Nolan Kienitz

NG filed some motions. Friend of mine sent me the below screen clip.

There was a trial on 08/19/2019 and a decision made. I do not have the documents from that decision. One has to create an account to spend the $0.75 to get the final order. I've been told that NG is appealing and anticipating a 2-year process in that effort.

... And now it begins !!! 😁

Tnx for the mention Marc. I used Whisper Reporter and its predecessor for 18 years. I retired this past spring and still use the application for some other projects I deal with as it isn't just for "inspections". It is a very adaptable application. I was also one the Beta testers for WR while I was using it as well. There are routines in WR that will let you import your history of saved comments from your current application. Whisper Reporter by Whisper Solutions

Pretty good YouTube video about "insulated studs". Insulated Studs

Texas Governor Abbott and his office apparently is working on things. More information to be announced.

When the CSST issues became top item for local TV news a number of years ago a lot of folks and organizations got involved. Notably the fire marshals weighed in and all of a sudden the City of Lubbock banned all CSST installation for new home construction. I think that ban lasted a year or two. Reason for Lubbock was where someone was killed when a home caught fire after a lightning strike and it also happened to have CSST installed. It was a home less than one year old. The mother and family of the individual killed in the fire has become the voice/face of the anti-CSST lobby that is quite prevalent in Texas. The city of Frisco, TX changed bonding requirements to include CSST and then they went on to require that any metal in an attic must be bonded. One can run into a cobweb of green bonding wires running every which-way from any metal in an attic to a multi-lugged barrier/terminal strip that has a #6 from the strip to the SEP. And our wonderful TREC down here has changed some language in the rules that paints a slightly larger target on the inspector's back. This is thanks to the lobbying efforts of the CSST manufacturers with the TREC Staff. So glad I'm retired from inspecting anymore!! 🍷

Some Houston area legislator tried to add some language that did something that many others didn't like and the item never got out of committee as they could not come to terms of whatever they were bickering over. As it is the only thing that will save it now will be a special session, but (so far) it is not likely that the Governor will call for a special session. I have a friend who works in the Governor's office and she has said that (as I noted ... so far) there are not any plans to call for a special session to correct this.

Another retired home inspector and I were trading messages today along these lines. Quite true in that the push for licensing seldom ever provides a quality plumber, electrician, inspector, etc.. As you have noted licensing makes the consumers feel good as it also makes the licensing agency feel good and "in control". In our case it is the infamous TREC. It is interesting to see the local (all over the state of Texas) TV news doing news stories about this and talking with plumbers and the 'woe is me' ... or rather 'customer' who is going to get ripped off. One local (D/FW) station had comments being made that 'poop' was going to be backing up into their homes due to plumbers not being licensed. Local TV ... all about the hype. Runs the gamut from politics to now unlicensed plumbers.

The just wonderful Texas Legislature recently finished their every two-years session and have done and not done a lot of stuff ... mostly rather stupid in many cases. One of the major items is that they have shut down the State Board of Plumbing Examiners, Licensing & Regulation. As of 09/01/2019 any 'Chuck in a truck' can paint a plumber label on the side of his truck and call himself a plumber. No education or license required. I've heard from several sources that the Governor is not planning on convening a special session which could resolve the issue, but highly unlikely. State Board of Plumbing Board Examiners official statement

The fellow on the screen and the TV stations news article used 'CCST' instead of 'CSST', but you get the idea. Another home with a lightning strike and the home happens to have CSST. BTW - I dislike CSST with bloody passion. My $0.02 is that there is nothing wrong with black iron for natural gas delivery in a home. East Texas (near Longview):  Lightning Strike on home that happens to have CSST

I've been using an Olight M20-X Warrior light for the past 6-7 years. Switch has never failed, have replaced one rechargeable battery and it has a 3-level switch. Has served me very well. Kurt M. gave me a head's up on this Olight many years ago when he was still active on TIJ. I recall one additional plus he made about the Olight was the scalloped light shroud that could be used to keep REAs at bay. I'm retired now, but still use the Olight for a multitude of projects each and every week.

That is correct. Goodman (I think Janitrol was part of them as well) has had a checkered past. Goodman family first owned and controlled them and were (initially) reasonably good. Then they sold and went public and QA/QC went to hell in a hand basket. After many years of 'crap' the Goodman family took them private again and kicked butt for good QA/QC. Made many improvements during that time frame and also purchased the Amana name and it was sort of considered a Cadillac versus the Chevrolet (my terms for Amana and Goodman labeling). That was the time-frame I was able to experience the tours at their Houston factory and distribution center. The Goodman folks were very open and vocal about the past and their move back to private ownership and the QA/QC focus to try and improve the perception of "Goodman". Goodman had always (and still is) considered lower class, builder's grade (IE: cheaper) product. I'm wondering if Daikin will have any better luck at changing that perception over time?

Daikin purchased Goodman back in 2012 if I recall. They have taken their time to get the naming plates modified. Couple installers in D/FW have the Daikin name all over their service trucks and I'm seeing more ads about the product as well. We put in a new complete HVAC system (w/furnace) in 2009. I chose an Amana that had a couple upgrade elements from the similar Goodman unit. Get my annual spring A/C service call tomorrow AM and what seems to be an annual replacement of the fan in the top of the condensing unit. I've been on tours through the Goodman factory and their distribution center in Houston a couple times. Pretty impressive with their quality controls. Planning on getting an American Standard when it comes time to replace this one, but I hope that won't be for a few years yet.

I've been on a mission and I think I have found the manufacture source of the "binding post". Link will take you to the website for the catalog from Bunnell Telegraphic and Electrical catalog with a suggested published date of 1901. Image is from the page relating to the "binding posts" the seem to be quite similar to Katen's image. http://www.telegraph-history.org/bunnell-tel-elec-catalog/index.html

This museum in Bellingham, WA might have something to help provide more data. Fellow from this museum has also written a book about the history of telegraphy that is available at Amazon and elsewhere. http://www.sparkmuseum.org/

Well then this is something to consider.

I will try and score to open SEPs as best I can. Mostly (in Texas) the panel is in the garage, but sometimes still heavily painted over ... or blocked by boxes, garden tools, shelves, etc.. If there are shelves built and covering the SEP ... Nope ... I'm not opening. I seldom ever see an agent (listing or buyer's). Occasionally one will show up for what I call my "verbal book report" with the client. In the past many years I think I've had two properties where the listing agent was there, sitting at the kitchen table, for the the entire inspection. Outside of that ... I seldom ever see an agent. Pretty much been the same for my 16+ years inspecting. More so in more recent years for sure. One other observation that I've noted over the past 5+ years is that the listing agent is often not wanting the complete inspection report sent to them (via the buyer's agent, etc. as part of negotiation). They only want an applicable paragraph copied/pasted into the to/fro for negotiations. They don't want the report to come through their e-mail system, they don't want to see it and they then can't be held liable for anything. I find it interest, but it is not my concern once I deliver the report to my client.

I live in Plano (NE burb of Dallas). The market in D/FW is not a whole lot different than the Houston, Austin or San Antonio markets. They are all doing reasonably well. Now, how the business will be doing in 2-3 years will be anyone's guess. I can link you up with a fellow who has a multi-firm in the D/FW area. A lot of new HIs go to work for him and then branch out on their own. Not a huge presence of franchise operations here. The majority of inspectors don't care for them as most (if not all) are pretty much in the hip pockets of the real estate agents/brokers. Many of us who have been inspecting for 15+ years are looking at winding down. Several of my close HI friends and I have stopped doing certain inspections for any given number of reasons that I won't go into here. Also, getting ride-a-longs in Texas is tough due to the rules from the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and the additional liability and burden put on the licensed inspector(s). I've been asked, begged, pleaded with for many years to have a new or want to be inspector ride along and I just won't do it. I'll take time to talk to folks at a coffee shop or over lunch, but they can't go any of my inspection sites with me. In my view ... just not worth the risk. There has been a lot of good information presented here for you mull over. Take the steps one at a time and be measured in your approach. That is the best way to go.

As noted ... Texas is it's own world when it comes to inspections. Go to the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) website and look at the inspector's section. There is a whole criteria of what one must do to get licensed to inspect in Texas. The final exam is the NHIE and a portion of the exam is tailored for Texas. I've been licensed/inspecting in Texas for 16+ years, but will be winding down over the next year or two. Tagging on with a multi-inspector firm is not a bad way to go. If you do focus on SE Texas (IE: Houston area) I can refer you to an excellent inspector to engage with. He is NOT a drive-by inspector ... he is experienced and thorough.

Dunno which version of Word you are using, but here is a link for the MS Office 2016 release. Others would be somewhat similar I'm sure. https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Combine-documents-f8f07f09-4461-4376-b041-89ad67412cfe

When my SEP was replaced a few years ago I had several "spare" circuits routed in our home (as Jim noted) for future proofing. Not terminated in panel, but labeled. I also have 4 extra/spare breakers plugged in, but not yet wired. Also labeled. More future proofing. Electrician who changed out my panel had recommended the future planning for the "just in case" times.

Well, maybe it is time for this tried and true lighting fixture ...

Jim B. - About what happened when the bulb went dark I'm sure.

I can well understand. My Norwegian grandmother and grandfather on the farm in NE Montana were quite similar.