Marc

Copper has no such properties, but connections sometimes do develop undue resistance with age and one way to combat that problem is to reduce the maximum current permitted to pass through them. Perhaps that is what motivated the electricians to derate the conductors on K&T installations. Marc

I would suggest that that is more of a reflection on those engineers who checked their common sense at the door when they first entered college than a reflection on the engineering profession in general. There's one down the street who's wife walked over to ask me to fix their air handler that her husband had spent days trying to do. The husband is a mechanical engineer and a good one, but he disregarded his bounds when he got started on the AC and the wife got tired of a hot house. The truth is, Kurt is right, mainstream EE curriculums don't teach a dang thing about electrical wiring except for voltage drop calculations, skin effect, magnetic coupling, capacitance, etc, little of which is of any use to tradesmen or inspectors but let's just keep in mind that not all engineers succomb to this 'God' syndrome. Some remain conscious of their bounds and do not lose respect for neighboring professions and trades. When I learn that the seller of a house that I'm about to inspect is an engineer, I prepare myself for a 'long haul'. Marc

Not to argue that K&T is good, but a couple decades ago, when my father expressed concern that the K&T wiring would start a fire in his house, I went up and removed from circuit a short sample of a K&T conductor. I brought it to him and bent it in the middle, folding it back 180 degrees and then straightened it back out. The insulation didn't split or damage in any way. It looked like brand new. I suggested to him that the issue with the wiring had more to do with devices (outlets and switches) that were so old and the lack of grounding than from the quality of the insulation on the conductors themselves. This was long before becoming an inspector but after my education in electrical engineering. Marc

It's probably just a difference in terminology but just to get on board with everybody else here, what the heck is flashing 'pans and dams'? Marc

My experience in Radio/TV service tells me that it isn't a good idea to put a hot glue gun to such a small transformer. The heat may either ruin the transformer insulation or delaminate the foil conductors on the PC board. It's a mess if you need to change the transformer later too. Marc

Welcome to the club Mike. I fend off my memory problems by jogging. Immediate improvement. Never known a rigorously active person to have alzheimers. Not one. Pardon the drift. Marc

I have a piece of #1 THWN copper in my shop that measures 7/16". Marc

You've got me there Ponyboy. 'Can't use the tub when the clothes dryer is on'? What do you think the client is going to wonder about? The tub/dryer or the inspector? Marc

I'd say her fears of mold issues on this house are warranted. Marc

I actually got started editing such a report in 3d with sequentially numbered findings a few months ago but reverted back to my old style because of the editing time that it added. It's a nice way of showing the client just how many items you've noticed and also allows the implementation of an idea in reporting that I've only seen done once in 7 years: a retired engineer friend of mine draws a floor plan of the house on the first page with circled numbers placed to represent each finding. The descriptions of the numbered findings themselves begins on the next page. Very simple and effective. This engineer spends the entire day on a single home inspection job. No computer. Marc

The average time that I spend on my 3d Inspection software editing reports is likely around 2 hours but some 'problem dwellings' can be 6 hours. That's how much I put into my reports despite a completely customized boilerplate. For years, I've wanted something similiar to what Bill does except that the typist is an employee on the other end of a wireless voice connection with me and sits either in a van or in the dwelling being inspected while punching the keys in real-time fashion on a laptop. This idea didn't fly well on a previous thread, but I think it'll be popular eventually. Marc

Ok Tom. How's this: I send you one of my reports and you tell me if your way can do it in a practical length of time? Marc

The bottom line is: what software is used by the inspectors that have the prettiest reports? Maybe Mike O can arrange for us all to submit a recent report into a folder that will vanish in 14 days. Include into the file name a code for the software used to create the report. We'll have up to 2 weeks to review them. Broadcast the folder availability date so all will know of it beforehand. Is this a dumb idea? Marc

I don't quite understand the $12.00 that you say that you are 'paying' for each report. My Emailed reports cost me nothing per se. The printed reports cost me the ink and paper. Is this where your $12 comes from? Marc

Well, since you didn't build the house, I would avoid mentioning any of the stuff we found to your customer. Customers have a way of sticking your name on things that you didn't even do if you so much as mention them. It's psychology. Stick with the outdoor kitchen, etc and do it right. Do it proudly. Marc

I've used 3d Inspection for 7 years. My own, entirely customized boilerplate. You can change boilerplate during the editing of a report. Just love it. Wanna change computer? Just call 3d, they'll reset it. You have to buy additional licenses for additional simultaneous computers. Marc

Wow! Your camera focuses that close? Make and model? Marc

Oh, I wouldn't want that. I'd never get the job done, 'job' being the inspection. Marc

Good point Garet. I used to carry a small one with a telescoping handle mostly for reading condenser nameplates that are just inches from an exterior wall. Now that you mention it, I need to get another one. Marc

I didn't realize this until after my first post but that center wall appears to be a convex shaped wall (from the outside) except for a horizontal foot or two from each side. That might explain the odd eaves trim: The contractor couldn't, or didn't want to cut the clay tiles, so he 'patched' it with the trim pieces. One wonders if there is a problem with the roof finish at that point. Sounds like ample motivation to get a long extension ladder. Might be lots of trouble but might be an important finding too. Marc

Odd looking trim installed on the 2nd story eaves and no gutter on same. Not that the gutter is required but that I don't see how the contractor rationalized gutters just on the 1st story and not the 2nd story. I wish there was a way to confirm the presence of a steel moment frame in that center wall with all those fenestration openings, because that wall doesn't seem to be in the same plane as the walls on either side. And look at the valleys on either side. A wall projects halfway into them. It's a flashing nightmare unless it's well soldered copper. Marc

I use a tape measure occasionally to measure the diameter of HVAC flexible air return ducts. They are often undersized. I might also measure the dimensions of floor, ceiling or roof deck openings when inspecting the framing, the distance between window sills and the floor or the window dimensions themselves. Marc

100 Kilowatts of power on a 240 Volt, 3 phase configuration at unity power factor comes out to: 100,000/(240 X 1.732) = 241 amps on each phase conductor. Marc

If Jim says it's good, then it must be good, so I'll add the Krawler to my list, but at over $300 I'll likely attempt to make one first from the pictures at their website. I tinker that way for recreation, in wood, metal and cardboard. I don't get why the krawler should be placed under the hips instead of at the upper back. What if someone made a simple garment that straps on like a knapsack. 2 krawlers sewed onto it but not connected to each other. Strap it on with velcro at your vehicle, walk over to the entry point, lie on your back and shove off. There's this piece of heavy equipment that has a joint in the middle. It can turn very tight radii. Something like that. Marc

John, What would you normally use the vise grips for, if not for the ladder? Marc