NY Metro ASHI News
January 2003
A
Publication of the NY Metro Chapter of the American Society of Home Inspectors
Published
by John Gerardi (gerardi@att.net)
January Meeting
Change of Location This Month Only
RTCA's Offices
2 Hayes Street, Elmsford, NY (914) 345-3380
{Take Route 9A to Elmsford, go west on Haven (two intersections north of Route
287 overpass), then go south one block on Hayes to RTCA's offfices.
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2003, 6:00PM
Next Meeting's Program
Radon in air
measurement
Guests are welcome at all meetings.
VIC'S (AD)VICE COLUMN
by
Victor
J. Faggella
NEUTOCRETE FIELD TRIP
Recently,
Neutocrete, one of our advertisers and seminar exhibitors, provided those who attended
our Seminar 2002, with the opportunity to accompany one of their crews on an
actual on site installation. For those not familiar with Neutocrete, it is a
company which specializes in improving a house's total environment by sealing
crawl space floors.
The turn out was less
than expected and five of our chapter members who had signed up for the event
were unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, I was asked to summarize the
experience both for them and all those other members who were unable to
attend. I was advised by the CEO,
Anthony Buonaiuto, that due to the fact that those attending obtained so much
from this field trip, that another will be provided in the future. It may also be possible to arrange a field
trip for chapter members only.
To summarize the day:
After registration, a light breakfast and greetings from the entire
staff of Neutocrete, we adjourned to the conference room for presentations by
Anthony and Frank Buonaiuto and Julian Garcia.
The purpose of the presentations was to prepare us for the on site
inspection of work in progress, which was to follow. It was noted that the material used in the
Neutocrete process (lightweight concrete) is not new and has been used in the
construction industry for many years.
Vermiculite, Perlite and other lightweight aggregates and other
ingredients are mixed with the concrete to give it the desired properties. What is new, and patented, is the actual
sealing process. We were also advised
that Neutocrete is working in conjunction with "Advanced Energy" (a
non-profit research consulting firm) "to develop building and retro fit
standards for crawlspace construction to improve the structural integrity and
air quality of the living environment".
After the preparatory presentations,
we were driven to a site where actual work was in progress. The crawl space had been divided into three
parts, to enable the inspectors to observe all phases of the process. The first third was the original crawl space
with the dirt floor and all typical debris; the second third was the cleared
and prepared crawl space area; the last third was being finished with the
Neutocrete process and the inspectors were able to observe the various
techniques used. We were then driven to
a "test" crawl space. One of
the problems encountered with the lightweight concrete is excessive
shrinkage. Various mixes, with different
aggregates and additives had been applied to marked off areas of this crawl
space and areas were being monitored, over a period of time to determine which
mix performs best.
We returned to Neutocrete's
facility for lunch and a round table discussion. During the discussion, various questions were
answered and ideas exchanged. In my
opinion, this was a beneficial experience not only for the inspectors but for
Neutocrete itself. I strongly urge those
members who were not able to attend this seminar, to attend the next one when
it is given. On behalf of the chapter, I
would like to thank Anthony and Frank Buonaiuto and all their staff for having
us.
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POPULAR
MECHANICS – MAY 1991
HOME & SHOP JOURNAL
HOMEOWNERS CLINIC
BY NORMAN BECKER.
P.E.,
Contributing Editor
Chimney Cricket
We would certainly appreciate your suggestions to correct a persistent
leak in our roof by the chimney. This leak is causing water damage to the
ceiling by the fireplace in our living room. My husband's efforts to tar the
edges between the roof and chimney help for a while but don't correct the
problem. We replaced the roof, but that made no difference. Will a saddle from
the roof to the chimney help?
VELMA DRAKE, WATSKEA, IL
A cricket (a/so called a saddle) should solve the problem.
Based on the photo that you sent, your chimney is about 4 ft. wide. Whenever the width of a chimney located
along the slope of a roof is more than 2 ft., a cricket should join the roof and chimney.
The cricket prevents debris or snow and ice from piling up behind the chimney.
This can cause rain or melting snow to back up under the shingles and
leak into the house. The cricket also deflects water running down the roof
around the chimney.
The cricket's slope should be the same as that of
the roof. If the cricket is large and exposed to view, it should be covered
with the same shingles as those on the rest of the roof. A small or non-exposed cricket can be covered
with metal. The joints between the cricket and chimney, and the cricket and
roof should be flashed.
Flame Spread
Can you tell me what "Flame Spread 200 or less" means? I saw it on a label on the back of a 4 x 8 plywood panel that had a decorative finish.
PAUL MAUCH, MT. VIEW, CA
Flame spread is the propagation of a flame over a surface. The flame spread rating classifies the fire hazard potential of different building materials. It is based on tests performed by independent labs using procedures developed by Underwriters Laboratories. Inorganic materials and untreated red oak provide the range against which flame-spread ratings are made. Inorganic materials, which include concrete, cement-asbestos board and metal, have a flame spread of 0. Untreated red oak has a flame spread of 100.
Building codes require materials that have a low
flame-spread rating (0-25) to be used in fire escape routes, such as in
stairways and exits. Where passageways and corridors are not part of an
enclosed exit, the flame spread rating of the material should not exceed 75. Materials used for interior
walls and ceilings generally have a flame-spread classification of 200 or less.
This includes most untreated plywood or paneling.
Squeak Cures
Alter reading the column on "Squeaking Floors" in Homeowners
Clinic (page 88,
August '90), Fred Gaca of Antioch, Illinois, sent in his suggestions.
If you are repairing a squeaking floor, use 1 5/8
-in.-long drywall screws instead of nails to attach the plywood to the joist.
Drywall screws don’t require pre-drilling a hole and will countersink
themselves. They hold tighter than nails
and won’t come loose even if the wood shrinks.
In my area, where a typical year sees temperatures
go from subzero to more than 100 degrees F and humidity from 0% to 100%, some
contractors use these screws, instead of nails, on outdoor decks so everything
stays tight. I used drywall screws when
I built my deck two years ago, and every board is as tight as when it was
attached.
Day & Night Search
I had a gas-fired water heater made by the Day & Night Manufacturing Co. installed in my home when it was built in 1958. It still works, but may go out at any time. I would like to know if it's still being produced. Thanks for any information.
SIMON HAYDEL
NEW ORLEANS, LA
Day & Night water heaters are no longer being manufactured.
However there are a number of other good quality gas-fired water heaters on the market to choose
from. Check with a plumbing supply store. PM
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CODES CORNER
by Evan Grugett
From "Building Standards
Today" November 2002, a publication of the ICBO.
Health House Debuts
A custom built home in Woodbury,
Minnesota, which was open during the area's
Fall Parade of Homes, is the first in the nation to follow the newly revised
builder
guidelines developed by the American Lung Association's "Health
House" program.
Features of the home include a whole-house ventilation and filtration system,
radiant
floor heating, and hard surfaced flooring throughout.
For the capillary break in the home, granular fill is used under the slab to
prevent the
flow of bulk water from the soil to the wall. Without the break,
organizers say that
water in contact with the footings moves into the wall by capillary suction and
is
transported throughout the wall by air convection in block cores. From there is
diffuses into the house and becomes a source of moisture problems.
The house also includes large overhangs over walls and windows. This
feature
deflects most of the rain and prevents penetration of moisture on doors and
windows. Insulation is provided by a soft foam sprayed into walls,
floors, and
ceilings. Sprayed on as a liquid, the insulation expands in seconds to
what the
Health House program calls a superior insulation and air barrier. By
completely
sealing the bulding envelope, the material not only insulates but also controls
the
intrusions of allergens, mildew and exterior sounds into the building. For
more
information go to http://www.healthhouse.org/about/Woodbury/default.asp.
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Hayes St., Elmsford, NY 10523-2502
Tel: 914-345-3380 . Fax: 914-345-8546 . Toll Free 800-457-2366
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ADVISORY - FROST HEAVES
Why frost heaves occur?
by Carl Gerosa
The frost that can lift an entire building is no
different than what forms on your window.
The only difference in this form is, the frost is invisible and
mysterious because it occurs below ground.
When the outdoor temperature drops below 32 degrees
f., the moisture in the ground begins to freeze, staring at the top. Frost gradually works its way downward as
persistent cold weather cools the soil at ever deeper levels.
If the soil is well drained and contains little
moisture, frost spreads evenly through the soil and won't cause trouble. But if
the soil is wet, the water will often freeze in a paper thin sheet, called a
"lens." Depending on the
weather, these icy lenses can grow thicker, fed by water rising up through the
soil from wetter soil below or from the water table.
When the water freezes it expands about 9” in
volume. So when water freezes against the lens, it expands, thickens the lenses
and compresses the soil, eventually thrusting the soil upward along with
everything on top of it. This uplift is
called frost heave.
Usually the heave is slow, creeping only a fraction
of an inch over days. Yet the power of frost heave is virtually unstoppable,
because the expansive force of freezing water is huge, somewhere around 50,000
pound per sq. Inch. A frost heave can
lift a seven story building or collapse steel reinforced walls.
When temperatures rise and the frost lens melts, the
damage is already done. The cracks remain, and foundations, once heaved, never
quite settle back to their original place.
Each year they move a bit further, until you have a major problem. Frost
won't usually latch onto the side of a house's foundation because even a small
amount of heat from the interior drives moisture in the soil away from the
walls. Secondary structures such as decks, garages, patios, porches and
retaining walls are more likely to be affected for this reason.
Frost footings are the answer to this problem. They
are installed below the frost line, where at this level frost does not occur.
Another way of battling the frost used by builders is the use of non-frost
susceptible soil when placing the footings. This soil is usually coarse
particles of gravel and sand because they drain well thus moving the moisture
away from the foundation. Providing good
drainage is another way of aiding in the prevention of frost heaving.
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