Paul MacLean

We have several vines (no Kudzu though) that will climb brick, stone or any other siding around here. Vines do no good for anything. I addition to all the comments above, they hold moisture against the wall, hide rot and other problems and are conducive conditions for termites, carpenter ants, etc. No good can come from vines on the house...tell'em to remove the growies. Oops, "growies" is left over from architecture classes in the 60s.

Same here. Every gas appliance has its own flue. I never see flues connected even when the appliances are sitting side-by-side.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to pass your collected wisdom on the the buyer. I'm sure he is going the buy the house. This place wasn't built to standards and had a lot of electrical and plumbing issues. I wouldn't spend my money here; but then, it's not my money.

OK. Here are the images again. I've thrown in the chimney crown for grins. Download Attachment: abc.JPG 41.5 KB Download Attachment: abcb.JPG 44.56 KB Download Attachment: abcc.JPG 50.38 KB Download Attachment: abcd.JPG 49.12 KB The loading speed for these images was like molasses on a cold day!

[:-banghead] The forum said the pictures were successfully posted, now they won't open for me. What's up? OK. I'll try again. Download Attachment: 04g2310176 (2).JPG 44.58 KB Download Attachment: 04g2310173 (2).JPG 50.39 KB Download Attachment: 04g2310174 (2).JPG 41.52 KB Sorry, I give up. They're posted on the ASHI board.

My inspection today. A strange one for Central Texas. Concrete block exterior walls with a 'rubberized stucco' finish. What's the finish material. Any and all opinions welcome. Download Attachment: 04g2310176 (2).JPG 44.58 KB Download Attachment: 04g2310173 (2).JPG 50.39 KB Download Attachment: 04g2310174 (2).JPG 41.52 KB

Now I'm in the DUH category. I know about this concern, but isn't that "fill your glass w/ toilet TANK water, which is potable water?" This wouldn't backsiphon toiler BOWL water, would it? How could it? Kurt, Now that you're gonna start looking in the tanks, you'll be amazed at what is growing in some of them...mold, scum like you wouldn't believe. THAT is what you'd be drinking with a cross-connection. And, you'll be amazed at how many "short" fill valves are installed by homeowners when the original valve fails, creating a cross-connection. Also, anyone with thoughts on those tanks where the low-profile white fill valve is mounted to the bottom of the tank? If that ain't a cross-connection, what is? Thanks Jerry! You said it.

I don't worry about those little fill hoses unless they're not tied down and squirt water everywhere. Some run into the overflow tube and some directly into the tank. Another note: Using toilets to date houses doesn't work here. The City of Austin has been promoting the 1.6 gallon commodes (even giving them away) to cut down on water usage. As a result old toilets hardly exist anymore. Several years ago I saw a demonstration by the Texas Board of Plumbing Examiners on possible cross-connections. One example was an improper flush valve in a toilet tank. With a loss of water pressure, you could turn on a sink faucet and fill your glass with toilet water.[:-sick] Texas SOP says look in toilet tanks.

The fill valve, flush valve, whatever you want to call it should be at least an inch above the top over the overflow tube in the tank to stop back-siphoning and prevent possible cross-connections. Think of it as an air gap. New guts for most toilet tanks can be had at the big orange box for less then $10. I tell'em they come with directions and if you know a few four letter words, it's a do-it-yourself project.

Hell, I don't even have a pool and I have one of those![b)]

Me Too! Tell us who you are.

I drive a Ford Ranger pick-up. The 24' extension ladder cost $120. The pipe rack installed on the pick-up to carry the $120 ladder cost $300.[] The rack was added after the photo (left) was taken.

I also agree with educating clients. The real pay-off is when you get an unsolicited comment like this: "One of the most educational days ever. Paul taught us a very comprehensive lesson on home maintenance, on top of educating us about repairs needed. He delivers what a customer expects, then goes several steps further. We feel we know that house up and down." That was good day![]

Mike, Your got better genes than I did! I will walk that garage roof, but not the house. Sticky feet ain't the problem...it's the balance man! I'd look like a weird golf ball as I came rolling off that roof. Down here a 22 foot ladder is just about a foot shy for most two story houses. You have to have a 24 footer to reach the roof, and the transition can be scary.[:-hot] As I've said before, 24 foot is about all I can handle safely.

Now if we can just get them to put weepholes in masonry...[:-banghead]

No check, No report. It works wonders[:-grumpy]

Getting in here late makes it easy. What did the guys miss Norm?

Our crawl spaces in Central Texas predate the 1950s, have exposed dirt, low clearances (2 feet is wonderful), are frequently wet or damp and almost none of the old leaky frame houses above them have a mold problem. Hell, I hardly ever find mold in these wet crawl spaces. I'm sure our climate has a lot to do with it, but it was in this climate that Linda Ballard got famous. I have to agree with everything Mike, Kurt and the EPA said. Mold has gotten totally out-of-hand.

Gotcha Mike, I reported "wiring problems (possible open neutral)" and punted it back to the electrician. I was just surprised that the Sure Test treated it like a dead circuit with no suggestion of what the problem might be.

Thanks for the comments! I only recently started using the Sure Test after January's ASHI convention. So I have the three light tester in my pocket all the time. Basically I use the three light tester and fall back to the Sure Test when things start looking suspicious.

It's taken me over 14 years to get to this point. About 45% of my business comes through my web site, about 20% from agent referrals, about 15% from ASHI and other inspection organizations and the rest from other referrals (i.e. former clients, other inspectors, etc.) It has been many years since actively solicited agent business, and that's a good feeling!

Yesterday inspecting new construction, I found four receptacle outlets that did nothing on my SureTest...a blank screen. So I got out the trusty old three light tester and it told me there was an open neutral. I can't find anything in my SureTest instructions that identifies open neutrals. Any comments?

I only run heat pumps on one mode (heating or cooling) depending on the season and outdoor temperature. But I always test the emergency heat feature regardless of the outside temperature.

Donald, In my cursory pool inspections I don't move any valves, and it is so stated on my report. If the seller is around I will enlist him in the inspection and let him "show" the buyer how everything works. Most sellers are proud of their pools and feel honored to help. I also automatically recommend a "pool school" from a qualified pool contractor as part of every pool inspection.

Donald basically got it from what I can see. I thought about a pool heater being removed, but that PVC capped in the yard makes no sense to me and the open PVC would have presumably been capped. I guess a closed valve might keep the system pressurized, but I'm really stretching it now.[:-dunce] OK Norm...what did we miss?