Bill Kibbel

No, but it'll warn you when they're in heat!

I don't concern myself with sellers or agents getting opposing opinions from their butt-kissing contractors. In those situations, I tell my clients that their agreement of sale doesn't have a seller's find someone that says the inspector is wrong clause. It makes for better report writin' when I don't have to think about that crap.

Jesse, You were actually the most accurate in your initial post. The correct name is "bulkhead enclosure". I need to go Hoover my carpet with the sweeper now.

"About 3 weeks later I get a call from the home owner saying..." I think Brian B. might be stating that the seller, not his client, is calling for repair. If that's the case, I would ask if she was given a copy of the report showing it was already a problem. Then I would explain that I don't fix stuff that I find and report as wrong. I know, they'll say it was fine 'till YOU showed up. In 21 years, I have replaced: A cheap plastic shower head (snapped off in my hand). A section of oak flooring (the dishwasher wouldn't turn on when I was there, but magically ran, long after I left the vacant guest cottage. The contents of one freezer. Sometimes I need to learn the hard way, but I wouldn't consider a claim for something that failed due to a reported condition.

I'm quite sure your looking for Sanborn fire insurance maps. I've used them occasionally for research and personal interest. The earliest I've seen is 1891, but a large majority in collections are post 1920, which is much later than the buildings I'm dealing with. Check with your State U, other institutions or State Historical Society. I can access historical maps for my area online, at no cost at Rutgers U for NJ and Penn State for PA. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/EART/sanbul_IL_C.html#chi I've also found earlier panoramic maps online here: http://www.memory.loc.gov/ammem/pmhtml/panhome.html

Others have covered the text, so lets move to layout. It looks like you're filling out a template and the layout reflects that. The text needs to wrap around the photo. The text is large, bold & strong. I feel like it's shouting at me. Remove 2 of those 3 tags before each block of text. The border only works in MSIE, it's disjointed in Firefox. Way too much text for the first page. Use some of it for additional pages. The text on the first page should have many of the keywords that potential clients might use to find your services. All the keywords, worked into the text, should also be repeated in the keywords meta tag. You need a logo to look like a legitimate bidnet. Get a professional mug shot, use the action shot on another page. Send me a small percentage of each inspection fee you get from clients that found you at your awesome website.

It looks like the crack occurred to relieve a twisting/rotation force. The constant heating and cooling of the plastic probably determined this would be the weak spot.

The only plastic pipe (that I know of) that can be used for NG is medium density polyethylene (PE). It is always yellow and labelled with "Gas" and "PE". I think it can only be used to a building.

My PowerPoint is from Office 97, so you should have it in 2000. I Googled "PowerPoint basics" and this came up first: http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/edpy202/tutorial/PowerPoint/pptBasics/pptBasics.htm

What Richard said. or, just click on a PowerPoint presentation file and it should bring up MS PowerPoint, unless you have a "slideshow viewer" installed as the default. It should look like this: or it may have some tool bars near the top. If there aren't any tool bars, place your curser on the top bar that lists File, Edit, View, etc., right click and select some tool bars. Then, play around with some of the tools to create and edit presentations.

Geez Scott, that's real sad. My sympathies to your family. I have a ten year old border collie that's my absolute best friend. She still acts like she did as a puppy. When she goes, I'll be a wreck for weeks. The wife says I pay more attention to the dog then to her and the kids.

I would be honored if anyone used anything that I post at TIJ. Chad, Is the snow higher than your roof yet?

With "electric hot water" listed, I would assume it is an electric boiler and would follow what Terry described above. I come across 1-2 a year. It seems they are becoming more popular with many in-floor radiant systems. They are usually wall mounted units. The (several) elements are about the same as you find in a water heater. They must be mounted plumb/level and a low water cut-off is usually necessary, because some of the baseboard or the radiant loops are well below the level of the boiler. I'll be out in your valley, a bit south of Lewisburg, late next week.

Looks like contactor blocks that I only see in commercial applications - to start and control HVAC, refrigeration and really big motors. The buzzing sound is likely the electro magnet relay. I don't know if this equipment alone would be to blame for the volt drop.

I don't know, but I'm working toward someday being able to find everything, every time, and report it clearly.

Felt interlay is required for shakes, not shingles, by the IRC. I agree. I've seen shake and shingle roofs documented to be 50-60 years old before replacement was needed. With felt, or on solid sheathing, it's a miracle if they'll last 15. The felt, cut in 18" strips, should be interlaced with each course. I disagree. The felt, that is now required, is to prevent wind-driven snow from entering the attic.

Wow! Makes me kinda miss the city. Mostly primitive German and Quaker colonial farms for me anymore, with no forms of decorative art. I'd guess the basement art is scenes from the "home land", depicting their culture, occupation and religion.

Our E&O provider requires the language in our agreement. Boston Legal seems to be pretty close to reality (and The only TV show I watch).

NY City can add, delete, modify, amend or otherwise ignore what NY State allows or requires, just like any other municipality in any state. Maybe he's right and I'm wrong, or the piece could have been written at a time when New York State still prohibited their use.

Venting-into-the-house fireplaces are permitted in NY state but last I heard, they are still not approved for use by the NYC Dept. of Buildings.

Hey Jack, If your referring to a "clothes washer pan", I think it's required by the UPC, but not IRC. (It was proposed and shot down again for the '06/'07 cycle) Local codes might require it.

Bob, That's not correct. A member can recommend contractors provided there is no compensation for the recommendation. Henry, When requested, I give names of contractors that I know won't screw my clients and have the skills and knowledge to do the job right.

I don't think Climatrol uses any type of date code. I wouldn't hesitate to assume it's original. The A/C is a Goodman, so the date of manufacture is July, 1991.

I think I fitz'd the link. It's just the "Picture This" photo on the front page. Here's another one, just for Bain:

My first guess would be a collapsed flue baffle, causing combustion byproducts to enter between the tank and jacket. I would also be telling them it needs immediate replacement anyway. Thats about 130 in people years!