best or worst pics of the week

[mike huntzinger]

how about a window leak.

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[Victor DaGraca]

Flat roof fixin to leak again.

[Ted Menelly]

This is the electric panel

Right from the meter

Apparaently the groundless type

Quite nice actually. Nice and compact and all

[Rick Hurst]

Check out this switch. Care to touch it?

[Matt Fellman]

Here kitty, kitty, kitty....

I actually like it when I see a cat in a crawl space... since racoons kill cats it's a pretty good indication there are no racoons in there.

[Eric Shuman]

O.k., two pix.

No flashing, direct openings into wall and attic space. Water heater hanging over edge of pan - in attic. One year old home.


Eric

[Rick Hurst]

Matt,

That cat was trying to tell you about this guy.

This guy should learn not to give the inspector a bad check!

[Gunnar Alquist]

Today's inspection. 1920s house, mix of knob & tube and newer NM cable, circuit breakers, etc. I was in the 13-14 inch crawlspace and I brushed against these abandoned (I thought) wires and felt the buzz! Scared me pretty good. Never had that happen before. Hope it doesn't happen again.

[Trent Tarter]

This was a 1885 built structure. Most likely a carriage house later on converted to a guest house. A portion of the floor structure was being supported by a single brick.

[Gunnar Alquist]

Oh, yeah. How about the furnace flue pipe termination at the second floor balcony?

[Jim Luttrall]

Flat roof fixin to leak again.

Victor, are you part Texan? I thought Texas has the corner on the word "fixin"

[Victor DaGraca]

'Victor, are you part Texan?"

Nope... got some family there though.

Even drove through Waco.

and, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

[Matt Fellman]

Oh, yeah. How about the furnace flue pipe termination at the second floor balcony?

At least there's a broom to sweep the dead bodies away with....

[Jerry Peck]

This was a 1885 built structure. Most likely a carriage house later on converted to a guest house. A portion of the floor structure was being supported by a single brick.

Trent,

1885?

Must have been substantial recent (since the invention of those joist hangers) work done on it.

Also looks like there are nail through that ledger into whatever is behind it. I suspect the brick was put there to hold the ledger in place until they nailed it up (not that I would want to rely on those nails, but, hey, "back then" ... ).

You sure that is from 1885? That concrete, the way if was formed, etc., seem way to new for 1885.

[Trent Tarter]

Yes it was built in 1885. The foundation and floor structure has been modified many times over the years. Due to past WDO damage the majority of the floor structure has been replaced. I inspected this same home about year and an half ago.

[Jerry McCarthy]

Gunnar
That flue photo.... where those adjacent windows openable?

[Randy King]

Wow, some pretty crazy pictures, def. like the first one with the window leak, I dont think I have ever seen anything like that.

[Gunnar Alquist]

Gunnar
That flue photo.... where those adjacent windows openable?

Jerry Mc,

You becha! How else would you get the exhaust gases into the master bedroom?

[Rick Vernon]

Dryer vent and bath vent. Bath vent had a heating element in it so it would blow downward when on. Occurred to me that the bath vent heater may suck the lint backwards from the dryer. I think it had a backdraft damper in it but maybe not.

[Ted Menelly]

Yuo. I new what I was doing??????????????

[Terry Beck]

Adding circuits in a sub panel.

Last time I ever climbed on top of a deck covering (couldn't see how it was attached to ledger board due to soffit panels). And the listing realtor asked me if I had insurance to cover the damage!

[Rick Hurst]

Terry,

How big a boy are you?

Never walk on a patio cover or awning. Most are weekender projects destined to be a problem.

The agent is probably correct in asking for your insurance information. Seller is going to expect damages to be paid for that you can be assured of.

rick

[Jerry McCarthy]

"No hot water because the mechanical engineer krapped out?"

[Rick Hurst]

Home Sweet Home

[mike huntzinger]

Pics from yesterdays home on a rock foundation, first time with a rock foundation

[Scott Patterson]

This must be the day for nasty!

Look closely at the picture.

[Jerry Peck]

The agent is probably correct in asking for your insurance information. Seller is going to expect damages to be paid for that you can be assured of.

If the seller expected me to pay for that, they would be far better off to say 'I hope you did not get hurt very bad, but if you did, don't worry, our insurance will cover you.' because that would be the next thing I tell them, right before telling them that my second call will be to the building department to come out ... oh ... wait, you say, there is no problem here ... you (the seller) will be glad to cover it all?

You betcha you will.

[Rick Vernon]

Mold in a "flipper". Buying it to flip. 2nd floor bath pipes broke and ran for quite a while. Mold in walls, joist, behind baseboard, etc. It was so humid your glasses would fog on the 2nd floor.

These were taken in the basement.

[Rick Hurst]

If the seller expected me to pay for that, they would be far better off to say 'I hope you did not get hurt very bad, but if you did, don't worry, our insurance will cover you.' because that would be the next thing I tell them, right before telling them that my second call will be to the building department to come out ... oh ... wait, you say, there is no problem here ... you (the seller) will be glad to cover it all?

You betcha you will.

Jerry,

That may be so in a perfect world but we're not living in one at the moment and this guy is going to get caught up with a homeowner threatening to sue his ass for causing these damages. It was not like that this morning when we left for work, and he caused it and is going to pay for it they will say. It will cost him several thousand dollars to get legal help and more than likely he wind up having to pay for the repairs in the end.

Personally, I don't understand why the need to walk on the patio cover in the first place. What was up there that he could have not seen from the top of the ladder looking down onto the roof covering? Its not that large of an area that this could have not been accomplished from the ladder to make any observations.

He's lucky not to have fell anyway looking at the ladder sitting on the wooden deck. Wonder it hadn't slid out from under him.

We'll have to wait and see what the courts decide on this one.

Rick

[Rick Hurst]

Scott,

Looks like you had some German cockroaches to have to deal with too. They love those cracks around the doors. Once I see them I yank up my tool bag from the counter and place it outside to keep from the darn things jumping a ride home with me.

By the way, if you find them in a poor persons home they are "Cockroaches". The upper class like to call them "Water Bugs".

rick

[Scott Patterson]

Scott,

Looks like you had some German cockroaches to have to deal with too. They love those cracks around the doors. Once I see them I yank up my tool bag from the counter and place it outside to keep from the darn things jumping a ride home with me.

By the way, if you find them in a poor persons home they are "Cockroaches". The upper class like to call them "Water Bugs".

rick

That is exactly what I did, except that my tool bag never even came in house! It stayed out on the front porch.

I mean this house was pure nasty! I even put on shoe covers and a Tyvek suit after a few minutes in the house. Buyer was an out of state investor, so it was just me and the agent and she stayed in her car.

Another pic.

[Rick Hurst]

Looks like roach paradise right there Scott.

Dead giveaway of a roach problem is the stains of fecal matter around the door hinges and up in the corners of the walls.

My wife went out with me once on a PC job that was probably one of the worst I've yet to see.

Once I started spraying a bit with some pyrethiums out they came from the cracks like a war had commenced.

Next thing I knew she was outside throwing up from the sight of all of those roaches. That broke her of wanting to ride along with me on jobs.

rick

[Ted Menelly]

Looks like roach paradise right there Scott.

Dead giveaway of a roach problem is the stains of fecal matter around the door hinges and up in the corners of the walls.

My wife went out with me once on a PC job that was probably one of the worst I've yet to see.

Once I started spraying a bit with some pyrethiums out they came from the cracks like a war had commenced.

Next thing I knew she was outside throwing up from the sight of all of those roaches. That broke her of wanting to ride along with me on jobs.

rick

Yeah yeah Rick

You planned that one. I can see it now "sure honey, I'll set up a job next Tuesday and you can come with me"

Jerry

I will have to agree with you on that. I have inspected homes in the past where things fall apart by touching them or deck boards give way due to damage. I have been asked to pay for them in the past and adamantly refused. If it was in that bad of shape and they invite you to inspect their home and you get hurt or something falls appart then it is on their insurance, not out of my pocket.

I do agree with Rick as well. I never walk on patio roofs unless it was built as part of the original home as in a real roof. I like myself to much to hit the ground and the edge of the roof bounce and land on me.

I picked up this old piece of junk fireplace screen to move it and it dicintegrated in my hands. One of those rare times when the seller, buyer and both agents were there in the living room all staring at me. Well you know how the story went. I did not say a word, just gave them one of those looks and picked up the pieces, set them aside and went about my job. Never heard anymore about it.

A quick add edit her

I went on a call back on a home I inspected a few months back where the guy now has a roof leak. I told him I would come out and take a look at it for him. I went up on the roof and went over every square in of the area over the leak. Absolutely perfect looking. Almost a new home. I went into the attic and saw the wet spot in the insulation directly under the roof plumbing vent and directly over where the wall was wet and the seems of the drywall swelled up. It was from the hard storm we had a couple nights ago.

Visually nothing should have been leaking. The roof vent and the plumbing vent flashed what appeared to be properly and no other areas but that plumbing vent with the water in the insulation directly below it. I told him that the wind drive rain must have been blowing up under the shingles and what is going on with the flashing under those overlapped shingles I could not tell him. I showed him the rest of the vents on the roof and they all looked identical and no other leaks.

Then I gave my advise to have someone remove some shingles. inspect/replace the boot flashing and reshingle it.

The he says "when are you going to send someone out?" Say what? Yep, he thought I was going to repair it! Yeah right. Don't think so. You have a nice day now yeah hear.

So much for being the nice guy and coming to look at it for him.

[Jerry Peck]

Personally, I don't understand why the need to walk on the patio cover in the first place. What was up there that he could have not seen from the top of the ladder looking down onto the roof covering?

I do agree with Rick as well. I never walk on patio roofs unless it was built as part of the original home as in a real roof.

Either of you notice those EERO up there above the roof? How is a fireman supposed to access those if not using that roof?

Besides, ladder to that roof, leap frog ladder to upper roof, no problem - or, should I say *should have been no problem*.

Looks like that roof and deck 'may have been original' cannot tell from the photo.

Me? I *would have* gone up on it, and if it felt a big bouncy, I probably would have bounced up and down on it to see how bad it was ... riding it all the way down like he did.

If you *do not feel safe going up on a roof which you CAN SEE is intended to be walked on* ... then I sure hope you write those roofs up for a to 'verify proper support for being walked on by fire fighters in full gear and carrying the person they are rescuing' and have the structural engineer to 'design appropriate repairs'.

I sure would not want to be the HI who DID NOT walk on the roof, only to have it fall down when someone climbed out one of those windows and the roof came crashing down ... WC Jerry, Scott, myself, and others here would have a field day with you and your position of 'it not being safe to walk on' yet it was 'not written up as needing repairs' - get out your check book and call your insurance company ...

[Ted Menelly]

The most stressed factor about roofs is if they do not look safe and you know there are deficiencies then you use your discretion about walking it. I myself find almost everyone of those roofs to be inferior construction and write them up all the time. You write up the condition and defer for repairs and also write how you inspected the roof and the reason why you did not walk it. All explained, all covered, no problem.

I also know Rick writes them up all the time. This seems to be the norm for these roofs throughout the entire area. Once you see about a thousand of them (you obviously don't need to see a thousand of them to figure it out) you just know better and fully expect to write it up, and do.


Jerry, don't be so quick to assume

[Rick Hurst]

Jerry,

Guess I've seen way to many and Ted can probably agree with me on this one is that the roof decking on most of these patio covers can be compared to paneling.

Some throw a tire upon the roof to hold down the shingle material on them.

rick

[Jerry Peck]

... then I sure hope you write those roofs up for a to 'verify proper support for being walked on by fire fighters in full gear and carrying the person they are rescuing' and have the structural engineer to 'design appropriate repairs'.

Jerry, don't be so quick to assume

Jerry,

Guess I've seen way to many and Ted can probably agree with me on this one is that the roof decking on most of these patio covers can be compared to paneling.

That is why I stated what I did in my quote above "then I sure hope you write those roofs up for a to 'verify proper support for being walked on by fire fighters in full gear and carrying the person they are rescuing' and have the structural engineer to 'design appropriate repairs'."

If you do, and you are saying you do, then no harm, no foul.

But, if you did not ...

[Rick Hurst]

Scott,

I thought about this thread today when I saw this.

Looks like the roaches have been using the nice warm wall void behind this water heater as a Sh*t hole for quite some time.

The buyer when they seen it of course freaked out, and the seller had to think we were all stupid saying it must have shown up in the last week cause she'd had just cleaned out that closet and it wasn't there then.

Check it out.

Rick

[Brad Borden]

Thought I would share some water and termite damage. Agent said but we need to close today at 3. Buyers walked away. There was 120 feet of damaged sill and adjacent sub floor.

[Rick Hurst]

They walked over a little bit of "cosmetic" damages? Now thats being picky.

[Brad Borden]

They had just redone the hardwood floors and put new vinyl over the cracked ceramic floors.

[Brandon Whitmore]

Regarding that awning collapse. Terry may have saved someones life by walking on that thing and collapsing it. I'd guess is snows fairly heavily in his area. What percentage of people will actually verify proper connection to the home's structure when you recommend they do so in the report? My guess: not many.

Our area had a pretty severe snow / ice storm recently. The local fire dept. called everyone in the phone book and told them to clean off their awnings and decks. It seems there were quite a few collapses occurring.

[Ron Bibler]

New strap system for water heaters.

Best

Ron

[Scott Patterson]

Scott,

I thought about this thread today when I saw this.

Looks like the roaches have been using the nice warm wall void behind this water heater as a Sh*t hole for quite some time.

The buyer when they seen it of course freaked out, and the seller had to think we were all stupid saying it must have shown up in the last week cause she'd had just cleaned out that closet and it wasn't there then.

Check it out.

Rick

Yuk!...

[Ryan Busch]

At Least they have a fire extiguisher!

[Clint White]

So I was walking towards the garage, running my fingers along the clothes line. The sky was blue and the birds were chirping when all of a sudden
"Bam"....I was on the ground, I smelled burnt flesh and my pants were warm and wet ......

Ok the story isn't real but the picture is. Yes that is the power supply line to the garage, and yes it is only 6 1/2 feet from the ground, and yes that is missing/damaged insulation on a very "hot" wire......

http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...31109-1072.jpg

[Matt Fellman]

I'm still trying to get a handle on this 'flashing' thing I hear all you guys talk about.... is this okay?

[Rick Hurst]

Matt,

They can repair that flashing when they remove and replace all that asbestos siding.

Thats what it appears to be.

rick

[Matt Fellman]

Yep, definitely asbestos.... I'm sure they followed all the proper procedures when cutting and removing it.

There's actually a lot of this siding around the Portand (Oregon) area. From what I've seen the wood lap siding beneath it is in pretty good shape. You figure the house was built in the 20's, the asbestos siding went on in the 40's or so. It's kind of like the plastic on the lamp shades and furniture.

The next big 'cover-up' was the aluminum siding of the 50's. There's not too much of that around here.... anyone ever see the movie 'Tin Men' with Danny Devito and Richard Dryfuss? It's a classic if you haven't.