Nolan Kienitz

Hi Chad,

I've been hearing about aggressive water with high alkalinity in the eastern states for years. I remember that some of the most brackish stuff I ever tasted was water in upstate New York when I used to work summers building silos up there. Any chance that's what you're dealing with?

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Man oh Man ... I'm going to make sure I'm on the observant side so I don't get attacked by "aggressive water" .... []

Why?

It's stucco !!

A friend of mine in the Houston market who is a specialist for stucco and similar cladding (15 plus years) ... says he has never seen ONE installation that is correct.

No matter if it is a 'spensive house or a less than 'spensive house.

However ... one would hope/think that someone would get it right sometime or somewhere.

This is an update to an earlier post of mine about the proposed SOP, Rules and Report Template for the Texas TREC licensed inspectors.

The attached documents are the final DRAFT documents that have been posted at the TREC website for review. These documents and proposal for change will be taken up by the appropriate committees later this summer/fall and acted upon.

I'm sure ... more to come.

All in all the changes in the proposed SOP, Rules and Template are "foward" steps to help simplify one of the most detailed/controlling SOPs that inspectors anywhere have to deal with.

I realize that most of the participants of TIJ don't deal with or really care about the dealings we in Texas have, but it may be of interest to some and I know that there are some other Texas-licensed HI's who participate in this forum.

Proposed SOP:

Download Attachment: Draft_SoP's_535.227-233.pdf

194.49 KB

Proposed Report Form Rules:

Download Attachment: Draft_535.222,_.223.pdf

218.94 KB

Proposed Report Template:

Download Attachment: Draft_REI7-3.pdf

112.93 KB

Not that I was looking for it, but caught a quick piece of Holmes on Fox & Friends this morning.

He was brandishing an IR camera and stated that ALL inspectors should have them and if they don't (effectively) they are not a worthwhile inspector (my turn of words in that comment). He also noted the IR camera was about $20K.

Then Gretchen asked if a homeowner could rent one and do their own IR work. [:-bigeyes Holmes did play that down a bit mentioning some understanding of the readings was necessary ... IE: Level 1.

He commented that he has $500K of tools and that all builders/inspectors should be similarly equipped.

It was a very quick/short piece, but likely enough to plant more seeds to foster questions from potential clients.

I've done some quick searching, but have not been able to find the video for the piece yet and it may be available later today.

Found the link for the video:

Holmes on Fox & Friends

KM - Are you sure? Doesn't O'Handley have lighthouses at the top of the list?

However ... this would really be neat ..

Per Kurt's observations ... when you go outside and look up at the eaves are there vents at spaced locations or a similar vent of some sort that would synch up with the 'daylight' you see in the attic?

Regardless ... you "should" have vents in the eaves and when the replacement insulation is placed be sure that the company places "baffles" in the eave (in the attic) so the new insulation does not cover up the path of air flow from those soffit (eave) vents into and through the attic for adequate ventilation.

As Jim noted ... images would be very helpful.

i did an inspection recently that had a large tree in the front yard take a direct lightning hit. Tree was toast and subsequently removed.

Buyer told me about the tree and to do the best I could to find anything that 'might' have been damaged due to the strike in addition to my normal detailed inspection. This is the 2nd home I've inspected for this client ... she walked (thankfully) from the first one I did for her.

Seller's disclosure (that I never saw) was very upfront about the strike and had documents from various folks (HVAC, Electrical) providing analysis of related items and (according to buyer) all had been deemed OK. Sale of home was an estate situation.

One thing I did note was the black residue where the sprinkler system controller (in the garage) was smoked. It had not yet been replaced, but was in process of being done by sellers.

Just keep your eyes open in all sorts of areas.

It is likely a translation issue with the browser or version thereof being used.

New homeowners have filed a lawsuit against builder, Pillar to Post and inspector of the PtoP franchise.

Inspector was also sanctioned by TREC last summer. Likely as a precursor to the filing of the suit.

Download Attachment: Brown_vs_ChesmarHomes.pdf

1120.63?KB

TREC Disciplinary Action

Jimmy - Have you inspected this one?

Boston's Skinniest House?

Get Cozy in this 84-s.f. cabin

84-s.f. Cozy Cabin

In Texas they (homeowners w/septic systems) are supposed to have them inspected quarterly or on some schedule.

State had/has requirements and they pushed the responsibility down to the counties and related AHJs.

Of course there are legacy drain field systems and then the aerobic systems.

Official inspections of septic come from the companies who are licensed to install/maintain the systems.

There are courses offered for a 'septic certification' and many HIs take them and then claim they are the specialists for inspecting the systems ... as if they can see inside the tanks, pump them out, etc., etc..

I do not inspect septics and advise client to have local/authorized septic company provide inspection. Usually there is a list of inspections on a control panel label indicating the recurring inspections by a local company. I advise client to call them for details/history.

I do look for tank access lids and stability/security, but that is as far as I go.

know what you mean. I don't really "touch" mine with my hands a lot. The pen is what I use the most. It's amazing the amount of time I've cut out of my reporting not having to write on a yellow pad then enter the info onto the laptop. You just point to the area of the report you want info typed into, a box comes up, you handwrite your info in the box and it covert's it over to text flawlessly.

That's what's so nice about the windows bases Slate tablets. They are full computers and do everything a laptop does with all the features of a tablet too. I was dreading learning a new computer and report software, but wonder how I use to do reports before. Laptops will soon be a thing of the past just like desktops. Everything will be tablet based.

Noted that you indicated you are using Whisper Reporter on the tablet and it appears that you really like that approach. I've been using WR since it was first released and get to help Larry & Eric out with debugging and new things sometimes before they are released. It is a great application and when I was talking with Larry recently he was telling me I should try WR on a tablet (I don't have one ... yet).

I'm still locked to my Dell notebook, but may consider a tablet the next time.

Brick veneer in Texas anyway.

I had an obstinate client (ended up firing him last Saturday) when he kept hammering for "free follow-up" inspections. House was a new home final and gas meter was not set for date of inspection and client wanted me to come back "as necessary" to re-inspect.

I told him there would be a fee for the follow-up.

Goes without saying he didn't like that at all. He had also argued about my original fee for the inspection.

Finally I told him I just could not do his inspection(s) for free and maybe he could find a newbie who would be willing to do so.

He 'texted' back and said any professional would not charge for the follow-ups and that I was "just an inspector" and not a professional.

I just bit my tongue, reined in my fingers and did not text him back.

Some of the best inspections one has are the ones that are not booked.

Very nice work, John and great attention to detail.

Likely more than one wants to know about CFLs.

GE FAQs on CFLs

Don't let any of your trials to 'keep soft' let it turn into ANY SHADE of PINK!

If you do Marc will never answer/help out. []

The TPR drain line should be going to outside of home ... not into a drain pan.

But then I'm a purist in my views on that!!

I'm reasonably OK with the line from the drain pan going where it is, but not with the line from the TPR first going to the drain pan.

As Bain noted ... "happy feet"

I'm very pleased to get ~two/week. Of course the "drive-bys" are slammed at 3-4/day and the zoids love 'em.

I provide various links in my current reports (PDF) that go to various locations where there is additional support documentation.

Not sure if any of my clients follow up and view them or not.

Many manufacturer require/request that the first 24-inches of the primary condensate line from the EVAP coil be insulated.

This to minimize/contain the sweating of the PVC.

Of course in Texas in many/most cases the furnace/EVAP coil are located in the attic and the summer temps can range from 130 to 170 degrees and thus a lot of sweating from the condensate line.

Sweating results in the water/moisture soaking through the insulation and then the ceiling sheetrock and then folks freaking out thinking they have roof leaks.

And ... we don't always see the insulation wrap on the condensate lines down here as well.

Use was ID'd by Kibbel

A bunch of my friends and family just bought one of more famous on the Great Lakes.

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=308

You are making O'Handley so jealous it is likely not even funny!!!

South of Kennebunkport near York, Maine.

I have an artists' painting of that lighthouse from September of 1988.

I was living in NYC at the time and my girlfriend and I were on holiday to Maine and visited the lighthouse and area.

Known as the "Cape Neddick (Nubble) Light" ... York, Maine.