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How to inspect balcony framing through soffit vent?

Yikes

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,951
Location
Southern California
Many of you know that California Health and Safety code requires inspection of balcony framing every 6 years. The industry has responded by designing soffit vents with removeable covers, however, these are much more expensive than a typical fixed mesh soffit vent.
Do any of you know if it is possible to inspect balcony framing via a borescope or endoscope poking through soffit vent fixed screening?
 
Who has to certify the inspection result? If it’s an engineer or architect, they wont know what they are looking at anyway. So it probably doesn’t matter. How do you tell if wood is rotten if you can’t poke it with an ice pick?
 
Who has to certify the inspection result? If it’s an engineer or architect, they wont know what they are looking at anyway. So it probably doesn’t matter. How do you tell if wood is rotten if you can’t poke it with an ice pick?
In the link provided above to the CHSC, it says:
“The inspection shall be performed by a licensed architect; licensed civil or structural engineer; a building contractor holding any or all of the "A," "B," or "C-5" license classifications issued by the Contractors State License Board, with a minimum of five years' experience, as a holder of the aforementioned classifications or licenses, in constructing multistory wood frame buildings; or an individual certified as a building inspector or building official from a recognized state, national, or international association, as determined by the local jurisdiction. These individuals shall not be employed by the local jurisdiction while performing these inspections.”
 
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