David C. Argabright

Wiggy, Almost fool proof.

I don't know if it's in the IRC or the IBC but I think it's addresed in article 12, section 23, paragraph 2, line 3, in the BCS. (Book of Common Sense)

Yeah....what those guys said. And that they get a licenced qualified plumbing contractor to do the work.

Looks to me that BOTH of the PT valves are tapped. I can't see how this would allow any discharge from the valves or how any water would circulate. The levers are in the closed position. You may not be a plumber but it appears that you might suspect more than this pipe putter togetherer did. I hope those in the know can explain it better that I.

I saw a one room school that was built around 1840 with a suspended chimney in the center. The difference is that it was made for a free standing stove to attach to and provide heat in the building. It had a simple beam system on each side to hold the weight of the masonry. Metal bars and under-carriage transferred the weight onto the beams above the ceiling. It was still a very solid structure after all these years. Sorry I can't locate the photos. What you have pictured appears to serve no purpose other than to hold the top of a now useless chimney. Are the tops of the chimneys open and allow water entry? Did they plan on building a new firebox and using the old chimneys? Do they have clay flue liners or exposed brick? If I saw them I'd recommend they be removed. Then they could do a little something with the upper area.

I had McAfee fo awhile but it caused more problems thna it prevented. Switched to Solo. Darn good and daily updates. No bugs.

I agree with what the others have said. The water runoff from steeper pitched sides will be forced under the flat section. I also think that it should be a single ply membrane that extends far under the shingles and should be sealed. Any shingles that might be installed over a single ply membrane would put lots of little holes in that nice seamless roofing material. Maybe they could use construction adhesive to glue them in place. The cap shingles appear to have a very narrow gap for air movement. Were they applied over a conventional ridge vent but cut to hang over the edges? With warm weather did they sag and have covered the opening of the ridge vent? Just my .015 worth or a guess.

I agree. It is a very good book on all things we are likely to encounter electrically. After reading it myself I gave loaned it to my associate to help prepare him for taking the NHIE. Great reference material and I learn something new every time I read a part of it. Well worth the price.

Absoluty correct Kurt. That was not the direct quote and that's not the way I report. That was the condensed "inspector speak" wording. I said I filled the tub, turned on the pump, and the water drained through the disconnected pipe. Thanks for watching my wording. Betweeen Walter and yourself I may just get the hang of this report writing thingy in another nine years.

Neil; Are you positive that Aluminum was manufactured in 12 guage or larger? I'm sure I've seen 14 guage on 15 amp breakers and called it for two reasons.

ASHI Standards of Practice; Section 6.1 A (Plumbing). "The inspector shall inspect the interior water supply and distribution systems including all fixtures and faucets." I think that would also include the whirlpool pump and pipes. As a side note I emptied an entire whirlpool tub through a kitchen ceiling in less than 10 seconds. Seems the sellers forgot that there was a disconnected pipe from the pump. Took 45 minutes to cleanup after the dripping stopped. Called everyone I could think of...and waited to get "the call". That happened three years and still waiting so I guess I can breath easy now. The disconnected pipe was hidden behind other pipes and could not be seem without a mirror or cutting the ceiling away. My report said it was "discovered during testing of the whirlpool circulatory system".

Monte, Lately I've been using the Jornida to imput information as I go. It does cut down on the inspection time and should reduce it further as I get better at typing as I walk. I have a problem with the screen in sunlight. My associate is trying the smaller PDA which is better outside. But I like the larger size and was wondering if the newer model simular in size to the Jornida would be worth considering.

Can any of you recommend a book about HVAC that is close in quality to Doug Hansens book on electrical inspections? Thanks in advance..[^]

I'm trying to shorten the time it takes to complete my reports. The palm tech report is plenty detailed and my average report takes around two hours to complete back at the office. I have the portable computer but don't want to use it on site as I believe 2 1/2 - 3 hours for an average house is as long as I can keep the home buyers attention. I have the "inspection designer" version 3 and have been using this system for almost two years. Many of the comments are written from scratch while the rest are my boiler pate that is somewhat modified. I'd like to cut a little time away from the current 5+ total hours for each house. Any Ideas? David A. T.G.I.F. Getting really tired in Columbus Ohio

Can the armored cable really be used as a true ground? I once thought that it could but lately I've changed my opinion. I now consider it a false ground. K & T in insulation sounds O.K. if it's in good condition.

Phil, As YOU've already stated, the first and most important tool that you can carry with you is YOU. It doesn't matter what tools YOU have or how fancy or expensive they are if YOU don't know how to use them, what they might tell YOU, and perhaps most importantly, what they can't or don't tell YOU. YOU are the person who will decide what tool to use in what circumstance, YOU will determine what YOU see after using the tool. You will choose what language to use, and how to say what YOU have seen. YOU have to make the decision as to the type of report to give and when to give it, as well as make the decision to use complete sentences, abreviations, or check marks. YOU are the person who will have to communicate very clearly what YOU have found to whomever YOU are working for. It's a never ending battle for most of us because as we become better educated and more experianced we realize that we will never ever be a Mark, Mike, Jerry, Douglas, or one of a few hundred others that we consider very knowledgeable in this field. We wipe the sweat from our eyes take a deep breath and try to follow where others have gone. Try to find an experienced inspector that will allow you to carry their ladder for a day. It will be worth it. YOU will be glad that YOU are getting to know the greatest tool in your bag...YOU.