charlieb

And, HI work ain't my best skill. So when I got the opportunity to limit my housey work to consulting and EW work, and I had time to work on things I'm better at, I made a lateral move. Who wouldn’t. Assuming they were equipped. Add commercial inspections and that is my 10th yr goal. I must say sending Scott out of town on a rail (tongue in cheek) has helped with that goal.id="blue"> The jaded-ness, I think, comes from the fact that most of the EW work makes me concentrate on just how how much some HIs can screw up what's a pretty simple job. So far, the worst loss to a family who didn't do anything wrong, except hire the wrong HI: About $300,000. Come on down and look at the manure some of the builders turn out. Add to that no state wide code and a minimal exam and anyone can become a “home erection project managerâ€

"From my own crotchety point of view, the HI biz as I practiced it is now controlled by lobbyists and government drones. It's all government work now. The human interaction has to conform to a state-mandated SOP written by dull, uninformed and uninterested government types, with the sole purpose of pleasing the RE lobby. My overview of the biz is summed up perfectly by Tom Petty's lyrics for "The Last DJ." Excerpt: Well you can't turn him into a company man You can't turn him into a whore And the boys upstairs just don't understand anymore Well the top brass don't like him talking so much And he won't play what they say to play And he don't want to change what don't need to change And there goes the last DJ Who plays what he wants to play And says what he wants to say Hey, hey, hey And there goes your freedom of choice There goes the last human voice There goes the last DJ" Interesting view, Walter. Your view seems to be a bit jaded. I guess life tends to do that to some. I and I believe others see things a bit differently. There is a long time inspector in my area that has also put on a pair of gray colored glasses. He’s the only guy I use for counsel locally. Scot is now on your turf. The agents, builders and AHJ have all taken their toll on him. He just seems tired of the fight. Mike O and others, even you I believe, see the need for a true educational program for the industry. I would venture too say there are two types entering our profession. The tradesmen who never really hade the equipment or desire to educate himself and the intelligent men who, for whatever reason, decided it would be a wise biz to start up. Both are in need of education. “From my own crotchety point of view, the HI biz as I practiced it is now controlled by lobbyists and government drones. It's all government work now.â€

The reports are out. Envision if you will a shallow trench that forms a rectangle 30’ x 40’. A slurry of cement is poured into the trench. Often it is not very thick except where piers are planned. In one corner a 16â€

My impression is that he was trying to lift the floor joists and didn't realize that this action would cause the studs to go up as well. - Jim Katen, Oregon Yep what Jim said. More detailed info on our building methods later. Reports to get out now

She should have hired someone who knew what he was doing. When you hire morons, you get moron results? - Jim Katen, Oregon Well duh hold it ......thats what the contractor must have said. I'd never want to do that work but it seem simple enough to say escavate and under pin columns escavate and underpin footings for the veneer small slow lifts the chimney? So, has anyone ever delt with this?

I’m looking for a bit of input. I’ll be performing an inspection Fri for a client with foundation problems on a conventional foundation with brick veneer siding. If the office documented the info correct, additional piers were added but the foundation contractor lifted the floor joist not the brick columns imbedded in the veneer. Would someone be kind enough to outline how the lift should have transpired? As you would expect the veneer was damaged in the lift. The lady’s story gets worse. When the contractor attempted to underpin the fireplace/chimney the mortar began to crumble. The staff engineer designed a girdle to facilitate the lift but it also failed. Large cracks are now present in the chimney. Any comments………Bill/Kurt? I share photos Fri PM.

I've got the link saved. More to study later. I'm working on a short article on Radon right now. Brian G. has it up his way but none down here. The radio ad program I've got going covers the whole state and as we all know the topic is hot. Off to the archives.

Here in MS I've only seen 1 sealed crawlspace. I inspected the house before purchase and my client wanted a sealed space. She asked me to look at the project once it was finished. A heavy barrier was installed. The sections of the barrier were well taped and for the most part the barrier was well bonded to the foundation and piers. Expanding foam was used to seal the top plate and even to seal around the B vent from the furnace..................................I kid you not! She decided to install a new heat pump. No conditioned air was injected into the space but a dehumidifier and a sump pump were installed. I examined the workmanship but not the science of the project. It has started me on a new field of study.

you should be recommending that the item be repaired Changing this condition to meet current safety guidelines will give your family a safer home.

One year old home in the municipality with the most stringent city inspectors. Many thanks to Charlie Sessums (User Name "charlieb")Alpha Inspection Brandon, MS

I use a Seagate Mirra drive. No buttons. It constantly backs up any computer, any file on my network. When I get home in the evening and get on the network, It will automatically back up all files I have worked on. Like others, reports are also stored on a web based service.

I've never seen the orange ones but If the yellow/clear are the same as the ones in my area, they are UL listed....................Inside a jbox.

The white wires are supposed to be marked. A quick swipe from a Sharpie is adequate. Personally, I don't report on this issue. Jim, Is there not some verbage that states under a specific guage white is not allowed? By the way, I don't write it up as part of a HI.

And only approved for use in a manufactured home.

So much for the biblical eating plan! I have slowly lost about 8 lbs. 224. The only change I've made is drinking fresh squeezed juice in the am. I run a batch or two a week. Pineapple, grapes, strawberries, oranges etc. It's not cheap but I can track the ups and downs to drinking the juice or running out the door. I'm sticking with it! I only had 2 donuts at church this am![:-party]

"Lets change the original question to regard of multi-wire branch circuits instead of a 240 appliance. For example, a kitchen receptacle fed by two hots, each with its own breaker/fuse. If fed by a single 3 wire conductor, those two hots need to be on opposite busbars to prevent the neutral from being overloaded." The very reason to count the neutral wires and compare the count to the number of breakers.id="blue"> "I mean a 120v receptacle fed by two hots with a 3 wire conductor using 1 neutral. Get the picture?" The breakers should be on different bus bars. They would not be next to one another horizontally or vertically. Get what picture?id="blue">[]

First the only way to obtain 240 is to connect to both "sides" of the incoming current. Either side to the neutral is simply 120. The neutral is not needed to obtain 240. The handles of the breaker that supply 240 are to be tied together by a factory mechanism. Two breakers on the same plane or vertical placement in a panel are attached to the same portion of the bus bar. You will not get 240. Go to HD or your local building supply store. You can safely see and touch. I recommend this process to learn more about most any building material, see touch and read the instructions, labels etc. I do not recommend you talk, ask or listen in this enviorment.[:-graduat

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Mark them with a sharpie pen

If I'm correct the orange box has a plastic version w/o the dial. Guess they want to break into the tool & die maker market!

Happy hunting. Download Attachment: acdata.pdf 38.26 KB Download Attachment: HVAC Manufacture dates.doc 34.8 KB

I'll throw my hat in with the fried food eatin southerners. Still carrying the same 230 as last year.

I imagine that almost all of it hits the side of the chimney interior and simply gets absorbed into the brick or liner. - Jim Katen, Oregon Could the water be collecting on the smoke shelf? What is a LR firebox?

I purchased an ultra stinger on EBAY about 5 years ago. $80 to my door. The local cop shop gets my $$ for bulbs and to replace one very wet battery.[:-taped] Never a charge for any other service. Everything but the metal case has been replaced. I never go back to the dim heavy mag. Unless I forget to charge the ultrastinger.[:-dunce]

Hubbell is one manufacturer