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MONDAY MORNING MESSENGER

Message Prepared For Home Inspectors and especially for Members of the

American Institute of Inspectors®

June 14, 1999

GOOOOOD MORNING, A.I.I.™

It's a great day at Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections. As you read this I will be arriving by minivan to the Golden State at the southern end. It is family reunion time again for Shelly's side of the family. Wednesday all of the clan will gather at Doheny State Beach down in Dana Point, CA, for a beach bang. It should be a lot of work and a lot of fun.

TRIP ITINERARY

The plans for my trip are a little bit different than my family's. I'm driving down to CA with the whole clan because it is just too much for Shelly to handle the four little ones by herself. On the way, we are scheduled to place my constant monitoring device in a small business structure in a small town about 120 miles south of my home. Tuesday morning at 7 AM I will be boarding a plane for Seattle, WA, where Brent Foster will be meeting me. Jim Corbin is driving down and spending time with both of us for what looks to be a great afternoon. I have asked Brent to schedule an inspection in a typical Washington dozer-bait household so that I can see moist weather rot firsthand. Keep in mind that I am from arid Northern Utah and don't get to see major cases of Wood Destroying Organism rot very often.

Maybe Brent will schedule a house with an old dock.... That would be fun. I have heard legends in these parts that Brent will arrive with an ice climber's pick in hand and attack structures to see if they are structurally sound. I want to see him in good old Paul Bunyan form take a full swing at an old telephone pole-type pier support. Rumor has it that if the pole is sound it will only allow the ice axe to put a dent in it. If, however, it is rotted, the blade will fully penetrate the perfectly good looking shell of a telephone pole. After an afternoon of inspecting I will be treated to a wonderful nights rest in Brent's new home.... We may even have a wonderful dinner.

Wednesday we will make the 70 mile trek to Bellevue, WA, for the Exterior Insulation Finishing System training that I told all of you about in the MMM several weeks back. The $295 entry fee for the training is the small part of the investment for the trip. We have heard good things about this training and I look forward to it being the first in what looks to be 3 trainings put on by different associations. At 5:30 pm I will reboard a plane and say goodbye to Washington heading back to Orange County, California, to join the family reunion already in progress. It is at this point I expect that my vacation will actually start.

Father's day is next Sunday and after spending the day back at the in-laws we will once again start the 675 mile return trip. We will gauge the trip to arrive back at small Fillmore, Utah, to pick up the radon monitor and get back home. Monday is already booked with a 7-plex inspection and a home inspection later that afternoon. Did I mention that at some time in the next 8 days I will get a little rest...... I'm not sure where or when, but I'm certain that it will happen.

NEXT WEEK'S MMM

Next week's MMM will deal with my experiences in Lacey, WA inspecting with Brent Foster as well as some information regarding the EIFS training that we will be participating in. It will be delayed until Tuesday morning because of the logistics and time constraints of the trip. So when your e-mail about the MMM doesn't arrive like clockwork, you will understand why.

POTENTIAL OR IMMINENT HAZARD?

Last week I threw out the challenge for all of you to comment on Steve Dansby's photo challenge. Most of you must be very busy because the feedback was limited to the high quality response by Jim Corbin of Bow, WA. To refresh your memories, here is the photo again and what Steve had to say about it......

This is a 1965 "Pioneer" brand unit. No flue vent, strapping, PTR valve or fresh air provided. Installed in a wood, elevated, closet at the exterior of the residence. There was heavy buildup of soot in burn chamber.

Is this a potential or imminent hazard? ;-)

Steve E. Dansby - Portola, CA

Jim Corbin responded.......

Hi Michael, Steve Dansby's photo of a gas water heater shows less than desirable operation. Black soot is coming out of the gas plenum suggesting out of adjustment burner, bad air supply or bad burner. The picture appears to show a poor regulator (or no regulator) assembly. If the unit is electric and the "gas flex gas line" is actually a flex conduit then I would sideline the water heater with suspected shorted wiring inside the water heater. It is hard to tell from the picture. There appears to be loose combustible debris on the floor and the floor appears to be sloping to the right. For some reason, there is a drain hose connected. Further evaluation of the installation by licensed technician and replacement of the unit are recommended.

Regards, Jim Corbin - Bow, WA

PRESSURE REGULATOR VALVES

Each week I try to share with all of you a key bit of information that will help your inspection process or the success of your business. Today's Key Bit comes from Jim Corbin in Bow, Washington. Jim was a Mechanical Engineer with Texaco for many years and is very knowledgeable about the operation of mechanical devices. Jim is also talented in wordsmithing. Jim has the unique ability to take a very complex mechanical topic that confuses 98% of the population and put it into phraseology that the rest of us can easily understand. I'm certain that this God-given talent is one of the key reasons that his business is growing in its success. Where most Mechanical Engineers would describe a component's operation with terminology that would fly well over my 6'7" stature, Jim brings it down to everyone's level. Thanks Jim for taking the time to explain Water Pressure Regulation Valve operations.

SIDE NOTE: Three days after I received Jim's description I encountered a home that did not have this valve installed. The water pressure at the front hose bib was 148 pounds. With Jim's description freshly embedded in my memory banks I was able to clearly describe to the clients and the seller the risks associated with no valve installed. I had never before noted in the report as to the absence or presence of a water pressure regulator valve..... It is now part of my computerized plumbing section.

The sellers of the home reported to me that the plastic lines on their added under kitchen sink water purification system kept popping out of their hand tightened fittings...... It is no wonder. I don't test the water pressure of every house, but if the flow is extremely low or if the water flow is like a fixed fire hose on full, I will take the pressure test....... I don't want to have to experience the Midway, Utah, low flow, potential water main misidentification with an upset client again. Call me gun shy if you want, but I would rather be cautious than testifying in my own defense.

Jim Corbin taught...........

In the MMM dated 4/28/99, Michael, you threw out a question concerning the operation of a domestic water pressure regulator. I guess I just read over the "pass" you made. I now have seen it and offer the following, along with apologies for the delay.

WATER PRESSURE REGULATOR

The typical pressure regulator operates by the use of a spring against a seat, that seals the water flow, and a larger flexible diaphragm. As high pressure water enters the regulator valve, it tends to open the
inlet seat causing a movement against the diaphragm and spring. The "pounds per square inch" force against the "area" of the diaphragm pushes against a "pounds per lineal inch movement" of the spring that resists that opening. As an "adjustment screw" is screwed down onto the spring, a "preset force" is placed onto the spring (pounds per lineal inch of movement). This "preset" force sets the amount of water pressure against the diaphragm area that is necessary to open the seat, and thus sets the water pressure for the home. The more preset force, the higher the water pressure.

As the high pressure water flows through the valve, the downstream pressure begins to build until the downstream pressure equals the set pressure of the regulator, and the valve seat closes off the flow, due to the pressure on both sides of the diaphragm being the same. When a faucet or appliance is opened, the downstream water pressure drops and causes the regulator seat to open and to raise the downstream pressure back to the set pressure. If the house piping system is sized correctly, the regulator will deliver water at a sufficient pressure and flow rate to satisfy needs.

Failure of the diaphragm, or the seat sticking in the open position, will cause the high pressure water to bypass the regulating mechanism and the household pressure will rise up to the inlet pressure. Reduced pressures will occur if dirt or corrosion cause the seat to stick (or not open and close properly), in which case the household pressure will drop and slowly rise, since not enough flow will get through the regulator during normal use. Lower flow rates will occur if the system has restrictions that cause pressure reductions, such as corrosion in old piping, deteriorated valves, small diameter piping, etc. This low flow rate will occur even though the static (no flow) pressure is up to a standard level. Static pressure can be high when there is no flow but will fall as flow begins because of the friction in the system. If the system has excessive pressure drop, low flow rates at the tap will be
observed because the excessive friction has taken most of the pressure. There is, also, a replaceable internal strainer screen on some regulators that can plug and cause flow restrictions and pressure
losses. In some installations, such as in a basement or stand up crawl space, the strainer outlet can be equipped with a valve that can "back flush" the strainer to an external drain and maintain cleanliness of the strainer.

Relatively high service pressures can create high water velocities in pipe lines and tend to cause whistling and humming when water is flowing. Reducing the high pressure to control the noise can reduce the capacity indicating a possible undersize or corroded condition of the piping system. If there is high pressure with an adequate flow rate and whistling or humming is present, undersized piping, fittings or excessive pressure losses from a corroded system are suspect conditions to review.

NOTE: The set pressure for most valves is between 25 lbs. and 100 lbs. Valves generally are factory set at about 50 lbs., unless otherwise specified. Sometimes there is a suffix "LP" indicating a low pressure range of 10-35 lbs. or there is a suffix "HP" indicating a high pressure range of 75-100 lbs. In many commercial and industrial systems, electronic or pneumatic instrument systems are used to "sense" the downstream pressure level and regulate a control valve that maintains a predetermined set point pressure.

I hope this explains some of the workings of a pressure regulator in domestic water systems for you Michael. If you think it is sufficient, it is OK to place in the MMM. Hope your days are going well and business is high.

Regards, Jim Corbin - Bow, WA, where sun is beginning to occur more than rain.