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Bill Kibbel

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Everything posted by Bill Kibbel

  1. Bill Kibbel
    You been livin' in a bubble? I can't remember a day above 55° that I didn't find a tick on me. Even with repellents and constant tick checks, the boy, the dog and I have all had Lyme disease.
  2. Bill Kibbel
    Thousands - without puttin' my lips on anything. Around here, I think an inspector would miss the minimum standard of care mark for a home inspection if not testing something designed to be easily tested. In fact, I know one who paid a 5 figure settlement last year for not testing one. He disclaimed it too.
  3. Bill Kibbel
    Tom, As I mentioned in the linked other thread, the tube terminates at the plug end of the cord. It can be tested safely even by non-professional homeowners.
  4. Bill Kibbel
    Bill, do you have any written documentation supporting that? Could use it for my reports. I first learned of it from one of the defendant's experts. He said that it happens when the product is installed where humidity nears 90%. With a high moisture content, the salts migrate to the surface and crystallize. I've also read about it, but the files for that case are long gone. I had some papers and publications from the Forest Products Lab of the US Forrest Service that I think discuss it.
  5. Bill Kibbel
    Terry, here's the original topic: https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... hichpage=2 Neal, it's a perfect fit every time.
  6. Bill Kibbel
    Do you have a pic with the doors open?
  7. Bill Kibbel
    FRTP was being marketed in the late 70s. 1980 is a common start date, listed in publications, for residential installations. I did litigation support for one of the first lawsuits and one of the communities being represented was built 1981-82. I was guessing it was an attached home 'cuz 2 of John's pictures shows a block wall adjacent to the area in question.
  8. Bill Kibbel
    Primarily moisture and it doesn't require "excessive" moisture to cause the leaching. The salts used back then were highly hygroscopic. Inadequate ventilation, a bath fan blowing into the attic, a humidifier set too high are some causes of moisture condensing in winter. However, our mid-Atlantic summer humidity is all it takes to create what's shown in your first pic.
  9. Bill Kibbel
    It's the organic salts leaching out of the fire-resistant treated plywood (FRTP). It was installed in townhomes and condos throughout the 80s and early 90s.
  10. Bill Kibbel
    There's a date printed on the primary control (the gray plastic box on the oil burner). There's usually a date on the data tag on the motor of the burner too. Compare those numbers to the serial number to confirm the date of manufacture.
  11. Bill Kibbel
    This was posted here before. It was mentioned that they charge each speaker about $1k to appear in the "show".
  12. Bill Kibbel
    Power vented water heaters are not high efficiency systems that generate much condensate. They maintain cool exhaust temps by drawing in a large amount of air to dilute the exhaust. The vent doesn't slope back to the unit because they don't have a condensate collection and discharge system (unless there's an unusual situation). Horizontal vent pipes should be installed to slope away from the blower, to drain any possible condensate to the exterior.
  13. Bill Kibbel
    Ammonia would be the most likely culprit that makes copper turn purple. - Ammonium Hydroxide - Ammonium Chloride - Anhydrous Ammonia The latter being used for fertilizer and processing meth.
  14. Bill Kibbel
    There has been a pipe disconnected here: Click to Enlarge 12.06 KB The missing pipe was the feed from the well.
  15. Bill Kibbel
    That link shows a hydro-pneumatic tank, not a pump. If there was no visible pump, or wires and a pressure control switch for a submerged pump, I don't know why they'd want the tank.
  16. Bill Kibbel
    Heated moisture. I use steam to soften glue.
  17. Bill Kibbel
    I'll bet if you had talked to Tony at HI Essentials (TIJ Sponsor), he would have beaten that price. He's always given us great deals.
  18. Bill Kibbel
    https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum ... IC_ID=8140
  19. Bill Kibbel
    Like I said in the deleted thread, we're a bunch of 4th graders. [:-dopey] It's fun though.
  20. Bill Kibbel
    Huh, You must be referring to those damned plastic thingies they stick in plugs. I call 'em anti-inspector devices. They used to only be required in "pediatric areas" and psychiatric wards. The 2008 NEC requires them in new and renovated residences. They contain spring loaded shutters that open only when both are compressed. It's to prevent little Kurt from doing this:
  21. Bill Kibbel
    That's a metal jacket that contains a glass bulb. CM-7 is a late model that likely contains azeotropic methyl chloride, instead of carbon tet.
  22. Bill Kibbel
    New product info is great, but it annoys me when salespeople come here just to drop links. "The Inspector's Journal is a professional home inspection business related website. Only persons with a professional affiliation to the home inspection business should post questions or responses...Advertising and other inappropriate messages are subject to removal at the sole discretion of TIJ management". "The purpose of TIJ's Forums is to provide answers, not an advertising venue". I suggest mods keep any useful info, but snip the free links these people are posting.
  23. Bill Kibbel
    I was just informed that the joint venture initiative is dead.
  24. Bill Kibbel
    A huge amount of my inspections are of multi-building properties. Many have a secondary residence. Other than a simple, detached garage, each separate building gets its own report. Some small outbuildings, without any mechanicals, might only be a few paragraphs. Sometimes a barn is converted to apartments and that report is longer than the one for the main residence. It's easier for me to prepare and easier for the buyers to understand if I do individual reports for each building. Our typists hate it though. Just when they think I'm finished, I start on the next building.
  25. Bill Kibbel
    Darren, You're the only person I've ever heard/read state that for A/C condensers, the pad should be elevated 3 inches above grade. At the very least, it gives me something to think about and inquire further (from other sources).
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