inspector57

This is from the 2006 IRC and I see is 3 inches larger, not two. Of course if it is supplied by the manufacturer as part of the listed equipment then that would supersede this code.

Sorry, I just became one of those guys that brings up other things in the photo that were not the point. Sorry! I just could not help myself[:-crazy]

That is wrong too. Pans must extend a minimum of one inch past the unit on all sides. So it looks like it is two inches too small in both directions. Of course you noted the exposed paper backing on the insulation.

Very True!

The last one I ended short I was 90 % finished with the main house, detached garage, sprinkler, and detached loft apartment. This was a "designer remodel" with several walls removed to create an open concept in a 1930's house. Severe sagging, etc. I offered to discount the $100 fee for the crawl space if I did not have to suite up and go in the 4 different crawl openings. I was glad to not have to do the crawl and they were glad to save the $100. I did their next house a few weeks later and they found a much better house. I think part of what we do is teach... at least I try. The learning experience is actually pretty cheap even with a full price inspection and it is gratifying to see that they can use even the "wasted" fee for their benefit as they look for their next place with a bit more knowledge. I'm just glad that most of my inspections are on slabs with no crawling! Not my favorite activity.

Jim L. - I've been thinking about just taking a shower with all those high/low/overhead sprays with the classical music playing ... like the TV commercial. I think that would handle the "functional flow" test. [:-slaphap Yeah I had one in NE of McKinney on Friday with a 10 x 10 walk in shower with dual heads, body spray facing the door. No way to test WITHOUT taking a shower. I got creative with my extending paint poll to turn the water off after testing the pan. Maybe I should have just done the singing plumber thing! (yes I know I left the door open for some crude jokes, but I could not figure another way to say it)

Standard practice here for every home to have its own regulator if in a high pressure area. Pretty common to see excessive pressure, especially in areas in the suburbs where a new water tower has been added. Highest I have observed was over 125 psi. Now that is excessive! We are required to report on both pressure and functional flow.

This is from the 2012 IRC Key words for me are "smooth interior" and must be "galvanized steel, stainless steel, or copper" . Flexible metal ducts do not have smooth interiors and are not steel or copper, usually aluminum. Of course flexible plastic ducts are verboten anyway. It may be a microwave but if it is venting the stove top then it is a range hood.

Flashing, what's that?[:-dunce] I'm happy to see anything that even remotely resembles flashing[:-monkeyd

Bad regulation is worse than no regulation. Having the foxes guard the hen house is never a good idea and that is what we have here in Texas. HI's are regulated by the Real Estate Commission which is run by the real estate agents. I've been hoping they would move us to the state licensing board since I started but it will never happen since the real estate agents voice is so much louder and more profitable for the politicians. The voting public does not understand nor care so the politicians and bureaucrats continue unabated. Mississippi inspectors would do well to talk to their representatives and introduce a workable bill that would help them control their own destiny. Once they are moved into the realtor board, there is no way back!

He must have been short a 45 and did not want to go the the store. So he just used what he had left over from the last three jobs.[:-crazy]

I follow the NFPA recommendations for replacement when the house is transferred. I therefore rarely test any smoke alarms because they are deficient by definition. Why test something I tell them to replace? The few exceptions would be new construction but even then I sometimes don't test because of a deficiency. Just yesterday, I was in a new construction home without the "shower caps" even though they were still doing drywall, texture work and painting. The filter and return grills were filthy with construction dust. I recommended cleaning by the manufacturers instructions and testing following. Smoke alarms are generally a pain in the rear with no real upside to testing since it does little to ensure future effectiveness. REPLACE, REPLACE, REPLACE! It is cheap life insurance.

Now I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall for that! [:-monkeyd

I would back off and take a look from the big picture from the roof down and "think like a drop of water". I would be checking the flashing at the top of the foundation wall. There should be through the wall flashing there, right? it may be as simple as the flashing sloped the wrong direction coupled with water entering the brick at the vinyl to brick junction; in which case it is flashing, flashing, and a lack of understanding by the previous patch installers.

Is it just me or is there a dark spot on the brick just a little above and to the right of dead center of the exterior photo? It looks like the brick has been wet. Is the brick a veneer over the foundation wall or just frame construction?

I just keep the sniffer in my pocket and check ceiling fans, and metal light fixtures that are withing reach. I find many that show to be "live" but touch the fixture with a finger and it goes dead, meaning the fixture is not bonded but no connection to a voltage source. On occasion though the fixture is actually energized. Of course you have to have two wrong things to get that scenario, a lack of bonding and mis-wired hot in contact with the housing. You would be surprised how many I find that are truly energized. Sometimes appliance frames exhibit the same findings, just be sure not to get a reading from an anti-sweat heater fridge or similar false positives. When in doubt, confirm your suspicions with a multi meter.

Yes, test them but I just use my non-contact voltage tester. It is in my pocket since I test ceiling fans and other pendant type fixtures for bonding. I carry a multi meter in my truck but rarely take it out. A good sniffer will tell you lots of information without the need for another tool.

Agreed. Fire-stop if only for the energy value. (not to say that there is no value in fire-stopping around duct work)

I saw a similar unit a few years ago that was touted to replace two 50 gallon units and seemed to work. I can't recall the brand name and have not seen one since. The one I saw operated at a much higher temperature and recovery rate but had a factory installed tempering valve on the output to reduce the temperature down to a safe level.

Nolan, that was interesting so I read up at your link. Seems that both licenses can be held by one person but they cannot do both on the same project.

That might help with wind noise, too. Maybe not an issue for some but wind playing a tune through the holes in the rungs drives me nuts. I also seem to remember someone using great stuff to quieten wind noise.

Get a good electrician to check the neutrals and voltage on the system. If needed, have him meet the power company on site to show the voltage fluctuations to the power company guys so they can trace it back to the cause.

I can't tell you about the 3 piece but I can tell you that carrying ladders inside out of the wind and weather is a big benefit for me, especially when working in the city and driving on the expressways. The water when it rains is pretty easy to deal with but the slim from road spray makes roof mounted ladders a pain. I can also identify with the model 26 Little Giant being a beast to set up; it stays at home on all but the tallest jobs.

Yeah, I had one of those on a house down in the central district. Except that bullet had impacted the roof from the sky and a little bit of the butt end of the slug was sticking out of a shingle. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike .I get bullets in the roof in certain parts of town (the part of town that I wish I had a concealed carry permit) on a pretty regular basis. This one obviously came from inside though. The seller was just leaving when I handed him the slug... boy was he pissed... teenage sons... WTF? I was just surprised the slug was still in the hole even though it penetrated the OSB and blew the shingles upward.

Click to Enlarge 93 KB Click to Enlarge 88.45 KB Not an ethical question but kind of fits the discussion. I came across this bullet in the roof which obviously came from inside the home. I reported it as a bullet hole in the roof that needed to be repaired. I never did find the origin of the shot. This is one of those that would not have been visible from the ground or ladder. Glad I walk all roofs possible.