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07/30/2010 03:56 PM
Need an opinion from a sweep...
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I came across this vent termination in a housing track built in 1988, which all of the houses were identical. The box is a majestic MBUC36 and the instructions that i could locate do not show this type of termination, it just shows a cap. So my question is, should there be a separation of the debris flue and cooling flues within this shroud? And / or is the cooling system too close to the debris flue (center flue).
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07/30/2010 03:49 PM
Rafter Splice/Engineers comments
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Inspected this attic of a modular home several months ago. I had limited access to the attic but called out the rafter splices as questionable.
Engineer comes back and says they are a "hinged roof truss framing system...and are common construction techniques in the modular home industy" and that all is ok.
The first pic is in an attic knee wall area. The other pics are of the attic.
I think the engineer looked in behind the knee walls and didn't actually enter the attic. (area above a third floor ceiling)
I am just looking for other opinions.
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07/30/2010 03:11 PM
Basement Issues - Structural
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Hey All,
I have a question that may be a good learning experience for all. First, I was doing an inspection in Westmont on a duplex (Row home type built in 1908).
See attached photos - Here is the situation: The flat roof was in good shape and drained perfectly - all good. The second floor slope in towards the stairwell located along the party wall as follows: from the front and rear bedrooms the floor slopes about ½ inch every four feet towards the stairwell. The lateral slope from the side bedroom is One Inch/four feet. Pretty drastic, but it is amazing how subtle it seems until you actually measure it.
The second floor has the same slope issues and you can see that the stairs leading into the basement have a slope away from the party wall towards the open basement.
There has been a very temporary fix with a couple of lolly columns and a 4x4 that seems to have arrested the situation (judging by the paint at the top of walls) and the floors seem solid above (no bounce or even loose hardwood flooring).
More evidence: If you look at the pictures of the walls of the basement it looks like the basement was lowered to the bottom of the foundation (without any added lateral support) and a floor poured. In the corner, a sump pump was recently added and in doing so a corner or the basement is open to the dirt below the pour. I was able to take a four foot probe (see picture) and drive it right under the foundation walls at several points. (There is also evidence of erosion under this corner caused by poor drainage, but that is another issue).
What I think happened is that the basement was lowered a long long time ago (judging by the poured floor). When this happened they opened up the floor to put in the basement steps and did not adequately support the trimmers around the stairwell.
Lastly you would think you would see settlement cracks somewhere there are none inside or out. The basement walls look plumb (though there is a LOT of junk in this basement.
What are your thoughts? Did they lower basements in the past without any added lateral support? What would you recommend for the stairwell issue: a licensed contractor or a structural engineer?
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07/30/2010 02:06 PM
Type of in floor
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Any idea what brand this in floor tubing is? It was installed around 89 or 90.
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07/30/2010 12:56 PM
Trying to Force Payment at Closing on Me
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I did a reinspect yesterday on a property I inspected for a client a few weeks ago. Well my client's realtor called me last week about the reinspect and asked if I take payment at closing. I said no, payment is due at time of inspection. So yesterday was the reinspect, the buyer gives me a check, but her agent asks about getting my tax ID# (something about the title company or somebody needing but didn't say exactly what for). Hmmmmm.....nobody ever asked me for that before. So yesterday afternoon, I get a message from the realtor saying if I have not yet cashed the buyer's check for the reinspect to hold onto it because the bank is going to send me a check for the reinspect.......and that they need my tax ID#. Ahhhhhh.......so it seems that even though I said "no payment at closing", it was going to be done this way all along and the buyer just gave me a check to play along (?).
I e-mailed the realtor reiterating our conversation from a week ago where I said "no payment at closing". Now the reinspect was yesterday and closing is just today. But it seems that nobody wants to listen to what the inspector says is the way payment needs to be made. The realtor called me a little while ago again saying the bank needs my tax ID#.
1 - I have one but don't know where it is (I have no need to have it on hand)
2 - I'm not going to go digging around my office to find it and give it to them so they can pay me the way I specifically stated in a manner I do not accept (at closing).
The realtor then said if I don't know where it is they'll need my SSN#. Let me think about tha......NO!!! I'm not giving my social to anybody. WTF!!!!
I'm annoyed about many things here but mainly because this is apparently the way the bank was planning on reimbursing my client for the reinspect fee but they purposely held off on telling me and tried to get me to do things to suit the bank.
Now I have to say I have no idea the way getting paid at closing works so I don't know if the bank/lender/title company needing a SSN or tax ID # is standard practice to cut a check to the inspector. I've never done payment at closing and I don't really like the idea of giving them the info they were requesting.
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07/30/2010 11:36 AM
Toilet drain line size
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Is there a minimum size for a toilet waste line?
I came across a 3" cast iron line from a toilet and it just didn't look right.
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07/30/2010 11:33 AM
Unconditioned space ducting
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Just to verify.
When return air ducts are in an unconditioned crawl space, they must be insulated right?
And they can not be installed resting on a concrete floor right?
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07/30/2010 08:56 AM
Garage Fire Separation
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In general when did building practices start to include the requirement for fire separation materials between garages and living spaces? Are there any other commonly used materials in residential construction besides gypsum board to accomplish this?
I assume drop/acoustical ceilings are not a flame spread retarder...is that correct?
Inspected a house with a HUGE garage that extended under half the living spaces...the ceiling was a mess.
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07/29/2010 10:36 PM
Site Built Truss Wording
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I ran across some site built trusses today. The roof deck deflection was pretty extreme IMO and the 2x4 top chords, as measured along the roof deck were spanning between 8 and 9 + feet...spacing at 16 o.c. Googling some rafter span tables and assuming southern pine/fir and 10 psf dead load and 20 psf live load I think puts those chords at or exceeding the allowable span. Is the below rough draft of a comment called for ? ...suggestions/editing/education are all welcome.
The roof of this home is constructed with what appear to be site built trusses. I observed greater than typical deflection of the roof deck while walking the roof. I also observed spans of the 2x4 top chords used in these trusses which are near to or exceeding the typical allowable span for 2x4 rafters. Recommend further evaluation of these trusses by a structural engineer.
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07/29/2010 07:44 PM
Trying this again
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Anybody know if it's possible to go directly to the end of a thread? Some of these longer topics are a PIA to scroll through to see whatever new stuff has been posted.
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07/29/2010 06:54 PM
Go directly to the last post
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Anybody know if it's possible to go directly to the end of a thread? Some of these longer topics are a PIA to scroll through to see whatever new stuff has been posted.
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07/29/2010 06:51 PM
Thermal barrier installed wrong? See photos..What say ye?
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We all have seen different types of aftermarket "Thermal" protection for attics, from silver spray paint to thermal decking, etc. This one in today's inspection utilized heavy foil paper installed and lying on top of the existing and original loose fill fiberglass insulation. All the loose fill insulation in the attic was covered by this foil. (The roof sheathing/decking was just regular wood OSB plywood). As I was looking at this today it appears to me maybe it installed wrong? ( I am thinking vapor barrier here). Assuming that you accept that a lot of mositure from inside the house makes it way to the attic and attic insulation, the mositure from the house would be trapped inside the insulation, because the attic insulation now has a foil paper covering it. From my view, this would prevent the attic loose fill insulation from "breathing". Seems this foil would hold household moisture inside the insulation rather than allowing it to escape.... What say ye insulation vapor barrier experts? I have included photos however they are not great. Look close. There is also foil covering the fiberglass wall batt insulation. I have checked a few websites and they do warn of a moisture trap in some cases.
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07/29/2010 06:46 PM
Found this today
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Yes! You are right is a Gasoline engine powering a backup sump pump in a basement. I can hear the conservation now,
Husband: Honey look now our basement will stay dry!
Wife: Will that asphyxiate us and kids?
Husband: Maybe... I will just crack a window.
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07/29/2010 05:43 PM
Bonded again at 'main panel'?
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Would like some support if I'm right, and correction if I'm wrong. About to enter a discussion with an electrician over this. Would appreciate response as soon as possible.
Meter and service entrance panel are installed on exterior of house. This panel is grounded and bonded.
Inside the wall is the "main panel' (or what I would call the main distribution panel). Three conductors come in through the back of the panel, the 2 hot service conductors, the 3rd service neutral, AND a bare grounding wire that attached to the left bus bar - which is attached to right bus bar, which has a bonding jumper to back of the panel enclosure. Equipment grounding conductors and neutrals terminate at both busses. To me, this means that this 'sub panel' (main distribution panel), has been bonded a second time.
Hitch - it has been approved the that local state electrical inspector (now retired), and the current state electrical inspector approves this setup on a regular basis - so I am told by the electrician.
See pics.
Now - is anything wrong with this picture(s)?
IF it is wrong, then what is the danger?
Please - also drop some code references. I am going through NEC 2005 section 250 again, but could use some help interpreting the code language.
Thanks ahead of time
Terry Beck
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07/29/2010 04:44 PM
two Inspectors
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Ok, Today's inspection the realtor tells me that there will be a second inspector coming to the house in 30 minutes. The buyer wants two inspections because he is from out of state and the relocation company is paying for them. The buyer was not going to be there and I got credit card confirmation for the inspection fee. So? What do you think of this situation? I think I found some major defects that the other Inspector did not find, but he may have found more than I. Has anyone had this happen before?
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