Mike Lamb

I call out foil ducts as bad since I am aware that nearly all of the manufacturer's instructions I have read don't allow them. Click to Enlarge 47.47 KB

I guess this is my answer: R703.1 (General. Exterior walls shall provide the building with a weather-resistant exterior wall envelope) trumps R404.1.6 (Concrete and masonry foundation walls shall extend above the finished grade adjacent to the foundation at all points a minimum of 4 inches where masonry veneer...). But I don't like it.

Could be thermal splitting. http://www.inspect-ny.com/roof/SplittingShingles.htm

Can anyone provide me with the IRC 2006 reference that it's OK to pour, in this case, a concrete patio less than 4" from the top of the foundation or even above the brick veneer as long as there is an accepted water proofing membrane/flashing between the concrete and the building? This patio has forms and gravel but has not been poured yet.

Does anyone have any documentation or source that says that the normal use of asbestos containing floor tiles is or is not hazardous?

This piece is available in chrome but not easy to find. I made a mistake in trusting a plumbing guy re: the length and wasted a trip to Villa Park this afternoon. I thought I would save time rather than trying to sweat this myself which I am told is brass ass tricky for larger pipe. The pipe and offset was perfect only the length was an inch short. Rats. I'd rather be doing inspections. Then I could say, "This pipe sticking out of your 80 year old toilet is leaking. Get it fixed."

This 2" piping is from an old toilet. It feeds water from the wall mounted tank to the bowl and is leaking at its connection. I think it is brass. What do you suggest? Should I take it apart and try to re-solder? I have never done brass soldering. Click to Enlarge 65.32 KB Click to Enlarge 79.56 KB

Amadore, Read and take seriously what the others have posted. The fact that you use the word, "terrified," and mold in the same sentence leads me to believe you are seriously misinformed re: mold. This is certainly no fault of yours. You are not alone. Please read the following. Below is some info I gathered from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s web site (10/6/08) http://www.cdc.gov/mold/stachy.htm#Q1. and some other credible sources that say your fears are ill founded. I heard about "toxic molds" that grow in homes and other buildings. Should I be concerned about a serious health risk to me and my family? The term "toxic mold" is not accurate. While certain molds are toxigenic, meaning they can produce toxins (specifically mycotoxins), the molds themselves are not toxic, or poisonous. Hazards presented by molds that may produce mycotoxins should be considered the same as other common molds which can grow in your house. There is always a little mold everywhere - in the air and on many surfaces. There are very few reports that toxigenic molds found inside homes can cause unique or rare health conditions such as pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss. These case reports are rare, and a causal link between the presence of the toxigenic mold and these conditions has not been proven. A common-sense approach should be used for any mold contamination existing inside buildings and homes. The common health concerns from molds include hay fever-like allergic symptoms. Certain individuals with chronic respiratory disease (chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, asthma) may experience difficulty breathing. Individuals with immune suppression may be at increased risk for infection from molds. If you or your family members have these conditions, a qualified medical clinician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment. For the most part, one should take routine measures to prevent mold growth in the home. I found mold growing in my home, how do I test the mold? Generally, it is not necessary to identify the species of mold growing in a residence, and CDC does not recommend routine sampling for molds. Current evidence indicates that allergies are the type of diseases most often associated with molds. Since the susceptibility of individuals can vary greatly either because of the amount or type of mold, sampling and culturing are not reliable in determining your health risk. If you are susceptible to mold and mold is seen or smelled, there is a potential health risk; therefore, no matter what type of mold is present, you should arrange for its removal. Furthermore, reliable sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable or tolerable quantity of mold have not been established. The following is taken from: http://www.uschamber.com/NR/rdonlyres/e ... r_mold.pdf “…the notion that “toxic moldâ€

I saw the ring and it is pronounced. The staining is somewhat random and darker in some areas than others. It's a good theory.

Why not? I didn't provide backgorund info. This bathroom is in the middle of a 7000 sq ft warehouse/office of an electrical contractor. It's 5 years old on slab construction. It is a mens bathroom and there is a wall urinal in the foreground. It's too far to get from the blacktop to this point to make stains only in this spot. Pee is very unlikely. Besides stains, it would leave a smell.

Thanks. I guess I'll go with subsurface moisture. Rebar rust? Someone on a flooring forum suggested too strong of a toilet cleaner but that sounds like a reach. There were also lots of votes for urine and/or asphalt stains but that again is very unlikely.

I'm with Rick. Vent through the window with a sign that says don't close this off. It's important.

What would or could cause this? The owner says that this has appeared through the floor tiles. Click to Enlarge 47.92 KB

Coppola.

For some reason Mr. E's link came up broken for me. This might work. http://www.inspect-ny.com/electric/Zinsco.htm

I have seen absurd amounts of water sitting on plastic in a crawl space. All from condensation. It's a wrinkle that shouldn't be discounted. I was wondering if the water was isolated.

Was all of the water isolated in this area? Condensation, not a plumbing leak, could account for gallons of water. As Scott intimates, plastic under the joists is a hugely bad idea.

I try not to get involved in psychoanalysis.

Except for the last three sentences, I liked it fine.

You can check out Amerivent, Duravent termination requirements and you won't find that this is a problem.

The sky is a cut and paste with photoshop for dramatic effect.

This house has a hole in the roof and nature is taking its toll. Click to Enlarge 91.72 KB

I'll assume lack of insulation in the wall cavity does not contribute to this phenomenon. Thanks.

Looks like a luxury item.

I don't believe anyone around here puts foam behind vinyl siding on newer construction. Just Tyvek over OSB. I still find this ghosting atypical. I've only seen it once. Wall insulation is important in my climate. Would you say that lack of or crummy insulation in the wall is not likely to cause this issue (condensation and ghosting) and is not worth investigating?