Brian G

Originally posted by Scottpat I found a house a few months back that the incoming line from the meter split and supplied water to the house and the law irrigation system. Well lord knows the law needs irrigating. [] Brian G. Or Is It Lawyers We Should Irrigate [:-crazy][:-sour]

Originally posted by Chad Fabry I made a few changes to be helpful, not critical. Safety Warning*** I have observed There is a Federal Pacific Electric "Stab-Lok" service panel in the house. This panel is a latent fire hazard: it's its circuit breakers may fail to trip in response to an overcurrent or a short circuit.when necessary. Failure of a circuit breaker to trip can result in a fire, property damage, or personal injury. A circuit breaker that may not trip isn't dependable does not afford provide the protection that is intended and required. Simply Replacing the circuit breakers is not a reliable repair. The panel should be replaced, and significant expense may be involved. Additional information about the fire and shock hazards associated with this equipment can be read on the internet at http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm Nicely done. [:-thumbu] Brian G. Shorter and Straighter, but Still Plenty [:-graduat

Originally posted by JEuriech Recently, I have found the water pressure gauge inside the panel to read around 100 psi while the incoming water pressure to the house was only at 75 psi. How much time passed between the two readings? If it's a closed system, and many are these days, the water heater kicking on could have raised the pressure during the interval. Just a thought. Water is weird. You can't compress it, but if you heat the stuff it expands. Brian G. Water + Heat = Expansion = Pressure [:-bulb]

Originally posted by Jim Katen In the nearby town of McMinnville, there's a muni inspector who will go into the crawlspace, into the attic and on the roof if she feels that it's necessary. Good for her. [:-thumbu] However, something tells me our jobs are in no danger from uncompromising AHJ's. Brian G. If They Were, We Wouldn't Be Here [:-magnify

I'm just curious: has anyone here ever seen an AHJ crawl under a house? [?] Brian G. Not in the Job Description? [^]

The bill, HB 2315, would set standards for home inspectors and allow homeowners to sue inspectors for an amount up to $10,000. They can't sue now? If it's the limit of liability clause, they could deal with that without turning the world upside-down. The HI"s out there should ask if the legislature plans to put an HI on the realtor's board. [:-mischie Brian G. Somehow I Doubt It []

The first photo definitely looks like two layers of shingles; the last one, not so much. That 4th shot appears to be a cut (?). I have no idea what Grace Ice & Water Shield looks like, but I'm sure someone farther north will. Brian G. No Ice Down Here to Shield [8D]

I'm sure Jim is correct, but that's still a poor way to connect all those wires to a breaker. I've seen many furnaces with a more specialized breaker, having a set of male slide terminals sticking out instead of a lug. Individual wires are connected to the individual male terminals; much better, but certainly not required. Brian G. It Is What It Is [8]

Outstanding. The broadsides at lousy, sales-and-builder-friendly legislation are well-deserved. [:-thumbu] Brian G. Hazards Are Hazards, And HI's Should Say So [:-dog]

Originally posted by kurt I put this up because I've always been cavalier about the anti-tip thing. I've reported it about 3 times in my entire career. I don't have on one my own stove. I just never thought about the very light weight of the new stoves being a factor, which of course it is. I'm going to start writing them. I'm right in that boat with you. It gets written up from here on. Brian G. For the Kids, Not the Morons [:-propell [:-dunce]

I chose my company name to get ahead of the local Amerispec guy in the phone book (AccuSpec). I was aware of studies showing a lot of people just begin at the top of the list and start calling. It has worked that way here and there, but I've often wished I had done otherwise. The phone book isn't what it used to be, and nobody seems to remember the company name, just my own. If I had it to do over, or ever decide to brave a change, I'd go with either my name or something very memorable and unambiguous....like "Mr. Picky". People love catchy names. I know of one called "Every Square Inch", but that's a lot to live up to. [:-wiltel] Brian G. Hellacious Home Inspection LLC [^]

Originally posted by Jim Katen We dipped them in creosote. Environmental terrorist!!! [] I can't remember now whether it had to do the species of wood or what, but they definitely charred 'em. Originally posted by Hausdok That's it, I officially hate you, Fabry. Better look under your bed at night for an IED. Yeah, what he said. I'd love to visit Aussie land. I even got to do an inspection for a young Aussie couple who were having a "walkabout" through the southern U.S. (thought about a piece of rental property in town). They were great. We had dinner together three times before they went home. Brian G. Down Under; Sharks, Crocs, and Golf [:-thumbu]

Thanks Richard, that looks like the same pdf I found. I took from an earlier, shorter part because I don't know how to copy text from a pdf (pg. 26, part 6). How you do dat? [?] Mike, that's a ton of info, thanks. Duely bookmarked for future use...don't go out of business on me. [] Brian G. Home Inspection.....It's a Tankless Job [:-paperba[]

Originally posted by chrisprickett The concrete forms a pocket around the wood, which traps moisture, which certainly can cause the wood to deteriorate. Warning: Thread Drift!!! I saw some guys on "This Old House" years ago who said the same thing. Their company had been building fences in New England for something like 75 years, and they never used concrete. First they charred the last few feet of the post in a fire, on-site. They set them by putting 4-5 inches of packed gravel in the bottom of the hole, then added successive 2" layers of gravel and dirt, solidly packing each layer down as they went (they had flat-ended sticks just for that purpose). They claimed this method allowed for excellent drainage and faster drying out. Frankly, I doubted any pole or post set that way would be very stiff. Dirt and gravel...nothing else? Well, I tried it with the service pole of my old mobile home, and I couldn't budge it when I was done. That pole was broken off during a hellacious storm in 2001, and I cussed a blue streak digging the damn stump out..inch by inch, pick and dig. It works. Brian G. Yankees Do Know a Few Things [:-graduat[]

I found it. They say "Pipe pressure relief discharge to a drain or outside environment". This guy didn't pipe it to anywhere. Brian G. Dat's a No-Gooder [:-paperba

I just ran into my first tankless/on-demand/continuous/you-name-it water heater, in the outside wall of a house. Does anyone know what's suppose to be done with the relief piping on these models? It looks to me like any discharge will probably leak into the wall around the penetrations, but there was no sign of a planned opening in the cover for a relief pipe. Image Insert: 114.07 KB Image Insert: 76.34 KB I found clearance specs, so I already know it's too close to the window, but nothing about the relief piping. Anybody? Brian G. "Relief" For My Ignorance Please [:-dunce]

When I bought mine the Extend-N-Climb was considerably less. I've had it for about three years now, with no problems. I wander between 205 and 215, so the new 300 lb rated 15 1/2 footer is of great interest. I'm not afraid of the one I have though. I've accidentally climbed it with one step not properly locked out a few times, and it doesn't seem to matter. You gotta watch your hand positions while collapsing one back down though. They'll pinch the crap out of you if you're careless. Brian G. We Call That "Education" [:-bigmout

Originally posted by jbushart It has not. Licensing has failed in every state to achieve any of its desired outcomes. Licensing solves nothing. My my, Mr. Bushart has universal knowledge of all outcomes of all licensing efforts in the entire United States. Needless to say, he's wrong. In my state, Mississippi, it wiped out hundreds of fly-by-night guys who had no business whatsoever doing home inspections. That's a good thing. It also set up a governing board that can, and occasionally has, taken away bad inspectors right to work in this state. That's also good. Licensing certainly isn't a road to a perfect situation, but neither is having absolutely no regulation. I do know it has made things worse in some states, but not all, and sooner or later licensing will be everywhere. I'll stick to what I've said on this subject for years: A good law is better than no law. A bad law is worse than no law. Everything depends on the law you get. Brian G. Fight For a Good Law, Or Suffer Under a Bad One [8]

This is my favorite answer to that issue. From the 2003 IRC, in Chapter 31, Vents: P3103.3 Use limitations The plumbing vent system shall not be utilized for purposes other than the venting of the plumbing system. How's that for simple and right to the point? ...shall not.... No ambiguity there. Brian G. Not That It Stops Anyone [:-irked]

Originally posted by msteger Doesn't the code stipulate that panelboards must be installed with specific clearances and level footing for safe access? I would think the level footing would be contradictory to staircases. What I have is the 2005, and I can't find any mention of footing in it (so far). 110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment talks about a lot of different stuff, but no sign of "level" or "footing". It may not have previously occurred to them that some joker would mount one over stairs (or it could be somewhere else). [:-headach Brian G. A Foolish Assumption of Common Sense, Perhaps? [:-paperba

Originally posted by Joe Tedesco Here's a new rule that was added in the 2008 NEC, that will cover this situation when this edition is adopted by the jurisdiction. "240.24(F) Not Located over Steps. Overcurrent devices shall not be located over steps of a stairway." There's a nice addition. Brandon's right, that's a lousy place to put a panel. Brian G. Kudos to the NEC on 240.24(F) [:-angel]

Originally posted by jodil He calls me back that afternoon and says "The city inspector says he's tired of justifying his job to little 120 lb female inspectors. You will get a call from him." I'm with Mike. That kind of naked bias gets people fired or sued every day. What a tool. So the city inspector calls me, says he doesnt REMEMBER telling anyone that it was NOT code to bring the vents through the roof, and he doesnt remember even inspecting that house for final approval anyways. The plumber and the roofer amazingly now remember that it IS code to extend the vents through the roof, but are both blaming eachother for not finishing the job. Ah, the bitter, bitter taste of crow. It often makes the consumers thereof lie like dogs. Good job Jodi. You're officially in The Hammer Club. BAM! Brian G. Beware 120 lb Female Hammers [:-wiltel]

I'll bet even the 300 lb one flexes, but that's all they do. I've grown to trust mine as much as any other ladder. I have yet to hear of one failing under use. Has anyone here heard of such a case? [?] Once in a while I'll get an old house in town that has one attic access; in the top of a closet about 20 inches deep, 10 -12 feet straight up. Nothing else will work. Brian G. Sold on Extendables [:-thumbu]

I'm still using a small king-cab truck with a low camper shell and a removeable roof rack. Top-loading is murder on gas mileage, so I leave off the rack and the extension ladder unless I know I'll need it. Otherwise, good but not great mileage, and it hauls anything I want. I'd love more power, but there would go the mileage. With what gas prices will be by summer, I'm considering a mo-ped with a tiny trailer. [:-crazy] Brian G. $4 a Gallon, Here We Come [:-weepn]

I also think we're all gonna wind up in the IR boat eventually, primarily from marketing pressure. Hell I'd love to have one now (Chris is killing me with this thread), but the money and the timing are all wrong now. And while I would agree that one isn't necessary to do a good home inspection, they clearly bring a extra aspect to the job that can have real value (used correctly). The discussion of classes is interesting. Up until now the concensus was that buying a camera and using it without proper training was nuts, and legally dangerous. Now the wind is blowing in the opposite direction; it's a waste of money. I haven't really looked at any, so I don't have a strong opinion on classes, but my guess is it comes down to value. One is bound to learn some useful things in such a class, especially if one is stepping off into IR for the first time, but is it enough to justify the rather steep cost? I've let all of my "certifications" go, but I still have the knowledge I gained in the process of getting those certifications. The problem these days is that all these certifying outfits want to get paid every year, pretty darn well thank you, to say you're still certified. Taint wurf it. Brian G. Certified HI Toy Freak [:-dopey]