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  1. #1
    Clay E White's Avatar
    Clay E White Guest

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    28,032

    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    How far apart are those holes?

    Could be from a subterranean termite treatment.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
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    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    Jerry,

    No reputable termite tech would leave those holes open. If it was a termite treatment, they'd be patched.

    I think someone forgot the weep holes completely and came back with a masonary bit and drilled them out. Totally useless.

    As far as the hole in the side of the beam wall, if it was termite treatment most of the holes would be drilled at an angle and not directly horizontally as it is harder to get a bit through and the chemical to flow in the hole as such.

    rick


  4. #4
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    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Hurst View Post
    As far as the hole in the side of the beam wall, if it was termite treatment most of the holes would be drilled at an angle and not directly horizontally as it is harder to get a bit through and the chemical to flow in the hole as such.
    Rick,

    Those are the ones being discussed, not those 'so called' "weep hole" at the bottom of the bricks. At least that's what I understood and what I was talking about.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
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    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    Jerry,

    Do you think they could be the ends of the PT cables. That foundation beam wall looks as if it has a heavy parge coating on it. Maybe the holes are just where the coating didn't stick to the end of the cabling.

    Just a thought.

    rick


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    Rick,

    I doubt it. With post tension cables you have an anchor cast into the concrete where the cable and its retainer wedge clamp bind up in the tapered anchor (the wedge and anchor are tapered to match each other, forcing the clamp tighter and tighter onto the cable the more the cable pulls on it - think of Chinese finger cuffs we played with as a kid, you put a finger in each end and then try to pull them out, you can't, you need someone else to release the finger cuff for you) - anyway, the cable is coated with grease (supposed to be anyway) then a cap is installed into the anchor and over the end of the cable. Then the entire void in the cap is grouted with non-shrink grout.

    The hole for the anchor and cap is probably 2" or so in diameter. When a cable breaks, it pushes the cap out with it, taking out the non-shrink grout plug (fill) with it.

    Those look like drilled 1/2" or 3/4" holes.

    I asked about the spacing as that might give us an idea of what they are for.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Healdsburg, CA
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    1,741

    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    My shot:
    1. The concrete foundation stem-wall looks parged?
    2. Would like to see what the holes look like from inside the crawl space?
    3. Suspect they where installed for foundation crawl space drainage?
    3. If so they should be screened to help keep out entry by rodents and other such life as religious vendors and RE agents!

    Jerry McCarthy
    Building Code/ Construction Consultant

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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    5,851

    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    My vote is a termite treatment. I bet that 75% of the termite treatments that I see are not patched or plugged. With this home being in LA, I bet they were drilling anywhere that they could to pump chemical into and under that home. Don't forget about the Formosans in LA, they treat homes a little different because of them.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Rockwall Texas
    Posts
    4,521

    Default Re: Hole in foundation

    Scott,

    Yourself or any other inspector who observes any termite drill holes not patched ought to make a note of them on your report. I don't care if your not a Licensed Pest control operator or not. Call it out.

    First of all, any termiticide on the market recommends that the drill holes be patched. If they are not patched water can enter into them and cause the chemical to break down and not be effective.

    I've seen some patio's actually have upheaval from rain water draining into these openings for a long period of time and cause the soil to swell and lift the patio causing cracks.

    Main thing is that label states they (holes) should be patched. The most important rule they teach in Pest control is FOLLOW THE LABEL DIRECTIONS.

    rick


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