Mike Lamb

There may be two coils. I don't know. I just thought it was weird.

This house has 2 outside split system compressors w/ separate refrigerant lines going into one furnace air handler plenum. I have never seen this. No zones. One thermostat kicks both compressors. Both compressors are operating fine. Any thoughts as to why this was done?

If reporting on these pics, I would say that the moss/algae growth will accelerate roof deterioration. But I determine wear on shrinkage of the shingle, curling, granule loss, etc., which seems minor in this case. This roof has a good life of another five years or so. Zinc strips really work and would likely kill all this moss stuff.

We call it benching also in Chicago. The most cost efficient way to lower the basement floor. A foundation inside a foundation.

I'm not sure why builders have not figured this out but, un-flashed parapets are a chronic problem even in multi-wythe masonry. Ventilating the walls in single wythe SFB is great but does not help with through-wall flashing at the floor levels. Does it? I still see water problems at floor lines, and if there is a crawlspace , you can visually see the ends of the joists sucking water. Your certification will have to stand the test of time, or there are bound to be complaints. I agree that the few SFB buildings I've seen with a pitched roof with overhang and gutters did not show moisture intrusion problems the best I could tell. I have also considered, in theory, that building a small roof over the top of the parapet wall will help shed water away from the walls, and may eliminate a lot of the water infiltration problems. Just a thought.

Thanks all. I still don't see any specific drawings relating directly to flashing details at a floor intersection for a wood frame home with brick veneer.

Does anyone have a drawing from a reputable source detailing flashing/weeps at structural floors? IRC 1405.4.2 Masonry. Flashing and weep holes in anchored veneer shall be located in the first course of masonry above finished ground level above the foundation wall or slab, and other points of support, including structural floors, shelf angles and lintels where anchored veneers are designed in accordance with Section 1405.6.

I don't recall seeing any waterproofing companies trying to waterproof stone, brick, or leaky CMU foundations a few years ago from inside the basement by covering the walls with a heavy plastic and installing an interior drainage system. It is now a common tactic. I am guessing in about 10 years the cat come out of the bag and foundations will be shown to have serious damage caused by this practice.

I provide ballpark estimates at my client's request. Some people truly do not know if replacing a water heater costs $800 or $8000. I used to include estimates in the report but the headaches I got from this (from sellers and RE agent) made the practice not worth it. I now e-mail estimates after the inspection with this disclaimer: Estimates provided for repairs are based on a limited visual inspection. The actual costs to correct problems may be more or less depending upon a more detailed professional analysis. Mike Lamb and Inspection Connection, Inc. is an inspection and consulting service only. I do not provide repairs of any kind or recommend contractors.

I tried posting this in the Articles forum but it has moved to another location? ?? Moving to the ICC would be great for private inspectors. Trying to search Chgo. Building Code is ridiculous. https://www.iccsafe.org/building-safety-journal/bsj-hits/chicago-takes-next-step-to-modernize-their-building-code-using-the-i-codes/

It is a stone veneer so I think Jim has it right. I kind of got protrusion and penetration mixed up.

I thought the, "no more than four 90 degree turns," on a TPRV discharge pipe was a code requirement but apparently not. That said, I cannot find the verse from Watts that goes with this remark from the ASHI reporter. Any help? The discharge piping should not be reduced either by fittings, kinks or in any other way. Watts® Regulator Company, a maker of numerous water safety devices, states that discharge piping in excess of 30 feet or the use of more than four 90° elbows will reduce the discharge capacity.

I see this but not sure of interpretation. . IRC 1405.4 Flashing. Flashing shall be installed in such a manner so as to prevent moisture from entering the wall or to redirect it to the exterior. Flashing shall be installed at the perimeters of exterior door and window assemblies, penetrations and terminations of exterior wall assemblies…

Is a flashing required above this stone protrusion above a window. I did see flashing at the lintel directly above the window. Veneer masonry.

Yes.

Installing an ejector pit isn't going to protect the basement from sewage back-up/flooding in this situation unless the OP is going to seal the basement floor drains which I don't think is a good idea. Nearly all "newer" (post 1960) construction around here has overhead sewer so an ejector pit is a necessity whether there's a bathroom in the basement or not.

If you're building has an all gravity sewer system, I only see disadvantages with installing a sewage ejector for the bathroom. Chicago § 18-29-712.1 Building drains below sewer Building drains that cannot be discharged to the sewer by gravity flow shall be discharged into a tightly covered and vented sump, from which stack the liquid shall be lifted and discharged into the building gravity drainage system by automatic pumping equipment or other approved method.

I take about 200 pictures per inspection. At a recent 4800 ft.² home I took close to 500 pictures. I take at least one picture of every room and exterior wide shots of every angle of the house or building . The pictures are my notes which I go over one by one when I do the report. I use hand signals if the photo actually means something but is not obvious, and then of course, wide shots and close-ups of problems. It takes no time at all to shoot pictures from the hip while I'm walking or standing still. This is just how I am comfortable doing it. 99% of the pictures mean nothing. Occasionally, I will see something in a photo that I did not pick up live.

Is anyone familiar with this type of foundation movement gauge? The foundation to the left of the crack was underpinned.

Some instructions I have seen for roof vent terminations call for a flashing for PVC pipe. What would be the downside of using a lead plumbing stack flashing?

I know very little about mold remediation. Does this look like some kind of mold killer or just paint?

What does a line control panel do?

The insurance company of a recent client – MetLife, I think – is denying homeowners insurance because of galvanized steel pipe which they say can cause cancer. I have not heard of this before and I cannot find anything reliable on the Internet. I called my State Farm agent this morning and she said she has never heard anything about old galvanized steel pipe being a health hazard and State Farm would not deny coverage. Maybe it's a California thing?

Does anyone know when it was required to have a wall switch in rooms that powers a light or wall receptacle?