AHI in AR

Of course the hole was not too short. People were shorter in those days. Especially the working class![] Seriously, though...it would be a shame to see that home wither away due to neglect.

There's one thing I find telling. The article states: The consultants NEWSWEEK spoke with said they consider mold a harmful substance worth removing from your home, even though science hasn't yet linked spore inhalation, of even the toxic kind, to much more than varying levels of allergic irritation. If there's no scientific link to serious problems, even for so-called "toxic mold," then why continue printing stories such as this? It just freaks out uneducated folks and lines the pockets of unethical lawyers. It's not a mold problem, per se, it's a moisture problem.

Tell 'em it's there eating rats. Or squirrels, or mice. That's quite possible. That's a skin that has been shed. The donor snake is long gone. Keep in mind that the snake that came from is not that large; the skins stretch when they are shed. I'd note it, but in a humorous way so as no to freak anyone out. Are there even any poisonous snakes in your area? It's funny. I always seem to find people scared of snakes in the crawl space. I have found far more evidence of snakes in attics than in crawlspaces. In fact, I remember finding one in our attic as a teenager. At the time, I thought it was an anomaly. Home inspections have proven otherwise.

I'm going to step right up and show my ignorance. Since all our water meters are underground near the street, I never see anything on them. If you don't count dirt (Like Charlie said) or crickets and spiders. Sometimes the occasional toad. Certainly no wires or yokes. So here's my question: If the water meter has a nice bronze housing (as shown) and is solidly connected to the water line at both ends, don't you already have a good electro-mechanical connection? Would you ever need a jumper wire in a case like this? Where's the break in continuity that you are trying to bridge over?

If you find these three things (and nothing else) under the kitchen sink in a vacant 80 year old house, do you suspect there's a problem with drain flow? [] Image Insert: 386.12 KB

With a conventional single family home with the garage attached under the main roof, I'm not aware of any requirement for a fire-retardant wall in the attic between the home and the garage. I'd vote for adding proper fire retardant material over the pull down stair door.

For what it's worth (almost nothing) my guess would be no. But that's only a guess. Around here, not having the same conditions ya'll have in the frozen north where it actually freezes more than a very few inches below grade, we put water meters where they belong: in the ground.[] I've never seen or heard of a yoke like that. But if it is all covered in paint as I suspect, I would doubt that it would serve properly as a bonding jumper -- and I doubt it's rated as such. But that's only a guess. If I'm wrong, I'm sure others will chime in.

I've come across a few mail-order homes that I assumed were Sears homes. I can't say with certainty that they were, but in either case they are interesting. You will find part numbers stamped on visible components such as rafter ends. They have a uniformity to framing member size and spacing that is usually missing in other homes of similar vintage.

I saw a show the other night where Tesla produced a light bulb using an excitable gas -- the forerunner of the "modern" fluorescent bulb. Who knows how much credit he would be given now if other, more influential men had not stood in the way, or "borrowed" credit for ideas Nikola came up with?

I saw a show on the History Channel or similar about this. If I remember correctly, one of the big proponents of AC was George Westinghouse. He and other believers in the superiority of AC argued with Edison about it. Though brilliant, Edison was a hard-head!

We've used up a lot of "ink" in cyberspace on this topic in previous posts, and yet it's here again. My belief is still that it's a mistake to categorize all agents as only being interested in the money, not the well being of their client. However, I firmly agree that all too many of them are way too motivated by money. True story: An agent I had not met before represented one of my clients. She met me at the home, left her car running, and barely hung around long enough to get the door open. I told her when I would be through, and inquired if she would be back for the walk through afterward. I assumed she would; after all, her buyers were first-timers. Her response? With a dismissive wave of her hand, she said "I've been through one of these before. I don't need to do another." As though they were all exactly the same. This is the kind of thinking we should find disturbing. Anyone believe she cared about her clients? On the other hand, I now have about 8-10 agents that I regularly get some business from. Not EVERY inspection, but certainly more than the law of averages would suggest. These agents don't force anyone to use me, nor do they pressure them. According to my clients, typically they are given a long list of inspectors (they are lost at this point) and they respond the way most people would. They ask for recommendations. The agent will circle two, three, or four names. If the agent has a particularly close relationship with the client, there may be only one name on that list. Ya know what? I have no problem with that. Then again, these agents are always present at the inspection to assist their clients in any way they can. Their attitude is that there are always more homes to show if this one has too many problems. After all, they are counting on repeat business and don't want to have to list this same home in a few years (or less) if it truly is a dog. I can't say I've irritated thousands of agents. I'm not in a big market, and while I don't cater to agents, I don't try to inflame anyone just because I might be able to. Those old enough to remember Dragnet will understand when I say I'm a "just the facts, ma'am" sort of guy. I'm analytical by nature, not emotional. I'm certainly no salesman. That generally works out well since I don't get paid to be emotional or to sell anything. I don't care whether my clients buy the home or not. I know there are dozens of agents who don't care to see me at "their" inspection, but that's not my problem. They are not my clients. My reports are based on facts, and I can't change those. Those facts serve my client's interest, not always those of the agent. I will say that I don't make smart a$$ comments about the home, no matter how absurd the things I find may be. And sometimes, as I'm pretty sure we all are, I am sorely tempted. Do I do that to appease the agent? Not at all. But neither do I see the wisdom in figuratively poking them with a stick just to see what will happen. I don't hold the view that agents and inspectors must automatically hold adversarial positions. Sometimes, we do...and this is as it should be. If the agent is interested in the commission check, not the well being of the client, than they'll not get much respect from me. I fully understand (and expect) that the feeling will be reciprocated. If they have referred their client to me because they want a thorough, honest evaluation of a home, I'm ready for that job. But no agent -- other HI -- should assume that I will pull any punches or "soft-pedal" anything. Why would I? That's not why the agent recommended me. I've heard stories of situations where there is an "office" inspector whom "all" the agents use. If so, you can put all the lipstick on that pig that you want. I'm still not kissin' it. OK. I've said enough. It's after 5, and it was 100 degrees today. My afternoon inspection was a home out in the sticks that was, shall we say, "target rich." I need a shower and a cold beverage or two. Maybe not exactly in that order.

Hi John-- How often it's found isn't the issue. Improper truss mods aren't uncommon. In fact, dumb things are done every day somewhere in the country. As you know, what you have pictured is wrong. Every member of an engineered truss is designed to function under either tension or compression. They have a job to do and they can't do that job if they aren't there. You've got at least 3 web sections that have been altered, if not completely removed. NO modifications should be made in the field. There are stairs designed to fit between the trusses; there is no reason to cut trusses to install a stair designed for a stick-framed home. Even if no horrible effects have resulted yet, you should call for an engineer's review. Go by his recommendations. My experience says that he'll say (effectively) to rebuild the truss exactly as originally designed and replace the stair with a narrower one designed to fit between the trusses.

As others have said, be very careful. I have yet to see a flipped home that was done to a consistently high standard. What I almost always see are glitzy highly visible items like appliances and countertops...and plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems that are an absolute train wreck. And I'm not talking starter homes. A home of that vintage will automatically have "issues" due to age alone. My advice: Don't fall in love with the charm of the home unless you also understand that older homes necessarily require more maintenance funds -- and you have those funds readily available.

As said, it's Kimsul, made of paper by Kimberly Clark from the 30's into the 50's. It was treated initially for fire retardancy, but whenever I have tested it, it burns readily. I advise getting rid of it. Trivia: I found it a few times before I finally found a batt which had a legible label on it. In researching it, I found it was used in refrigerators, automobile dashes (for sound deadening) and Quonset huts during WWII.

Not uncommon around here on homes with rear services and fenced yards. The meter reader can simply stick his head around the corner rather than having to enter the yard and deal with Princess, the killer Chihuahua.

I'll admit I didn't go to the guys website, and I wasn't endorsing him. What I liked was that she stressed that using a competent inspector would lower the liability of the agent and protect the client, not "just" make the closing details harder.

You might be surprised at this. If only more agents shared the view of the agent who posted this. Of course, the comments from other agents are generally favorable. After all, how many agents would publicly admit that they don't want their client to be fully informed? Check this out: http://activerain.com/blogsview/608408/Why-I-love-my

I don't recall seeing any of the Cutler Hammer type, but I have seen a slew of Square D breakers designed for two conductors. The whole issue is proper contact between the wires and the flat plate which the screw tightens against the wire. The square D type have a concave, full length groove at the ends of the plate designed to "cradle" the wires, ensuring full contact. Once you see one, you'll know why it's that way. Presumably, the CH breaker uses a similar method. Look closely at the bottom breaker. The wire closest to the screw will almost assuredly be clamped more tightly than the other one due to the leverage placed on the plate as that screw is tightened. The screw can't place equal pressure on both with that configuration. Tell sparky you ain't buying it. Better yet, write down the breaker model # and go to Siemens' website. Try to dig up the info in their technical specs section.

I don't have the code reference, but I wouldn't think you need it. Tape falls off.That's all the info I've ever needed. Then again, no one has ever challenged me on it.

Miscut? No. Mis-mineraled? No. Try mis-applied. There is too much exposure on the courses where you see the black. That's supposed to be an easy visual reference so you know not to leave it exposed. Look at the center of the 2nd photo (where the leaf is). Note the difference in exposure on the course where the black shows and the one directly above it -- I'd guess there's about an inch difference. Roofers sometimes get lazy or in a hurry with the nailgun. Back in the day, a good roofer would regularly snap a chalk line to keep his courses aligned. Ever see one doing that other than (maybe) on the first course these days?

And I say you are wrong!!! (Dang...Did I just prove your point?)[] BTW, a little bit north of here in Razorback land, hogwash is what the college kids bring home to wash on weekends, not an insult or a challenge...

I usually don't enjoy writing up that sort of defect since it inevitably throws a wet blanket over the proud new owner's enthusiasm. I only enjoy it when the seller argues with me. I'm not competitive by nature...unless you argue with me. Congrats on being right. That kind of thing makes you superman in the eyes of your clients.

OK... Since no one else took the bait, I will. I see that you posted your question with the user name of "ladhunt." I know what a foxhunt is. Can I infer that you hunt small boys? (You are, after all, in Texas. Wasn't that where Dick Cheney successfully shot an attorney a little while back during what I can only presume must have been a lawyerhunt?)[] As for your question, I agree with the other guys. Might as well bite the bullet (surely you have one) and enjoy not only the safety but the increased efficiency of the new system.

Maybe so, but how do you forget to cut BOTH sides of a valley? Too much crystal meth? Oh yeah...please resize photos before posting!

Don't ya love a challenge? A couple of years ago, I was greeted by the seller at the door of a 45 year old home I was to inspect. He was a "flipper", and he informed me that his brother-in-law was a home inspector. I took that in two ways...as an implied assurance that the home had been gone through already, and there was nothing left to fix. AND as an implied threat that bro-in-law would critique my findings. Personally, I love this sort of challenge. It didn't take long to realize that finding problems wouldn't be too tough. I walked into the laundry room and immediately smelled magic marker. Nothing smells quite the same. In a vacant, recently painted home, that struck me as odd. Wouldn't you know, over on the side wall was the breaker panel...the finest product of Federal Pacific Electric. Also known as the Stab-Lok series. With the label neatly blacked out by magic marker. VERY recently. I was both irritated and amused. How dumb did they take me for? I guess bro-in-law didn't believe that the distinctive orange handles or the words "Stab-Lok" would clue me in. I can only hope that he was new. Anyway, it cost the seller the sale. The buyer speculated that if the seller would engage in such a lame attempt to hide an easily seen defect, he would likely have covered up more significant ones.