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inspectorreuben

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  1. inspectorreuben
    There wasn't much to see. Click to Enlarge 38.25 KB - Reuben
  2. inspectorreuben
    In the photo below, there was water leaking in to the wall where the deck heights changed. I'm sure that water is running horizontally along the ledgerboard flashing and then dumping in to the wall where the flashing ends. I've found this defect on a lot of decks, but it's usually not this obvious. Does anyone have any photos or diagrams showing the proper way to terminate the ledgerboard flashing to prevent this from happening? I've gone through every archived issue of the JLC (only $45 for the DVD), and couldn't find a single article that dealt with this detail. Click to Enlarge 28.9 KB - Reuben
  3. inspectorreuben
    Sure. You can put whatever you want in there.
  4. inspectorreuben
    Yes; I assume that nearly all of my clients are just using a regular laptop or desktop computer. In fact, most clients don't actually 'draw' out their signature. They just type their name in, and this becomes their signature. If they prefer to try using a mouse to scribble their signature, they can try, but it doesn't work well. Try clicking the link I included to see for yourself - you can scroll right to the bottom of the contract where it says "Click to Sign". Yes. I've never tried using an Android phone to access my agreement though. - Reuben
  5. inspectorreuben
    I pretty much say the same thing. I also give my clients a link to a document written by Douglas Hansen; this is the best document I've come across when it comes to aluminum wiring and home inspections. http://www.structuretech1.com/AluminumWire.pdf
  6. inspectorreuben
    Try http://www.echosign.com/ . You set up your contract on their web site, send a link to your client, and your client fills out the form online and signs it electronically. We've been using this service for a little over a year, and we've been very happy with it. You can try it for free. Here's the link I send my clients- https://secure.echosign.com/public/host ... AM49586V46
  7. inspectorreuben
    I'd definitely go closed cell too. For the record, Icynene is a brand name for open cell foam, and it's the most expensive open cell foam you can buy. If I were going to use open cell foam, it wouldn't be Icynene. By the way, I just posted a blog on my web site discussing the different options for insulating an attic - http://www.structuretech1.com/blog/2011 ... -an-attic/
  8. inspectorreuben
    They've gotta be kidding.
  9. inspectorreuben
    Agreed. I've never seen a bunch like that before either. Maybe I should have tried tightening a few of the screws to see if they were loose? I wanted to pull on a few of the wires, but the panel was just too messy to go sticking my hands in there. I see a bonding strap on that bar so, presumably, it is service equipment and therefore no harm having grounds and neutrals on the same bar. Correct. - Reuben
  10. inspectorreuben
    I see the screw you're talking about. It seems unlikely that one scorched wire could have caused all of those other wires to get scorched like that though, doesn't it? - Reuben
  11. inspectorreuben
    Interesting. Without a loose connection, I would have thought a circuit breaker would trip before this happened. - Reuben
  12. inspectorreuben
    Yes. I like knowing how stuff works and why stuff happens. - Reuben
  13. inspectorreuben
    Does anyone know what might have caused the scorching at so many of the neutral wires in this panel? It wasn't split circuits run off the same phase. Click to Enlarge 51.41 KB
  14. inspectorreuben
    Nope. Home inspections are an unregulated industry here in Minnesota. - Reuben
  15. inspectorreuben
    I did, and I'll be sure to include that stuff in our seminar. Thank you very much for the info. - Reuben
  16. inspectorreuben
    This particular seminar is actually for Truth in Housing Evaluators; it's a point-of-sale inspection program that's mandated in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and several other larger suburbs here in the Twin Cities. Our reporting guidelines and the report formats are all identical, so it's a little easier to define what 'right' and 'wrong'. I'd love to do a seminar like this for standard home inspections. I'll put one together soon enough.
  17. inspectorreuben
    I hear you. When it comes time for the seminar though, I'd like to have a good reference for everyone. You're right though, the hole in the vent should be proof enough. - Reuben
  18. inspectorreuben
    Thanks, Les. I searched the archives first, and couldn't find any info other that what I could easily find with a google search. Do you know of any specific threads on this forum that apply to this topic that don't use the terms "iron ocher" or "iron bacteria" ? You tell me now. - Reuben
  19. inspectorreuben
    Agreed, but where's the capillary break? I don't see many crowns that have one, but the best ones do.
  20. inspectorreuben
    I think I may have found it - http://www.chimneysaver.com/crownseal.html
  21. inspectorreuben
    I've heard of iron bacteria or iron ocher, but never seen it before. I know that it can really screw up drain tile systems, but that's about all. If I google 'iron ocher' or 'iron bacteria' I can find a bunch of information put out by some guy by the name of Stephen Andras, who owns a basement waterproofing company. Most of the info he has published explains what he does to deal with this stuff, but it doesn't help me with giving advice to the person who's buying this house. Any thoughts? Has anyone had experience with this stuff? Click to Enlarge 71.09 KB Click to Enlarge 65.71 KB
  22. inspectorreuben
    That's what I'm sayin. How 'bout the elbow? B vent. Click to Enlarge 39.33 KB
  23. inspectorreuben
    I wasn't leading the training; I was just one of the more vocal participants in the group that was putting together the information for this seminar, which is sponsored by a local home inspector association. We spend half a day taking photos of defects at a vacant house, then the house is made available to home inspectors for the next week to conduct their own inspections. In about a month we'll have a half-day seminar where a Powerpoint presentation shows all the stuff that we found, and everyone gets to argue about stuff. It's a great seminar; we always do one in the spring and one in the fall. - Reuben
  24. inspectorreuben
    Thanks Mike.
  25. inspectorreuben
    I called this out as wrong in front of a group of 10 other home inspectors as part of a training seminar we were putting together, for the same reasons you just stated, but every other person there said this was perfectly fine. I just can't believe it. If this was acceptable, why wouldn't furnaces be vented this way every time?
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