If you have any doubts about the need to replace your poly pipes, take a look at the pictures of a home that suffered from a single leak. These homeowners were away on vacation when a leak developed in the upstairs bathroom. More than 27,000 gallons of water ran through their home.
When they returned, there was four feet of water in the basement and $138,000 worth of damage to their furniture, carpets, wallpaper, wallboard, ceilings and priceless family heirlooms.
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Honey Who Shocked the Kids? An Electrician’s Tale
That’s a question that we never want to ask and a GFCI can help protect our kids.
What is a GFCI?
A GFCI, or Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter, is an automatic device that offers personal protection against electrical shock. They are installed in areas where known electrical shock hazards exist... outdoor outlets and fixtures, swimming pools, saunas and hot tubs, outlets in kitchens, basements, bathrooms, and garages. Wherever there is the potential for contact between a person and an ele...
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Property Condition Assessments
ASTM E2018 - 08 Standard Guide for Property Condition Assessments: Baseline Property Condition Assessment Process
Significance and Use
Use—This guide is intended for use on a voluntary basis by parties who desire to obtain a baseline PCA of commercial real estate. This guide also recognizes that there are varying levels of property condition assessment and due diligence that can be exercised that are both more and less comprehensive than this guide, and that may be appropriate to m...
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Permanent Foundations
Engineer Certification on Mobile Home and Manufactured Home Foundation Systems:
On certain types of loans, such as VA & FHA-insured loans, the underwriters want the additional assurance regarding the structural integrity of the home and they require a professional engineer's stamp of approval. We are able to assist with the field inspection and engineer's certification process. The standard requirement is that the foundation complies with the HUD publication, Permanent Foundation Guide fo...
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Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
The purposes of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment ("ESA") are:
To identify existing or potential Recognized Environmental Conditions (as defined by ASTM Standard E-1527-05) affecting the Property that: 1) constitute or result in a material violation or a potential material violation of any applicable environmental law; 2) impose any material constraints on the operation of the Property or require a material change in the use thereof; 3) require clean-up, remedial action or other resp...
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The Purpose of a Home Inspection
Why Do I Need a Home Inspection?
When Should it Take Place?
How Much Will it Cost?
How Do I Choose the Right Inspector?
Preparing for the Home Inspection
Why take that chance?
Neglecting to have your property inspected, could be the most costly mistake of your life!
Why Do I Need An Inspection?
Very simply, a house is the single largest investment most individuals will ever make. More and more purchasers are coming to understand the wisdom of a thorough home inspection pri...
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Everything’s Turning up GREEN!
Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use and harvest energy, water, and materials and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better sitting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal — the complete building life cycle.
Green building is also sometimes known as sustainable building or environmental building, although there are slight differences in the definitions. The practice of g...
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My New Home
We are in the process of building a new home. This article will document the process from raw land through to the final inspection including problems that we encounter along the way. I hope that it helps those who are considering building a new home...An exciting and challenging adventure.
Defining the living space and purpose of the home.
Selecting a site.
Developing the plans.
Choosing an architect and engineer.
Dealing with the local authorities.
Ob...
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COPPER PIPING – on the way out?
Not yet.......many of the high end builders in the metro Phoenix area prefer to use copper piping and tubing.
Tubing made of copper was introduced in about 1900, but didn't become popular until approximately 1950, depending on local building code adoption. If you have a home that was built in the 1950's or prior, chances are it has or once had galvanized plumbing and not copper piping.
Common wall-thicknesses of copper tubing are "Type K", "Type L" and "Type M";
Ty...
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Insider News – The Air We Breath door Air Quailty
Introduction
Disclaimer
Information provided in this booklet is based on scientific and technical understanding of the issues presented and is reflective of the jurisdictional boundaries established by the statutes governing the co-authoring agencies. Following the advice given will not necessarily provide complete protection in all situations or against all health hazards that may be caused by indoor air pollution.
Indoor Air Quality Concerns
All of us face a variety of risks to o...
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