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Dew Too


Les

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I have the pleasure of reading several inspections reports each month. After reading a few, I have picked up a few pet peeves regarding boiler plate.

I notice the rampant use of "due to" when it should read "because" or "because of". I googled correct use of the phrase "due to" and got the following from Editing Exchange that I thought was quite good.

"Often, "because" or "because of" should be used instead. If you could substitute "attributable to", "caused by" or "resulting from" for "due to" in your sentence, then you probable used "due to" correctly. It modifies nouns and is usually preceded by the verb "to be" in one form or another." www.editex.com/correct-use-of-the-phrase-due-to/.

I learned that my frustration with the phrase is often baseless. How many of you use the phrase " Due to xxxxx"?

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Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

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"? window operation could be a safety hazard due to the

lower pane having a strong spring action that prevents

window from staying open preventing easy exit in an

emergency. Recommend review by installer or a qualified

contractor."

this is an example of an entry that I find frustrating. Could be correct, but still seems lazy reporting.

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Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

All wrong uses of 'due to', I think. No noun to modify, no form of 'to be' (immediately) preceding the phase.

Marc

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"? window operation could be a safety hazard due to the

lower pane having a strong spring action that prevents

window from staying open preventing easy exit in an

emergency. Recommend review by installer or a qualified

contractor."

this is an example of an entry that I find frustrating. Could be correct, but still seems lazy reporting.

What throws me on this entry is substitution of the word "pane" for "sash". I'm not going to google it but I think pane refers to the glass and sash to the assembled window part that is often spring loaded. I am used to seeing springs hold windows open, not shut.

Most of my uses, Marc, are preceded by conjugated forms of the be verb, though not immediately.

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Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

All are wrong. Simple rule: if you can substitute "because of" then "due to" is wrong.

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"? window operation could be a safety hazard due to the

lower pane having a strong spring action that prevents

window from staying open preventing easy exit in an

emergency. Recommend review by installer or a qualified

contractor."

this is an example of an entry that I find frustrating. Could be correct, but still seems lazy reporting.

It's not frustrating, it's wretched. How about, "The window won't stay open. Have it fixed."

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Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

All are wrong. Simple rule: if you can substitute "because of" then "due to" is wrong.

Except that "due to" is shorter, so in my book it wins.

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My final comment on this thread, after checking out Les' source is that an inspection report is not an academic paper. For an enlightening take on academic paperwork in general, check Matthew B. Crawford's "Shop Class as Soulcraft", a book the author wrote about his departure from academia after a doctorate and a couple of jobs adrift on the big abstract ocean of academic life, after which he opened a motorcycle repair shop.

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Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

All are wrong. Simple rule: if you can substitute "because of" then "due to" is wrong.

Except that "due to" is shorter, so in my book it wins.

If your goal is shorter, then you've been pinching pennies while wasting dollars. Consider:

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

* Furniture and personal belongings limited access to the receptacles.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

* It's too cold out to run the air conditioner.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

* Some of the crawlspace insulation is damaged. Low clearance forces the ducts to touch the ground.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

* Some joists are original while others are newer.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

* Flashing leaks have rotted the decking around the chimney.

Using good grammar *does not* mean sounding like an academic. Quite the opposite, especially if you limit passive voice.

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I'll gladly let you be my editor, Jim, but you have to do it "pro bono", and you have to do it in no time.

Guilty as charged, I searched three reports and found five uses, but all of which, I think pass muster. The best thing about the phrase is its brevity.

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

All are wrong. Simple rule: if you can substitute "because of" then "due to" is wrong.

Except that "due to" is shorter, so in my book it wins.

If your goal is shorter, then you've been pinching pennies while wasting dollars. Consider:

Distribution of receptacles was not easy to tell due to the large amount of furniture and personal belongs in the rooms.

* Furniture and personal belongings limited access to the receptacles.

I did not operate the cooling side due to ambient temperature.

* It's too cold out to run the air conditioner.

My crawl traverse found some damaged insulation. Much of duct length did not or only barely cleared ground, due to height limits in crawl.

* Some of the crawlspace insulation is damaged. Low clearance forces the ducts to touch the ground.

Some joists look original, some are newer due to repairs through time.

* Some joists are original while others are newer.

Some decking on both sides of the chimney column is rotted due to flashing leaks.

* Flashing leaks have rotted the decking around the chimney.

Using good grammar *does not* mean sounding like an academic. Quite the opposite, especially if you limit passive voice.

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