Steven Hockstein

That is an unusual detail for around here. Is that something commonly done in your area?

Assuming you use the IRC, double check Section R317 regarding the protection of wood based products from decay. I usually see this type of detail when there are concerns about the exterior grade level and required clearances to framing members. DO you have the required clearance to grade around the perimeter. The framing members do not apppear to be treated.

My experience is that if you have a good vapor barrier on the floor I would argue to insulate the perimeter and condition the crawlspace.

Mike, Sometimes when you are wrapped-up in a design you need an objective outside opinion. It is not unusual for one of us to design something and show it to the other people in my office and they say it really sucks. Upon reflection, the objective opinion is usually right. I am assuming that is what John was asking for. Of course it is his own home and he can do what he wants. I hope we did not offend him with our honesty. Steve

I agree. It looks like a tile display that shows a bunch of options. I would simplify the design.

True. Maybe he should call it an "alleged" septic system. [^][^]

You might want to add (shown in red): The house is reported to have a septic system. I don't know. Septic systems are excluded from the visual home inspection as I don't possess the necessary equipment (pump truck) to properly empty the tank and inspect it. Prior to closing, I recommend that you have the septic system fully inspected by a qualified septic system technician, to include emptying the tank. ..... Just a suggestion because lawyers like lawyering.

My experience is that the electrical inspectors will defer to UL approvals and the manufacturers' published specifications and installation instructions. Sometimes they will ask the builder to provide the back-up documentation to verify and to put into the municipal file.

The three rings of marriage are: engagement ring wedding ring suffer ring

Or take an inventory of all your property, verify that you have adequate insurance (home, health, and life), make sure nobody is in the house, and then mess with the wiring.

We recently completed a major renovation of a house built in the 1960's. There was aluminum wiring. The contractor showed the owner and myself a few areas that were scorched in electrical boxes that could not have been seen without demolition. After seeing this, the owner paid to change all of the wiring.

As long as the garage floor is not higher than the interior floor why not cut out the sill and lower the bottom of the door. Eliminate the extra step.

It is amazing to me how people survived in their homes prior to the "Mold is Gold" era.

I tried pasting different sections of my report and was surprised at the wide variation in the ratings between them. Some were as low as 8th grade and others were above 15. (FYI-The Gunning Fog index is 8.900 for the above sentences)

Thanks for the input.

Just curious as to how others would report on this. Click to Enlarge 48.29 KB

That would be my guess. Bearing wall was installed (hopefully on a footing) before the floor was poured to save some time and a couple of bucks (the cost of an engineered girder and columns typically costs a little more than building a 2 x 4 bearing wall).

I have seen this exact question and answer on multiple roofing company sites: "Q: Why are there sections of my roof where the roof shingles are buckling or puckering? A: Fishmouthing looks like buckling but it is usually random on the roof. The front edge of the roof shingles are raised, and tapers back into the shingle. Although it does not usually affect the durability of the shingle, it should be addressed. Possible Causes: Moisture build-up in the attic can cause wetting & drying cycles in the roof shingles. Improving attic ventilation can prevent this. Installing wet shingles on a dry day, or dry shingles on a wet day will almost guarantee the appearance of fishmouthing. Nails that are ?popping? out can also cause fishmouthing. Simply correct the position of the nail. This phenomena is mainly an aesthetic issue that can be repaired in most cases. The most common repair method would be to use hot melt adhesive to glue down the distorted shingle rendering it flat. To proceed, the sealant bond of the affected shingle should be broken first. These types of repairs are best carried out in mild (not too hot) weather conditions." Nobody mentions that during a storm the raised edges of the shingles increase the chance of wind blowing off individual or whole sections of the roof. I also disagree that it is only aesthetic.

example of a modern version of that devide http://www.waterfilters.net/HM-Digital- ... witch.html

Best wishes to the new ASHI Board. I hope that they are successful in leading the organization.

Well said. I would also like to add a THANK YOU to Mike and all of the adminstrators for the work they do in providing this site. Wishing a Happy and Healthy New Year to Everyone!

The Blackjak asphaltic foundation coating is designed for the exterior. I have never seen it used on interior walls. Blackjack makes an interior coating. I suspect that someone told the contractor about the Blackjack interior product and they bought the wrong stuff. I recommend that you call the manufacturer for guidance.

I sense a trend. Back in the '70s, these things were mounted on elaborate motorized stands that allowed the collectors to track the sun across the sky. We gave up on that and remained satisfied with pointing the collectors at something close to the right altitude. Now, it seems, we ignore even that and simply put them on a south-facing roof plane, parallel to the roof, and with no concern at all for the altitude or azimuth of the sun. I predict that future collectors will be positioned on the north side of the roof, inside the attic, pointing down. Heck, future generations will probably have them in the crawlspace under the house. Still & all, the glycol in these suckers was at 102 degrees - and that was first thing in the morning, with foggy glass, and the shade from a tree all over the collectors. Oh, yes, backup heat is electric at 4 cents per kWh. (At that price, the solar system will never pay for itself anyway. They needn't have bothered, except they really wanted to be "green.") The reality is most likely that the installer got paid, the owner got money in rebates and/or tax incentives, and the bill was paid by us through our taxes ( or more accurately, owed by us)..

If the leak is occuring only at one window it seems to me that the problem should be fixable for a reasonable cost. Maybe you and the builder can agree on a third party to evaluate the problem and determine a solution. I vote that you hire Kurt.

They are definitely heading in the right direction, just not quite there yet as far as the aesthetics and cost. I am sure we will see solar shingles as common building practice. Before you know it we will be asked to inspect solar shingles as part of our home inspection.