Terence McCann

What Jim said. Only to add that if you have to heat electrically it is cheaper to run a compressor than it is to run strip heat (until you have to replace the compressor).

Thanks Mike!

We do not check humidifiers or electronic air filters. I always recommend a service agreement on every HVAC system.

A few years ago we had strong winds that lifted the shingles on my home in a diagonal fashion like that but it also took them off the roof and conveniently placed them in my backyard.

As Carl said, check the humidity level in the home. If you have a humidifier on the furnace it may be set to high. I keep ours at around 23-25%. Just enough to keep the static electricity down. Another problem with high humidity in a home is that it will travel through drywall where it can condense on the cold side which can cause mold.

Hello Mike: Wood siding connected to the studs. There were only small sections of this on the home. The area as shown in front of the house and the kitchen area behind the home. The rest of the home, with the exception of a little stone, was vinyl siding.

How long have you owned the home? Did these cracks just start showing up? What type of exterior? Any signs of movement/cracks on the exterior of the home at these areas? If the floors are carpeted have you ever had the carpeting off to look at the slab? If not can you feel any uneven areas as you walk across the floor? Have you ever tried to repair a crack only to find that it cracks again?

This is the answer I received from the manufacturer's rep of Pella windows. The builder applies a special strip of material, similar to anti-ice material for roofing, to the nailing fins. You can then install the finish exterior siding over this waterproofing material. I gave the name and number of the manufacturer's rep to my client and suggested they call him to stop by and look at the installation. If he still thinks it's ok have him put it in writing on his letterhead.

Sorry, should mention that it is wood siding. I'm trying to find the local Pella rep for this job now. Thanks Gerry.

Hello all: From this mornings inspection. 1 year old home, not yet out of warranty. What are your opinions on the flashing or lack thereof with regards to the attached pictures. TIA. Download Attachment: Full view.jpg 53.46 KB Download Attachment: Side angle top view.jpg 36.86 KB Download Attachment: top view.jpg 29.24 KB

Up here, in the land of basement, I never see them piped to the outside. Only time I make mention of the T&P is if it's the wrong material for the drain line, reduced in size or to high off the floor. I also tell the customer that if you notice any dripping to call a licensed plumber to evaluate.

1874. This is about the same time that it last had a coat of paint and any maintenance. I was sneezing for a week.

They did a swell job of matching up the exterior too. "This little slice of heaven is a hidden gem." I've always wanted a little slice of heaven but it goes straight to my waistline.

Would it stay in that condition after all those years?

From our folks over at ITA. Dear Inspector, This month I would like to discuss air conditioner condensate drains. I seem to see much confusion regarding drain configuration and termination. First, a condensate drain is not required to be trapped by any of the Codes. Most manufacturers of air conditioning components require a trap on the primary condensate line to keep conditioned air in the air handler and to prevent insects from entering the air handler through the condensate line. A vent (some manufacturers call it a clean out) is usually required on the outlet side of the trap (install on the air handler side would negate the purpose of the trap) by the manufacturer. Most new models have a sticker on the air handler at the drain tapping showing proper drain configuration. Most of the time condensate is gravity drained (meaning sloped to drain its entire length) to the exterior grade by a PVC or other pipe. The termination is usually visible, but not required to be visible. The secondary, or emergency drain, should be visible to alert the occupants of a problem. Since most layperson occupants have no idea water flowing from this secondary drain indicates a problem, many technicians are now installing a float switch in the drain pan and/or secondary line to shut down the system in the event of a primary condensate drain malfunction. A non-working system usually promotes a phone call to the service company instead of the usual ignoring the water flowing from the secondary. Many jurisdictions have provisions for alternate methods of condensate disposal besides just draining to exterior grade or a floor drain. Any connection to the sanitary sewer system will require a trap. This is called an indirect waste by the Codes. Many times I see condensate drains terminating at trapped receptors (a standpipe, like used for the clothes washer) connected to the sanitary sewer system. Traps installed only for the condensate drain will require trap primers to keep them wet. Because of this problem the most common termination locations are routinely wetted traps such as lavatory sinks and bathtubs. The fixture keeps the trap wet to prevent sewer gas flow back into the air handler. The condensate is connected with a branch tailpiece on the fixture side of the trap, such as to the outlet of the lavatory sink or the overflow of the bathtub. Connection to the sewer side of the trap is improper and will result in sewer gas flow to the air handler since the condensate line trap (if installed) will dry out in winter. Another common location for condensate disposal is the clothes washer standpipe. Condensate pumps are commonly used where gravity drain is not possible. These pumps accept the condensate and pump the liquid to an approved location once the tank is filled to a predetermined level. The outlet pipe from the pump is not required to be trapped. The inlet from the air handler should be installed per the manufacturer recommendations, which could be trapped or not. Hope this clears up some questions about condensate. Mike Casey Inspection Training Associates Now You're Ready For Business!â„¢ On commercial rooftop equipment you need a trap on a evap coil that is on the negative side of the fan. Without the trap the fan would keep pulling air in through the condensate line and the water would never flow out. This can cause carry over of condensate through the fan and into the duct work. When the fan shut down you then get a big rush of water out of the condensate line. When the evap is on the discharge side of the fan the condensate flow freely.

I write in my report that I was unable to view the roof due to the snow covering. I tell the client to call my office when the snow has melted and I'll come back out at no charge to inspect the roof. About 1/4 of the clients call back.

In large high rise buildings it's not so much a barometric pressure problem as it is a stack (chimney) effect. The elevator shafts are the worse for creating the updraft effect. This is why a lot of the high rise buildings are in a negative pressure. Now with the advent of electronic controls they are able to place static pressure sensors on each floor as well as outside. The building automation control scheme will average the sensors on all the floors, measure the pressure outside and then control the amount of outside air that the air handler(s) bring in to compensate. These air handlers are also VAV (variable air volume)which can change the amount of air delivered based on static pressure needs.

Spell check will miss those pesky synonyms every time. [] Thanks Mike. This is my third spell checker and it still misses those. [] Jeff, I see that the link doesn't work for some odd reason, could be having web troubles. If you Google Patella-T Non-Wedge kneepads it should come up with other links for you. You can shop around for the best price too.

Good point. In the summer the first thing I do is crank down the air conditioning and open the attic access. I then start the inspection on the outside of the house. This helps somewhat with the heat. I can't take credit for this idea though, one of the other regulars here (name not remembered) came up with that.

I have an ongoing battle with nerve pain in both knees. I just went in for radio frequency treatment on both knees which has helped quite a bit. Anyway, it was with great interest that I read the article "Choosing Kneepads" by Mr. Michael Springer. I've tried different kneepads from the big box stores and they were so-so. So I picked the the 3 kneepads that I thought would help the most based on Mr. Springer's recommendations. After trying them my pick for the most comfortable and easiest to wear are the "Patella-T Non-Wedge" kneepads. Very comfortable, do not rotate off the knee, your not always trying to lift them back into place and when you kneel down the padding is great. I highly recommend these for those with knee problems (or for those that want to avoid the added wear and tear). *edit* Thought I should throw in the link. http://www.fluidforms.com/buy/prof_product.jsp?pid=49

Part of my condo boilerplate. The roof is usually the responsibility of the Condominium Owners Association and is subject to the Association By-Laws, rules and assessments. We recommend obtaining and reviewing the By-Laws, financial statements, the most recent reserve study and minutes of the meetings of the Association.

Second Question: Does everyone call this out as a defect?

Hello All: Is it possible to add weep holes, after the fact, to newer homes that have the brick facing but lack the necessary weep holes? If so how hard? Cost? Thanks.

Well, I told them to call the power company to lower the masthead below the soffit area. My two concerns were power wires that were too close to the metal soffit trim and that birds etc. could nest in the open soffit area around the masthead.

Anyone have a clue why the masthead is buried in the soffit? What kind of building snafu had to happen here? House is '86 vintage out in the boonies. Download Attachment: Parkway.jpg 38.74 KB