Bill Kibbel

I'm happy to see an access hatch to the unfinished part. I'd like to be the inspector when he tries to sell it. There have been a number of completely finished attics that I was still quite sure there were major improper structural alterations - and several other issues. "Why there are no plumbing vents through the roof?"

The radon from granite countertops thing was put to rest. There has never been a link that shows enough radon could be emitted from countertops to cause any elevation in the radon level in a building.

Most I've encountered are closer to $100,000. Some tank leak abatements require monitoring wells. State's DEPs get involved with occurrences.

The primary issue is not the proximity of the furnace vent termination to the fireplace flue outlet. There are many, many masonry chimneys that have gas or oil equipment flues terminating just a couple inches from fireplace flue openings at the same elevation. There would have to be other issues for this to actually be a problem. The first issue is the B-vent for the furnace is supposed to terminate at least 12" from the top of the chase. Both vent pipes are supposed to be properly flashed at the chase cover, including storm collars. The sheet metal chase cover (if it was even galvanized) is overdue for replacement (with stainless steel and drainage slopes). I would also advise that someone get inside the chase to find the other likely installation errors.

Sure. What would you like to discuss.

The application of foil tape is usually an attempt to resolve a symptom, but doesn't address the actual problem. Single-wall vent connectors are fine for connecting gas equipment to a masonry chimney or B-Vent, as long as it's not in an unconditioned space.

He's asking for the source of your "Can't...Done". I'd really like to know as well.

Field Controls also manufactures booster fans. You're discussing a booster fan that is intended to be installed on a vent connector that vents a Cat 1 appliance to a natural draft chimney or vent. Booster fan instructions usually state that all joints must be sealed and the fan must be installed as close to the chimney/vertical vent as possible. Unless there's a major problem with the vertical B-vent (undersized, reduced, too short or blockage), I don't think there would be an issue with the slight positive pressure. Rather than accepting a booster fan, I try to find the problem that caused the improper venting. It's usually a chimney/vertical vent or the vent connector installation error or inadequate combustion air.

There's lot's of stories about which specific jobs could be held by each nationality at the quarries. The splitters were usually Welshmen. The Welsh were also known for their experience and eye for reading the slate beds. When Italians were brought in, production increased. They had the experience and ability cutting and moving the big blocks and shaping the large slate building materials.

No. I just found him standing beside the road.

...that employed many Welsh Americans for about 140 years.

I don't know of any other gas vent system that would be acceptable for that installation. Maybe there's an insulated vent that's available, but someone (M.E.) would have to approve it. What's in the pic is a B-vent. In addition to support and possible sizing issues, I would tell them that any more than 5' exposed requires an unvented enclosure or chase that has a minimum of R-8 insulation.

Are you inspecting the building or are you the employer or facilities manager? NFPA 70E is the guidelines for worker safety developed for OSHA - it's not for any building codes. If you are going to report on signs for approach boundaries, you had better have done arc flash and shock hazard analysis to determine where signs are needed. Are you going to report on all of the other OSHA requirements for worker safety too?

It's an OSHA workplace employee/contractor thing. It's the responsibility of the facilities managers to identify arc flash potentials, then establish barriers in the zones, implement safety procedures and protective gear requirements.

I've had only excellent experiences with having open-hearth fireplace flues lined with the Ahrens system. I even had a fireplace that you could park a mini van work perfectly. I've recommended it to thousands of clients, many friends and historic sites. I've found many draft problems with other types of lining systems. Many have resulted the fireplaces being unusable. Thousands of my clients have purchased 18th century (and some 17th century) homes with open hearth fireplaces as a main feature (myself included). I've worked with living history museums, inns and taverns that feature open hearth cooking. Is the EPA going to run around like law enforcement during prohibition, bricking up fireplaces? Soft knock on old farmhouse door. "Hey man, let me in - I gotta roast an ox." "What's the password bub?"

Bob, it's not a fire marshal making any requirement. Some sweeps out here say claim they have to report any "major problems" to the fire marshal, who will then condemn the house. It's a scare tactic to make a sale. One of our fireplaces in our last house hadn't been used in DECADES. I told my wife not to use it until I check and clean the flue. She got fed up waiting and called a certified sweep. They told her it had a RECENT "major chimney fire" and needs to be completely rebuilt. If she signed and gave a deposit immediately, she could lock in a special price of $4800.00.

Bill, am I reading this correctly? "They", meaning the dofus that is scamming the owner? Yup. One of the scare tactics used to get the homeowners to immediately sign and give a deposit - before they have time to think or get another opinion.

Standard practice around here. 1/8" misalignment of flue tiles and they claim they're required to report it to the local fire marshal to condemn the house. The occupants have to immediately vacate the house unless they sign a contract to rebuild the chimney.

I don't know of any residential code requiring an outswing door. How would you open it when there's a 6' snow drift against it? Click to Enlarge 15.13 KB

"Round here we use Bourbon". [:-thumbu] Every camera I've used for inspections has lasted only a few months until I got the waterproof Panasonic Lumix TS20 a couple years ago. The daily dust in nasty places, shoving it up through oil soot into flues and dropping it onto concrete just won't kill it. Picture quality isn't good, but I ain't shootin' glamour. Close-ups are decent - zoom sucks. If I need a really good quality image or zoom I go back to the car and grab my Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 w/18x zoom.

That was an octopus furnace. The sheet metal "jacket" has been removed.

Good points, John. There's also a trend that's developed over the past 10 years. Some attorneys have been adding language in commercial real estate agreements requiring the buyer's inspection firm provide a cert. of insurance for $1M. It used to be $500K.

You probably remember more about it then I do. I couldn't tell you what is where in the document. My opinion of the standard is influenced by litigation support. I'm amazed at how many home inspectors claim to do commercial building inspections to the ASTM standard and have never even read the document. From what I recall, the qualifications of the field observer are never defined. Only the experience of the PCR reviewer are discussed and even then, there is no requirement for the reviewer to have any degree or license (it does mention architects and engineers), only that the experience can vary, dependent on the property type/scope and the "risk tolerance" of the client. Relying on information from interviewing current and past owners and tenants of the property has been shown to be inaccurate in some cases and not backed by any documentation or corroboration. It was more than 5 employees for decades. We've done about 72,000 inspections.

A majority of my inspections are now commercial, industrial and apartment complexes. We've done, at last estimate, about 27,000 commercial building inspections. Experience as a home inspector is a start, but there's a whole world of different building materials and standards. I've done the popular Commercial Inspection course. I picked up a couple tips, but in my opinion, it does not completely prepare anyone for inspecting commercial buildings. I think anyone doing commercial inspections (other than converted houses or a shop w/apartment above) should have a prior career and training as a facilities manager. Many of the inspections I do are for companies expanding into a larger facility or acquiring additional buildings. They often send an architect and/or their facilities manager to attend the inspection - they usually have extensive knowledge of commercial building products and the IBC. If you don't show you know more about the building than they do, they'll fire you on the spot. In our opinion, ASTM E 2018-01 focuses very little on the technical aspects of building systems and structures. It's a "walk through survey" by a "field observer", who is not required to have comprehensive knowledge of building systems. The standard seems to lean more toward document research on the property and collecting hearsay from folks associated with the building, that have no incentive to provide accurate data. It was much more than 5 employees. We've done 72,000 inspections.

Those really look like cheater vents to me, not AAVs. AAVs can be used if there is one main vent stack open to the exterior. AAVs should be a minimum of 4" above each of the horizontal branch drains or fixture drains being vented. Click to Enlarge 15.51 KB