Brian G

I had a background in carpentry and electrical, and I wasn't sure I was going to get anything useful from HI training. WRONG. I got a lot out of it, but.... 1. I went to the best school I could find, which was 2 states away. 2. I didn't go outside to smoke every 10 minutes. Others did. 3. I shut off my cell phone on the way in, I participated a lot in class, and I went back to my room at night and studied. Others did not. If the school is any good and you go at it in a serious way, it'll help a lot, but you'll still need a ton more from a place like this. And I have to echo the "This is a terrible time to go HI" sentiment, though your area may be doing somewhat better than some others (find out). Brian G. Good Luck, You'll Need It [:-wiltel]

Jeez, a cement/concrete roof. I ain't never hear'd tell of such. All I can think is to be very frank about how unusual and unpredictable this roof is, and how bad things could get if it goes horribly wrong while they own it. Can you imagine what it might cost to remove that sucker and replace it with something normal? I would also say something like "It's far more likely to leak than to not leak, now, later, or sometime". Brian G. Bizzaro Roofing Inc.

Originally posted by SNations If there was no problem with condensation with the existing insulation, I can't see how adding anything more would cause condensation. My guess is that the "condensation due to bubble wrap" theory is based on the vapor barrier aspect of the bubble wrap, rather than on the insulating value. I've seen the original insulation on that particular ductwork during my carpentry years, and it was some sort of fiberous stuff with a heavy paper wrap. It probably breathed somewhat, though I can't say that type of insulation is common around here, or how anyone else would have known that. Locally, most of it is fiberglass with a foil/paper wrapping. I thought the idea of an impermeable vapor barrier on ductwork creating condensation was at least passingly plausible, but it might be total B.S. in actual practice. Brian G. Knowledge Permeable, To Both the Useful and the Useless [:-boggled

Ahhh... That must be what the rumblings were about. Thanks Mike, I'll pass it on. Brian G. Smarter-er Again [:-graduat

I'll have to ask about foil / no foil thing. It was put on during an overhaul to a new HVAC system, by a local contractor named....Scott Patterson. Seriously. [:-slaphap Brian G. Branching Out Scotty? []

It just never ends...always something new and different in the inspecting world. Originally posted by Scottpat That is just bazaar if it is a radon mitigation system. Beware the homophone Brother Scott. A "bazaar" is a market place; "bizarre" is the one you were thinking of. Brian G. A Bizarre Bazaar Might Be Cool [:-magnify

Yesterday a family friend asked me if bubble wrap applied to ductwork could create a condensation problem, and if there were any necessary steps to avoid the issue. Her's was apparently put on right over the old, existing duct insulation. I can't say I'm up on this one; never seen any. Anybody got the hard intel on this stuff? Brian G. Bubble Rap - What Toddler Gangsters Listen to in the Bathtub [:-paperba

I've seen my share of those, mostly because we've had an ITE-heavy wholesale electrical distributor in town for 50 or 60 years now. Dumb design, never should have been allowed as service equipment in residential use, but not dangerous as far as I know. Brian G. Electrical Does Not Improve With Age [:-indiffe

OY! Yeah, it's screwed up royally. No telling what the original intent was, nor does it matter, 'cause it's fubar. Just tell your clients it's all wrong and it's important to get a smart electrician to set things right. Brian G. Emphasis on *Smart* Electrician [:-graduat

Very cool. Brian G. "Droning On" Was Never More Fun [:-slaphap

It's not as revolutionary as the plywood drip pan for water heaters, but it looks highly functional to me. [^] Brian G. Is Patent Leather Patented? [?]

Originally posted by Jim Katen If you've never been sued, it seems like a racket. If you never get sued it IS a racket. But hey, even though I'm out of it now I still have 3 years of liability following me around. It ain't over 'til it's over. But it can protect you from financial ruin if you're ever faced with a 6-figure lawsuit. You don't have to make a mistake or do a damn thing wrong to be involved in a game-changing lawsuit. No denying that. I understand why some people want it, required or not, but I would have kept my money if I could have. How much you have to lose in the first place figures in heavily. Brian G. Nobody Wants to Slaughter a Bony Pig []

I think E&O is largely a friggin' racket. I had to have it because the state required it, but never even had a threat from a client. I always thought of it as a "keep every Tom, Dick, and Harry out of the business" fee. I figure I paid them somewhere between $20 - 25,000 over my time as an inspector, and never got a damn thing else for my money. Your mileage may vary. Brian G. I Want a Refund [:-grumpy]

Yep, that's an electrical fitting. At the risk of being "improper", I've always found electrical conduit and fittings to be far tougher than their plumbing counterparts (the water line to my old mo-bile home is the same stuff, which easily stood up to being re-trenched by machine). I'd mention it, but confidently tell them not to worry about it. Brian G. Sometimes the *Right* Stuff Isn't the Best Stuff [8]

This is out of the current line of the thread, but I dropped ASHI last fall in an effort to save money and stay in the game. At one time I was getting enough referrals in a year's time to justify the cost, plus I felt it was important to support the legislative and higher standard efforts of the organization. When money got tight I just couldn't see $400. Dropping that and my Alabama license saved me over $1000. This is strickly a view from the outside, since I never held an ASHI office, but it appears ASHI spends a tremendous amount of money on plane tickets and pricey hotel rooms for staff and elected officials to attend meetings and such. I always wondered if a certain amount of that couldn't be done by conference calls, Go-To-Meeting, or something. *Full Disclosure* I personally benefitted from that largess a couple of times, when I was generously allowed to share a paid-for room at national conferences. Brian G. No Matter What Jimmy & Scott Say, We Did NOT "Trade It Out" []