GOOOOOD MORNING, A.I.I.....
It's a great day here in Orem, Utah! We have safely crossed into the last quarter of the year. Last year at this time our business had come to a screeching halt and we decided to flee to the dream world of Disneyland. This year the inspection schedule is staying strong and hopefully the fourth quarter will remain busy. I hope that all of you have marked off your calendars for next months AII Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon. It should be another great experience.
Last week the apartment explosion story was reported and the question was asked......Any guesses as what caused this explosion?
Gas line was not shut off, some type of gas leak, ignited when furnace came on in the morning? Jeff Herboldshimer - Live Oak, CA
Sounds like a gas leak and ignition spark. Gas leak source is either natural gas (city) or sewer gas (methane). If It was a sewer vent condition, the evidence has been destroyed. D. Ray Arey - Thermopolis, Wy
There may have been a leak through the unauthorized valve. Many times these valves are not designed for the required "gas tight" shut-off to prevent flow. There could also have been a static electricity build-up due to the fumigation which provided the spark for the explosion. It will be interesting to hear the result of the investigation, if available. Jim Corbin, AII 2002 President - Bow, WA
Nathan Buckley shared this story with us and he is surely researching the archives to find out the answer to this mystery.
Was inspecting a 1 year old house that had been previously inspected by an inspector with Amerispec. I found 2 pages full of some very big issues that directly affected this house and cannot for the life of me understand why the previous inspector did not find these issues, like a river running under the house. One issue that concerns me is that there is a ground line bonded to the gas line at the gas line going into the furnace. On the electrical panel it was even written in black felt pen that the furnace gas line was bonded with a ground line. I realize that I am still a fairly new inspector with now 30 inspections done sense July (hey getting closer to that magical 50 mark), now my understanding has always been that you do not ground to a gas line. I realize that all of the plumbing coming into the house is plastic but I also could not find a ground rod anyplace and with that in mind I believe that they have indeed grounded the electrical system to the gas line. I did call for the ground to be removed from the gas line and grounded to a proper grounding source. I just felt that even if this is permissible that to me it is or could be an unsafe situation.
Another thing I noticed and that was the water heater pressure/temp discharge line is plastic on this gas water heater installation. OK so its plastic but that the pipe was labeled drinking water. Plus it was very loose, not strapped down and appears that it would definitely break if the water heater were to discharge or flap around in a violent motion possible injuring one of there children or themselves. Again I recommended for safety that the pipe be of copper or steel and that it be strapped down. Has anyone else been seeing this material being used for the high pressure/temp discharge line on a water heater. Marc Gibson - Oregon City
Hi Marc, Bonding of the gas line is now becoming common place in some areas of the country. Its OK if it is BONDED, but not OK if it is the grounding for the panel as you indicated. There should be a proper grounding wire for the electrical panel.
I would not recommend that the bond be removed! I would have recommended that a licensed electrician evaluate the electrical grounding of the electrical panel and check the bonding of the gas pipe. (Which, to you, appeared to be the grounding for the electrical panel.
Nice to hear you are doing well and gaining experience performing PAID inspections.
Hope to see you in Nov. at the Annual Conference. Regards, Ron Cloyd
Mark: I believe what you area seeing at the furnace gas line is a 'bonding' wire. It is typically required in new construction and most jurisdictions to bond all metal gas and water piping; You would see this wire at water heater and furnace locations. So this is OK, and probably the marking pen on the panel was the builders electrician assuring the AHJ inspector that this was performed with an uninterrupted wire to the 'Main' grounding conductor back at the service panel neutral bus bar.
A gas line is never to be used as a grounding electrode however, bonding is required in most jurisdictions.
The system has most likely been grounded with a 'UFER' electrode into the foundation system, by which the connection can usually be identified through a removable inspection plate in a finished garage space or on the exterior wall adjacent to or near the service panel at the lower wall area. It is good to verify the connection to the UFER rod (Re-bar coming up from the foundation) as I have seen many broken or loose clamp applications.
You are right on the the T & P valve drain line which is typically to be of a solid metal piping and definitely not intended for a potable water supply line. However, If the house was plumbed in plastic (CPVC) then I believe some jurisdictions allow for the T&P drain line to be of the same material.
Hope this helps:-) Mark VanBuskirk - Bay Area, CA
Hi Marc, Bonding is required for gas lines, natural gas or propane...dissipates potential build-up of static electricity due to a flowing gas within a metal pipe. Not to be used as the grounding electrode for electrical supply.
I have seen the plastic T&P discharge line before. If it is not CPVC capable of high temperature, then it needs to be replaced with full size 3/4" copper. If a Hot Water tank discharge occurs, the water/steam fluid mixture can be 325 Deg. F or higher. This temperature exceeds the common potable water piping limit. Even if I see CPVC, I still advise the client of the safety aspect for the discharge line to be maintained open and functional during discharge and that the "best" way to insure this is to use full size 3/4" copper pipe. I have never had a client disagree. Some areas approve of CPVC and I never argue the issue...only advise the best method for safety. I have seen the results of T&P relief valves, both large and small, not working and it is not something to chance. Just my thoughts. Hope that helps. Jim Corbin - Bow, WA
Hi Marc: Up in my neck of the woods it is common to see bonding of the gas and water pipes at the furnace/water heater location.of course if the water pipe is plastic (CPVC or PEX) then it would not be bonded. Much of the time I do not see the grounding electrode that is being used. I have found that many of the structures that are 10-30 years do have a ground rod that is visible. Most of the newer construction the ground wire is either hidden from view by a PVC conduit or its just buried in the dirt. It could be that its a UFER ground or that the grounding electrodes are buried. In some of the areas here it is required that the grounding electrodes (one or two) be buried a minimum of six inches, in which case they would not be seen. Check with your local electrical inspector and/or get to know a local electrician. Many of newer homes in this area are also being plumbed with CPVC water pipe. I have not seen any challenge with this material at the SRV yet. e.g.: breakage or melting at the SRV. As far as the water under the house, it may have been dry under there when it was inspected or...???? I look forward to meeting you in Portland. Mark Daughtry - Redmond, WA
Marc: Jim Corbin hit it right on the nail head with the T&P discharge pipe. I would like to add something to Mark V's comment on the Ufer (a capital U for Dr. Ufer who came up with the system). There are two types of Ufers, the one Mark described and the continuous #6 copper wire running 20ft. horizontally in the foundation and supported 2" off the ground. It runs up thru the stem wall and is long enough to reach the main panel without any inspection boxes. This is the most common configuration today and is my choice in construction. Jim Lucas, CA
Besides the cell phone in my truck, the other most important piece of equipment I have is my calendar. Yes, I have double booked a number of times. What I have been able to do a few times is do this third inspection at the end of the day as I always carry an extra report and service agreements in my briefcase. In other situations I have a backup member do the inspection with the approval of the Realtor or client or just schedule it for another day. Jim Lucas - Camino, CA
Yes I have by not paying attention to my schedule, but fortunately for me, I called one of the parties and was able to get there later that same day. I pay closer attention to my schedule now! Richard Grisham - Las Vegas, NV
I have double-booked Nathan once, and the solution turned out to be simple, thankfully. I realized what I had done as I was updating his calendar on the computer, so I kept the appt. with the client who had called in first and re-scheduled the appt. with the client who had called in second, and just explained what had happened and apologized. Luckily at that time we were not booked out too far in advance so it was only a matter of rescheduling an extra day or two. Misty Buckley - Klamath Falls, OR
Yes! My wife double booked a couple of times. Just worked it out. Told them sorry I will be late for inspection and tell them why! Once asked if O.K. to do it the next day Nope!! I need today he said. So did it, But late in the day. Rolland Pruner - Livermore, CA
I have not double booked an inspection...however, I have put the wrong inspection date for the inspection. In that instance, I got a call from the agent while at another inspection. Red faced, I informed the current client that I was human and did a human thing. When they learned of what was involved, they laughed with me at my mistake, thanked me for the honesty and gladly scheduled later in the afternoon. Fortunately, daylight savings time helped. Jim Corbin, AII 2002 President - Bow, WA
I wished I was that busy to worry about having to cancel an inspection or to book to at the same time. My time will come I'm sure but hope that I never do have to cancel one. I think having a list of A.I.I. inspectors in your area would be a very helpful tool if you do find yourself very busy. Marc Gibson - Oregon City, OR
SITUATION: A phone voicemail says :"This is Sandy at Terry Harward's office and Terry would like to speak to you as soon as possible regarding some questions about a recent inspection that you performed in Orem. Terry can be reached at ........."
This makes you flash back to the inspection performed for a good friend and neighbor who is moving. Then the pieces are put together as you recall an e-mail from a few days prior From your client that shared in part.......
I really appreciate the inspection report you provided for us on the house at 1024 East 400 North. After careful consideration of the report, we decided it was in our best interest not to proceed with the contract to buy. By doing so, we have incurred the wrath of the seller's agent who feels you discouraged us from proceeding with the sale. We feel you have been thorough, fair and honest in your report and it is exactly what we needed to know about the home. We thank you and hope we haven't caused you any harm.
Wow!...... So how should you respond to Mr. Harward???...... Here is what I came up with and even gained Shelly's approval fearing that I might be sounding too defensive or jumping to conclusions........
Mr. Harward: A phone message was left for me stating that you have some questions for me. Please write any questions you may have in an e-mail and I will gladly reply when I get back into the office later this evening. The days are full inspecting and the nights are spent picking up messages and polishing off inspection reports.
This probably is dealing with the recent inspection for Garren Maas. Mr. Maas
If my client, Mr. Maas, felt wrath from you, then we have little to discuss until you document the specific reasons for your
Michael Leavitt - Peaceofmind@TheHomeInspector.com
I hit the send key and within an hour came the following response.....
Michael: My questions were only an explanantion from you of those item on your report, so the seller can correct them. While I was upset with the other agent, I have never even met Mr. Maas or talked with Mr. Maas. The seller is waiting for a copy of the report, so we can discuss it. Thanks. Terry
Uh oh...... Did I misread this situation? Was I too defensive? I think that I'll call my client...... "Mr. Maas, the listing agent wants a copy of the report " I said. "Under no circumstance do I want the listing agent to ever see the report that we paid for" said Mr. Maas. I knew that this would be the case, and what good could come from sharing the report on a failed sale anyway? I then called the buyer's agent to let her know what was going on and she opened my eyes to the reality of the situation. I was right on in my original assessment of the listing agent's intentions. He was refusing to return the earnest money to the buyer until they received a copy of the report........ Good old fashion blackmail is a state where the buyer has no law mandating sharing information from any reports performed on their behalf and at their expense. Knowing the full situation I replied to Mr. Harward again..........
Mr. Harward: I have checked with my client and they did not give me consent to release the report to any individuals other than their agent. I am bound by a strict confidentiality agreement with my client and the inspection information is between me and them. This means that no other individuals or entities are privy to the findings and I am not allowed to discuss the information and findings without their permission. This also prevents other individuals from relying on the report and its findings and then trying to bring legal action at a later date. The nightmare scenario occurs as a seller shows the report to another buyer months later and the buyer goes cheap and does not have another inspection performed. By this time the water heater may have failed and they want me to buy them a new unit even though I have never met them and they received a report that was not prepared for them. I
You are probably also aware that there is no standard provision in the Utah real estate purchase contract that entitles the listing side of the transaction to the inspection findings, and although we may not agree or like this lack of provision it is still the case. I have found that in most transactions my client agrees to release the findings, but this is completely at their discretion. Therefore, I will not be able to complete your request in forwarding on a copy of the inspection report at this time.
Michael Leavitt 1145 N. Main Street Orem, Utah 84057 Peaceofmind@TheHomeInspector.com 801-225-8020
For Immediate Release October 3, 2002 Release # 03-004 CPSC Media Contact: Kim Dulic (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1183 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
WASHINGTON, D.C. - October is Children's Health Month and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the White House and other federal agencies are urging parents and caregivers to "Discover the Rewards" of protecting children's health.
To mark Children's Health Month, CPSC Chairman Hal Stratton invited a video camera inside his home near Washington, as he and his family safety-checked their house from hidden hazards. The Stratton home needed smoke alarms, cabinet locks and arc fault circuit interrupters...just like any home.
"A few simple steps can help reduce the risk of death and injury from consumer products around the home," said Stratton.
A Children's Health Month calendar highlights each day in October by alerting caregivers to a different hazard with a corresponding remedy or safety tip. The CPSC has provided safety tips to reduce head injuries, and prevent poisoning, strangulation, drowning, and suffocation hazards to children. The Stratton video is being broadcast via satellite to TV stations nationwide.
"Children's Health Month provides a wonderful opportunity for CPSC to spread the message to parents and caregivers about the importance of providing a safe environment for young children," said Stratton.
From the kitchen to the basement, Mr. Stratton is seen on the video eliminating hidden hazards from his home, such as water standing in large buckets. He's also shown cutting loops in window-blind cords.
Each year, more than 100 children drown in buckets, toilets, bathtubs and other sources of standing water in the home. Since 1980, CPSC has received reports of more than 200 children who have strangled in window-blind cords.
Here are some simple, low-cost product safety tips to protect children:
For more potentially life-saving tips, consumers may download the Children's Health Month: Discover the Rewards calendar from the CPSC web site at www.cpsc.gov. Consumers may also visit the Children's Health Month web site at www.childrenshealth.gov to obtain a compilation of fact sheets containing information on children's health issues from other participating agencies. Another useful link is www.healthierus.gov .
For Immediate Release October 2, 2002 Release # 03-003 CPSC Media Contact: Ken Giles (301) 504-0580 Ext. 1184 CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772 Invensys' Recall Hotline: (877) 481-2372
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Invensys Building Systems, of Love Park, Ill., is recalling up to 560,000 Siebe actuators for testing and replacement, if necessary, which could be found in fire and smoke dampers. Actuators hold open fire and smoke dampers in a building's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. A spring mechanism, integrated with the damper, is designed to close the damper during a fire to limit the spread of smoke, fire and fumes. The recalled actuators can jam, and prevent the dampers from closing. If dampers fail to close during a fire, serious injury or death can be suffered by building occupants because smoke, fire and fumes can spread through a building's ventilation system
Building owners, damper manufacturers, and fire and safety investigators have reported dampers not closing during testing.
The actuators have been identified as IBS or Siebe MA-200 series with one of the following model numbers: MA-220, MA-220-0-1, MA-220-0-2, MA-221, MA-221-0-1, MA-221-0-2, MA-223, MA-223-0-1, MA-223-0-2, MA-230, MA-230-0-1, MA-233, MA-233-0-1, MA-240, MA-240-0-1, MA-240-701, MA-240-701-1, MA-243, MA-243-0-1, MA-243-701, MAH-241, MAH-241-0-1, MAH-241-701, and MAH-241-701-1. The Actuators have manufacture date codes of 9348 through 9947. The Actuators were manufactured in the United States.
The MA-200 Series Actuators were used in fire/smoke dampers manufactured by the following companies between December 1993 and October 1999:
These MA-200 and MA-200-1 series actuators were used in fire and smoke dampers that were manufactured by various companies from December 1993 through October 1999, which were installed by private contractors in commercial and residential buildings. The actuators have manufacture date codes of 9348 through 9947.
Building owners and managers whose buildings have dampers containing Invensys/Siebe actuators should immediately contact Invensys' Program Coordination Office at (877) 481-2372 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT Monday through Friday. A web site where building owners can obtain a complete copy of the program information has been established at www.regcen.com/MA200.
To be eligible for a free actuator replacement, the building owner must test the actuator and report the results to Invensys. Only actuators that fail testing will be replaced.
I have been part of the "Team" concept advertising...I think I got involved three times. The results in all cases was "Zero". I simply inform them that I have done "whatever" before and it is either the same or similar to what is proposed. I had never realized any results that provided business for my company. Therefore, I have directed my advertising dollars to other places. I, also, thanked them for the consideration. I never got a "sour" comment from the agent when I finished. Jim Corbin, AII 2002 President - Bow, WA
No did at first. We found out this did not help at all. I tell em all no thanks, but thanks for thinking of me! Rolland Pruner - Livermore, CA
People like this are slime balls. I once sent an e-mail to one of them telling them that the world was full of money. They didn't have to involve themselves in non productive scams to make a living. Why not go out and get a real job and stop trying to scam people. I never heard from them again! Richard Grisham - Las Vegas, NV
What is the strangest thing you have discovered in a crawlspace???
The puppy that the neighbors lost 3 months earlier!! Ask Scott DeWitz about "Big Blue" in the attic. Russ Colliau - Roseville, CA
Opened up crawl space in the bedroom closet,, Wow what an odor the waste line(s) had broken and filled the sub area clear to the bottom of the access, it was like a smelly swimming pool, stuff floating and all. Worst ive ever seen. I did not crawl this one, needless to say iI guess. Another time inspected a house in Oakland cal. Under the house I counted 15 rats from what I was told were from Autralia as big as house cats I crawled about 10 feet in and they would come up to you and were not afraid at all. I was! I got out PDQ. Another time I found a small boat about 14" long halfway burried in the crawl space??? Who can figure. Some one built the house over it.??? This is all I can think of at this time. Been inspecting 21 years now stuff keeps goin on and on you never know whats next. Rolland Pruner - Livermore, CA
The most often found "thing" has been the skeleton of various animals, and of course, the live animal that scrambles out of the low clearance crawl space making sudden noise that causes you to enjoy a real bell ringer on the floor joists. I did have one that was not nice...a retired lady near the salt water enjoyed the local sea lions and enjoyed feeding them. It wasn't until she passed away that everyone learned the sea lions home. I was hired to do the estate home inspection and pest and dry rot inspection. I learned that the entire crawl space of this 3750 sq. ft. single level home plus garage was used as the home for all the sea lions. The startling feature of the discovery was that all of the thick, messy, remains were mostly back from the crawl opening and I sort of "discovered" it as I went in about 10 ft. The client was acompanying me in the crawl and I told him to leave and I followed...quickly. The relatives selling the property were not pleased to learn of this finding. This crawl had to top the list of "worst crawls" encountered...possibly the strangest, too. Jim Corbin, AII 2002 President - Bow, WA
Do you pull the plug-in disconnect on A/C condensers or heat pumps?
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