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John Dirks Jr

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  1. John Dirks Jr
    Could there be a reaction caused by contact of disimalar metals going on up there?
  2. John Dirks Jr
    I see the shutoff valve handle behind the ventpipe but I cant tell is it is on the cold side like it should be. Also, since cold should be on the right, either the front of that tank is facing the wall or that expansion tank is connected to the wrong side. Shouldnt the expansion tank be on the hot side?
  3. John Dirks Jr
    In some areas they might be showing up in all new construction due to the 4 letter "C" word.
  4. John Dirks Jr
    Could be an abandoned oil tank somewhere. Hunt really good for filler and vent caps.
  5. John Dirks Jr
    The gaps between the pickets of the railings should not exceed 4". Depending on how the railing is constructed there may also be gaps at the bottom between the pickets and the deck surface. How about the gaps between the bottom of the pickets and the deck surface? Is that measurement also 4" max?
  6. John Dirks Jr
    Are you referring to masonry chimneys, or metal heating/water heating vents? B-vents can terminate as low as 1 foot above the roof. For the sake of clarification on the whole issue I am refering to both. Keep in mind that masonry chimneys are many times used exclusivly for venting gas furnaces. So what you are saying is that if the masonry chimney serves only a gas appliance it only needs to be 1 foot above roof the line? I was hoping someone would chime in and give a # of different situations and their height requirements
  7. John Dirks Jr
    As far as chimneys go, when do you call them out for being too low? Do you have different standards for wood burning vs gas flue chimney? What I mean by that is a chimney that is used exclusivly for venting a gas flue and is not used for a fireplace compared to one that is used for venting a wood burning fireplace. The reason I ask is after being taught what the standards were in my class and looking around at chimneys on the houses in my area, the majority of them are too low. Am I missing something here?
  8. John Dirks Jr
    Its a Mueller Climatrol and it keeps my little brick rancher nice and toasty in the winter. Can anyone look at the picture and tell me where the pilot adjust screw is? Image Insert: 119.11 KB Image Insert: 102.84 KB
  9. John Dirks Jr
    After the P trap on the right side the drain goes uphill before turning out through the wall. That is wrong, isnt it?
  10. John Dirks Jr
    Thanks. It is my burner and it is old. I would say 1962 or so. No signs of cracks and we do have a CO detector in the room that gets the strongest shot of heat. I'm hoping it will hold out for a while longer. The budget is a bit tight now.
  11. John Dirks Jr
    Instead of lighting a match or a lighter, are there other simple ways of testing for proper flue draft? I would rather not fill the house with the sulfer smell.
  12. John Dirks Jr
    I found this book very helpfull. Im just getting started myself. http://homeinspectionbook.com/
  13. John Dirks Jr
    Open neutral on the lighting circuit? Rodent chewed wire?
  14. John Dirks Jr
    Excellent! The table in that link is exactly what I was looking for.
  15. John Dirks Jr
    There is also a crusty white material building up over top of the pilot light. More questions. Should that pilot flame be so orange? Shouldnt it be more blue?
  16. John Dirks Jr
    What causes the white particles in this natural gas burner? Image Insert: 73.12 KB
  17. John Dirks Jr
    Just for the record I have used this product to tackle carpenter ant infestations at my house. It has worked very well. Also available at Walmart. Grants kills ants http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/naviga ... tem=189678
  18. John Dirks Jr
    I thought they were used for keeping the edges of sheathing aligned in between the rafters. Take a 24"OC rafter setup for instance. Without clips the sheathing can warp and bypass the sheet next to it and cause stress to the shingles. This is what was mentioned in other sources I have anyway. This is why I asked since I havnt seen any recommendations of when they should be used. I was not under the impression that they held any structural strength. I mentioned the different materials in relation to thier stand alone strength. For instance, stronger materials spanning shorter distances would be less likely to need the aid of clips to keep the edges aligned.
  19. John Dirks Jr
    The wood planks are tapered. Thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top. If you wanted to hide the nail heads under the coarse above you would have to nail though the upper portion that is too thin for a secure fasten. Exposed nail heads are common in wood siding.
  20. John Dirks Jr
    Yeah, if its an occupied property I guess I better warn the owners in advance huh? Maybe ask them to shut down the computors and prepare to reset the clocks. I guess I could reset the clocks.
  21. John Dirks Jr
    I checked my code book and didnt see mention of plywood clips. I'm sure that rafter separatrion distance and sheathing thickness matter when its comes to deciding when clips should be used. Any rules or opinions on what the limits are and when they should be used?
  22. John Dirks Jr
    I have an outlet tester that has the GFCI test button. Obviously I would use this feature when testing a GFCI outlet. How about pushing this button even at non GFCI outlets? I figured that sometimes there are GFCI installed at the main panel. Pushing the button on my tester at non GFCI outlets should tell me if the outlet is on a GFCI protected circuit. Is my assumption correct?
  23. John Dirks Jr
    Thats a good point Mike but let me continue. Do you believe there are any circumstances in which it is a good idea to mention an additional disclaimer within the body of the report? There has to be a critical area or two where you think it is wise. What are they?
  24. John Dirks Jr
    Many people are using gravel and stone around their properties these days. Instead of mulching with organic material they are using rock gardens and all that kind of stuff. These non-organic materials like stone and gravel are extremely permeable and allow water to sift straight down to the grade underneath. The problem I see is how can an inspector verify the true grade underneath these permeable materials? Positive grade away from the foundation is very important. Do any of you recognize this situation and when you do, how do you respond?
  25. John Dirks Jr
    Randy, just relax and wait to see if they contact you. If they do be professional, polite, and state your position. The ball is in their court. Do not move a muscle untill they do.
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