There is a new internet scam.  If you use twitter you will be interested in reading this article.  PEI uses twitter to update notifications of this blog.  I am not sure it is up and running now but I am working on getting that fixed.

The scam is related to a direct message which will redirect you to a page which is a phishing page which looks legitimate.  The goal is to get your twitter login.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10360158-245.html

This is a good article.  It covers the concerns about local code inspection overstepping intended authority.  I think you could also apply this to the TREC Standards of Practice for inspectors requiring listing items in older homes which do not meet current code.  Worth a read.

Estes Park Trail Gazett

A friend of mine I grew up with sent me a link this morning to the Boston Globe.  It is a photo story on the rebuilding of the Galveston Gulf Coastal area.  If you live here then you probalby have some deeply effecting memories of the event.  I recall working to keep the business running without reliable phones, electricity, and employees who were dealing with their own problems.  We made it through although I it changed my perspectives on my business and our community forever for the better.  Our family, business community, and neighbors pulled together to help each other during and after the storm.

This is not reall directly related to my business but I thought it was worth your consideration.  I did have an oportunity to look at many building damaged by Ike in Galveston although most of my work was on the east and north sides of Houston where there seemed a greater need to seperate storm damage from normal wear.  That was not a problem in the tier I and II wind storm areas.

Check the Boston Globe Article Here

I was driving by a house on my way to a foundation inspection yesturday and saw signs for a local contractor installing root wall in a yard.  I had some time so I thought I would look to see the quality of the work.  I found the condition shown in the photo above.  The root wall was burried under the grass.  This will allow the tree near this wall to jump the top of the barrier.  If the top of your root wall is not visible it will NOT work.  It should also extend at least 30 inches deep.  See our recommendations page for more information and keep an eye on those contractors.

Can you find the problem in this picture?  It may be a trick question since I was only concerned about one problem I could see from the street.  The flashing detail at the porch.

The head flashing along the top of the roof at the front porch was set outside the moisture barrier.  You can see the window sill flashings are not lapping the head flashing and that brick is already being installed.  It is possible a counter flashing could be installed; however, it would normally be in place at this stage and they were already laying brick.  No counter flashing was on site, and no prep for a counter flashing was evident. These are details we look for when doing inspections on new construction and why new construction inspections are worth the cost.

Gutters are normally installed to control water run off from a roofing system and to control the water so that it does not result in erosion of soil at the foundation which could result in differential settlement.

There are different methods of controlling water as it is discharged from gutter downspouts.  This can be as upscale as a drainage plumbing system which carries water to the storm sewer or simply splash blocks which prevent water being discharged from the gutter from eroding the soil at the end of the downspout.

In all cases the configuration of the gutter and downspout is important.  The down spout should direct water away from the foundation rather than at or along the foundation and the splash block or drain should carry water far enough away to prevent erosion at the foundation.

Many builders either do not install down spout splash blocks or do not install them correctly.  If they do not exist or if they are installed backwards water will be allowed to run back against the foundation and you will often seen deep holes along the sides of the foundation which can result in poor performance.

Downspout Installed Backward

Hardi Plank siding from James Hardi has a new and improved product line out.  The most significant improvement is that there is now an option to order the siding pre-finished.

One of the most notable changes I have seen is the new installation requirements which require the use of a flashing tab at the end joints of the siding.

 
Sample Image From Online Specifications. Check
Hardi Plank Web Site For Full Specifications

In the past they recommended caulking of these joints which always seem to peel and separate.  While this can often be controlled through back-caulking, (where you apply caulk to the joint prior to installation of a plank and then after thus sandwiching the sealant), there is always the potential for the caulk to separate, peel, look awful, and allow more water to reach the moisture barrier.  This new detail should work better although I do not have faith that most tract builders will do a good job implementing it.

Check out the new specifications on their web site at:
 
http://www.jameshardie.com/

You have always heard that a picture is worth a thousand words right?  What is a video worth?
For years I have complained that roofers cannot follow simple directions when they are printed on each bundle of shingles WITH PICTURES in English and Spanish.  GAF has hit the proverbial nail on the head with their online training series without the need for as many words.

For the last few years here in Houston I have been pointing out that roofers and builders have been improperly installing the metal drip edge flashing along the eaves wrong.  In almost every new roof I look at the installer places the felt underlayment then install the drip edge over it.

Drip Edge Improperly Installed Over Felt

The typical explanation from a roofer is that this prevents wind damage to the felt prior to installation of the shingles.  The problem is that this can also allow water which reaches the felt to bypass the drip edge and run to the lower edge of the roofing deck or into the soffits.

In reviewing the GAF materials online they explain how this procedure is supposed to be implemented.

GAF does have a disclaimer that says some municipalities may require the drip at the eaves to be over the felt; however, I am not aware of the jurisdiction requiring it.  It would not appear this should be necessary if the components are configured carefully and in compliance with normal wind load preparations.  This normally requires the drip edge to be fastened directly to the deck with nails that are the same metal as the decking strip (steel or aluminum) trimming the felt underlayment so 1 inch to 1-1/2 inches of drip edge is exposed.  The shingle starter strip will adhere to this drip edge, so its attachment is an important part of keeping the shingles on the roof.  Starter strip should be used along eaves and rakes. Starter strip is a specially designed purpose fabricated shingle that has strong adhesive patches placed where it will stick to the drip-edge material. Do not use regular shingles cut in half and mounted upside down for this purpose. Starter strip should extend beyond the drip edge ½ to ¾ inches.  If you must use cut shingles where wind loading is of concern it is necessary to hand seal the starter to the drip edge using measured amounts of adhesive to prevent a water seal between the drip edge and the start strip.

You can find all this information and more on the GAF web site How To Install Section.

Another good reference for this subject is the LSU Agriculture Center Web site.

Harris County Flood Control District has released hurricane tracking software.  It comes in two varieties.  One you install and the other is a pop-up you use online.  I have not installed the full version as I don't like installing such software, but I have used the online version.  It is pretty slick.  It comes with a history of the past storms and shows future names.  Check out the pop-up here:

Check out their hurricane tracking page here

I recently received a mailer with information on new Honeywell HD thermostats.  They were pretty nice looking and interested me because I would like to have access to my home thermostat via the web and it looked like they might just do that.  This would be nice when I was either leaving town unexpectedly and would like to reduce the cost of operation or returning and would like to have the home cool when I arrive.  Looking into the Honeywell it appeared it would be very expensive to add a network module.

I did some additional looking around and found several companies which sell a small scale system which will allow me to control my thermostat remotely over the internet.  Lowe’s sells one as part of the Schlage Link lock set. Like most this system requires you to connect through an account on a company web site which I was not interested in.  Some also require you buy more stuff than I want.

I found that Proliphix sells a system to do just what I would like.  Their thermostat can be set behind your firewall, given an IP address and you can connect to it directly.  This will require some setup and if you do not have a dedicated IP to provide it you will still have to use a redirect service, but free services are available.  I have not aquired one yet, I am still shopping but if I do I will be sure to post on it.