Bill Kibbel

From the EPA Radon Mitigation Standards: "Contractors who expect to deviate from proven radon mitigation technologies and methods (as defined in the RMS and other EPA references in Section 8.0) for purposes of research on innovative mitigation techniques, shall obtain prior approval from state regulatory offices, document the non-standard techniques, and inform the client of the deviation from standard procedures. In cases where radon mitigation is not regulated by the state, contractors shall obtain prior approval from a Regional EPA office."

Last time I checked, a short-term radon measurement test, performed in accordance with EPA protocols, is the requirement for postmitigation clearance. Where can I find something that states that a short term test "won't really tell you whether the mitigation system is operating correctly"?

That statement makes it clear that you're still confusing Early Streamer Emission devices with traditional air terminals.

With only 10% to 15% humidity in the home, I think there's probably something else putting moisture in that attic. With what you've described so far (ventilation, air sealing), I would focus on finding the source of the excessive moisture.

That's completely out of context and not about traditional lightning protection systems. When you Google, try reading more than one line that appears to support your unfounded criticism. Just like your post about NFPA 780/781"issues" you found a snippet, but didn't bother to read what it's about. Early Streamer Emission technology was a theory that involved air terminal devices that looked like they were from a '50s science fiction movie. They supposedly released a stored ground charge and discharged an upward streamer earlier than any other object in the area. The "conflicting information" you're finding is because it's about 2 different systems. One that works and has worked for 2 centuries and a recent theory that was dismissed after extensive testing and long-term studies under real lightning conditions.

The most common issue that I find is chimney damage that was never discovered/addressed after the event.

Again, if the frame is made up of steel at least 3/16" it just needs bonding to a proper grounding electrode system. Ask the manufacturer of the building components to be sure.

There's no requirement for a lightning protection system. It just reduces risk, and in some situations, insurance premiums. Put that building on a cleared working farm, fill it with expensive farming equipment, and it'd be stupid not to install protection.

For one thing, the statistics studied by the insurance industry shows they reduce risk considerably. A properly designed and installed lightning protection system provides a path to earth with the least resistance. Also, the shape and placement of the "air terminals", unlike plumbing vent stacks, is much more conducive to the release of ions called "streamers". When lightning occurs, paths of ionized air called "leaders" shoot toward the earth from the cloud. As the leaders near air terminals, streamers reach up and meet the leaders and the path is complete for the discharge to ground.

I've inspected thousands of homes with radon mitigation systems. I have to practically put my ear to the fan housings to know if the fans are running. The only times there have been any noticeable sound is when water is being sucked up into the system. It sounds like my kids trying to suck up the last drop of a milkshake. What's the CFM of the fan?

What's the point of posting that? Are you just illustrating that testing vermiculite for asbestos is completely worthless, like I've posted here before?

There's no return duct. It just draws return air into the box below the furnace. What are you going to do with that if the furnace becomes located in the expanded garage? If you make a small closet, how will return air get to it without going through the garage? Can't draw air from a garage. Is it an electric furnace or heat pump?

It's terne-coated copper.

I'm quite sure the panels contain asbestos. I've seen some primary documentation (product catalogues, advertisements, articles) from the period describing the components. They were originally developed for heating street cars.

A seller decided to demonstrate her whole-house fan to the buyer during my inspection. It was mid-winter with the house closed up tightly. The old giant oil-fired boiler exhaust got sucked right out of the draft-control damper will I was quite near. I felt almost like I might loose consciousness and had a terrible headache for hours. "TURN IT OFF...TURN IT OFF...TURN IT OFF".... thud.

The recent trend is adding several posts, then editing them later to include a link. I usually delete them if they're of no value.

More recent research shows they do protect buildings and property, when used as part of a complete lightning protection system.

Staples are permitted to fasten shakes by code and by installation guidelines. The reason they're backing out at the ridges is that they're too short to penetrate down to the decking. They should have used fasteners long enough to penetrate through the shakes below and into the decking by 1/2".

If it's just steel skin (roof and wall panels) on cold-rolled steel framing, it doesn't offer lightning protection. If the skeleton is made up of "metal bodies" 3/16" or thicker, it will conduct a direct strike to a grounding system. http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advic ... tion.shtml

So Kurt, what's the big difference between here and there, between my experience with this stuff and yours? What exact species is in your hood that coexists with it's host? I could see the possibility that Virginia creeper or Boston ivy not causing too many issues for up to a century. What ivy do you have, that densely covers a masonry wall and still allows moisture to dry? You've never seen plaster turn to powder on the interior of ivy covered walls? I was involved (in my early years) on masonry restoration, under the guidance of a top masonry preservation consultant. We were specifically dealing with several important masonry buildings, suffering from the effects of being covered in ivy, that a famous landscape architect specified in the early 1930s. That kind of experience shows how to identify the damaging effects of ivy. Monitoring little electronic sensors for all of three years only tells researchers what they want it to tell them.

I just inspect hundreds of ivy-covered masonry walls every year for 25 years and find significant damage more often than not. The masonry walls I see are extremely well constructed - laid up with lime-based bedding mortar that allow tendrils to easily penetrate. This is in addition to the damage to other building components. http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advic ... ment.shtml

With HVAC ducts in the attic, I prefer it be conditioned. http://www.buildingscience.com/document ... l-climates

I've never seen those vents as an indication of added insulation. They're typically installed in areas where the paint persistently blisters, due to vapor getting trapped behind the paint "skin". The vapor doesn't have to be from water entering the wall. These are usually older homes without any type of vapor barrier. Subsequent repainting always results in the vents becoming blocked. A simple metal wedge at the bottom edges of siding panels can be quite effective and not as likely to be completely blocked with paint. From http://www.buildingscience.com/document ... enclosures

I've never seen a short one, Stubby.

I have a couple from Delmhorst, also manufactured in the US. http://www.delmhorst.com/Moisture-Meter ... Inspection