Inspectorjoe

I always assumed automatic setback thermostats were a fairly recent invention, dating back to maybe the first 70's energy shortage. I was wrong. I found one (abandoned in place) that's nearly 70 years old. http://static.flickr.com/49/116640327_f704a9bd11_o.jpg

I've never seen a Super Anchor around these parts. Occasionally I see orange painted steel cables used as an anchor points. They are anchored to four inch diameter pipes that are bolted between two trusses or rafters. They are inserted through a small hole cut in the sheathing. When construction is completed, they are pushed under the shingle tab, back through the hole, and then the tab is sealed down with asphalt mastic. The anchor assembly is usually left in the attic. Download Attachment: Anchor.jpg 163.56 KB

Jeez, I should have stopped while I was ahead. 25,000 square feet, built in 1929, with almost nothing updated? That had to be one cool place. I know if I had the good fortune to inspect something like that, I'd be pretty distracted, by the 'oh wow, look at that' factor. BTW Bill, how did you like Nazareth last month? I posted (late) a reply to you here: https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2511 You probably missed it.

I have people waiting for yesterday’s reports, so what do I do? Go back and stare at that damn picture again! This time I think I got it. It’s a sequencer for controlling ‘chasing lights’, like on a movie theater marquee.

Strike #1. OK, how about a remote disconnect, cutting power to all the circuits at the push of a button?

I’m going out on a limb with this, but it looks like a solenoid activates a plunger that indirectly turns a wooden camshaft. Maybe the shaft is notched in different configurations under what appears to be metal contactors? It looks like the contactors have little adjustment screws for fine tuning. I don’t think the links between the terminals are fusible links, since they’re in contact with the wooden case, plus it sure looks like a low voltage system. It looks like there’s a modern wire nut at the top right. What’s up with that? As to what it is, my very generic answer is some kind of signal system. Yeah, I sure didn’t go out on a limb with THAT answer.

Carbide gas generator? I guess Chad's on the same track. If that's what it is, I've seen one, an in ground unit. It was much bigger than that one, constructed of galvanized steel, and still had the original stenciled labeling on the interior. I'll look for the pictures, but I'm not too optimistic I'll find them.

John, do you need high resolution pictures? I'd think so if they're for a presentation. I have probably well over 40,000, just from the past two years alone. The problem is they're nearly all 640 x 480 and the only order they're in is by date taken. I keep putting off the what should be fun task of going through them and cataloguing the 'keepers'. If you don't need them soon, you're welcome to 'em. Here's a good example of an 'Unexpected Find', as well as an irrefutable counterpoint to people who say that new houses don't need to be inspected. http://static.flickr.com/33/95185850_c1c24872ea_o.jpg I first inspected the just completed house in January '04. The roof was completely snow covered. I told the buyer to call me when it was clear and dry, but I never heard from him again. About a month and a half later, I had another new construction inspection on the same street. It turned out to be the same house. The original buyer couldn't sell his old house and had to put this one up for sale without ever moving in. This time the roofs were dry. Holy crap! It was by far the worst installation that I've ever seen. You'd swear it was put on during take your daughter to work day. The seller, who I'd inspected it for little more than a month before, likely had no idea of the problems. I was suddenly in a very uncomfortable situation. I told the buyer the installation problems were so bad, the only fix is to tear it off and replace it. The builder refused. Since I certainly didn't want the seller (my previous client) to have to eat it (and of course I didn't want to get sucked into a lawsuit either) I asked the builder to meet me at the site, along with the roofer that did it. Along with the other issues, many nails were overdriven to the point of cutting completely through the shingle. Of course the roofer insisted the installation issues were minor and could be fixed. My ace in the hole was that I knew where several shingles were not nailed at all. Not a single nail. As the roofer was looking away, I said "and some shingles aren't fastened with the required number of nails". You should have seen the look on his face as he saw me holding up the hole-less shingle. Btw, I still don't get what Spatial Orientation is.

I record roughly half of my inspections on an Olympus DS-330. After the inspection, it goes into a docking station and the audio files are downloaded into the computer. The files are then played back through medical transcription software controlled by a foot pedal. It takes under 30 seconds from the time I slide it into the dock to hands free playback. The DS-330 is incredibly small and light. I doubt that it weighs much more than two ounces, even with the batteries. Like Chris, I wear it on a lanyard around my neck. The lanyard came with my ID badge at the ’04 ASHI Leadership Day. I added a fishing lure swivel to attach it, and have been using it ever since. At first, I used the voice activation setting, but couldn’t get the sensitivity low enough, even after adding a layer or two of electrical tape over the mic hole. I got tired of having to sit through dogs barking, ladder sounds and noisy people during playback. Now, I just use the manual record button. I use the digital recorder when I have a very large, crappy or complicated building. It also comes in handy if I know I’ll have a tight schedule, the inspection site turns out to be chaotic, or there’s a PIA seller. In addition to greatly streamlining the inspection, I can stay focused on inspecting, rather than constantly switching back and forth between inspection and clerical modes. For me, it makes inspections much easier with less chance of error. It also helps keep the buyer focused on me instead of starting side conversations with others as I’m entering data – conversations that I have to interrupt time after time. Even though this setup works flawlessly, it adds a LOT of time doing the report. I’m basically doing the inspection over again that night. I could probably do most of the report from memory, but I’m just not comfortable doing that. http://www.medword.com/MedwordStore/TPC/RecDig_Olympus_DS330.html http://www.medword.com/MedwordStore/TPC/Special-DS330.html http://www.medword.com/MedwordStore/TPC/WAVpedal-FAQ.html

I too have searched in vain for authoritative documentation on Zinsco's. I ran across a thread on Mike Holt's forum a while back. I still have it bookmarked: http://www.mikeholt.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/005092.html Wayne: All you need to know about Federal Pacific panels can be found on Dan Friedman's site. Amazing pictures too. When I run across a FP panel, I send the buyer there for an eye opening education. http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpepanel.htm Joe Hancaviz Nazareth, PA

Ever see one of those old movies where someone backs up to a wall and it revolves, leading them into a secret room? I found one recently. The house was a big Dutch Colonial, built in 1922. In a foundation wall is a wooden door. The door opens into a small concrete block room, located under the side yard. The floor is brick and dirt, and roughly three feet lower than the main basement floor. The back wall of this room contains a revolving door. The door is constructed of six inch concrete block, supported on a heavy steel frame that revolved on bearings. It's three and a half blocks wide and nine courses high. The mortar joints in the door match the joints in the walls perfectly. Large bolts with dog ears were the way it was originally sealed closed. The bearings are seized, so I couldn't move it. It was open about a foot. The best I could do to see behind it was to stick my camera through the opening. The room behind the door was pretty narrow, with double rows of very large diameter horizontal pipes along the back wall, apparently used at one time as shelf supports. Download Attachment: door6 (Small).jpg 40.97 KB Download Attachment: door9 (Small).jpg 54.48 KB This house has a second hidden room, located above the basement steps. On the right side of the door at the top of the basement steps is a hinged panel. Behind the panel is a counterweight with a handle mounted to it. When the counterweight is lifted, a door drops down from the ceiling above the steps. It drops down onto the top step and forms a ramp. Walking across the ramp takes you into a small room lined with shelves. Download Attachment: door11 (Small).jpg 31.58 KB Download Attachment: door12 (Small).jpg 29.91 KB Download Attachment: door13 (Small).jpg 31.74 KB Download Attachment: door14 (Small).jpg 23.64 KB Anybody have any ideas what these rooms were built for? The only thing that comes to my mind is to store booze during prohibition.

Bill: For me, it's people that I can't remember. Buildings I remember, especially when it's a nice old beauty like that. Unlike you, I see such buildings in fewer than 1 in 50 inspections. They tend to stick in my memory. Another reason I recognized it is that the facade was quite memorable. What I had always thought was well preserved (I grew up in Easton andf spent many an afternoon at the Boyd Theater across the street) turned out to be painted coatings and parging covering the severely weathered stonework. I think my buyer walked because of it. http://inspectorjoe.photosite.com/n Chad: I've been seeing more and more Sprinters around here. I toyed with the idea of getting one, but couldn't justify the price. I can't imagine that you could pick up a new one for anything close to $26,000 though, because I see used ones selling for more than that. I didn't see that they had a 4WD version. It's almost a necessity here; I would think it would be more so for you. Joe Hancaviz Nazareth, PA

Bill: I don't have a vehicle suggestion. I drive a mini van. I do have a question however. Did you inspect the building that you are parked in front of? I thought it looked familiar. I inspected it last New Year's Eve. How about that butchered up facade? Joe Hancaviz Nazareth, PA

Jim, your's is the first comment I've seen on that. It rubs me the wrong way too. Did you read Steve Gladstone's idiotic rationalization in the current ASHI Reporter? "We know the testing is seen by many as threatening and expensive," said Gladstone. "Others feel they have already proven their knowledge and business acumen." Well, lah de freakin' da! Joe Hancaviz