It's a great day here in Orem, Utah! Did any of you find the Leavitt's Christmas surprise last week by clicking on the picture of the Leavitt kids??? Click on their photo now and hear their holiday message.
I have no idea when you are going to be reading this issue of the MMM, but Shelly and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We have just celebrated little Aaron's 3rd birthday on December 21st. Today is Jesus' celebration. And December 31st will mark little Haily's 5th birthday. This truly is a joyous birthday celebration time of year in our household.
Merry Christmas from Aaron (3), Haily (4), Adam (6), Jessica (10), Shelly and Michael Leavitt
Michael & Shelly, You are living the great American dream. You have all the things that our forefathers fought and sacrificed for. You are wonderful examples of all the right stuff. Obviously being the best that you both can be as parents and professionally. It is a great privilege to know you and to be able to share your family experiences and professional wisdom. Thank you so very much. Reggie Ayres - Medford, OR
Hi Michael and Shelly, I shared within and with a grin ~:o) the stories. I also went through the similar events with my two. I remember the falling and the eating of snow and the rides down small hills with the two of them sitting on one pair of skies as a sled. We did master the snow plow between the legs, too. After that, though, instead of using the spread snow plow, I used my ski pole for them to hang onto, at my side, as we went down the hills. Seemed to work well and they gained confidence in balance. The short shots with a max on the laughing and fun sure made the difference. They both could handle the hills faster. The other key was that they went into an all day, two kids on one, professional instructor. This instruction came after a season or two. The professional instruction day did two things...they were overjoyed that they could ski up to all of the lifts with no waiting in line and they truly maximized the learning from the professional. It also had a side benefit to the adults...they were free to play zoomie on the hills without worrying about the kids and the kids felt they were really grown up and having a super time. Yes, I agree, the memories will be shared for many years and truly enjoyed. Have a very Happy Holiday Season. We have had a little dusting of snow here, but not like you have. Ours will not be a White Christmas but a happy one. Best Regards. Jim Corbin - Bow, WA
Hi Michael (and Shelly too), Thanks for sharing the details of your saga. The skiing stories reminded me of trying to teach my son Bryan to ski 20 years ago at Tahoe. He didn't enjoy skiing at the time like your kids seem to, but at age 27 he's now into snowboarding, and has a season pass this year at Kirkwood. He would agree with you about your dislike for dealing with driving in snow country on a routine basis. He works in Minden, Nevada, which is just over the hill from South Lake Tahoe. He lived on the top of the mountain for a few years, but got tired of driving up and down the steep mountain roads during the winter, and eventually bought a house in the valley 10 minutes from work. He loved the summer season in the mountains, but just didn't want to deal with the winter driving conditions anymore. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. Gary Holzbauer - OR
No real losses, just costly fun and enjoyment of your family. Creating memories can be expensive. Ron Cloyd - OR
I have commented on uneven rise/run of stairways, circular stairways, small changes in flooring, loose steps, loose flooring, loose tile or vinyl squares, loose carpet squares, etc. I try to be observant of the hazards, especially when they are pointed out to me as I trip. Head bangers are another challenge. I now have another type of call to watch for. Up here, brick becomes slick due to the rain. Thanks for the call. Jim Corbin, Bow, WA
You will find a trip safety concern (Caution Advised) in 98 percent of my reports. I have always felt this was part of Health & Safety. I feel very comfortable with these findings. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! Carl L. Turnbow - CA
All concrete walkways and driveways also have expansion joint cracks that someone can catch a narrow high heel in. The hazard isn't in the walkway so much as it is in the shoes. I think most women know that they have to be very careful when they're wearing heels. Gary Holzbauer - OR
On the heels of Gary's comments, I flash back to Brent Foster's warning that from his experience the best client's for future litigation are recently divorced female government workers who currently hate all mankind..... I understand that they are big fans of the high heels =:)..... Be aware of the tripping hazards and document each one carefully.
Your Name: Please include your name or I don't know who it is from...
NOTE: CLICK HERE to download the printable version of this message.
Dear Members
With the Holiday Season upon us we are coming to the close of another year. It seems like we just had the millennium celebrations yesterday. It has been quite a year here at the A.I.I. office. As most of you know, the A.I.I. office moved from California to Oregon via Washington state. There have been many challenges along the way. Some bigger than others, but for the most part, it has been pretty exciting. I continue to be in awe at the wonderful support I receive from so many of you on such a regular basis.
When I took over the position of Executive Director, I had a strong background in Customer Service and I believe myself to be a good inspector, but I had no real experience running a non-profit trade association. I have studied our By-Laws, Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, inside out trying to put forth the effort I felt was necessary to move our association forward in a positive way. I have met with attorneys, accountants and other Executive Directors. There have been many, many, many late night calls to President, Scott Merritt and Chairman, Brent Foster. And yes, there have also been tears of frustration and joy.
This really is a big job. I feel honored that you have allowed me the opportunity to become your Executive Director. I have learned so much this year in the process that without this opportunity I would not have had the chance to do so.
We are continuing to grow in numbers and are now recognized at some state levels for our professionalism in providing training and continuing education. We presented two very successful Conferences this year in Portland, Oregon. A new position of Technical Advisor has been created to assist in advancing our technology. We have people working on a new Web Site for our association. The level of enthusiasm from within our membership is contagious. I feel your pride in our association when we speak.
I am feeling a little sad as we stand at the turning point of changing our officers. Brent has been our Chairman for three years through some tough times and with Scott as President this year, they have worked very hard for our association. I really hate to see them leave office, but do fully understand how grateful they are to have fulfilled their obligations. The consolation comes in receiving two very qualified gentlemen to fill these positions; Ron Cloyd will become our Chairman and Bill Schwahn will be our 2001 President.
Plans are underway for our 2001 Spring Conference to be held in April in Portland, Oregon. Many members have expressed their pleasure at having the last two conferences in Portland as a central location for many inspectors. I feel very positive about our future. Together, we are doing things we can not do alone!
Best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season and a most Prosperous New Year to come.
From The Office of The American Institute of Inspectors
Christmas attachment sent in by a grateful A.I.I. member, to share with you;
Who is this Santa Claus and why is he coming to town? Once upon a time, around A.D. 300, there lived a good bishop in the far away city of Myra in present-day Turkey. This man called Saint Nicholas is now the most popular Catholic saint. He is the special guardian of maidens, children, merchants, and sailors. One legend tells us that St. Nicholas restored life to three youths who had been murdered and hidden in a tub by a wicked Innkeeper. Another legend gives us clues to the origin of hanging up stockings for Santa. A nobleman had three daughters, but not enough money to provide each a dowry. The father nearly abandoned them to a sinful course of life when St. Nicholas came to the rescue! Secretly, he visited the man's house at night and threw in a bag of gold through an open window. The gold landed at the father's feet and was used for the eldest daughter's wedding. St, Nicholas threw in gold twice more for the other two girls. From this incident evolved the custom of the older members of a household placing presents in the shoes or stockings of their young relatives.
St. Nicholas' robe allowed him to travel instantly from place to place. In Holland, he supposedly uses a horse for his journey at night over house roofs. The early Dutch settlers brought the St. Nicholas customs to New York from where they spread throughout the U.S.A. and back to the British Empire. The Dutch children traditionally place something near the fireplace, such as a shoe or plate, to receive gifts that Santa will drop down the chimney during the night. Because St. Nicholas Day is on December 6th, the festivals of Christmas were easily blended with St. Nicholas legends. Christmas was probably assigned December 25th to correspond to pagan festivals during the time of the winter solstice (when days begin to get longer). These festivals celebrated the increasing sun light or "rebirth" of the sun, and supposedly made Christianity more meaningful to pagan converts.
Our tradition of Christmas trees stems from the use of evergreens by Celtic and Teutonic tribes. They honored these plants at winter solstice festivals as symbolic of eternal life. The Druids considered the mistletoe to have magical properties. Another tale suggests that Martin Luther began the Christmas tree custom in Germany. Christmas became a legal holiday in 1856. Through the centuries customs of all lands have been added to this background, making Christmas the greatest folk festival in the world today. Encyclopedia Americana
In the long ago past, Christmas-time festivals were rowdy parties for the pagans; and solemn observances for Christians. In the twentieth century, right here in America, Christmas is generally acknowledged as a celebration of family, friendship and love. We give gifts to people to show that love, appreciation, and mutual friendship. The millions of Christmas cards sent each year are like a firm handshake, a cheery smile, or a warm hug in an envelope. The cards are a way to pull over during the "rat-race" and assure your circle of acquaintances that you are still around. Christmas can also be stressful with all the shopping, writing, organizing, partying, decorating, etc. Whatever you do this holiday season, remember that it is supposed to be a celebration, not a self-destructive torturing procedure!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
Name, City & State: Please include your name or else I don't know who it is from.
Has anyone come up with an easy way of checking outlets to see if they are protected by a GFCI in another room without using the button on a tester? I often find the outlets in 2 or 3 bathrooms, or outdoor, kitchen, bathroom and garage outlets connected to the same GFCI, and seem to spend a lot of time running back and forth or up and down stairs from one room to another checking GFCI's. Any inventive solutions?
Gary Holzbauer - Junction City, OR
I go through and find all of the GFCI's first before testing. I have had two real challenges thus far...one of the controlling GFCI's was in a hidden spot in the garage behind storage and a long way away from the bathroom; the other GFCI was located on an interior wall behind a buffet cabinet. You just do the best you can. Most of the time, the owners don't know the location either. Jim Corbin - Bow, WA
Gary, there is no easy way. You must check all GFCI's and other outlets to discover which ones are really protected. Ron Cloyd - OR
I take two testers with me. After tripping the first GFCI outlet, I check the other supposed GFCI locations to see if those outlets are dead. This way you can figure out how they are tied together. I learned this lesson from having to spend an extra 15 minutes in a garage trying to find a second GFCI outlet that was hidden inside a cabinet. You still have to run back & forth, but you at least know where you are running to. Doug Treloar - Carpinteria, CA
As you go through your inspection make note of all the GFCI outlet and breaker locations. At the end, trip all the devices you have found and go around to all the outlets that require protection and be sure they are off. Don't forget to go back and reset the tripped devices. There is no real short cut unless you want assume that something is protected. We know what can happen if you assume. Jon Gudnason, Placerville CA
I have always liked Jon's method the best and use it most of the time. To elaborate just a bit on Jon's method he is saying to not test the plain receptacles with the test button on the GFCI tester until you have first identified where its controlling GFCI receptacle is located. This means that you find all of the GFCI's in the home that you can. Then trip all of them and proceed to return to all of the other locations that should be GFCI protected. These outlets which you have already tested for polarity should be dead. If they are still live it either means:
1) The receptacle is NOT GFCI protected.
2) You have not located the concealed controlling GFCI outlet.
3) The controlling GFCI outlet is not functioning correctly and power is still being sent to the receptacle.
This is where the Curious George syndrome always used to get me into trouble. If the standard receptacle is still live, there was always the extreme temptation to push the GFCI test button on the tester while being very quiet in hopes of hearing a GFCI receptacle trip. The trouble with this testing step is that it can really only get you into trouble if the outlet is protected. In the old days I would do this as I encountered the receptacle the first time on the pretense that I would find the tripped GFCI later during the inspection. This became very frustrating when I didn't ever find it.
Following Jon's method of tripping them all at the end works a lot better because at this point in the inspection you have already proven to yourself that you have found all of the obvious GFCI's. An outlet that is still live after tripping the GFCI's can be reported as "There was no obvious source of GFCI protection at this location." This can be followed by your recommendation depending on the age of the structure.
I revert to the old method of testing away on the fly when I am in a vacant home because there is no fear of tripping the freezer controlled freezer full of meat.
When I was first trained I remember the advice to not use a GFCI tester. Instead, I was advised to only use the buttons on the GFCI itself. This was told to me to save me the pain of searching for controlling GFCI's. I did not heed that council and have since found many GFCI's that trip with the button on the outlet, but do not trip with the button on my tester. I take the better-safe-than-sorry approach and report all grounded GFCI units that do not trip as needing replacement. The exception is the non-grounded units on older homes because the GFCI tester needs a ground to be able to trip the outlet. The outlet does not need a ground to provide the GFCI protection, but the handheld unit uses the ground to provide the short across the hot and the neutral.
One thing is for certain, Gary, and that is to follow the admonition of Jon and "Don't assume anything!"
Your Name: Please include your name or else I don't know who it is from.
Last week's Montana Grainery photo drew a couple of responses on "What would you anticipate and base your fee upon?"
Well flow testing, insulation, structural in relation to projected usage, electrical, HVAC. I would assume the legal, zoning, change of use, etc., have been addressed by the buyers at the beginning. I will be interested in the thinking on setting fees as well as what you ended up with for the client. Jim Corbin - Bow, WA
If I were going to inspect this structure, it would be the same as any other commercial or industrial building. The fee is a per hour amount. Only occasionally will I make a variance in this arrangement. The arrangement is then a per hour amount with a not to exceed number. If the exceed is approached, then there may need to be further negotiation. Tom Walther - Vista, CA
Bill Schwahn shared the following information about the inspection. Even after reading his description and seeing the photos I am still left in the dark with what my inspection fee would be. Consider this as you read Bill's explanation and then be bold and submit some inspection fee bids to me...... Don't be shy!!!
Michael, We determined our fee's by first evaluating the structure, mechanical, environmental (reporting only) as individual parts of the structure. We based each section's evaluation on an hourly base fee. Then we added in the time for reporting, and report completion. This building was built approximately 1898, there are no records that designate the actual date of construction.
The barrels of insecticide contained Mercury, used in the treating of grain, during the 60's. Barrels were stored overhead and were partially leaking, we recommended immediate evaluation by an Environmental Engineer, and made some recommendations of individuals in that field in our area.
The structure had been added onto 3 times. It started with the actual elevators, then 2 warehouses were added onto the structure. The structure was on a combination of footings, with piers, stub wall concrete foundation, and 8" x 8" piers on concrete pads. The crawl space took approx. 1 hour to evaluate due to the size and conditions. The footings were cracking and settling causing the piers to not be weight bearing. The concrete foundation wall has a total of 12 vertical cracks, with "V" cracks at the corners. Yes, a structural engineer was recommended for further evaluation.
The exterior of the structure was in Poor condition with most of the windows missing, siding was deteriorated and missing. Water had caused wood rot to the exterior structures, windows, decks, porches, siding, and floor in some locations.
All of the mechanical equipment that was in the building had been disconnected from the electrical mains. The service to the building was a 200 amp electrical service. I recommended a complete evaluation of the electrical system, as all of the old motor starting panels, could have been hooked back up to the panel by the new owner and no one knew the condition of the motors, or old grainery equipment. Some of the wiring was in conduit, and alot of the wiring that had been disconnected was the old cloth type wiring, that was not suitable for commercial buildings. A steam boiler that had been dismantled was in the basement, and a gas space heater was in the building . Even though the meter was removed and the gas turned off, I recommended that the entire gas line in the building be pressure tested to determine if it was safe PRIOR to the hookup of gas.
Not to forget, the basement was full of dead skunks, dogs, cats, pigeons, and some stuff that I was not able to identify (no, nothing that looked human). I further recommended that this area be cleaned and evaluated by a professional cleaning service that deals with this type of cleanup, due to Hanta Virus.
This was a new experience for me and a good experience for me, something that teaches us to expect the unexpected. If you have any other questions please call. (406)388-9890. Bill Schwahn - Montana
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