Eric B

I haven't had any issues with A.L. and aside from the emails I don't get calls from them, unless their using an "unknown" or 800 number - I never answer those. I was a member of the BBB but then I got a taste of how they're run and I ran. Now I don't line anybody's pockets.

Agreed. It's situations like this where I report based upon my experience and opinion - the heck with AHJ or manufacturer requirements.

Canon's 18x50 IS binoculars fit into that category - serious magnification and great stabilizer.

Since vinyl siding is not intended to be resistant to water intrusion I would not mention it. What is important is what you can't see behind the vinyl.

If the entire unit is not going to be cleaned then I don't see a reason to clean just the louvers.

What I might do on my own home is not necessarily what I'd put in my report. The material is frayed and therefore replacement is the option I'd be guiding the client towards. It's easy to want to be a nice guy but we are paid tell it as it is. Tossing a pinch of empathy can make it easier to do.

After reading the article twice I've come to the conclusion that it's quite good. The line "I?ve found that the more experienced and mature inspectors are able to choose just the right tone to convey their findings" is quite accurate. I saw nothing in the article that references controlling the inspector - its gist is helping buyers maintain proper perspective which many inspectors don't seem to be capable of doing.

Even though I usually know what needs to be done I don't put it in writing. I much prefer to leave the "how to correct" decisions to the contractors.

Seems like there's an injunction involved with this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDgSNApm4go

Mike, As for the cracks - the CSIA will go along with cracks if they don't break the panel into two distinct pieces or if they're not wide enough to insert a coin. As for the spalled /damaged surface there are no allowances for that. Last I heard replacing these panels (sold in sets) is about $400.00. It's also possible that a CSIA sweep will say that the unit is past its expected service life if it's on older unit - they're not rated for infinite use. If the firebox has to be replaced then there's the question of whether the new unit is compatible with (designed for) the old vent. It can get really costly. Telling the client it's an easy fix could possibly result in you're later getting a dreaded phone call.

I can go along with that for many situations but not in this case. A combustible's ignition point can be lowered given time and exposure to high heat. Just because a lack of proper clearance has "worked" for 30 years doesn't mean it'll work for 31.

I recently delved into this and was told that the pumps can be used in a variety of circumstances and not all of them will require the bonding lug connection. For a tub in the home with metal water pipes then all that is needed is the three prong plug connected to a grounded receptacle. If the pumps is on an exterior tub then the lug should be utilized. I don't know if this is the ultimate answer but it's what I'm going with at present. I also don't know the answer to plastic water pipes being present - we don't have much of that here.

Were you expecting a result other than moisture problems and increased indoor air pollution? It seems odd to me that after people spend money to make their homes more air tight they then have to spend money to help it breathe. Somewhere along the line they're not being given the full story when they start out on such projects.

I never report on the exposed paper despite all the flak I get to the contrary. By the time the homeowner loads the house up with his combustible possessions the paper becomes a bit irrelevant to my way of thinking.

Being that I'm a literal kinda guy I would say that the intake air for a direct vent furnace is forced air - little doubt that it's air and and it is being forced by a fan. As far as I can tell it'd be a neat trick to deny that.

I subscribed to the JLC for many years but the articles and diagrams seemed to veer away from installation practices and I didn't find the mag as useful. Your article is of the caliber I was accustomed to.

Brick sills come to mind.

Ye of little faith!

How many people live in the home, do they use exhaust fans, how tight is the home, what was the outdoor temp prior to your visit,what's the humidity in the home, so there are baffles - is there daylight from the soffit vents? This is the kind of stuff I consider.

Not sure how you guys are making your determinations. For me there's too little information about the home. There can be quite a variety of possibilities.

Mike, Are the first two photos of a "home" you inspected? I couldn't get paid enough to take on such a structure.

Usually I can pick things up quite easily by hand. Otherwise I pull out the Dirt Devil - great little vac for the size. Never had to bother with sheets. If there's a significant pile of cellulose over the scuttle I don't go into the attic - no way do I want that kind of mess.

The trouble I have with that installation Tony is the hard coat being caulked to the counter flashing. If water is behind the siding where does it end up? I just don't like the idea of channeling water behind any flashing. If some muni inspector or contractor says it's ok I'd be happy to have it on their back.

I see foundation cracks virtually everyday and seldom see one that gets me ramped up. The only problem I really see with cracks is how many home inspectors respond to them. Too often they come in as a caped crusader trying to be a hero and save their client from economic ruin or they want to eliminate any potential liability and pawn the condition off on someone else - like your smart as a whip engineer.

For years I did the portable generator routine which of course was useless if I wasn't home. We have a high water table here and when the sump pump fires up it discharges 5-6,000 per hour which pretty much rules out a back up pump. Three years ago I went with a fully automated Kohler 18KW system. Sizing is based upon what you want to power. What I didn't expect was having to install a larger natural gas meter - generators use LOTS of natural gas. The electric companies are pretty serious about how people use generators - if they find you with an improper system that could send power out into the grid where some lineman is working you could find yourself still having to use the generator after the utility has restored power - to everyone but you.