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Bill Kibbel

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  1. Bill Kibbel
    I've dictated every report for 23 years. Our "equipment" is able to type about as fast as we speak, knows all the terms not usually found in common language, corrects grammatical errors, calls us when they catch something that doesn't seem right and saves our butts when we make mistakes in the reports. I really don't understand why more HIs don't do the same. It's good enough for reports written by physicians, lawyers and research scientists, to name a few.
  2. Bill Kibbel
    Proper training and experience. I'm serious - it's not something that can be easily learned on a message board.
  3. Bill Kibbel
    It's a fireplace surround taken from a doll house. I have no way of understanding why it was installed there. I get asked at least once daily "Why would someone do that?" There's many times that I can't give an answer. Click to Enlarge 30.41 KB
  4. Bill Kibbel
    Most geothermal systems in this area and north have auxiliary heat. These systems are mostly sized according to cooling loads. This usually results in the system only supplying about 80-85% percent of the heating load. I've had no issue operating the auxiliary heat after operating in the cooling mode.
  5. Bill Kibbel
    It's a line voltage control thermostat for heating and ventilating systems in farm buildings.
  6. Bill Kibbel
    Most buildings I inspect have several additions. When I find issues on a recent addition, I'll steer the buyers to the municipal code enforcement office. Anything to keep the officials away from my house.
  7. Bill Kibbel
    I see mold in crawlspaces almost daily. I'm never terrified because I don't fall for the recent hype about mold. I tend to have more faith in legitimate medical research, rather than the hysteria generated by the media and those who profit from testing/remediating/litigating mold issues. I would be concerned that either too much moisture in the crawlspace is condensing in that area, or water is entering the wall assembly above.
  8. Bill Kibbel
    Yes. The button is the correct device for testing the GFCI.
  9. Bill Kibbel
    No. In my experience, it's usually because of loose connections. I'll bet that electrician forgets to tie one of his shoes on occasion. It's probably the left one.
  10. Bill Kibbel
    Thanks Richard. I'd really like to get a shot of it in situ. I've seen it hundreds of times, but was never compelled to take a picture of it.
  11. Bill Kibbel
    I'm on Kurt's team. Folks buying the high end, historic and complex properties prefer simple. It's not that they can't/don't understand. They enjoy learning interesting stuff about buildings, but when it comes to the report, they appreciate me distilling this stuff down to the essential facts.
  12. Bill Kibbel
    I was taught that June Bugs only come in green and black. I've known folks to call any beetles that have a certain shape June Bugs. When I was in VA, it was more often than not, Cigarette beetles.
  13. Bill Kibbel
    Does anyone have a picture of a wall, ceiling, etc. of Beaver Board or similar that I can steal?
  14. Bill Kibbel
    Cigarette beetle. Originally a problem for tobacco warehousing and processing, as the name covertly implies. They can also be found in many dried foods, dry plant matter and even dry dog food. Common in VA back when I lived there and they are attracted to light. Topic: "Name that bug" If I'm right, do I win anything?
  15. Bill Kibbel
    Phyllophaga is a genus of Scarab beetles. June beetles are just one of a couple hundred species of that genus. There are species that eat plants, poo and rotting flesh. I can't make a good guess without seeing the antennae. Many types are attracted to light (windows at night). At some point, the screen likely wasn't properly in place.
  16. Bill Kibbel
    If it has "fittings" with "clamps", I'm thinking it's not ABS. I'll bet it's HDPE (high density polyethylene), commonly used for well water supply and irrigation.
  17. Bill Kibbel
    It's very common around here, particularly on old buildings, to have different aged roof coverings on different sections. Some folks replace individual slopes as needed - if there's a few more years left on one, but not the others. My last home had a standing seam metal roof over the original part, 2nd layer of fiberglass shingles over addition 1, one layer of old asphalt shingles over addition 2 and a new fiberglass shingled roof over addition 3. In an attic, there was one small area that had the original oak shingles. In your first pic, is that really a shake roof or are they shingles?
  18. Bill Kibbel
    Can the partitioned room be opened up to the rest of the basement?
  19. Bill Kibbel
    The name isn't very technical. It's called "flush board" siding. It became popular when the Greek revival style of architecture was introduced. The smooth-planed boards were tightly fitted to create a very smooth surface when painted. There was usually thin, dark lines painted to make the smooth wall look like it was built of finely cut marble or limestone blocks.
  20. Bill Kibbel
    I had a client mention that he was Googling keywords relating to a specific concern about the home he was considering purchasing. He ended up here and liked a response I posted to a question pertaining to a similar issue. He then spent several hours reading other topics. He mentioned there was a lot of smart folks here.
  21. Bill Kibbel
    I've had similar arrangements, without the shelf though. This is a common set-up when an addition gets built over a cistern or an old basement window is now the only access to under an addition with a deep crawlspace. Set a ladder on each side of the opening. Climb up the stepladder and lay on the top, with the access behind you. Send legs through opening. Slide back until a foot reaches a rung of the other ladder. Exiting is head first. Click to Enlarge 19.29 KB
  22. Bill Kibbel
    I have the installation instructions for HardiePanel and Artisan Matrix Panel. I can send them to you if you'd like, but again, I don't think there's any details about penetrations.
  23. Bill Kibbel
    I don't recall Hardie ever specifying how to deal with penetrations in any of their product installation instructions.
  24. Bill Kibbel
    Cotton insulation was manufactured from the late 1930s through the early 1950s. It's made a comeback in the last few years and is touted as a green building product. Some is made from raw cotton while other is recycled cloth or scraps from denim manufacturing. I've never seen it in anything but batts. It almost looks like a really thick blanket.
  25. Bill Kibbel
    I'd seriously like to build something like that. At some point, I'll be too beat up to climb any more. It'll need to remove chimney caps and stick the camera down into the flues though.
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