mjr6550

Grading and drainage improvements should always be first priority, but sometimes the necessary improvements are not practical. In humid climates ventilating crawl spaces can be a bad idea. Do some research regarding sealed crawl spaces. Ventilation often does not solve moisture issues.

First, look at the panel diagram. These often show the allowable number of tandem breakers, and where they are allowed. That does not work with CH, because they do not use a diagram. Next, look at the panel model number. Usually in the model number you will see the amperage (100, 200) the number of slots (30, 40) and the number of poles. As an example, 200C3040 would be a 200 amp panel with 30 slots and room for 40 poles (i.e. 10 tandem breakers). 100C20 would be a 100 amp panel with 20 slots and no tandems. 100C2024, you get the picture. This may not be 100% accurate, but it seems to be true most of the time. As far as anything pre-2008 and probably most panels you will see after that time, if it is a 40 or 42 slot panel, my bet it that it is highly unlikely that tandems are allowed. If they are I suspect the panel should look unusually large to accommodate the extra wiring.

Those photos are better, but my opinion is the same. Inadequate lintel. The brick would extend down below the roof to a horizontal lintel (or should) it should not be supported at the roof framing. Also, it does not look like the step flashing is set into the mortar joints. If that flashing was just installed against the face of the brick I would be looking at the entire addition structure closely. In my area it seems to be a challenge to find a contractor who actually can build an addition correctly (even with permits and inspections).

It does not look that bad to me. I'm a fan of sealed crawl spaces with a dehumidifier if needed. BTW, the white stuff on the block is efflorescence, not mold.

The photos are not very good. From what I see I assume a wide opening may have been made in the wall when the addition was added. That is a significant crack. Best guess with limited info is that the lintel supporting the brick wall or veneer is undersized.

It does not matter if the breakers are not all used. Assuming that is a 42 slot panel manufactured pre-2008 or manufactured to the 42 slot limit (which most are) then tandem breakers cannot be used.

I know that they removed the maximum number of breaker requirement from the code, but I'm sure that is a typical 42 slot breaker panel. The maximum number of poles is 42. No tandems allowed. Just because they fit does not make it correct. Many tandem breakers will state "Not for use in a CTL panel".

If they salvaged radiators from houses that are torn down or renovated there would be enough to last forever.

Fired clay products like brick and flue liners expand as they absorb water. Concrete based products like block shrink as they cure. If the crown is bonded to the flue liner movement cannot occur so a mortar joint gives way. I have seen this even on chimneys that were never used.

Who's Tom? Tony is correct, feed wires on load terminals. It's very common, even though the manufacturers instructions and the sticker on the GFCI terminals tell you how to install the wires. Bill, you assume that the "electrician" knows which wires are line and which are load. I can't count how many times I have seen this. I thought that the latest standard for GFCIs requires that they will not reset when tripped if line/load are reversed?

I believe the last house I lived in was haunted, even through I'm not a big believer of ghosts. I saw a woman walking down the hallway one night. She was not transparent. My daughter later told me a woman used to visit her at night.

Jim, the first photo is pretty good. The rust spot is right at the weld seam. It looks like there is pitting in around much of the same corrugation. I'd suggest sending that photo to the manufacturer. Maybe they will have input. If not, they should see this. Do you think a lightening strike could have caused the hole and the corrosion is the result of impurities in the gas?

Make up air, or outside air connections to return ducts has been standard practice (and code) for many years in commercial buildings, but not typically in dwellings. It looks like a DIY installation. It could work, but its a crude approach. I would suggest capping it off.

As others have said, the piers may have little to do with the cracks. Lumber shrinkage is a common cause of cracks, as is deflection that occurs over time (i.e. creep). Wood does not stop sagging, especially is the crawl space is damp. Also, in my area kiln-dried wood was not commonly used in the 70's. I usually see quite a bit more sagging of floors (causing door frames to rack and drywall to crack) because of this sagging. If that is the cause, then shimming the beams is not the answer.

The block cores should have been filled with concrete. If you need to jack up the beam I would use steel for anything less than 3/4" thick. If thicker than 3/4", then wood (oak is good) can be used.

I assume the old limit control is not used. A control is inside the boiler. The expansion tank is larger than needed for almost any size house, but that is not a problem. If the pressure gauge is reading correct, then I'd be real concerned. Gauges seldom go bad, but it does happen. Pressure relief valves can plug up.

I tend to ignore them if they were installed at a time when they were permitted. I flag them on recent renovations.

My vote is hot mopped MBR. To me the seems are too thick to be BUR.

As a few others have said, there is no problem having too many sister joists if the work is performed properly, which it seldom is. Replacing the joists creates the problem of attaching the sub-flooring to the joists.

Assuming all the range elements are on high and operating at 240 volts, then wouldn't a little difference in resistance at the screw terminals (or somewhere else in the circuit) account for that delta T? As to whether the difference is a problem, it does not seem like much to me. Then again, I generally only get concerned when the conductors feel quite warm.

By any chance is the block at the exterior garage wall split face or some other pre-finished block?

You haven't made a phone call since 1961? Wow. Marc was an early user of email.

I would question everything you learn in that course.

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The contractor finished the rehab. And this was only the tip of the iceberg. Of course, there were no permits, not that it would have mattered too much. Click to Enlarge 23.66 KB Click to Enlarge 29.24 KB Click to Enlarge 31.99 KB Click to Enlarge 14.1 KB Click to Enlarge 43 KB Click to Enlarge 55.38 KB