mjr6550

Ambler is full of interesting old houses built for the executives. Up till a couple years ago they had a mountain of asbestos in the town. It was remediated by covering it with dirt and putting a fence around it. Quite a few clients told me that when they were young all the kids used to play on the mountain of asbestos.

#1. Be nice, even though they do not deserve it. #2. Get as much information about the unit as possible and get the documentation to prove that the fan is optional and not required. #3. Give this information to the client and what for an apology. #4. Don't hold your breath waiting for an apology.

The requirement became part of BOCA in 1996. Depending on age of house, may not have been required. Still should be pointed out.

Bracket is pulling off of house. Insulation may be deteriorated. Hard to say, but does not look like 100 amp SEC.

I don't do Facebook. Can you respond to reviews? Or can you post a review noting that the bad reviews are not local and therefore are fake? Maybe post your response with a one star rating. I know that seems odd, but those are the ones that catch my eye and I am more inclined to read them.

Never thought about this. With a sealed system and no expansion tank I suppose the pressure in the sprinkler system could increase due to in hot weather, but the pressure should come back down when the water cools. But, many systems I have seen have a relatively high pressure in the sprinkler system piping and have a PRV in the domestic piping.

The double taps are actually the surge protector connections. I do see an unmarked white being uses as hot though. Is it required to color code the wire on a 240-volt circuit? I thought that only applied to relatively large gauge wires, but I'm not sure. The top 20 amp breaker is interesting.

It is a common problem in cold climates. Too much moisture entering the attic from the house, not due to roof leakage. Damp basements and crawl spaces and humidifiers are common causes, along with an easy way for air to enter the attic (pull-down stairway openings; pipe/chimney chases, etc.). If there is no ductwork in the attic it is my opinion that the exposure to mold is probably not significant, but some people are highly sensitive, so can't say it will not be a problem.

I like that idea. It is very difficult to work (especially automotive type work) when your hands are cold. Regarding heating the shop. a radiant heater suspended from the ceiling would be an option. If you could find an old low pressure oil burner and an old oil furnace you could heat with waste oil.

The company appears to manufacture tanks (septic and other) as well as other components. http://www.vassallointernational.com/#home

In swamp areas, like Boston ans Washington, D.C. I believe they used timbers for foundations. Timbers, like wood pilings can last hundreds of years if they remain constantly wet. No oxygen is the key. If they get wet and dry than deterioration occurs.

I don't think it is a big thing here. Heroin seems to be a bigger problem.

I have not heard that term before, but a mat of timbers was sometimes used as a foundation, especially in swampy areas.

No odor and not a single mouse dropping. I think condensation is a factor, but the stains are not just from water. I think the treatment chemical leached out of the FRT. This would explain the corrosion I observed at some nails and the somewhat oily nature of the stains. The treatments are primarily salt based so they absorb water. BTW, The stains peg a moisture meter, but directly adjacent to the stains the meter read zero. Finding the exact cause of the stains is beyond what was required, but I always like to learn, especially when I see a condition I have never seen before.

I was hired by a condominium management company to look at stains on the ceilings of two units. They are not water stains. The stains go all the way through the drywall. Some wood adjacent to the drywall is also stained, and a substance has dripped on some ductwork in the attic. The units had FRT plywood that was replaced. I am guessing that this caused the stains, but I have never seen this before. Also, the FRT was replaced with an OSB sheathing that has a fiberglass reinforced Magnesium Oxide layer on the underside. This material was stained at some areas, but I would not think it could have caused the staining on the drywall. Any thoughts? Click to Enlarge 31.94 KB Click to Enlarge 15.14 KB Click to Enlarge 39.75 KB Click to Enlarge 26.89 KB Click to Enlarge 11.01 KB

It had to have been made after 1926. Something I found in the past indicated that the AGA logo with the star may have first been used in 1929. I would say certainly pre-WWII.

If they are hardwired you should test them or at least make sure the power light is on. I have found many that are disconnected. I also find some where the hard-wired alarm was replaced with a battery-operated alarm.

Some contractors claim to be licensed, but are actually working under a friend's license.

Pre-1900 or early 1900s we sometimes see the same thing here, but by the teens or 1920s virtually everything had a liner.

I would thought that the materials cost would be more than $3500 (assuming he bought the equipment).

I see this done in some old row houses with low-sloped gabled roofs. Just think of it like a flat roof-ceiling joists spanning from bearing wall to bearing wall. There is an issue with this type of framing when used on a roof that does not have a relatively low slope. The roof load is partially transferred to the narrow dimension of the joist and therefore the joists cannot span as long as if they were oriented vertically.

Could be a drywall screw, but more likely a general purpose screw (maybe GRK?). They are much better than drywall screws, but are still brittle. I would not recommend them, but it would depend upon the cabinet manufacturer's requirements whether they are acceptable.

Are there double cheater vents for each sink? Seems like there are few plumbers out there who know what a real AAV is.

In my area commercial building are required to have a placard posted on the building indicating whether the building has roof or floor trusses. I noticed a similar placard was placed on the sign at the entrance to my development. There days I would assume that firefighters could access that information from an Ipad, but the sign is also a good idea. With the speed at which modern houses flashover I think firefighters should not enter a building with a serious fire except to rescue occupants (and at that point it is probably too late for rescue).

How old is the house? I'm assuming it is frame construction with a brick veneer. The mortar joints are not great, that particular type of brick may be prone to spalling, and moisture wicking up from the ground may be responsible for much of the spalling. Brick should terminate about grade level. The lack of weep holes is typical in my area for anything other than relatively recent construction.