I often evaluate structures and buildings to determine the extent of structural damages, recommended repairs and the applicable building code requirements for that specific location. At times, I am informed by someone at the site that they had an engineer or contractor tell them that the structure...
Wear and tear, it happens to everything as it ages, including roofing. During the examination of roofing, wear and tear need to be taken into account by the examiner for it can be mistaken for damage resulting from wind uplift. A common form of wear and tear observed to asphalt shingles is granular...
For those who live in hot or cold environments, double pane windows are a great way to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Double pane windows consist of two panes of glass that have been sealed together in a frame, with a pane of glass on the interior and exterior surface of the window...
Financial losses can be avoided with periodic inspections of the crawl spaces under residential structures. Oftentimes, a homeowner is unaware of issues in their crawl space until damages have progressed into the interior of their residence.
EDT was notified of an issue regarding conductors overheating in conduits contained in an underground duct bank at a large commercial building. It didn’t take long to notice the cables in the duct bank were undersized and the conduits were overfilled, meaning they had too many cables. The cables...
As summer approaches, air conditioners around the country will start running over time. With that increased usage and warmer weather, instances of water damages related to the operation of “ACs” will increase. In this article, we will review two ways that water damages can occur from an AC.
The design and analysis of the foundation system are equally important to provide support to the building. However, more often than not, an adequate investigation, design, and preparation of the ground where the structure and its supporting foundation system are to be built are not taken into...
In our previous blog post, Not So Good Vibrations (Part I), we discussed waves related to blasting type applications as well as why we perceive vibrations from blasting inside our home and not outside. In this blog post we will discuss the question, can vibration responses from nearby blasting...
If your home is located in the general vicinity of blasting type activities being conducted for mining, quarrying, or construction; chances are you or your neighbors have sensed vibrations within your home. It can be an uneasy feeling, the shaking and rattling of items on the walls can cause fear...
I am often asked, “does this balcony guard meet the building code?” This question often arises in response to an injury or when a renovation is being contemplated. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the leading cause of nonfatal unintentional emergency...
When learning about scheduling in college, one of the best examples of construction management and scheduling involved the repair of timber beams in a very old building in England - the Oxford Dining Hall in New College, a constituent college to Oxford University.
Everybody has experience with condensation – On warm summer days, while enjoying a cold beverage, the outside of our red plastic cups have inevitably beaded up with moisture and dripped onto everything beneath them. The moisture on the outside of the cup is condensation that has formed from warm...
EDT was asked by an adjuster to examine a residence that had soot buildup throughout the residence.
Recently, EDT was asked to investigate the roof of a hotel property. Representatives of the hotel owner showed EDT the “large hail damage” they had found. However, hail damage is not what was discovered.
EDT was assigned to determine the cause of damages to a single-story residence. The residence, constructed in the 1950’s, was renovated in 2015. The work consisted of a complete teardown of the structure and cladding. The replacement structure was constructed on the existing timber floor beams and...
