Mike Lamb

Can anyone identify the siding? Its masonry but it looks like it has been put up in sheets or panels. Early 60s.

You can look at – Section M1305 Appliance Access - A 30 inch minimum level surface is needed in front of appliances for servicing. And also, the obvious common sense issues that concern you. That's a very interesting set up.

Photo says non-issue. I would treat it like a flat roof. Will it dry off in 48 hrs?

Yes, you can vinyl side over the old Inselbrick. Don’t tear it off. Have the siding people install a quarter inch fan fold insulation before siding. It’s only R1 but does not hurt cutting down on drafts.

If there is not a lot of blackness underneath the roof sheathing in the attic then the gable vents are doing their job. That means the attic is being ventilated adequately. Don't mess with something that is working. Assuming this, clean the gable vents and blow in a minimum of 14 inch cellulose insulation across the attic floor. This will keep a naturally hot attic from radiating down through the ceiling in summer making the AC work harder, and help keep warm air from rising into the attic in winter. I think that's all you want. Trying to get balanced heating and cooling with a one zone HVAC is pretty much impossible. There are thousands of homes in Chicago without soffit vents. My experience is gable vents work great. That said, I don't know what part of the country you are in. I think, if the insulation/sealing the attic floor is good then attic fans are typically a waste of money.

There is a full time operator. Watch your step please.

I was told this building had the first open cage elevator in Chicago. 1893. It is still hand operated.

And the sealant around the glass melts.

The outside temp. today was 50F.

I have read installation instructions where south facing doors should not have glass storm doors installed because of extreme heat. A black door does not help. This is a good illustration for that advice.

I'm not feeling nostalgic. I'm giving Erby's machine a try. It's supposed to arrive today.

And it gives you carpal tunnel. Trent, what model Milwaukee? Does it have a deep socket for flipping bits?

I'm looking for a new cordless screwdriver available on the market. One that pivots and has a deep enough socket to fit a reversible straight and Philips bit. Or at least have a compartment to hold an extra bit. The Black & Decker I have seen and Ryobi have shallow sockets without any compartment to hold extra bits. Suggestions? A built-in light attachment is also a very nice feature. I'm only using this for removing screws from electric panels and other panels I might run into around the house.

Would you be concerned about this corrosion at the SEC main disconnect contacts? What kind of metal is this? Aluminum? This is a panel that was mounted in a basement directly against an outside foundation wall without an appropriate separation.

What do you make of this? About 8 foot of the foundation near the two steel columns In this crawlspace has lifted/separated about a half-inch to three-quarter inch space between the foundation wall and the footing. There was no undue stress to the foundation or problems to the structure/floors above. There is a caulked foundation crack nearby but did not look anything out of the ordinary. 32-year-old house.

Not long. A couple seconds. Both inspections happened to be Frigidaire 15+ years. Marc, so if only the compressor shuts down I would need to stick something under the float and then go outside. ☹️

I have never tested the emergency shutoff switch installed in the pan beneath the AC air handler/furnace until recently. I assume if you lift the float the system should shut down including the fan. The last two I checked the fan did not shut off. Should everything shut down immediately?

I am interested in any ballpark estimates as to replacement cost for the beams holding up the front balconies of this building. T-beams, I assume. The side ones are the most distressed. Less than 8 feet. Concrete floors at the porches. Also, would the balcony rails/walls need to be rebuilt? Could steel rods or something be inserted to hold up the brick while the beam beneath is replaced? Any thoughts are appreciated.

Too wordy? New architectural asphalt shingles installed. Recent inspection. · Typical installation instructions for this type of roof cover calls for a complete tear off. There are likely several roof covers under this. The original wood shingled roof is still in place and should have been removed before any asphalt shingle roof was installed. Roofing nails may not bite and you may experience sagging/loose shingles. I cannot predict if this will happen or not. This roof is also very heavy. Some structural reinforcement was done in the attic and I did not see that the rafters were adversely affected. I cannot predict if the extra weight will cause any structural issues in the future. Secure any warranties the seller can provide for the roof installation. Note: the manufacturer of the shingles will typically not honor warranties if the roof cover was not installed to their specifications.

I thought I had seen a reference where a Cat 4 vent cannot share the same chimney flue with another gas appliance – in this case a newer lined vent for water heater. Any help?

I rarely find problems with unlined chimneys that run up the middle of the house in cold Chicago. However, chimneys run-up the outside wall of the house is a different story.

Apparently the licensing board has found that you are practicing without a valid license. FYI: All 12 CEU's need to be by an Illinois approved home inspection educator. Not just three. Unless you are on some some pro rated deal because you started late. From what I have read, there is a hearing to determine the fine. I don't know if you're required to be at that hearing or allowed to. You should call someone from the IDFPR And get some clarification. You should also read everything in the Illinois licensing act. Starting with: (225 ILCS 441/Art. 15 heading) ARTICLE 15. DISCIPLINARY PROVISIONS (225 ILCS 441/15-5) (Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2022) Sec. 15-5. Unlicensed practice; civil penalty. (a) Any person who practices, offers to practice, attempts to practice, or holds himself or herself out to practice home inspection or as a home inspector without being licensed under this Act shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, pay a civil penalty to the Department in an amount not to exceed $25,000 for each violation of this Act as determined by the Department. The civil penalty shall be assessed by the Department after a hearing is held in accordance with the provisions of this Act. (b) The Department has the authority and power to investigate any unlicensed activity. (c) A civil penalty shall be paid within 60 days after the effective date of the order imposing the civil penalty. The Department may petition the circuit court for a judgment to enforce the collection of the penalty. Any civil penalties collected under this Act shall be made payable to the Department and deposited into the Home Inspector Administration Fund. (Source: P.A. 97-226, eff. 7-28-11.)

I use a grade II - 6' aluminum step ladder. It should get your head and shoulders in just about any attic. You will need some arm strength if you want to crawl the attic. A Little Giant would be my back-up if I needed it. I don't like LG's because they are too heavy and I would be more likely to smash something in the house. Like Marc, I carry a 16' grade II extension - very light - but rarely bring that into a house if I can help it. I don't often run into pull down stairs for attics around here.

I use a grade II - 6' step ladder. It should get your head and shoulders in just about any attic. You will need some arm strength if you want to crawl the attic. A Little Giant would be my back-up if I needed it. I don't like LG's because they are too heavy and I would be more likely to smash something in the house. Like Marc, I carry a 16' grade II extension - very light - but rarely bring that into a house if I can help it. I don't often run into pull down stairs for attics around here.

What do you think would cause the black streaking on this roof cover? It reminds me of black algae on the north side of the shingles roof but I don't think I've seen this before. The roof was in good condition and I would estimate around 10 years old or so.