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InspectionNews - Home Inspection

InspectionNews.net is the first, the largest and still the BEST independent home inspection resource and message board. InspectionNews has all the home inspection resources you could want.

02/08/2010 03:08 AM
Pin hole leaks in copper piping?

Ok I have inspected plenty of homes in three years as a home inspector and keep busy with home inspections. I have run into two home in my area in the last month which are having pin hole leaks in the copper water piping over and over again. One home is on a well and the other is on city water. Does anyone know the cause or have an idea of the cause of these pin hole leaks. I would like to give my clients a direction to go in the purchase of these homes. The constant leaks make me think the hole copper pipe systems may need to be replaced with pex or some other plastic pipe. I have done research on line and there does not seem to be many answers. Some research I read is do to low PH other is just bad workmanship in the install. Can anyone help me with this issue. Thank you all in advance!

02/08/2010 01:58 AM
Alcohol & Judgement - A Bad Combiniation

File this one under "It Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time". (I'm sorry the guy got injured but good grief! A 62-year-old man should have better judgment than this.) Man hurt after homemade rocket explodes during party stunt (http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/02/04/michigan.rocket.man) ---Quote--- February 4, 2010 A 62-year-old Michigan man was severely burned when a homemade rocket strapped on his back exploded while he slid down a snowy hill on a sled, authorities said this week. The rocket stunt was the grand finale on Saturday during the man's annual sledding party at his Oakland County, Michigan, home, the sheriff's department said. "He is known for doing 'crazy things' at his parties," an Oakland County sheriff's department statement said. "On this date, after consuming an unknown quantity of alcohol, he constructed a device out of a motorcycle muffler and pipe." Inside the makeshift rocket, the victim placed gunpowder, heads from matches and gasoline. He donned a helmet and took a sled to the top of a snowy embankment. "He asked another person to light a wick and then began to sled down a hill. At some point during the ride downhill, the device exploded. The results of the explosion were second-degree burns to the victim's face," the sheriff's department statement said. No one else was injured during the incident. The man, whose identity is not yet known, was hospitalized with significant damage to one of his eyes and could face criminal charges, authorities said. ---End Quote---

02/08/2010 12:06 AM
Propane Systems

This is something I rarely run across and know a fair amount about but am always interested in learning more. I have a big house coming up this week that is all propane and was trying to brush up.... So, what do you know and what would you care to share from an inspection perspective? Here's what I can think of: Propane appliances should be marked as being converted from LNG Propane is heavier than air while natural gas is lighter (I'm 90% sure on this.... I'm sure someone will jump in if I'm wrong). I always think of this in terms of fireplaces and other equipment where a leak would settle rather than drift upward (should propane house systems have a "sniffer" like in an RV?) There're more BTUs per cubic foot of propane vs natural gas (likely why it's heavier than air as opposed to LNG). It smells about as foul as LNG although slightly different odor How about storage tank regulations? From what I've experienced the delivery companies are pretty good about enforcing things before they'll fill the tank. Pretty much like the natural gas company around here. Meaning they won't turn the gas on unless all is well and the appliances are all generally safe. Things seem to be largely the same as LNG but, again, I don't see too many propane systems. Just curious what you all know....

02/07/2010 05:34 PM
Stair beside above-ground pool

Okay here's one for you California in Florida guys: Here in Chicago I rarely see above ground pools, but I would *think* there would be a requirement for a rail along the left side of the stairs adjacent to the pool, even though you don't need (AFAIK) a railing at the junction the deck surface in the pool rim.. Anyone? (For purposes of this discussion, let's just ignore ignore the other problems with these stairs.)

02/07/2010 05:03 PM
Leak leads to corrosion?Corrosion leads to leak?

Which is it? Could galvanic corrosion have caused the leaks? Would bonding the hot pipes to ground help stop corrosion? These are 6 year old gas water heaters, 80 gallon units on the 5th floor of a condo unit. Both are dripping from the same junction. Shouldn't they have used couplings to separate the steel from the copper?

02/07/2010 02:37 PM
Defect or not a defect

Aside from the cracked drip edge, Is how the roofers flashed this area proper? How else would you flashing this area? brian

02/07/2010 12:55 PM
New to the site!

Just wanted to say hi. I have enjoyed all of the posts I have read. There is a lot of great information for someone new to the field. Thanks

02/07/2010 12:48 PM
Wood & Oil Furnace in same flue

Are there any instances that you are allowed an oil furnace adjacent to a wood furnace and the to vent in the same flue? I am thinking no way but found a diagram that suggests it may be allowed in some areas as long as the units are on the same floor and the wood flue is connected below the oil??? Looks very fishy.. and there is a humidistat connected to the the wood burning duct that has melted..

02/07/2010 09:50 AM
Icynene attic insulation and radiant barriers

Im always concerned about the ability to locate a roofing leak from within the attic in homes with Tech Shield or foil products stapled all over the place. Listening to the radio yesterday, there was a show on about using Icynene insulation under the rafters to make the attic space air tight. This too would seem like something that would make looking for roofing leaks within the attic impossible (even for the IR guys). I suspect that water penetrating the decking with an icynene product would allow the water to just continuously soak and rot the decking before it would have any hope of being noticed by anyone. Thoughts????

02/07/2010 07:13 AM
From gable vents to Ridge & Gable Vents

Does anyone have any documentation on the impact of installing a ridge vent to a house that originally had only gable vents? There are no soffits.

02/07/2010 06:46 AM
Reporting fire damage

I'm wondering how others here report the wider implications of a previous fire, e.g. the possibility of hidden as opposed to observed defects. For example during the inspection I'm writing up at the moment,I observed soot staining on the underside of the roof and extensive replacement of sheathing, and once I got down to the basement I observed a likely cause: evidence of a previous fire in a utility area. However I observed no evidence of any effects of the fire elsewhere, while the repairs to the floor joists in utility area were ad hoc at best, which leaves me wondering about the quality of the repairs between there and the roof, on repair damage to wiring and plumbing, etc. Obviously, I can report what I saw, and my concerns about what I can't see. But I'm wondering if others here thought the wider implications of possible concealed fire damage, and have pre-written comments to cover the situation. - Thanks

02/07/2010 06:14 AM
Underlayment identification

Can anyone identify the name and manufacture of this underlayment?

02/07/2010 12:16 AM
Commercial Kitchen Sinks - No Trap Required If Draining Into Floor Drain?

Does anyone know what the code says about sink drains in commercial kitchens? Specifically, is a trap not required when the sink drains into a floor drain with an air gap? In an inspection the other day I noticed that several sinks that drained to floor drains did not have a trap. Other sinks that drained directly into the DWV naturally had traps. What determines whether a sink must drain into the DWV or to a floor drain? Could it be that handwashing sinks can drain to a floor drain (without a trap) but sinks used for food preparation must drain into the DWV?

02/06/2010 11:38 PM
Carpenter ants?

All I got was one shot. This is the only spot. There a wall/deck junction above.

02/06/2010 08:11 PM
Newbie

I am presently taking courses to become a Home Inspector in Toronto, Ontario. I love it, just wish I could have more hands on experience while I am studying. Any suggestions?

Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey ...
Benzinga
The Allen Matkins/UCLA Anderson Forecast California Commercial Real Estate Survey and Index Research Project polled a panel of California real estate ...

and more »

Southern California housing market strengthens in December
Los Angeles Times
Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, said buyers have sensed more security in Southern California's real estate market in recent ...

and more »

US report: close lawyer loophole on tainted money
Reuters
Among many examples, the report detailed how two California lawyers and two California real estate agents helped Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, ...

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29000 Calif. real estate agents quit
OCRegister (blog)
The state Department of Real Estate reported that by the end of 2009, 503284 people had California real estate licenses Ã¢Â€Â” down 29247 or 5.5% from the end of ...

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USC in the News 2/6 to 2/8/2010
USC News
California Real Estate Journal quoted Stan Ross of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate about real estate firms merging this year. E! ...

RE-INSIDER Uncovers Freddie Mac Supporting Off-Shoring of American Jobs
MarketWatch
LOS ANGELES, Feb 04, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- RE-INSIDER.com, the site dedicated to tracking abuses in the California real estate industry, has determined ...

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85 Year Old Real Estate Brokerage is Back in Business. The Hobin Company Re ...
PR-USA.net (press release)
... is seizing the opportunity of a recovering market and re-launching a family business that spans over four decades of California real estate sales. ...

Rebuilt to refresh - Sunny Eichler-designed home is filled with light, modern ...
San Francisco Chronicle
The basics: This single-story home, built in 1961 by prolific California real estate developer Joseph Eichler, was completely renovated in 2007. ...

IDX Broker's Unique Design Simplifies the Online Real Estate Search Process ...
PR-USA.net (press release)
Ã¢Â€ÂœARECAL is a California Real Estate Company developed by highly qualified professionals in the industry. Our network of experienced, reliable real estate ...

Short-sighted Arnold zoms in on another budget-fix trick
San Jose Mercury News
The latest example of Schwarzenegger's lack of foresight is the great California real estate sale that's just about to begin. Schwarzenegger plans to sell ...

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Realtor uses Facebook to feature foreclosed houses
WCNC (subscription)
CHARLOTTE, NC -- The foreclosure crisis that started in states like Florida and California is knocking on the door of the ...

REALTORS Association of New Mexico and zipLogix Extend Partnership
GlobeNewsWire (press release)
Real Estate Business Services Inc. (REBS) is a subsidiary of the CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORSÃ‚Â® and the leading provider of real estate products and ...

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Agent Spotlight
The Tribune
I joined Coldwell Banker United, Realtors in 2000. What is the most expensive home you've ever sold? During my career, I've sold all types of residential ...

Money pit: When a cheap foreclosure costs much more
CNNMoney.com
"Realtors then were still under the impression that home prices were stabilizing," he said. "I told them I would pay $150000. They just laughed at me like I ...

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Unleash the inventory
Inman.com
I'm a Realtor in Northern California who has sold homes for 40 years -- 28 of those years representing lenders in the sale of their REO (bank-owned) assets. ...

The Housing Market Isn't as Bad as New Numbers Indicate
Wall Street Journal
... inventories of existing homes hit a five-year low in December of 3.8 months' supply, according to the California Association of Realtors, from a high of ...
US sales of previously owned homes drop 16.7% in DecemberLos Angeles Times
CAR Reports December 2009 Home Sales Increased 1.7%; Median Home Price ...RisMedia.com (press release)
In brief: Home sales rose in '09; prices plungedVentura County Star
BusinessWeek -PR Newswire (press release)
all 1,438 news articles »

Hopeful signs in housing lift stocks | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/03/2010
Philadelphia Inquirer
The National Association of Realtors, a trade group, said its index of sales contracts rose 1 percent in December. It was the ninth improvement over the ...

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California's Home Inventory Shrinks
Wall Street Journal
... ago and 16.6 months in January 2008, when inventories were at a peak, according to estimates released Friday by the California Association of Realtors. ...
California home sales volume increases 1.7 percent for DecemberDaily Breeze
Ventura County home prices up from year agoVentura County Star
Springfield's home sales increase ; 17.6 percent over previous yearBuilder Magazine
Central Valley Business Times -Real Estate Channel -MLive.com
all 32 news articles »

Political Insider: Roy Wilson campaign funds donated
The Desert Sun
Real estate professionals from across the state were in the desert last week for a California Association of Realtors' gathering, taking time out on ...

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HOUSING: Million dollar homes still not selling
North County Times
The number of homes sold for more than $1 million in California last year fell for the fourth consecutive year, according to data released Thursday. ...

and more »

InspectionNews - Home Inspection

InspectionNews.net is the first, the largest and still the BEST independent home inspection resource and message board. InspectionNews has all the home inspection resources you could want.

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