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Carl, I hope to meet an agent like that someday. Their expectations need to be adjusted down a bit, but it's always nice to see someone who cares about the buyer - besides us. You've given me some hope.

Keith, That's one of the coolest parts of this forum - reading about other locales. Obviously, our refrigerators are normally one very large freezer, but it's good to listen to others' experience. Especially with global warming and all [:-hot][:-tong2]

Keith, It's nice to have you here! I'm just the other side of Niagara Falls from our Canadian friends, but I gotta say, "Go Sabres!!!" BTW, my electronic library has grown exponentially since joining this forum. Katen's links were just added, and be sure to check out all of the incredible resources Mike provides all of us. He's a class act!

Nope, haven't seen the paperwork, but up here we have some agents who work as a couple. They tell the buyer that one of them is for the buyer, and one for the seller. They lie.

That is good. So much for the agent working for the buyer! I have yet to see an agent on either side of the sale who wasn't working for the seller.

Without seeing all of the evidence, I agree it's hard to know for sure. I have a seller now who is pissed at me because I told the buyer that there are three layers of shingles on the roof. The seller said that's a lie. He points to the roof and says, "Look, one layer, can't you see?" He had installed a new drip edge to cover up the two bottom layers, so it looked like one layer. Download Attachment: shingle.jpg 139.94 KB

Yep, credentials are a must - or don't offer the service. Les, do your peeps do any mitigation? I have the NEHA certification, but have been using canisters because I can provide the service at a lower cost to the client. But I am considering the SunNuc CRM. Tested a house this weekend with a result of 40.3pCi/L. Buffalo has an escarpment that is a hot spot for Rn.

I saw that entire program about a year ago. The whole thing was really good, but that was the ballsiest part. A lot of people think that a car's rubber tires keep them safe, while in fact, it is the Faraday shield around them.

Hi JC, It is knee-jerk for people who start this biz to go see realtors. It is also knee-jerk for people who have been in this biz to say it's a waste of energy to present/sell to realtors. The only 'footwork' I ever did involved attorneys (and some banks). Attorneys have been an increasing source of business for me - in and of themselves, and their referrals. The rest just takes time so word of mouth can take off. That (WOM) seems to grow exponentially - especially if someone says something on one of their bulletin boards. Whatever you do... best of luck!

That's a good point, Les. I wonder if the author wrote that. Oftentimes the abstract is written by the publisher or indexer of the work.

Locale is so important. It dawned on me yesterday - after that little donnybrook - that someone who has lived in a warm clime his entire life, probably hasn't seen anything like this (see pic). That's how a window acts as a dehumidifier. Download Attachment: condens.jpg 123.82 KB

Mike, That is simply a ting o booty! Clearly written, simply explained, and backed by good research and a credentialled writer. Suellen's Ph.D. is not in psychology or education like some Dr. Ruth. It's in Biology and Environmental Genetics - from Stanford. She is VP of Operations in the International Center for Toxicology & Medicine. 25 years of basic and applied toxicology research. That, I am filing away and giving to clients who ask about mold. It's a pearl! Thank you.

Careful... No condescension intended. Look, I said the old windows could be acting... you said you didn't see how the new windows could be acting... I said I didn't say the new windows. I'm frustrated, but it's not a big deal. The last post says there are two solutions: 1. Insulate the walls. 2. Install a dehumidifier. Our job isn't to tell people what to do, it is to tell them their options. Both will work. That's all. Have you ever found this condition on a house? If so what was the cause and solution. I don't recall anyone asking you to explain this, but thank you anyway. Yes, you have more education than myself, many others on this board and in our profession. Use it to help others, not to be condescending. Whatever issues you have with me, why don't we leave it to personal emails or over at the ASHI board. Maybe you and I just got off on the wrong foot with each other. Why don't we start over.

Oh boy... Scott, read it again. I said it is possible that the windows did act as a dehumidifier - obviously the newer, warmer windows aren't going to do that. I'm not one to jump on band-wagons. Jim may be right - or not. He has a perfectly reasonable alternate theory. With the current facts, it cannot be known which variable is responsible for the condensation. Less infiltration or the removal of a "poor man's" dehumidifier are pretty even candidates. (Associates?) There are other possible, but less likely, candidates (new whirlpool tub, young couple moved into the room and are steaming things up...) Mike, make sure physics is in that curriculum! This scenario reminds me of a layman who has been in a commercial airliner. The layman says something that sounds like common sense, "You can't take an airplane up to 20,000 feet if it isn't pressurized!" If the layman has no understanding of partial pressures, or worse - a misunderstanding of partial pressures - then he surely believes he is correct. Since the proportions of elements in the atmosphere is fairly consistent at every altitude (21% O2, etc...), but the pressure goes down as we go up, there are two options. Increase the pressure like we know and love close to the ground, OR take that little bitty pressure available and apply it completely to oxygen. (i.e., oxygen masks). In a group, some will invariably jump up and say, "Yes, pressurization. He hit the nail on the head." I can't believe I have to explain this.

You can't find this entertainment anywhere else. Chad, you crack me up. Kurt had better watch himself. Jim, I know what you are saying, but either theory could be at play here. It is possible that the cold windows did serve as the dehumidifier for the space. In either event, I'm with you on the solution. Keep the energy efficient windows and add a dehumidifier.

RPat, I'm looking around for Alan Funt. That has to be a joke. I have installed hundreds of thousands of square feet of vinyl siding for Habitat. Even the newest volunteers would know better than that. The reason for the blue board is most often to provide a smoothe surface over the wood planks on which we usually install the vinyl. I'm pissed when a section of the wood planking won't give a good substrate for the nail. You've given me a new appreciation for having anything there at all. Your contractor should be required to serve a thousand hours with Habitat. It would be a great education, and he would learn how to make really sharp looking 45 degree cuts at the corners. Simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need.

No argument there, Jim. But that doesn't mean it can't be better.

Scott, you're a nice guy. I'm not picking on you at random. But, as the ASHI Membership Committee Chairman ,you were the one to which the ASHI Reporter said to send comments regarding membership levels. This was your response: That was not the positive professional response anyone should expect from a professional society. You cannot say that you have never been a part of the 'embrace stagnation' leadership. Now, you think they're fine? What changed your mind?

Mike, I don't know or care about financials. The mortgage issue, from my perspective, is moot. I care about professionalism. That is the sole reason I belong to ASHI and not the other one. Scott wrote that "many" of your facts are wrong. Aside from the mortgage thing(?), I believe your facts are dead ON. Ya gotta love Les. I'm serious - I think he is one cool dude, but several long time ASHI types are his polar opposite. Les helps people get started in this business, he is ethical, and does not have an ego problem. I have bumped into other long time ASHI types who I wish were like Les. Report verification is a step toward ASHI membership. When WJ started out long ago, his verifier took time to talk, to teach, to help WJ become a better report writer (hard to believe now, huh?) I spend hours writing my reports. I use a past ASHI president's software to create reports. I figured I couldn't miss at verification time. Well, my verifier failed me because of issues such as; failure to comment on countertops (which were fine), and failure to report location of electric shut off. I called Mr. Verifier to discuss the reports. Hello Mr. Verifier, what happened? "You didn't report the location of the electric shutoff!" I told him that the location is in every report. He said show me. I gave him page numbers for each report. "Oh, wow, it's not like me to miss things like that." Then he starts quizzing me - "What's a ground?" I said it is an electric path to earth. He said, "Beeeeep, you fail." I said, what? He said, a ground is electrolytes! No current will flow to ground without electrolyes! I told him that I understood full well that deionized water will not conduct electricity, and that I have taken graduate courses in chemistry. He continued to quiz me, and finally said, "You are a good inspector. Just change the couple of words I mentioned, send me more reports and you will be just fine. Ok, fella?" Unfortunately, I dance to my own drummer (Yes, it is my hairshirt). I thought, why should I send more money to ASHI for the reverification process? I have seen the reports of other full ASHI members. Mine are every bit as good. There is a person on this forum who uses the same software I use. He posts an example report on his website. That report would have failed under my verifier. A past ASHI vice-president has told me, "Shhhh, don't tell anyone, but my reports wouldn't pass today either. I'm so glad I'm past that." I am not going to send ASHI more money for reverification, which likely means I'll never be a full member. Fine. I have my ethics, and I just won't play games like that. Captain says he does not want to be associated with lousy inspectors. I am in complete agreement with him. I have pounded ASHI to just think about the following proposal. ------------Proposal----------------------------- To attain the coveted ASHI Certified Inspector credential, our members meet the highest standards in the industry by: Passing a proctored, national exam. Passing an ethics exam. Demonstrating professional reporting skills. In addition, members must satisfy one of the following: 1. Proven completion of at least 250 home inspections. 2. A Baccalaureate in Architecture, Building Science, or Civil/Mechanical engineering with an overall GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4 point scale plus a minimum of 50 home inspections. 3. Member has worked a minimum of three years as a licensed GC, satisfactorily proven ethical and financial professionalism, and has performed a minimum of 75 home inspections. As a GC, the member must have been the primary contractor for x number of residential structures each of the three years. How does this dilute current requirements? ---------END of Proposal-------------------------- That proposal has been sent now to two ASHI presidents. Neither has responded. Not the one a year ago. Not the one a month ago. A year ago, Scott told me that getting any change through ASHI is like changing the US Constitution. That was, in fact, my first sign of what was to come. Suggest any change you believe is an improvement, and you would think you just told the many ASHI directors, "Your mama's a ho." I have recommended TIJA (pronounce tee-ha). Whatchathink????

I'm not qualified to fill WJ's spot, but I have learned from him and others to filter out things that are just wrong. I work to improve information accuracy, not people. Being accurate is something I strive for in my work. This was changed back in early 2006. To allow the Associates to show up if no other ASHI members were in the area. Right, which is why I was surprised you said Associates don't show up on searches. I cannot find one zip code in NY that doesn't show associates.

And that's the sort of real action you can come to expect. That's a "subscription to", (not issue to) ASHI associates certainly are listed in the ASHI search. Info above is just wrong. I made arrangements to have my name removed from the list. Why wouldn't a potential client just choose a 'real' member from the list??? I would. True, you can't vote. Note: The logo at this level is NOT the ASHI logo 'real' members use. Affiliate level???

And abusive phone calls! The guy is evil. [:-dev3] Why do think he cares so much about boilers? Never hot enough for him.

Chad, I'm just laughing because toilet space was a topic here or at ASHI recently - don't remember which. I said then, I believe it's a feature for the reason you mention. BTW, what's it look like this emoticon is doing?[:-nonono]

Looks nice, Chad. How much space is between the wall and the toilet? Looks a bit cramped.

Check, cash or Paypal at my website. Same price for all. Most just bring a check. A few do the Paypal thing.