We hope that your Mother's day was a raving success. It's a great day here in Orem, Utah! Or should I say that it is a whacko, crazy day here in Orem, Utah? It is busy and I was not prepared for the $4,500 week last week. It caught me by surprise and I was insane all week. As most of you know, Shelly is not doing very well so I am trying to handle every aspect of our business. This is tough to do when it is all inspecting all the time and the phone is ringing off the hook. I have a very difficult time dealing with more than one client at a time and I tire of the cell phone ringing with a perspective client during an inspection. The first couple of calls are tolerable, but then I find I myself turning the cell phone off so that I can concentrate on the job at hand.
I was having a hard time figuring out where the resentment was coming from on my part. Afterall, I have worked very hard to get my phone to ring in a steady fashion. So why then was I caught off guard by the demands of past, present and future clients? Then I remembered what happened last year. A year ago I was fortunate to have Shelly on her feet and we had an office girl helping. I took my cell phone a year ago and just forwarded it back to the office. If it was convenient, or Shelly, I answered it, but if I was busy it just went back to the office....That was a joy.
I guess I share this "High Class Challenge" with you because I know that many of you dream of the day when this is your challenge, too. So what will you do when it arrives? How will you handle the demands of $4-$5,000 weeks? What plans are you laying now to handle the work flow of success? What would you do if your spouse were unable to help you (after spoiling you with their talents)?
Please take a few moments to let me know how you are preparing to deal with the work flow? How you are currently dealing with this challenge? Or how you have already overcome the challenge?
Your Name:City: State:
Please include your name or else I don't know who it is from.
It's the time of the year that we are preparing nominations for officers for the 2002 year. There are many qualified individuals in our organization that have a lot to offer to the membership and the organization. If you would like to run for office or would like to recommend someone, please contact Mark Daughtry, Nominations Committee Chairman at (425) 836-8293. Remember our organization needs good leadership to take us into the future!!!!!!
Training-Training-Training: I encourage you to continue to attend any training that will sharpen the level of knowledge that you already have. Our business, and the way that we inspect properties, changes constantly. The more training that you attend, the more you separate yourself from all of the other inspectors out there. Training also helps to keep you out of litigation.
Just a reminder, A.I.I. Certified Inspectors must complete 36 CEC's every 3 years (an average of 12 per year) to maintain their certification status. You are required to send in your CEC's on a report form to Betty Buckley. If you do not have a CEC report form, please contact Betty Buckley at 1-800-877-4770.
Good Inspecting!!
Bill Schwahn
TO: ALL A.I.I. MEMBERS:
The Association needs YOUR help. We need YOU to run for office. We are searching for 2 -3 members (for each office) to step up and run for these positions.
The positions we need to fill for the 2002 ballot are:
Please add your name to the ballot for the A.I.I. 2002 Elections. If you have a specific position in mind, just type in your name and the position you would be interested in.
Or…. Do you just want to serve in any capacity that the Association needs? Then just type in your name & phone number below and we will get in touch with you.
Thank you in advance for your response. Please reply ASAP so we can get the ballot put together for Elections.
Please remember that this is our Association and WE need YOUR help!
Your 2002 Nomination Committee.
Please add your name to the 2001 Ballot.
POSITION DESIRED
Your Name:Phone:State:
Those of you that are current Pocket PC owners, as well as those who think that one day they might like to have one, should immediately jump at the FREE offer from Microsoft. Go to the following website and order the FREE book called Pocket PC's For Dummies. It has 96 pages and a CD rom. But you have to order it by the 31st of this month...... Don't miss out!!!
http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/pocketpc/funpack1.asp
Microsoft advertises the offer as follows.......
The newest Pocket PC Expansion PocketPak is the Pocket PC StarterPak for Dummies and it’s available now.
Now through May 31, you can order the StarterPak — it’s everything you’ll need to start exploring the many possibilities that a Pocket PC delivers. You’ll receive a 96-page book to get you up and going as fast as possible. Soon you’ll be an expert in connecting to the Web, getting music on your Pocket PC, and experimenting with third-party applications from favorites like bSQUARE and ZioGolf. The CD, which you’ll find in the back of the book, contains trial and full versions of a variety of Pocket PC software titles from Microsoft and other top Pocket PC software firms.
Let me reiterate...... This book is FREE and you do not need to be a Pocket PC owner to take advantage of the offer. Instead, all you have to do is take the time to fill out the order form.
For Immediate Release Release # 01-145 Electric Range Recall Hotline: (800) 462-9267
May 9, 2001 CPSC Contact: Scott Wolfson (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1189
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maytag Corp., of Newton, Iowa, is voluntarily recalling about 13,000 Crosley and Magic Chef electric ranges. Liquid can enter the indicator light and can cause sparking and flaming in the light, presenting a fire hazard to consumers.
Maytag has received fifteen reports of flames in the indicator lights. No injuries have been reported.
The recalled electric ranges are 30-inch free-standing units with the control panel in the front between the door panel and main top. The Crosley brand name ranges have model numbers CE35000AAW or CE35000AAT, and the Magic Chef brand name ranges have model numbers CER1110AAT or CER1110AAH. The brand names can be found on the control panel or the back guard panel and the model number can be located by opening the storage drawer and looking at the tag on the left side.
Appliance stores and distributors nationwide sold the ranges from January 2000 through March 2001 for between $270 and $290.
Consumers should stop using their electric ranges immediately and disconnect power to them. Consumers should call Maytag toll-free (800) 462-9267 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday for a free in-home repair or log on to the company's website at www.maytag.com to schedule the repair.
For Immediate Release Release # 01-147 Heater Recall Hotline: (866) 757-6649
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Vermont Castings, Majestic Products (VCMP), of Ontario, Canada, is recalling about 3,900 space heaters. Overheating inside the space heaters can cause the exterior to become extremely hot, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.
VCMP has received three reports of the space heaters overheating, resulting in scorched floors and wall coverings. No injuries have been reported.
The recalled heaters are white with a silver grill cover. The vent-less heaters have the name "Vermont Castings" on the label directly below the grill. The heater model numbers start with the letters VBVH or
VPVH and can be found on a rating plate on the left side of the heater. Independent retailers in the southeastern U.S. sold these recalled heaters from August 2000 to January 2001 for $200 to $400.
Consumers should stop using the heaters immediately and call VCMP toll-free at (866) 757-6649 between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, to receive a free replacement heater or refund.
Last week I asked for feedback about the following pre stucco installation here in Northern Utah. I think that you should know that I had to have the confrontation with the installer onsite over why this installation was going to leak when it rained if corrective actions were not taken.
What is the pink foam for? Why is there only flashing on the top window frame? Why is that wood exposed at end of flashing piece? Why does the wire mesh abut to the vinyl frame? Why does the metal flashing form a funnel to the exposed wood? Where did this installer get his training? Better hope it never rains in Utah! Reggie Ayres - Medford, OR.
Do you think it might get in at the end of the head flashing where I can see the wood framing? Is that a window pushed up tight against a sidewall? It is difficult to tell from this perspective. Jon Gudnason - Placerville, CA
All of your observations are correct, Reggie and Jon. This looked so obvious to me, but the installer thought that I was butting into a situation where he was the professional and only his opinion counted. This is an awful position to be in unless you just love head-to-head confrontation. I don't generally like confrontation, but I really hate it when elderly ladies are being taken advantage of. This was a retrofit installation, so everything could not be as textbook installations should go. That still does not excuse poor flashing details.
Michael, one of the inspections I did today was a real experience. I viewed the roof from the street and noticed a roof deflection. As I stepped onto the roof from the ladder, I almost put my foot through the roof. I continued up the roof and it felt uneven, then in the middle of the field, I almost fell through the roof again. At that point, I went to the ridge of the roof and tried to figure a way to get off of the roof without falling through. During the Attic portion of the inspection, I found an area of the roof sheathing that was approximately 12 feet by 40 feet where the roof sheathing was completely delaminated and sagging into the attic. There was fungal growths on an area approximately 15 feet by 45 feet. The owner had insulated the attic with fiberglass batts and had stuffed all of the soffit vents with insulation. There were only 2 attic vents on a 1600 sq. ft. single level home. Ice damming was part of the culprit as some of the insulation was still wet in the attic. This home was built in 1966. Good Inspecting--Don't Fall In! Bill Schwahn - MT
Please include your name or I don't know who it is from...
Bill Bergstedt took the following strange shot while in a crawl space........
Michael, I know you are always looking for interesting photos to put in the MMM. I saw this toilet installation and wonder how many of these you've seen before? What did the person who came up with this have in mind? The garden hose isn't currently connected. It is designed to screw onto the supply hose dangling from the tank. The drain is also connected and functioning. I'm not sure why the rocks were on the toilet lid, other than to keep raccoons from using the john.
Bill Bergstedt - Lake Tahoe, CA
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