Inspectorjoe

The main page of the message board (with the lists of various threads) fits perfectly. Click to Enlarge 66.14 KB If I open a thread, about 15% of it doesn't fit. That happens with pretty much all of the other pages on TIJ. Click to Enlarge 64.33 KB Most other message boards fit perfectly. I know of one where I have to scroll like here. It's not a problem for me. I only mentioned it because you asked for feedback.

I have a 1024 monitor and now I have to scroll. I don't recall having to do that before the change.

Mystery solved! Thanks. So dad would have been 41 when he enlisted (or was conscripted). That's getting up there in years. Before I had an inspection there that day, I had only driven through Richlandtown. I wish I'd had more time to explore, but silly me called my wife and told her I'm on my way home just before I decided to stick around a bit and check out the town. I especially wish I could have gone into the Richland Feed Company, an old-time business that still seems to be hanging on, but it was after 5 O'clock and they were closed. I imagine not too many businesses today leave their wares out in front of their store when they are closed. Funny thing is, the old sign is probably worth more than the fencing materials. Download Attachment: 1 681 (Medium).jpg 96.3 KB

I read born September 9th, 1764, died May 25th, 1852, 87 years, 8 months and 16 days, which seems about right. He must have been a tough old bird. Now I see it - plain as day - 1764, not 1761. More like 11. Could that be right? There were instances of very young boys serving in the military: Who was the youngest revolutionary war soldier or sailor? As Hausdok suggested, he also could have also been a drummer boy. I don't know if a drummer boy would have been considered a Private. His company roster (page 21) lists the fifer separately. There is no mention of a drummer. Might it have been placed there by a relative? Or perhaps by a veteran's organization? Judging by the limited view of the flag holder, it was probably placed by the local V.F.W. post. Around here, on the Saturday before Memorial Day, the V.F.W. (along with with the help of Boy Scouts and others), place flags on the graves of veterans who served in wars. It's pretty amazing that ol' Michael hasn't been forgotten about after all these years.

Yes, going by the dates of his birth and death, he would have died at 91. But it also says aged 82 or 87 or something like that,so that doesn't really make sense. Regardless, he was pretty old when he died. I did some online research and discovered that he was a private in the Continental Army in 1775. He would have been 14 or 15 at the time. It wasn't visible in the original picture, but there's an American flag on his grave commemorating his service nearly 235 years ago. That's pretty amazing. Download Attachment: 1 671 (Medium).jpg 75.22 KB The original church on the site was built in 1807. That church was replaced with a new one in 1859 when Michael was already in the ground. The church was remodeled in 1936. At that time, I think a bump out was added to the sanctuary, bringing that wall so close to the grave. Download Attachment: 1 675 (Medium).jpg 41.62 KB

Google of that term is shedding the info. http://www.federalpacific.com/universit ... pter2.html "If the extensions and contractions described above are taking place erratically all over a sheet, and each sheet is behaving erratically with respect to its neighbor, then you can get a picture of a moving, writhing construction when it is excited." Ooh, reading that makes me feel all tingly. [:-bigeyes

magnetostriction

Ya gotta wonder why they couldn't have found a better location for this downspout - it does seem to be undermining a shallow footing - and why nobody thought of moving the downspout. The fix seems to be limited to propping up the falling tombstone. If you think Michael Croman is being dissed, think of the poor souls whose tombstones are being used for the 'repair'!Click to Enlarge 48.3 KB Click to Enlarge 46.14 KB

It's a weatherproof switch. Inside the housing, at the bulge, the plunger hooks onto a standard toggle wall switch.

Try Paolini's, across the Delaware, just south of Easton. I didn't see them listed as a product that they carry, but their building is constructed of a very similar block. I imagine that they made the blocks themselves and would still have the molds. If not, their motto is "If you can draw it, we can build it." Paolini's is a cool place. They have an amazingly large product line. To see everything, you can spend several hours wandering around the yard. Paolini's Cast Stone

An AC outside unit will have two control wires going to it while a heat pump will have a thicker cable containing five wires.

I'm not familiar with that. What does it mean? That if they know their house has high radon levels, they don't have to disclose it? Warren County sits on the Reading Prong, which is a geological formation containing uranium deposits that runs from Reading, Pa., across New Jersey and into New York. Just across the river in Easton, uranium was mined for a time in the 1920's. So yes, Warren County can be considered a 'hot spot'. Either what the seller said evolved as it was passed on through the agents, or the seller is lying. No builder would leave radon mitigation materials (including an expensive fan) for the new home buyer "just in case". Often a passive system is installed, but that is simply a 4" pipe that originates in the slab and extends up through the roof. That's it. No other parts and no electrical hookup is included. Do you mean testing the soil? The EPA doesn't recommend it, because levels can fluctuate widely in a relatively small area. Testing wouldn't be reliable unless a large number of samples were taken, which would be prohibitively expensive. I'm sure someone who works in NJ and is familiar with NJ protocols will chime in. Have you had the house tested? That's what needs to be done. Everything else is irrelevant.

If the bench looked like it was original to the deck and was going to stay after the sale, I'd write it up. A chair isn't part of the property. It wouldn't be there when the buyer took possession. A kid would have to climb the rail or push something next to it to get up on it. THAT, I can't control. Not that I've found. But if there's a reasonable possibility of something being a hazard, I write it up regardless - wouldn't you?

I do. The portion within reach of a kid standing on the bench.

Absolutely. I write it up if it's four feet.

It's a shame you don't do the picture thing. Were you able to get a date off of the gas control valve?

I've never heard of an insurance company requiring algae be removed. I think if pressed, they'd have a hard time coming up with published validation of their position. But then they don't have to - they're the insurance company. Moss and lichens can damage an asphalt shingle roof. That being said, I have lichens on a corner of my roof, and I'm not doing anything about it. Still, when I encounter it on a roof I'm inspecting, I do recommend having it removed and if possible, eliminating the shade that helped it grow. But you asked about algae. I always point it out to the buyer, just so they don't move in, wonder what that black stuff on the roof is and call me. Here's what goes in the report: The asphalt shingle roofing has discoloration on the surface. This is algae and is mainly a cosmetic issue. There are ways to reduce or eliminate this condition. See Article 3C.25 for more information.

I'm guessing this guy wasn't too happy about having to put a sand mound in his front yard. What better way to accessorize it while also making a protest statement, than to top it off with an outhouse! Download Attachment: 1 283 (Medium).jpg 67.36 KB

My hand was about an inch away from the web. They have poor eyesight, so they rely mostly on vibrations from the web. They're not an aggressive spider, but will bite if provoked. Their bite is venomous, but it's not harmful to humans. I'm fascinated by spider web construction. "Web construction is complicated. To start the web, Argiope firmly grasps a substrate like a grass stem or window frame. She lifts her abdomen and emits several strands of silk from her spinnerets that merge into one thread. The free end of the thread drifts until it touches something far away, like a stem or a flower stalk. She then creates bridge lines, and other scaffolding to help her build the framework of the web. She builds a hub with threads radiating from it like a spokes of a wheel. She switches to sticky silk for the threads spiraling around this hub that will actually catch her prey. It may take a few hours to complete the web, then she eats the temporary scaffolding and the center hub. Argiope spiders often add stabilimenta, or heavy zig-zagging portions, in their webs. A stabilimentum may or may not aid prey capture (see below). The entire web is usually eaten and then rebuilt each night, often in the same place." Wiki

Jeez, I'm thankful that we don't have brown recluse or hobo spiders around here. We do have big spiders though - REALLY big spiders. Check out this Argiope aurantia or zipper spider, that I saw in my backyard. Click to Enlarge 72.13 KB Click to Enlarge 54.38 KB

I have a similar rig. The straps are permanently attached to eye bolts which go through a 2X3. I couldn't imagine not having it. It's used several times a month when I can't straddle a ridge. Click to Enlarge 65.44 KB Click to Enlarge 47.06 KB Click to Enlarge 34.28 KB

Of course. Here's my boilerplate: The insulation that was attached to the ceiling joists above the stairs has fallen. This will waste energy because it leaves the walls in this area exposed. Insulation should be replaced here.

Thanks for the tip Kevin. That's just the deal I've been waiting for, and shipping was only $1.99. The deal ends 7/31 in case anyone is on the fence. My hunt and peck days are almost over!

Mine was in a fairly new townhouse. I have no idea what was in the neighboring units, but it's too small to be an elevator shaft. It's about the right size for a very large dumbwaiter, but this was a modest townhouse - not something that you'd put a dumbwaiter in. Besides, I don't recall ever seeing a dumbwaiter in a house built after the 20's. It was vaguely reminiscent of a light shaft that you might find in a big, old apartment building. Until I saw that one, I'd never seen a chase even close to being that big. I can't imagine how the CO got issued for that building.

I'm not sure whether drywall is ever used. It's something don't check. I would imagine if it's done, it's pretty rare. Maybe some more of the ex home builders here will chime in. Last fall I ran into something really strange. It was in a townhome that was only a few years old. A shaft approximately 3 1/2 X 4 feet ran from the attic down to the basement. I have no idea what it was for. I'm sure THAT'S not very common. Click to Enlarge 46.46 KB Click to Enlarge 46.7 KB Click to Enlarge 44.18 KB