exploreparadise2

That cooling tower looks old. It needs to be cleaned regularly and the water has to be treated. According to the Cooling Technology Institute, 40-60% of cooling towers are contaminated with legionella. Download Attachment: Cooling Tower Maintenance.pdf 222.63 KB

This article touts the durability of recyled glass used in building products. It can resist hurricanes, earthquakes, and people throwing stones. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/r ... lls28.html

The client bought the building after the inspection and is now seeking refinancing. A capital management firm is representing that client in seeking the refinancing and forwarded the lender's reliance letter form to me. The management firm asked me if there is a fee for filling out the reliance letter. I don't want their fee. I want them to go away.

I received a request from a lender that wants me to sign a reliance letter in regards to a refi. It was for a commercial inspection I did nine months ago. The lender sent me a copy of the inspection report and is asking for verification of the report and they want me to attest that they can rely on it. My inspection report has a statement that it is intended for the named client only and is not to be relied upon by any third party. Has anyone come across this kind of request before? I haven't. My first inclination is to respond by email that I prepared the report and it only pertains to the condition of the property at the time of the inspection and to restate the comment that any third party must hire their own inspector. No way am I signing anything. Any thoughts? A copy of the letter is attached. Thanks, Download Attachment: MWC_Reliance_Letter.doc 33.21 KB

I don't think they installed the support post in the basement of this 90-year-old building that far out of plumb. I figure one more shaker should finish it off. I'm glad it didn't happen while I was down there. Anyone out there find themselves in a crawl space during an earthquake? Click to Enlarge 73.36 KB

Does anyone know the manufacturer of this siding, or what it should be called? They're exterior panels on a rain screen system. The panels are laminates with a wood grain exterior. The middle sections looks like a plastic composite. Download Attachment: IMG_8386.JPG 480.62 KB Download Attachment: IMG_8413.JPG 459.37 KB Thanks,

There's no tank visible at this toilet in a new construction. It's a wall-mounted commode with giant dual-flush buttons on the tiled wall. After a flush I could hear water filling behind the wall. It's not a pressurized unit. The other side of the back wall is a hallway with no access panel. This kind of installation was a first for me. Seems to me there should be an access somewhere. Click to Enlarge 38.66 KB

Richard's photo probably is TPO because Firestone manufactures TPO and not PVC (PVC is not currently listed on their website). We can't assume that EPDM will always be colored black like an inner tube anymore. Firestone makes an EPDM with a white coating for decreased heat absorption. http://www.firestonebpco.com/roofing/

The question that began this thread asks about flexible duct that transitions to the dryer duct. As pointed out earlier, transition ducts shall not be concealed in construction (M1502.4), so, no they can't pass through a wall or floor. The same code section also specifies that a flexible transition duct shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 2158A. Here is a manufacturer of transition duct that conforms. Quietflex

I think you called it right, Robert. Shipworm tunnels are big and coated with a white, chalk-like material. The boards look like they've been reclaimed and could have been cut from old piers or shipwood.

This annoys me every time I run into it. Treated or not, the wood will eventually rot, and it's a pathway for insects. I'm interested in knowing why a builder leaves 2X4s on the inside of forms. Click to Enlarge 60.97 KB Click to Enlarge 55.65 KB

The photos below are of the inside of a sheet metal return air plenum in a one-year-old house. It's a common practice here to insulate the interior of air returns with paper-faced fiberglass when they pass through the unconditioned space of a garage. This example shows more uncovered insulation than most. I'm interested in how, or if, the readers would report this. I don't like it, but if the furnace filter does its job, fiberglass particles shouldn't be spread through the house. Thanks, Click to Enlarge 52.71 KB Click to Enlarge 49.95 KB Click to Enlarge 44.43 KB

Good question. As far as I know, there was never a rule or law that prohibited using aluminum wiring. The NEC still recognizes it for use in branch circuits. I think that its use faded away as the price advantage disappeared and as bad publicity turned customers away from it. The bad publicity started in '72 with the formation of the CPSC and, as I recall, the final straw was the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire in '77. After that, no one wanted to have anything to do with aluminum wiring. The electrician who installed it in '79 must have been quite a character. - Jim Katen, Oregon The house I inspected today had single strand aluminum wiring. The electrical permit on the cover of the service panel was dated June 1981. That's the most recent example I've come across.

I recently read an article in Buildings magazine about the phase-out of refrigerants that contain chlorine molecules and have ozone-depletion potential. The international treaty is called the Montreal Protocol. It was ratified several years ago, but was amended last fall to accelerate the phase-out schedule. Older chillers use HCFC-123 or HCF-22 refrigerant. What I gleaned from the article is that the reduced availability and likely increased cost of chlorine-containing refrigerants should be entered into the equation of replacement vs. rebuild strategies. Retrofitting the machines to use modern refrigerants isn't practicle because the operating pressure differences between the refrigerants is too great. Newer machines are more efficient and cost less to maintain, which is another factor. A spokesman for Johnson controls estimated lifespan at about 30 years. A director of McQuay Intl. stated that he felt there was a benefit in replacing a 10-year-old centrifugal chiller now. He said full-load efficiences have increased in the past 10 years by 10-15% and part load efficiencies have increased by 25-30%, which computed to a payback of 3 years. These are computations from companies that sell new equipment, however. No estimates of new equipment costs were given.

Yep, there was a coal chute in the basement wall.

I didn't see signs of fire. All the wood components are original and weren't charred. It's possible that there was smoke damage from a fire in stored items though.

Everything but the floor in this 1911 basement is spray-painted white. I'm not certain if it is a mold abatement treatment or a poor paint job. The spray on the pipes, ducts and wiring looks like flat paint, but the spray on the concrete and wood is thin and covers poorly. The mold abatement spray that I've seen in attics has a milky look. The basement was dry and didn't have a musty odor, but we've had a stretch of dry weather. The concrete floor was recently painted, which could be to cover stains. I'll be advising to buyer to ask the seller, who has owned the house since 95, if the basement was treated or painted. Does this look typical of mold abatement treatments to you? Click to Enlarge 38.05 KB Click to Enlarge 32.15 KB

I found the ends of wood shims stuck in the mortar joints of the brick walls of this 1905 building. They occur in only a few locations, both low and high on the walls and appear to be as old as the bricks. The walls are full brick and not brick veneer. Any ideas on what they are there for? Click to Enlarge 50.94 KB

Can copper-only rated receptacles be connected to copper clad aluminum wiring? Thanks,

The pattern in this composite siding looks like Randy's photo. Would you say it's Omni-wood? The siding is installed on a 1982 apartment complex. I haven't inspected the buildings, but I drove by to prepare a quote and the siding looked to be in good condition. What about the panel with the stucco design? Click to Enlarge 54.38 KB Click to Enlarge 52.27 KB Click to Enlarge 47.15 KB

The Fuel Gas Code provides the following calculation when all combustion air must come from a room that does not communicate with another space. G2407.5.1 The minimum required volume shall be 50 cubic feet per 1,000 Btu/h. A 60,000 Btu/h furnace will require 3,000 cubic feet. The volume of that room is 12X12X8=1,152 cu. ft.

I've seen plenty of receptacle adapters, but this two-prong adapter in a 1940 house is the first like this that I've come across. You should be able to jam 6 or 7 ungrounded plugs into it. Being inches from the kitchen sink makes it even more precious. Blair Click to View 26.57 KB

I’m looking for a way to determine what keywords are searched most frequently in my area on Google. For example, is Home Inspection more frequently searched than Home Inspector? Is a city more often searched than a county, etc. Does anyone know of a method of finding that; free software maybe? Thanks,

Here's the full resolution photo. Knock yourself out. Image Insert: 632.62 KB

Three portholes in the house were part of a nautical collection. The ancient mariner occupying the house was at home during the inspection. He looked to be at least as old as the furnace. He overheard me telling the buyer that the white wrap on the ducts likely contained asbestos. While holding a hand-rolled cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other, he wryly asked me if me if I thought the asbestos was going to kill him.