An average day

[north star]

$ ~ $ ~ $

"3. Sills and sleepers on a concrete or masonry slab that is
in direct contact with the ground unless separated from
such slab by an impervious moisture barrier."

Isn't the whole concrete slab separated from the ground with a plastic 6 mil barrier ?
Also, even if an approved type of plastic barrier were to be used, an inspection
would need to performed to visually verify that the plastic barrier was in good
condition before being concealed under the various plates.

ICE, ...do you want to visually inspect every piece of plastic or other type of
approved barrier before it is concealed under the sole plates, on every project ?

$ ~ $ ~ $

 

[ICE]

$ ~ $ ~ $
Isn't the whole concrete slab separated from the ground with a plastic 6 mil barrier ?
Also, even if an approved type of plastic barrier were to be used, an inspection
would need to performed to visually verify that the plastic barrier was in good
condition before being concealed under the various plates.

ICE, ...do you want to visually inspect every piece of plastic or other type of
approved barrier before it is concealed under the sole plates, on every project ?

$ ~ $ ~ $

The visqueen under the slab doesn’t count for this code section. Nobody has ever tried the impervious barrier between the slab and bottom plate as an alternative to PT lumber ..... I doubt that anyone ever will.

 

[ICE]

Post #2687 has unanswered questions.

 

[Msradell]

R317.3.1 Exception (3)

Here we are told that fasteners used with zinc borate and sbx/dot preservatives need not be corrosion resistant if the location is dry interior. So is a mud sill a dry interior location? Theroreticly there should not be water present and the location is behind cladding of some sort.

I've always considered a Mud Sill a wet location, probably better definition would be "damp". Not really sure why except I guess the word mud kind of leads you to think it could get wet at one time or another.

 

[ICE]

The wrong nails are used nearly every time.
R317.3.1 Fasteners for preservative-treated wood. Fasteners, including nuts and washers, for preservative- treated wood shall be of hot-dipped, zinc-coated galvanized steel, stainless steel, silicon bronze or copper. Coating types and weights for connectors in contact with preservative-treated wood shall be in accordance with the connector manufacturer’s recommendations. In the absence of manufacturer’s recommendations, a minimum of ASTM A653 type G185 zinc-coated galvanized steel, or equivalent, shall be used.


When I wrote the correction I suggested that he add a staggered row of nails that is higher than the original nails. That would have worked because this is the job with the 3x plate.
He chose to remove the wrong nails and add nails.

 

[ICE]

It's a three bedroom house with thirteen alarms. (three were existing but in the wrong location)

 

[ICE]

This is a site built temporary power pole. The electrician might be the wrong guy for a new 12,000 square foot house.







This electrician is well grounded.

 

[ICE]

I came around the corner to find this. Now I'm not a combat veteran but it seems to me that not everybody in this picture has had situational awareness training.

 

[ICE]

 

[conarb]

Tiger, it looks like they caught someone parked in a handicap space.

 

[SCBO1]

It's a three bedroom house with thirteen alarms. (three were existing but in the wrong location)

ICE, what's the problem, they're "Worry-Free" alarms! Quit your worrying!

 

[SCBO1]

I came around the corner to find this. Now I'm not a combat veteran but it seems to me that not everybody in this picture has had situational awareness training.

You've got a badge, don't you? Where's their cowboy hats at?

 

[SCBO1]

The visqueen under the slab doesn’t count for this code section. Nobody has ever tried the impervious barrier between the slab and bottom plate as an alternative to PT lumber ..... I doubt that anyone ever will.

 

[SCBO1]

The visqueen under the slab doesn’t count for this code section. Nobody has ever tried the impervious barrier between the slab and bottom plate as an alternative to PT lumber ..... I doubt that anyone ever will.

WE did. The construction company I work for once used foam sill sealer that had a barrier layer under an SPF bottom plate in a basement finish and it worked just fine until the building inspector came along an said he wouldn't approve it. We responded "read the Code!" Instead of arguing with the BO we removed it, we still had 20 or so lots to build on. We could have appealed his decision but chose not too.

In a basement here the floor will raise up and down a bit (expansive clay soils) we always held the top plate down a fraction for the heave.

 

[ICE]

I can now say I have seen every possible mistake on a service upgrade.




With some people life will be a struggle no matter what they do. The next picture is the aftermath of my initial inspection. It was an owner builder permit. I asked the owner to hire a real electrical contractor ..... have that contractor obtain a permit.....and get the job done right. Well he did the first part but the contractor didn't show up for the inspection and now the lath and plaster has to be removed.

Twice now I have been tempted to open it up. Twice now I have fought that temptation. I don't think that I can hold out a third time.

 

[ICE]

After working with the same solar contractor for several years I have been able to educate a few employees on what to look for. I didn't tell them about this...... because......... who woulda thought.

 

[ICE]

He did say that he would hold the ladder.

 

[steveray]

Did you tell him you were brave, not stupid...?

 

[ICE]

The inspection is for an aluminum patio cover. The outlet is for an existing (50 years) porch light. The plan was to have ceiling fans and lights under the new patio cover and that power would come from the outlet via emt.

 

[ICE]

Directly across the street.

 

[steveray]

That's fantcy!

 

[SCBO1]

Directly across the street.

ICE, You've got TWINS, name them Danny and Arnold

 

[ICE]

With some people life will be a struggle no matter what they do. The next picture is the aftermath of my initial inspection. It was an owner builder permit. I asked the owner to hire a real electrical contractor ..... have that contractor obtain a permit.....and get the job done right. Well he did the first part but the contractor didn't show up for the inspection and now the lath and plaster has to be removed.

Twice now I have been tempted to open it up. Twice now I have fought that temptation. I don't think that I can hold out a third time.

This time the contractor was there to meet me. He used a 5# sledgehammer to open the wall. The wall deflected an alarming distance.



He is a polite Asian fellow. Communication is not splendid. Smiles a lot and bows his head. It would have been easier to be nice to him if he didn't perform sloppy work.




I could tell by the look on his face that he knew the box must be grounded. I'm pretty sure that he could tell what I was thinking too.

 

[ICE]

Licensed contractor. Service upgrade and re-wire a dwelling. The first inspection garnered 12 corrections. One of which was that the new service enclosure was surface mounted over a hole in the stucco wall. The previous service was recessed in the wall and now it is an empty box with the new service over it.

The hole in the sheathing is there for the service riser that is gone because the panel is now recessed in the wall where it should have been in the first place. I inspected that work two weeks ago and wrote a correction to install a structural strap across the over-bored wall top plates. A week later at another inspection they had installed unistrut to studs. So I drew a picture of a strap over top plates and they did this. The correction stated "Install ST62 strap across over-bored top plates with 10 #10 1.5" long on each side of the damage". "Seal top plate penetrations with approved fireblock material".

This is am MST48" and they sealed the nails but not the top plate penetrations.



The drawing that I made for them should have have a note that says "not to scale". 32 nails on each side of the conduit is probably enough.