mjr6550

How does one kill a snake like that, and how close did you have to get. Note to inspectors: add shotgun to the list of necessary tools.

Jim answered that question-see post above your's

I like to walk every roof that I can. I don't like carrying it, and it get heavier every year, but I carry a 28" extension ladder in addition to the 17" LG.

I was near Annapolis this weekend and did not run into any snakes, but I almost stepped on a black rat snake a couple weeks ago at the eastern shore in MD. Click to Enlarge 32.36 KB Click to Enlarge 22.93 KB

Jim, you are correct. I know Cutler Hammer makes breakers that they say are rated for use in a Crouse Hinds panel. Some would say they are not approved by the manufacturer. That did not bother me, but they were not available at the big box store on the Sunday that I needed one. The breaker I needed was for an arc welder, so I'll probably remove that circuit anyway when I sell the house.

Except for a couple of engineers on this forum, nobody else can probably give you reliable information. And the engineers (at least me) do not really want to design this for you for free.

The fence makes me wonder if the chimney had been buried. Was that supposed to be a permanent way to keep someone from falling in the hole? As was the dirt just supposed to stay they and not cave in? They could have built a retaining wall, but that would not have prevented debris or water from entering. Then they could have covered the retaining wall and hole with a shed roof, complete with chimney flashing. Or just decided not to put a stove in the basement.

Manufacturers buy up other companies and then finding replacement breakers with the correct name on them is a problem. Sometimes manufactures publish a list of acceptable replacements, sometimes not. Technically, then maybe the panel is obsolete. I just had this issue with a Crouse Hinds panel in my house. I put a Seimens breaker in it and am not going to loose any sleep (except maybe the night before the HI comes when I am selling the house).

I did a quick check and the end beams with the point load would be overstressed by about 25 percent based upon assumed allowable bending stress. Lateral bracing details are a bigger concern. If lateral bracing is performed properly, that may make the 6x8 work for beading by reducing the effective span. You should find a local engineer to help with details.

Don't you know that electricity can jump out of receptacles when they are close to piping?

No one decides. Any door that meets the egress requirements can fill in as the egress door. Marc It may have seemed like a stupid question, but the code states that at least one egress door (min 32" width) shall be provided for each dwelling unit (R311.2) R311.3.2 states that doors other than the required egress door shall be provides with a landing... Then in an exception, the code states that a landing is not required where a stairway of two or fewer risers is located at the exterior side and the door does not swing out. My point was that if that is not the required egress door, then could that landing be considered a step? I don't recall a code limit on the maximum width of a stair tread.

Generally actual frost depth is far less than requirements for foundations.

The foil label would indicate 70's or newer, but the burner looks older than that.

As I read the code, that could meet code if it is not the required egress door. If there is more than one door, who decides which is the required egress door?

I don't believe there is anything in plumbing codes regarding pool piping, but I did not look this up. There may be some standards out there regarding pool construction, but I am not familiar with them. I am a bit familiar with pool piping, having just fixed mine last week (after spending a month last fall finding where it was leaking). Why do you ask?

There are few pre-1993 openers that are not just about worn out anyway.

Kurt, Are you saying you could not make a good living installing columns at a couple grand each?

If someone excavates adjacent to the displaced wall and pushes the wall back in place, then do some reinforcing or epoxy injection, you may fix it for several thousand. A new hatch door may minimize the freezing issue. It certainly needs one. Things look a bit rough for 1974.

The $2500 may be including a footing, but even then the price is high. The material cost for the column is less than $100.

Agreed. I find that the the more the foundation extends above grade the more likely the foundation walls separate.

With these old stone foundations here its mostly soil and lime with a little cement if you are lucky.

Hard to say how that was built. How old is the house?

This is why I love my job. This is a bank owned property and A contractor who looks after their properties called me in to see what is going on. An issue I see fairly often with rubble stone foundations is that they are often constructed essentially as two wythes and should be tied together with stone spanning across the width. When that is not done or when mortar joints are badly deteriorated the wall looses its integrity. In this case this is a party wall. A portion of the side I inspected collapsed and the other side has no reason to to standing. The portion next to the stairway is only being held in place by the stairway. Apparently the brick party wall shifted down a significant amount towards the rear, which accounts for the movement at the kitchen and second floor bathroom. If they loose the wall next to the stairway, then thinks will really go down hill-literally. Click to Enlarge 15.31 KB Click to Enlarge 16.43 KB Click to Enlarge 19.77 KB Click to Enlarge 21.77 KB Click to Enlarge 37.03 KB Click to Enlarge 39.36 KB

If the roof is properly constructed and they spread the bundles along the length of the ridge this should not be a problem. If they place the pallet at one location that's another story.

They are 01 and 02. Today the seller told me their roof was less than 5 years old. The disclosure said 3/08. Time flies.