ejager

Lots of questions: How old is the home? Central cooling/heating system? Did the IAQ test look at mold/pollen allergens or also include tests for hydrocarbons? RADON test? Assuming its nothing more complicated than a need for cleaner air, and you have a central heating system, you could go with a whole home filtration system, with or without UV, multiple pleated filters, including a carbon option. Good luck and keep us informed?

In our neck of the woods, LVL's require 3" end bearing, sometimes 4-1/2" depending on load - though there are always engineered exemptions. I suppose its possible that these were NOT end bearing locations, but mid spans in a multiply beam...

With the COVVD restrictions, the city of Calgary moved to virtual safety code inspections. You would call them up on a service like Zoom or Facetime when it is time to inspect. They would tell you what to point the camera at.... I can't imagine the stuff that got overlooked...oh wait...they were doing that already.

I'm seeing more and more wall mounted boilers here. I know that they've dealt with the hot cold sandwich effect with small accumulator tanks (go figure!) in some Rinnais. The Triangle Tube system has a cabinet thats larger but far more open space inside and a more contained heat exchanger that offers little to see, but I've never seen one with a problem - yet. Like all technologies, things have improved. The same scale reducing improvements that have been included in conventional water heaters are also incorporated in newer on-demand systems. I'm curious why you guys suggest that they use more water?

This 1940's home had the original brick chimney with 'terra-cotta liner'. Only a furnace and water heater using the chimney now - separate issues. What I am curious about is this 'side-elbow'. Any thought would be appreciated.

Whitest paint ever for roofs.... as if there was never a layer of dust/dirt/pollution/leaves/bird shit on it.

Home inspection as a risk assessment... there is no absolute right or wrong. We need only explain the risk levels if not self evident (and according to my insurance company - its never evident so when I point out a pipe leak, I have to say " Water leaks can damage contents, materials, structure and may cause mould. Possible hidden damage". And each client has their own level of risk tolerance for any particular problem - or for each side of the triangle. Some are good with vermiculite - some have personal experience with a stove missing an anti-tip bracket, or leaking fridge that makes them averse to appliance concerns. Some have the money to deal with the consequences, some have the skills to lower the risks... I never know and it doesn't matter.

You disconnected the vent piping to shoot a picture inside?

Thanks Jim, I believe it is a Masonite or similar hardboard product. I'm just surprised to a find a 35 year old installation that looked so good .

Looking for an ID please. 1985 home in Calgary and the siding looked great. All aluminum corners in place, all most all butt joints covers in place. I see a groove in the back of the (what I assume to be ) hardboard that is unlike anything I am familiar with. but then I see the cross section of the "blocks" at a telephone jack and older electrical cover plate and think it could be newer materials.

Jim: My apologies if I came across as better than, or even in the same league, as you. As someone who has been reading these pages for over 14 years (but a participant for only 11), I have learned to add "Katen" to any Google search when trying to verify anything for my own knowledge and home inspection reports. Your battles here with (someone now banned I believe ) were epic! More than once I have been the beneficiary of your "efficient use of language" in correcting both my questions and my understanding. And for that I am grateful. I will not apologize however, for pointing out behaviour unbecoming. I "get" being exasperated with yet another mold question especially when someone is not taking responsibility for their part in the problem, however - no amount of expertise justifies hostility even when disguised as humour. Its not representative of the professionalism of our craft, of the professionalism I have seen many people here, including - maybe even especially you, exhibit, nor, of the professionalism we are all capable of exhibiting everyday. It is up to all of us, to hold ourselves up to a higher standard, and support each other to do the same. Marc: If that was not how I came across, please let me know and I will try do it differently in the future.

Thread-drift: This is an inspection guide (which was certainly written and edited by committee) with repair instructions?

$400 is less than the cost of one inspection and you'll be using it every working day for the foreseable future - don't skimp on your tools.

Jim, while I love that you speak with deserved conviction and share your knowledge freely, when you slip into sarcasm, we don't get to see the best side of you. Admittedly, it can be more than a little tiresome when yet another tenant shows up on this home inspection forum looking for back-up in a fight with a landlord but although not everyone understands or respects boundaries, everyone needs a place to live. Maybe when ArVandelay is looking to buy their own place, they can remember the inspectors here treated them with dignity and compassion.

Its great to hear when conclusions are reached. Sorry you had an experience, but grateful you are finding resolution so "quickly".

I have been using telescopic ladders for a quite a few years now and won't be going back to hauling anything else through the house to get into the attic. Works well for most bungalows as well. My back, arms, shoulders, have never complained about my decision. My first one had a single release that allowed the whole thing to collapse back down... I did get nervous about that one and replaced it with one where I have to release every rung separately. I carry a JAWS for two storey homes where I can't straddle the ridge of a lower roof to get up to the second storey. I'm 6'2" and 225 and have never felt like it was unsafe. I do replace it every three years because the paranoia here eats at me a little and that is how I placate it. On a side note: I rented a 40' extension ladder for one inspection of a three storey home and that thing wiggled and bucked so much I couldn't believe that it was ever "safety-rated" by anyone.

Reminded me of tire skid marks... Skateboarders? 🚲

I don't disagree with the sentiment. Can you speak a little more to wrong materials and wrong fasteners?

We've got a switch next to the thermostat that turns on both the bath exhaust fan and the furnace blower motor. The switch in the bathroom won't turn the fan off if this switch turns it on. There is a fresh air intake on the return air system ahead of the furnace. I explain is as the switch you use when the heat and/or humidity levels necessitate an active changing of the air in the home - such as when you are having a house party. Most people seem to get it

Wow....

Jim, those are some interesting specifications for single pipe. That pipe alone should be easily able to serve the furnace alone, as would another single pipe like that for a direct vent water heater. Do you know what the logic is in making a single source have to be so much larger?

Smart-ass question: How does the furnace know to only pull the air from outside and not from the closet? More serious question: Is this an AHJ accepted thing in your area?

Greetings fellow inspectors, I've met a great couple near me who are passionate and good at marketing and have a "Marketing Department in a Box" package that I going to subscribe to. I'm great at inspecting but my technical writing is not what is going to get me business. I am hiring out my social media content to them - because that's what they do. The deal is that they will be supplying the social media posts and content for some web pages, I will be doing the posting, the email mail outs and other 'grunt' stuff that I have time for and the skill set to accomplish - this also means that I will able to see (and thereby control) any content before it goes out. When things get back to "normal", I will consider paying for everything... the social media posting, the emails and other marketing as well. This package/service has nothing to do with advertising or pay per click. Why am I telling you this? Because they and I are part of a networking group, they have offered me a deal. If I can find 7 other independent inspectors in different geographic areas, we can each get the content package for $195/month. They will write somewhat different content for each company so that it is not copy an paste across the interweb, and of course tailor it to our individual companies, areas and service offerings. There is no set-up fee. You'll get an initial set-up meeting and again every couple of months. I have never left a discussion with them and not felt like I had learned a tremendous amount. They are Richard Bueckert and Melody Grant. Their company Railgun Marketing operates of Canmore, AB. I won't drop a link, You know how to Google. Feel free to reach out to me, or contact them directly for more information. I've got one other inspector in Alberta lined up so far but I think this has tremendous potential to get started now and be in full operation by the time we get to go out and do some more business!

Best advice I ever heard from a mold remediation expert is: "If you have less than 32 sq ft of mold (that's a whole sheet of plywood), don't call me; you can deal with a little bit of mold on your own."

I wish my crystal ball worked so I could understand "Why?".....