Bill Kibbel

Yeah, but Marc knows this stuff. Over current or surges would be my amateur guess. Intermitten failure of the transformer?

The stucco is not terminated properly - a roofer wouldn't know that. 1. Water wicks up the stucco from the roof surface. 2. Debris can't wash out of that little gap. 3. There are plenty of authoritative sources that state that the stucco should be at least 2" above the roof surface. It should also terminate with a weep screed.

That's Weyerhaeuser drop siding #124. Probably from late 1950s to mid 1960s.

I've never discussed foundation health. If I did, I would probably advise that it avoid ultra-processed foods and exercise regularly. The advice given can only be based upon the type of foundation and the conditions at that specific property. Probably 90% of the buildings I inspect have foundations built prior to 1900 and are constructed without a speck of concrete. They always need maintenance, but the type of materials and methods used also depends on the above. As Les said, encouraging water to drain quickly away would be a common recommendation. Considerable expert witness work has revealed that waterproofing contractors should be avoided when "fixing" old house foundations - unless you want their insurer to pay for a replacement foundation.

Looks like maybe it had a shorter one originally that was fully enclosed and they couldn't find a shorty replacement. Also looks like a gopher popped up from a hole.

"Well, to articulate my thoughts with the utmost respect and caution, and without the slightest intention to tread upon the perspectives that might diverge from my own or to inadvertently dismiss the diverse views that others may hold dear, it is imperative, I believe, to approach this discourse with a nuanced consideration of various angles, ensuring a holistic examination that respects all contributory insights. Moreover, in endeavoring to distill my viewpoints through an objective lens—mindful, of course, of the myriad interpretations that this subject might invoke and striving to uphold a balanced discourse that transcends personal bias—I must confess, amidst this diligent cognitive excursion, that I have indeed, quite regrettably, lost the thread of the initial thought I intended to convey". -Al Jensen (Lord Darrell Allen Jensen)

This Katen guy pisses me off. I've honed my report writing for 38 years and I'm quite satisfied with my current proficiency. Then, Jim shows up and smacks me in the head with another (not obvious to me, but) important issue with my writing. This isn't the first time he's done this to me. Thanks Jim, but blissfully ignorant is easier.

So I met this guy last weekend - I'll call him "Chad". Drops a plain brown paper bag, wrapped with tape in the back seat of my car. I get home a couple days later, opened it to discover his vintage porn collection. 110 years old. Even the advertisements are full of really cool illustrations and diagrams.

Could it be new construction bloom that was never cleaned? It's usually not from the brick. The soluble salts are mostly from the mortar in contact with the brick. Not only in-between, but the mortar behind too - if adhered directly to block. In addition to water entering into the wall, high alkali cement in the mortar, contaminated sand and/or admixtures containing calcium chloride as an accelerator could be the source. The reporting is ok, except I've never met a porch specialist.

Pretty sure it's a primitive clothes washer. The gear shift thing lowers and controls the agitator. The raised rim is where the wringer clamp on.

No sir, recent recreation.

This is part of a plantation I inspected. Built of hewn logs, but it looks like they were sliced in half. Documented to be a slave dwelling until the plantation owner family fled to England for the duration of the civil war.

Folks often ask how long I've been doing this. My reply is often followed by "you must've seen everything". This immediately triggers a barrage of shit I've never seen before. There was another one in the carriage house too.

One of the few times I've used a drone was to fly into interior of a church steeple belfry. The access from inside was permanently sealed and it was about 90+ feet from grade. Ima gonna invent a drone that can remove the screws and covers from electric panel boxes and pry open crawlspace hatches.

The deeper the strip be, the more jagged be the crack.

The industry calls it thin brick veneer. Most folks still call it Z-brick - brand name of the original and largest manufacturer. I call it lick'em-stick'em brick'em.

The 3-lamp tester isn't real accurate for analyzing a problem. A multi meter or even a wiggy would probably give better info. Of course, an experienced electrician would ve the safest Since everything was working before, I would suspect the individual outlet was the problem. Replacing it would be my first action.

This is a must read! The name might be known to some. https://orleanshub.com/colehill-in-holley-honored-with-historic-home-award-by-landmark-society/?fbclid=IwAR2GmYiNViD6idoEq_5Rz9MQprKbQSDaGT1jCpGjZ74FdVs8A6tUX6kZGKI

But, I'm going to use his explanation for clients. https://twitter.com/i/status/1720082568845172989

You wouldn't want to compare any other type of water heater size to an oil-fired system. The Becket oil burner heats water very quickly, so the tank size is usually smaller then gas, electric or HP units. There are several factors considered - the number of occupants used by many contractors as the sole determination is not accurate. Incoming water temp (varies buy location), number of shower heads and their flow rates, amount/size of bathtubs, simultaneous or back-to-back shower or laundry use, kitchen and dishwasher use are probably some of the items that likely need to be considered. Rheem probably has a form (maybe an app) that may give the data numbers to calculate the demand.

They are 32 gallon storage capacity - I think that's around 120 litres. The serial # says it was born in February 2005. Most oil-fired water heaters here are that brand. Some of them include manuals that are written only in French.

Grow lights?

Besmirched.

No issues I know of with stranded aluminum, if it's a home run and starts and ends at AL labeled terminals.