Brian G

I think the mold industry should adopt a chicken as a spokes person (creature?). Call him Chicken Little, "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!" [:-dunce]

Man, that's just goofy. I've never seen that done before. Lord Jim, love the "daycare" reference. []

Don't see many of those around here. 225 amps is as big as they get before getting into commercial class.

Great photo Bruce! Man, is that scarey as hell or what? What if it finally took off in the middle of the night, with you and yours sound asleep....(shutter). Hope the smoke detector works, hope everyone can make it out, hope none of your irreplaceables are lost...hope it never happens.

I see this one on about 3 out of every 4 panels here, and have relentlessly reported it as needing repair. I don't make a huge issue of it, but I keep putting it in there. What burns me is when the panel has full neutral bars up and down both sides, but the sparky terminates two dozen neutrals in the 5 terminals nearest to where most of the wires come in. I've seen some old panels where there simply weren't enough terminals. There I recommend adding a bar, or at least having them checked and tightened.

Originally posted by inspecthistoric Anyone else see garden hose for T&PR extensions? What is their temp. rating? I haven't seen that, but about 8 out of 10 I see across the line in Bama has nothing on the relief valve (the infamous "air pipe"). [:-bigeyes Brian G.

I assume that at least some PEX is rated for hot water, but is all of it so rated or are there different types for that? I found some used as piping on a relief valve (ASTMF 876/877). They reduced it to 1/2", so it has to go anyway, I'm just curious. Brian G. Ain't PEX Them Thar Chest Muskles? [:-dunce]

I have the CO Experts model in my house, and I recommend it to every client with a potential CO producer in the house. It's the only low-level detector I know of, much better protection than any Wal-Mart special can provide. That's especially true for kids, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems Read all about it here www.coexperts.com and download the PDF brochure at the bottom of the page if you want. I print it out and include it with the inspection report. They can usually be had for about 90 - 100 bucks on the internet. If your client has kids, tell 'em the little people could be subjected to constant low-level CO for the entire winter and thier $20 cheapie would never say a word. Most don't alarm until about 70 PPM, but this one starts beeping at 10 PPM and gets more insistant as the level rises. Your clients will love you for it, and it's far better CYA for you than looking for a crack in the heat exchanger or taking a one-time reading. I also carry it in my bag when I work. Twice it's gone off sitting in the bag in a sellers house (once in the truck behind a smokin', stinkin' jalopy). [:-crazy] Brian G.

I haven't seen the ones with the foam piece yet. They used to just have the little individual flip-doors, and the face of each outlet was all you could see or touch without removing the big cover. That made too much sense, they must have changed it. [] Brian G.

This is the first time I've heard of anyone making that claim, and I don't buy it. FPE was having those problems before they ever made 1/2 size breakers, years before. I don't like to question what a specialist says about my generalist opinions, but when they're saying something I simply cannot agree with I hold my ground. If at all possible I back it up with an independent source, like the FPE article Douglas Hansen has at the Code Check website. I don't think it addresses this issue specifically, but that fact alone speaks loudly. The article does address the problems with FPE, and (if I recall correctly) some of the illustrations clearly show full size breakers. Sparky is wrong. I would ask the client if he was willing to gamble the replacement costs against the potential of a tragic house fire in the middle of the night. If you put those two things on a scale, they don't balance. Brian G.

Of couse if that is a subpanel and the main is not an issue (remote), the whole subpanel wiring configuration comes into play.

I did my own on-site sheets in Word to help me cover everything as a newbie, and still haven't changed (I also carry a voice recorder). I do the actual report back here at the home office on the computer, for all of the sound reasons already stated (time for review, research, etc.). Nothing could persuade me to print on-site. I don't think it's in any HI's best interest (or the clients), unless you only think of your "dollars per hour" breakdown. I do plan to buy a handheld, a laptop, and new sofware early next spring in an effort to streamline without sacrificing quality. I have other uses for the handheld and the laptop, so whatever system emerges, I'm okay with the purchases. No one has mentioned it, but hand-written just looks bad. Computer-generated looks professional. The client gets nothing hand-written from me except my signature. Brian G.

I'm jealous as hell. I haven't had anything older than 54 years in months, it's depressing. I need my oldie fix, dang it! [:-weepn] Brian G.

Originally posted by charlieb You are one sick puppy I may be exposing[:-wiltel] myself here... Charlie, I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say "Please don't!" [:-crazy] ...but why does your mind stay in that gutter? It's my wife's fault. She's an animal. [-crzwom][:-mischie (Hey it's my lie, I'll tell it any way I want to.) Brian G.

When I was a kid my Mom had a stove with a long, skinny florescent light built into the top of the control panel. I thought that was an illuminating appliance. [:-propell On the other hand, you could make a good arguement for the computer in a philosophical sense. Then there's Chad's favorite version...the vibrator/flashlight combo. [:-bigeyes [:-dev3]

I have a 95 Nissan King Cab truck with a 3-door camper shell and removeable luggage bars. Very, very practical for the po HI. If you don't know, po is when you can't afford the last 2 letters (poor). I paid a whopping 3 grand with my old Mitsubishi truck traded in (255,000 miles). If you GAVE me a Hummer (the vehicle) I'd sell it. Brian G.

Kevin, I'm not sure what you're seeing but I can pretty well assure you that the roof will not be supporting the brick. If you mean the area above a garage door there should be a steel lintel (more or less a long piece of angle iron) secured to whatever beam is spanning the opening. There may be other ways I'm not aware of, but that's typical here. Is that what you're talking about? Brian G.

Kevin, I've seen very dark framing like that in old houses before (rough-cut heart pine). I'm not sure what the cause is, but I don't believe it's fire. I've never found any "alligatoring" or other definitive tell-tale fire signs myself. For what it's worth. Brian G.

I see heavy rust and corrosion in the heat exchanger opening. I'd say it may well be at or near the end of its service life and need replacement.

If I understand correctly, the attic was more or less floored with boards and the 10" of insulation was blown in on top. If so, I can't think of how that would be a problem. Brian G.