hmiller

A while back I found a tool belt at Lowes designed for a handyman, and has a perfect place for things like the camera, electrical testers, screwdriver, flashlight, multi function tool, etc. Kind of like this one; http://iss.roostergroup.com/attachments ... -670-P.jpg It works good for things I use regularly. Everything else stays in the truck until needed.

Isn't that true. There are alot of folks who think they can just buy the tool and become an instant expert. Reality is there are alot of variables with moisture meters and the materials/circumstances you "encounter". (no pun intended....well maybe) I can say I have seen and talked with way too many sellers, contractors, agents, and other inspectors about the bathroom floors that showed no visible evidence of leakage, yet were deemed defective by someone with a moisture meter. Most dissapointing (to the individual paying the bill), is when these floors are "filleted" open to find "nothing".

Was the professor Mystified that these things start off as a simple question about the something like the close proximity of the gas and electric meter to each other, and whether some protection from vehicles should be installed.......and rather end up in debate about mostly topics not related to the intial question? ........I sure am. And Kurt is right "It's all so odd"

I am not sure what the point in calling out what appears to be a sound looking single wall vent is. Our job is not to interpret codes, like municipal code officials, and then try to apply them to 10 year old homes, ....or new homes for that matter. Our job is to report the "condition" of what is present. If it is "defective" then call it like it is. But calling to replace a perfectly sound single wall vent, because it may or may not meet some code at some point in time is over-stepping.

I have been approached by the BBB on an annual basis. In my opinion it is just like any other club, or organization, which is about collecting your annual dues and in return you get to use their name in your marketing. Oh boy.... Never had any one ask if I was a member of the BBB, just like no one asks about Professional HI Associations. .....Waste of money in my opinion.

I understand your frustration with roof certs and cedar shake roofs in general. My experiences are often the same. It never fails, you are driving into the neighborhood and every other house on the block has a new roof, or their cedar looks well cared for and maintained, yet the one you are scheduled to inspect looks rough from the seat of your truck. Then you get up on it and find how lousy it is. And of course someone has issued a roof cert on it......ugh....

Well if everyone was playing by the same rules, meaning HI's having SPI licensing, then there would be alot less confusion. The possibility of a home inspection law has been looming for years, and has always been a topic of discussion at the training seminars. Newsletters from WSPMA have kept us updated on the proposed legislation, and the new law now put into effect.

I am talking about the connection detail on page 7 of this document (9 if you are reading the Acrobat page counter) http://buildingcodes.jocogov.org/docume ... 20Book.pdf I really don't know where you would find a situtation in residential construction where you would have a detail like Jim is talking about. A structural member supported only on one end?

Well this has been a lesson in futility... However an interesting topic for the historians and wordsmiths among us. I will continue to call the joist extension of an upper level floor system, over the lower story, a cantilevered floor system. That seems to be what everyone in my location knows them as, and nobody ever seems to looked confused when that term is applied. Like I say, call them what you want, I don't read your reports. So anyone up for answering what to recommend with split level homes and second story decks hanging off the wood framing that hangs over the edge (I guess similar to a tree branch? ) ? Any way that was the real question. The answer will be interesting considering the differing opinions on the word cantilever.

I am certainly missing something in this discussion. And thinking that maybe I could learn something. So I will ask, if Bills' diagram above is that of a cantilevered floor joist system, then what does an overhanging floor system look like? The tree branch concept has me perplexed, as it relates to nothing I can think of in home construction.

You are welcome to call it what you want "cantilever" or "overhang" .....essentially I am speaking about the upper floor joists that extend out above the first story wall. In the document provided by Frank it happens to call it the "Cantilevered Floor Overhang". So I am just wondering, since I see alot of these "prohibited connections" in practical use, performing adequately, how others approach this subject.

This is a very informative document on deck installations. http://awc.org/Publications/DCA/DCA6/DCA6.pdf Thanks to Frank for posting it. In reading this I came across something I did not know on page 12, where it specifically calls ledger board attachment to a cantilvered overhang a prohibited connection. I find this interesting considering the fact that many split-level homes have a cantilevered upper story, which almost always has a upper level deck attached off of the kitchen/dining rooms. Rarely, if ever, have I seen these free standing. Does anyone ever make a recommendation to add an additional inner support beam with posts and piers to take the load off the ledger, and the cantilvered floor system?

My guess would be a loose neutral wire... It is not likely that the ground is really hot. Rather what happens is that your tester is being tricked... Notice that the "open ground" light uses the far left light only. And the "Hot/ ground reverse" uses left and right lamps. My guess is the neutral has a poor connection but is not fully disconnected, energizing the far right lamp on the tester.

This deck collapse story seems fitting for this topic....http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_062209WAB-orting-deck-collapse-SW.175177de.html

Thanks for the reply. I had a feeling that was that was the case regarding whether these ever break even. And you are right, if someone wants to be comitted to "living green" they would live in a much smaller dwelling, instead of building a large sprawling compound and attaching solar and geo thermal to call it a green home. Not that I have anything against folks who like to live in 15 K square foot homes, just don't try to pass them off as "green"..... (ahem......Al Gore) [:-propell

How many years it will take to reach the "break even point" with this kind of system? Seems like it would take decades before this kind of system would have paid for itself in energy savings.

Found the link.... http://www.contracostatimes.com/realest ... i_12577947 My opinion is it is the buyers' responsibility to perform due diligence. As inspectors we are checking and reporting on the homes' condition, not wether it meets current or past municipal codes and regulations, or wether it was approved by the local planning department. I think it is interesting how Barry indentifies the inspector, appraiser, and realtor as 3 people who are likely responsible.....yet he leaves out the buyer.... Can you even find permit information on older structures? I am not so sure you can. I know with my own home, built in 2000, the building department sent me a nice little letter saying that they only keep the blueprints for a period of 5 years, and that if I wanted them I could get them.....otherwise if they did not hear from me they would be destroyed.

Sounds like the neighbors' installer is just trying to throw his competitor under the bus. Unfortunately there are too many contractors eager to tear down anyone elses work, even when it was completed properly.

I am having difficulty seeing the trouble with either install. I double checked Duravents installation instructions, and found an illustration that is very similar to the second photos install. http://www.duravent.com/docs/instruct/L204A_apr00.pdf I was hoping someone could enlighten me as to what I am missing. It is always good to learn something new.

Mike You summed this one up well. I think your choosing of the words "media hype" and "junk science" are fitting. If the lead, asbestos, formaledhyde, mold, (and now) chinese drywall does not get us......maybe the radon from granite counter tops will. Yet it amazes me how many people worry about these things, and then light up a cigarette......go figure.....

I think that is the C.R.A.P.S system... Cracking Roof Alien Plastic Shakes

Threaded rods are typically used as tie downs, and that is what these appear to be for.... As someone mentioned before, the wall was probably intended to be placed in line with these rods. These are normally concealed within the wall voids. Maybe someone planned on framing in a hall closet, which would also effectively conceal these? That is what I would do....... Of course a sawzall rod-ectomy came to mind....but you did not hear that from me....

A long time ago. From the 1979 CABO, R-503.8, "Approved corrosion-resistive flashing shall be provided at the top and sides of all exterior window and door openings in such manner as to be leakproof. . . " Ya, but the problem came when they started allowing "self flashing" windows to suffice, and stopped using head flashings.

Mike You are pretty much right on. There is a reason in the installation instructions it specifies that face nailing should not be used in conjunction with blind nailing. It is one or the other, but not both. Wet or not, you could still get enough thermal expansion and contraction that will crack those corners when face and blind nailed at the same time.

It is 45 lbs approx. and I noticed that it is going to take a little getting used to. A little dissapointed that it does not extend to 22' feet as implied. (18 feet is the loa )22 feet is the "working" height. But it is a nice ladder, and a couple feet longer than what I have been using.