space is entered only for the purposes of repairs or maintenance. 3. The foam plastic insulation is protected against ignition using one of the following ignition barrier materials: 3.1. 1-1/2 inch thick (38 mm) mineral fiber insulation;3.2. 1/2-inch-thick (6.4 mm) wood structural panels; 3.3. 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) particleboard; 3.4 . 1/4-inch (6.4 mm) hardboard. 3.5. 3/8-inch (9.5 mm) gypsum board; or 3.6. Corrosion-resistant steel having a base metal thickness of 0.016 inch (0.406 mm). The above ignition barrier is not required where the foam plastic insulation has been tested in accordance with Section R316.6. R316.6 Specific Approval. Foam plastic not meeting the requirements of Sections R316.3 through R316.5 shall be specifically approved on the bases of one of the following approved tests: NFPA 286 with the acceptance criteria of Section R302.9.4, FM4880, UL 723, UL 1040 or UL 1715, or fire tests related to actual end-use configurations. The specific approval shall be based on the actual end use configuration and shall be performed on the finished foam plastic assembly in the maximum thickness intended for use. Assemblies tested shall include seams, joints and other typical details used in the installation of the assembly and shall be tested int he manner intended for use. I think that the SPF manufacturers have probably figured out by now that builders won't want to use the product if they have to install another barrier over the top of it; so they're making products that can meet the exception in 316.6. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Erby, I understand that; but if he did, and he's not monitoring what kind of crap they are tossing around, and where, he's just as responsible for it as they are. I don't mind seeing glowing endorsements on someone's own site whatever the business is; hell, I expect it. But to distribute this kind if drivel far and wide on others' sites? He should be ashamed of himself. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hey Bob, What the hell are you doing? this kind of crap is considered to be pretty unprofessional. I've removed the link from your post. You want to contribute something to one of the discussions and have your link on your signature, fine; but if you want to drop links, do it someplace else. By the way, got anything to prove that you're the best independent inspector in Maryland? Jeesh. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

We've been in business since 1999 and pride ourselves in providing good customer service. ONE TEAM -ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi, Doesn't that place the seal strip right there at the edge of the roof where you want the overlapping shingle in the first course to adhere to it? Your're just removing the 5-inch reveal so that the seal strip will activate and prevent the edges of the shingle from lifting. My father taught me to cut away the tabs and flip them 180° but that puts the adhesive strip about 5-1/2-inches from the edge of the roof and then you have to hand-adhere every shingle to the starter course. Sounds like Certainteed is trying to make the process a little easier. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Why Mike, can't compete with lumber?Naw, I think it's probably very competetive, pricewise; and probably more environmentally friendly - I suspect folks are probably still kind of wary of using steel for houses and most don't realize how many well-built commercial buildings they look at are framed with steel. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I've got a Western Digital backup drive running that purportedly backs up everything immediately; however, I have no idea if the stuff is actually there. According to the two side-by-side graphs the content there matches my box exactly but I guess I'll never know until the day I need to poke around in there. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yeah, I've been running 7 since my wife and a friend bought me the new box for my birthday. With 6 Gb of ram this puppy is a screamer and with these two monitors (Thanks Rich and everyone) I can open up a truckload of stuff simultaneously and work without it getting bogged down. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

When I was getting ready to retire from the military, steel-framed house construction was on my short list of possible businesses I was investigating. I even drove all the way down to Texas from Colorado to investigate on steel home manufacturer's product and to discuss purchase of an exclusing territory. In the end, though I thought they had a lot of promise, I also thought they weren't mainstream enough yet for me to sink that much money into. After nearly 15 years at this gig and never having inspected even one, I'm glad I didn't drop the coin on that "territory" or I'd have been camped out under an overpass years ago. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

In JLC and NAHB pubs when they refer to it they commonly term it "Light Gauge Steel Framing" tbut the codes refer to it as "Cold Formed Steel Framing" There are whole sections on it in the code. You want to look at R505, R603 and R804. Use these links to take you to the Seattle building code chapters. http://ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_r ... Floors.pdf http://ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_r ... uction.pdf http://ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/free_r ... uction.pdf ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I sometimes encounter homes pre-wired for a generator as part of the "features" the builders install. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Or Mike Holmes. Had a couple a week or so ago that told me that they absolutely love to watch Holmes on Homes. They were shocked when I told them that most home inspectors I know think that Mike Holmes is an opportunistic hack. Once I pointed out that, unlike us, his clients already own the homes that are being inspected, and give him permission to do invasive inspections; and that we don't appreciate the fact that he usually trashes us after he's had the opportunity to open up areas and go to extremes we'd never be allowed to go, they understood where I was coming from. You're right though, TV has made this stuff appear way too simple. Sometimes I find homes where there are a half a dozen half-finished projects where I can see that the homeowner had jumped in with both feet, only to find that he'd become mired in mud. Instead of learning from that and finishing the task; they leave it unfinished and start another. I really hate to do homes like that. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Yeah, Every once in a while I'll find a home with stuff that looks like cutoffs and bits and pieces of airplane insulation shoveled into an attic. I've always assumed that it was salvaged out of a dumpster outside of one of the Boeing plants. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Looks like there's been some flooding in that crawl. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Well, since the title got my attention, we might as well match the title with the subject:

Hi, Thanks Marc, that should do it. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi All, Lost my bookmark for requirements for in-sight disconnects for attic installed furnaces. I'm thinking it was something like E4101. Anyone have that reference handy? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

If anyone is in to collecting old gizmos, you might want to look at this really old Protimeter Surveymaster for sale on Ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/PROTIMETER-SURVEYMA ... 2eb1f7f41f ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

I'll pass on the smooch, Thanks. [:-yuck] Meet me over at 3rd place for a coffee one of these mornings. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Does anyone else suspect that Fabry is probably tinkering with a weapons-grade nuclear device made from stuff scraped off the faces of antique wristwatches? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Randy, I can't find the URL where I once located the entire manual onlline. However, after a bit of googling, I was able to find portions of it online. I think you can find what you need in one of these: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=w ... 5OyTqNFxKg http://www.napawan04.com/image/icon/chapter%2015.pdf ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Except one can clearly see that 3-tab is completely shot. So using that picture to try and prove erosion of a roof's surface is like using a mummy to show a flawed complexion. One asphalt roofs are toast - and that one is - they erode like crazy regardless. An interesting thing to note though; see where the copper gutter discharges onto that roof? Look at how good the shingles look at that small spot. In this case, the copper kept organisms at bay and instead of being the worst condition those shingles are the best. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Randy, Most manufacturers will specify that when it's too cold for the shingles to adhere, and you are in wind-prone areas, you need dollops of mastic about the size of a quarter about an inch in from the bottom sides and edges of shingles. It's easier if you can get the name of the shingle and series, go to the manufacturer's website and download it straight from the horses mouth but when I have nothing else I usually refer to the Certainteed Master Shingle Applicator's manual. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Harry, I don't know if you noticed it or not; but the last comment made on that thread was a couple of years ago. I doubt that Raymond will see that. I don't think he even lurks here anymore. This crew doesn't like to get involved with all of the inter-association chest beating, so he wasn't really able to find a sympathetic ear here. Is he still hanging out over on the iNACHI board or did he find them not to his liking too? ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike

Hi Bill, I'm talking about both the green algae slime and the dark streaks. I don't know squat about geowatsis except for what's been posted here. I don't know if the black stuff streaking roofs is the same thing or a different variety of fungi. I've been told that unless one is a macro biologist, one can't tell one from the other anyway. What I know from personal observation is that the black stuff that streaks roofs out here that I'm calling algae does cause wear on the roof exactly as I've described above. As for the "water causes erosion" comments above, I don't dispute that water causes erosion and that there is always some erosion of those protective granules due to rain. What I know from careful observation here is that when there is no whatever it is growing under the discharge points of gutters there is no appreciable difference in the wear on the surface of a roof between the area below where one of those spouts discharges and the rest of the field of the roof during the normal lifespan of a cover. I will concede, and I should have said this above, that when a roof is beyond the end of it's expected service life and crystallized all the way through the lamina and the granules are sloughing off easily that there is significantly more wear directly under spouts; but I haven't seen that with roofs in their normal service life when those spouts are where there is sunlight and nothing growing on the roof and where no jackass with a pressure washer stressed the surface. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike