GAS SNIFFER posted on January 07, 2009 11:56:18 am In the normal course of your inspection do you use a gas sniffer I.E. Tiff 8800? I understand this exceeds the SOP (thank you Jerry Peck)
Inserting Pics Into Reports posted on January 07, 2009 10:04:51 am My reports are narratives which I convert to PDF format when completed and I provide pictures from the inspection in a separate zip file. I've recently tried playing with my report and inserting the pics into the actual report and it works fine but the pics are adding an inordinate amount of memory size to the report. Just putting 20 pics in is putting the total memory of the report at 30-40 MB which is way too much for e-mail servers to accept and transmit.
Here are some particulars:
- my report is one I made myself using Omniform 5.0 (a text only version of the report only amounts to about 110-120 KB)
- I take all my pics during inspections in PC image mode (it takes up the least amount of memory and the pics still come out very clear)
- I normally resize my picture batches down to 800x600 when I just send a separate picture file which is not imbedded in the narrative report
- when trying to imbed the pics into my actual report, I resized the entire batch down to 320x240 (even at this size, the pics are somehow blowing the memory size of the report through the roof)
To what size do most of you resize your pics? Do any of you run into memory issues with pictures taking up too much space?
Texas SOP-Appliance Grounding and Bonding posted on January 07, 2009 07:53:19 am The new (1 Feb 2009) Texas SOP Requires the inspector to report: (F) appliances and metal pipes that are not bonded or grounded;
Any suggestions on how to comply with this?
fire-resistive wall in garage posted on January 06, 2009 11:50:44 pm The new construction inspection I performed today had the HVAC unit installed in a garage closet on the living space side wall. Doesn't the closet door need to be fire-rated?
Thanks
Can someone identify this damage? posted on January 06, 2009 09:16:30 pm Image: http://www.mikeandjeff.com/Thumbs/viewsmallerimage.aspx?FilePath=d:\pictures\2009.01%20Inverness%20Sub%20Floor\&FileName=IMG_0065.JPG
Image: http://www.mikeandjeff.com/Thumbs/viewsmallerimage.aspx?FilePath=d:\pictures\2009.01%20Inverness%20Sub%20Floor\&FileName=IMG_0059.JPG
Image: http://www.mikeandjeff.com/Thumbs/viewsmallerimage.aspx?FilePath=d:\pictures\2009.01%20Inverness%20Sub%20Floor\&FileName=IMG_0061.JPG
Image: http://www.mikeandjeff.com/Thumbs/viewsmallerimage.aspx?FilePath=d:\pictures\2009.01%20Inverness%20Sub%20Floor\&FileName=IMG_0063.JPG
Thanks.
Jeff
REALTOR's Open House Reveals Fireplace Defect posted on January 06, 2009 06:30:36 pm A Realtor posted this photo on their web-site and I wonder how many spotted the fireplace defect? (I know its old but deserves another look)
Fluke TI55 posted on January 06, 2009 05:51:22 pm If anybody gave themselves a nice Christmas bonus, Grainger is selling the Fluke Ti55 for $9400
Test Instruments > Temperature and Humidity Measuring > Thermal Imagers > Thermal Imaging System,Temp -4 to 1112 F : Grainger Industrial Supply (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1TFW7)
Yet Another Use for Zip Ties posted on January 06, 2009 05:03:01 pm Easily repair damaged pull down attic ladders legs. :eek:
Would you have walked up this attic ladder?
rick
Our Country's Financial Problems Explained posted on January 06, 2009 04:51:09 pm *Sleep better tonight understanding just what happened.
Forest Gump Explains the Mortgage Mess. *(This is the best explanation I've heard)
Mortgage Backed Securities are like boxes of chocolates. Criminals on Wall Street stole a few chocolates from the boxes and replaced them with turds. Their criminal buddies at Standard & Poor rated these boxes AAA Investment Grade chocolates. These boxes were then sold all over the world to investors. Eventually somebody bites into a turd and discovers the crime. Suddenly nobody trusts American chocolates anymore worldwide.
Hank Paulson now wants the American taxpayers to buy up and hold all these boxes of turd-infested chocolates for $700 billion dollars until the market for turds returns to normal. Meanwhile, Hank's buddies, the Wall Street criminals who stole all the good chocolates are not being investigated, arrested, or indicted.
Mama always said: 'Sniff the chocolates first, Forrest'. :eek:
Quote of the day from a fund manager: "This is worse than a divorce... I've lost half of my net worth and I still have my wife.."
The bailout, a different perspective
Back in 1990, the Government seized the Mustang Ranch brothel in Nevada for tax evasion and, as required by law, tried to run it. They failed and it closed. Now we trust the economy of our country to a pack of nit-wits who couldn't make money running a whore house and selling booze?
PEX supporting an expansion tank posted on January 06, 2009 04:49:39 pm I need some help. I searched through the ZURN PEX install manual and I could not locate a proper way to attach and support an expansion tank at a water heater. My gut is telling me that this is not kosher.
Anyone have any documentation that might cover this?
Oh, and that line running out of the wall is a bonding wire for the PEX system in the home! ;)
Marketing to sellers posted on January 06, 2009 02:58:20 pm I've searched here until I'm tired of searching, so, I'm asking...Anyone have anything other than a business card they leave behind after an inspection asking the seller to consider you for their upcoming purchase? Postcard? Brochure? Anyone willing so share some of your wording? Has it worked for you?
Thanks,
Jay
Suspended Ceiling Attachment posted on January 06, 2009 08:54:40 am Hello All,
Commerical application.
Looking for information pertaining suspended ceiling drop wires required to be attached to the top of bar joist and not the bottom. I think this is covered in ASTM C-635 and/or ASTM C-636.
Does anyone have a copy of these (or other related) ASTM standards or have other info pertaining to this?
Thanks for your help.
Sincerely,
Corey
Amperage on new house posted on January 05, 2009 05:43:29 pm This was a weird house today. It has in floor electric radiant heat. I figured it would have a large service, and it did. I was thinking it was 400 amps, but then when I got home I started second guessing myself. The house is not completed, and has never been occupied. It was foreclosed, and has sat empty for a while. The heat was on, and seemed to be working okay where they had thermostats. There are a total of 15 or 16 thermostats in the house. I guess you can only run so much square footage through each t-stat or it will overload it. It's a pretty big house, and it gets pretty darn cold here. I think it was originally going to be hydronic in floor radiant, and someone changed the plans later.
Anyway, there was a meter set up outside, and two service disconnects. I know, it was pretty weird. Each disconnect went to a 200 amp sub panel inside the house that was properly wired. Inside each service panel was a knife switch, and two 100 amp fuses. My question is does the two 100 amp fuses equal a 200 amp for each disconnect (400 amps total) , or is it currently set up as a 200 amp service, with 100 amps to each panel inside?
I don't have an outside shot of the service disconnect set up, but this is the inside view of one of them. They are identical panels.
ICF Basement (water intrusion) posted on January 05, 2009 04:34:06 pm I inspected this home in July 08. The client called me today and said that water was entering the basement, I told him that I would come over and take a look. We recently had about 24-30 inches of snow that melted in about 2 days and have had frequent rain and snow.
The basement walls are ICF construction. The basement walls are finshed with sheetrock and have no signs of water intrusion. Water appears to coming in at the seam where the footing and basement floor (slab) meet. The seams are about 6-10 inches out from the interior walls.
I am looking for the best advise to give my client. Here is what I have told clients so far.
*ICF walls may have not been water proofed correctly or water proofing has failed in some areas.
*Possible inadequate drainage system at foundation footing
*ICF walls may have voids (air gaps) in concrete
*High water table
It is my understanding that proper water proofing is the largest concern the ICF contractors face.
