John Dirks Jr

With some searching on the web I found that code now requires thermal expansion tanks in my county. What I want to know is this. If a water heater is replaced should an expansion tank be added where it did not exist prior? You as an inspector noticed that the water heater was brand new. This means that it had to be replaced after the code went into effect. You notice that there was not an expansion tank added. Would you comment and if so, how?

Ironic huh? They are a treatment that combats wood destroying organisms. The only problem is the method itself is also destructive.

If you find S traps in older construction, how do you handle them? Do you just explain their deficiencies to the client an leave it at that or what recommendations do you provide? I know in many cases it can be difficult to change them over to P traps. Can the addition of an AAV help prevent S trap siphoning?

For the sake of this discussion consider that code requires expansion tanks on closed water supply systems in all new construction. If a water heater is replaced in a older house, would you write it up if an expansion tank was not installed when the heater was replaced? Do you leave it alone if it is an older water heater, considering that codes changes usually are not retroactive? Kevin Richardson, if you see this thread, are expansion tanks required in the areas that you and I serve? Also, what about mounting electrical panels on plywood? Is that accepted in our area or should it always be non combustible material?

Should there always be a gas regulator at each meter in each residence or can there be a community regulator that serves multiple meters? What are various configurations if any?

Would that defect be what is causing the stains to collect at that point? From turbulance caused by the offset?

I took my son and 3 of his friends around the neighborhood to trick or treat. A Mexican with sombrero, a punk rocker with green spiked hair and a couple of grim reapers. Next year they plan to go as a barber shop quartet. they're gonna work on a little trick or treat diddy song. They each got about 7lbs of candy in about an hour and a half.

It was funny and I'm cool with it. Just so you know, I ditched the Skillers vest already. I had done two pre sale consultations. I ditched the Skillers vest after the first one. Now I have cargo pants with pockets stuffed. You should have seen me fumbling through my pockets trying to find stuff. I'm sure I looked like quite the dope. I am learning each time I go out and getting lighter each time. I'm getting closer to bringing the tool bag in, grabbing the screwdriver, flashlight and camera and dropping the rest to be retrieved later if needed. Brandon, I appreciate your input and you make good points. I am taking notes. The glass block was recently installed along with all the other make over stuff. I doubt there has been enough time for new movement to manifest itself, if it ever will. Suspicion, does it ever have any of you balking? A tricky situation requiring some crafty thoughts. What do you do?

Brandon, There was cover up work all over that rear wall both inside and out. A nice job of it too. If there were any significant visible defects prior, there had been a concentrated effort to hide them. It made me very suspicious. I suppose you could call it a cop out on my part but I decided to use the obvious in the slab defects to attempt to draw attention to the suspicion without actually writing how I was suspicious about the wall. So rather than saying, "This looks suspicious but I cant tell you why" I decided to say, "This is messed up so have them look at it, and while they are here have then check that too" of coarse not in those exact words but you get the drift. I explained it all to the client in person during the inspection as well. He seemed happy with my "detailed findings", as he put it. He seemed to shrug many things off but in no way did I soften my language when it came time to put things in writing. One amazing thing I noticed, the sellers agent who I dont know and she doesn't know me, sneered at me with this look of disdain within the first minute or so she arrived on site. I don't even know if she realized she did it but I'll never forget it. What a classic experience for my first job. I think that look put a few things in perspective for me.

At the bottom of this page you will see that Baltimore County also follows NEC. http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agenci ... ml#current This is why I believe they ran these lines through the PCV in the first place. Look at the photo and you can see how the slab up next to the foundation is rotating with the left side dipping and the right side lifting. If the slab was more level as it should be the unit could have been placed on it. Instead they decided to leave the slab as is and push the unit off into the lawn. The result was the lines running through a puddle in PVC. Nice huh. Image Insert: 161.08 KB BTW, I wrote up the the slabs too and called for a structural specialist to check for possible negative effects the condition could pose on the structure. I pointed this out to the client and he didn't seem too concerned by it. Even so, there was no way I was turning over a report without mentioning this.

If you check this link the answer to the question Kevin has posed is yes. Yes they are all wrong, or at least any that have been done in Anne Arundel County. The link shows that Anne Arundel County adopts 2002 NEC. Now there is a PDF link with amendments to article 300. You will find them on page 22 of the PDF if you care to have a look. I will save you some time if you trust my word and tell you now, none of the amendments affect the requirement of "protection" as listed under the NEC. http://www.aacounty.org/IP/PAC/BuildingCodes.cfm The subject property in question was actually in Baltimore County though. I will research that but I bet the result wont be any different. The code amendments usually make things more strict, not less. Kevin, I wont be dropping the comment into my boiler plate. I have decided to take a path that pretty much abandons boiler plate all together. I am going to use a check list with small note blocks to guide me through the inspection. I will back this up with many digital photos. I will zip through the photos on the camera screen with the client before I leave the property and give them a quick spoken summary. Then I will retreat to the office PC to type a report that can be more specific to each individual property. I know it will take me more time to do jobs that way but I will sleep much better at night knowing I provided the best information I am capable of. On my first inspection my camera pretty much saved my ass. I went over the shots with the client before I left the site. when I got home to write the report, I knew the exact reason why I had taken each picture and it helped me immensely in putting the report together.

Thanks for your opinion Kevin. However, I am not a "code" compliant inspector and never will be. Regardless if something is correct to current code or not, that does not mean that changing it shouldn't be done. If I think something does not look right and believe there is a better way, I am calling it out, current code compliant or not. Shut off was in sight. BTW, this condenser is brand new and just put in. Shouldn't the routiing of line be done at least to current code regardless of when the house was originally built?

The condenser was roughly 6 feet away from the shutoff.

That makes me feel better because I did call it out. It went in the report as being subject to physical damage and that is should be in conduit. I called for a qualified technician to fix that problem and also check the routing of the condenser lines for the possibility of a better routing method.

Shouldn't this UFcable be inside of conduit? RE says he is an electrician and the UF is ok exposed as in the photo. It is on the exterior feeding an AC condenser. Also what about the way all the lines and wires run through the PVC along the ground? There was also water pooling at one end of the PVC pipe. The pooling water was caused by a heaving slab. Image Insert: 229.67 KB Image Insert: 239.3 KB

As for magnets on torpedo levels and other tools, what are the precautions as far as keeping them away from other more "delicate" equipment like clamp meters or IR thermometers? What kinds of things can be damaged by magnets?

Maybe crappy confusing reports filled with inspector speak CYA bs. You know, the kind of stuff I started to produce untill the members here slapped me around and pointed me in a better direction.

Just a little bit about the new regulation. http://www.wbaltv.com/news/14395891/detail.html

Chad my friend...just post it in public and lets have a party. Trust me, you'll get over it. If I can survive the garbage I put out, I'm sure you can handle it too.

Comment? Absolutely. Hopefully the clients are present and words can be exchanged on the spot with the advantage of real time vision of the material. As far as written report is concerned, the comments about "cosmetics" will stand. However, in most cases the purely "cosmetic" issues will not show up in the summary report. The fact that they do not show up in the summary report means my intentions are that you get what you see and you accept it as is. Lets face it, unless you are really really sure that failure is eminent, how can you tell when it will, or if it will fail?

got it now...thanks chad[:-party]

I cant wait till the time that it just flows like lightning out of my mouth into speech and finger tips into print. I know I have work to do and I will trudge on to the goal and beyond. There are plenty of people who struggle to disagree with others. They make a life out of it. They are all around you and you may not even realize it. Just relax for a minute or two and imagine yourself working for people like this. Remember, they are paying you so they can have an opportunity to disagree with you in the future. Scary ain't it? I am so friggin glad I decided to stand up and communicate on this forum. Seriously, if I screw up, please don't ignore me. Just slap the friggin crap out of me will ya....

quote by wj "Just about every lawyer who hired me complimented me on my contract, which I wrote pretty much by myself. (My lawyer blessed it). Several offered hints and tips for making it even better". I would like to compliment you on your contract so just send it to me. I will have a peek, ponder a bit, then send you a reply of acceptance. I aint no attorney but just do it anyway. arundelhomeinspection.com BTW, how do I cut a slice from a paragraph and have it appear in quote form? I know how to quote the whole post but how do I do just part of it? whoops... arundelhomeinspection@comcast.net

tbird, Thanks for posting your problem. As much as I learn from my mistakes I can also learn from others when they have guts like you and decide to share. Having said that I will keep a comment something like this in mind; "There is a leaking drain pipe under the kitchen sink. Galvanized drain pipes are also present and these pipes can rust from the inside out. They could look perfect from the outside but in reality be ready to fail at any moment. You need to hire a plumber to fix the current leak and while they are here, have them evaluate the condition of these older galvanized pipes". I would address any water damaged wood in the cabinet section of the Kitchen category. On a side note not necessarily related to this thread; Imagine people being satisfied and understanding your report in the beginning. Then when a problem arises they go back to read it again. At this point they are trying their best to mis-understand it. I mean making an effort to be confused.

Buy a long-running, attractive ad in a popular local publication that targets the demographic you're trying to reach. In my humble experience, the upscale professional demographic (doctors, lawyers, college profs and such like) were the customers I wanted. Taken as a group, they value intelligence and honesty, and they understand limitations. WJid="blue"> Its funny but I invision myself as maybe being intimidated by working for a lawyer. After reading the opinion above maybe I need not be.