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Fellatio del Toro posted:in the US, house was built in 70. ah gently caress I am no expert on US poo poo, but black adhesive that old can be bad news.
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Jan 21, 2023 21:20
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Is it? I thought a totally fair approach to non friable asbestos was just to cover it up.
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Jan 21, 2023 21:24
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Tiny Timbs posted:Is it? I thought a totally fair approach to non friable asbestos was just to cover it up. As I said I don't know US stuff. Here standard procedure is to remove any trace of it.
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Jan 21, 2023 21:32
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Tiny Timbs posted:Is it? I thought a totally fair approach to non friable asbestos was just to cover it up. Sure. I might test it before I chipped it off or hit it with a grinder though. I wouldn’t want to leave old thin set if i was redoing that floor
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Jan 21, 2023 21:32
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Fellatio del Toro posted:in the US, house was built in 70. ah gently caress The good news is that asbestos removal practices have become so streamlined and professional that any half decent remediation team will probably have the spicy cotton out before lunchtime The bad news is that you're gonna have to pay $$ melon cat fucked around with this message at 06:03 on Jan 10, 2024 |
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Jan 21, 2023 21:36
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Clayton Bigsby posted:As I said I don't know US stuff. Here standard procedure is to remove any trace of it. In the US encapsulation is really common, as long as it's not releasing the spicy fibers it's
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Jan 21, 2023 22:50
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Has anyone had injection foam insulation in their house that found any problems or things you wish you knew before doing it? It looks like our options are open cell or closed cell, and the only thing I can see needing to be very carefully considered is if it ends up acting as a vapor barrier or not. This is solely for exterior walls to thermally insulate
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Jan 22, 2023 06:39
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Our kitchen area has this little ventilation thingy, which I just noticed vents directly outside and produces a mild but noticeable draft of cold air in the winter. I'd like to fill it in with insulation and cap both sides, but I'm not sure if it's required for some reason. Any links to kitchen ventilation system guides would be appreciated! We no longer have any gas appliances (there used to be - maybe that's why it was installed?) And have an extractor fan which ventilates to the exterior as well. 
distortion park fucked around with this message at 10:43 on Jan 22, 2023 |
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Jan 22, 2023 10:15
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That's a ghost hatch, ghosts need it to get in and out of your house. If you cap it off while there are ghosts inside your house then you're going to be in for a bad time
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Jan 22, 2023 10:37
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distortion park posted:Our kitchen area has this little ventilation thingy, which I just noticed vents directly outside and produces a mild but noticeable draft of cold air in the winter. I'd like to fill it in with insulation and cap both sides, but I'm not sure if it's required for some reason. Any links to kitchen ventilation system guides would be appreciated! i think its a makeup air vent to compensate for the loss of air through your vent hood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PEs09a2AmU some areas require it by code. higher end vents have motorized baffles that open when the vent turns on but even a non-motorized system ought to have a one-way baffle to prevent air escape when not in use. I wouldnt seal it permanently in any case but maybe a better baffle could be installed. ideally consult an hvac specialist for further guidance
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Jan 22, 2023 14:53
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BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:i think its a makeup air vent to compensate for the loss of air through your vent hood: Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. We might just be able to close it off now, as the kitchen has been opened up into the main living space which has loads of windows with some air permeability bits, but it looks important enough to ask a specialist first.
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Jan 22, 2023 15:21
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PageMaster posted:Has anyone had injection foam insulation in their house that found any problems or things you wish you knew before doing it? It looks like our options are open cell or closed cell, and the only thing I can see needing to be very carefully considered is if it ends up acting as a vapor barrier or not. This is solely for exterior walls to thermally insulate If you're in an area where termites are a problem/have a termite bond of some sort ask the pest control co because often spray foam will void their coverage.
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Jan 22, 2023 18:59
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Kaiser Schnitzel posted:If you're in an area where termites are a problem/have a termite bond of some sort ask the pest control co because often spray foam will void their coverage. Thanks! We are and this is definitely something I didn't even think of so spray foam in the attic is under the roof is out. Doing more research I just remembered we don't have exterior sheathing under the stucco which I think precludes us from injecting into exterior wall cavities...
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Jan 22, 2023 20:57
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PageMaster posted:Thanks! We are and this is definitely something I didn't even think of so spray foam in the attic is under the roof is out. Doing more research I just remembered we don't have exterior sheathing under the stucco which I think precludes us from injecting into exterior wall cavities... Double check with them because interior wall cavities may be okay as long as the crawl space and rafters are visible? It's really mostly so they can still do their annual inspection and less about the termites particularly liking to eat spray foam (though they will use any possible excuse to not fix your house if you have termites...)
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Jan 23, 2023 00:56
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PageMaster posted:Has anyone had injection foam insulation in their house that found any problems or things you wish you knew before doing it? It looks like our options are open cell or closed cell, and the only thing I can see needing to be very carefully considered is if it ends up acting as a vapor barrier or not. This is solely for exterior walls to thermally insulate Why are you going with foam and not dense pack cellulose?
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Jan 23, 2023 03:49
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devicenull posted:Why are you going with foam and not dense pack cellulose? Oh, we're going with whatever makes sense; the company coming out for a quote only mentioned injection foam so I didn't even think about another option yet, but I can ask them about that now.
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Jan 23, 2023 17:57
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PageMaster posted:Oh, we're going with whatever makes sense; the company coming out for a quote only mentioned injection foam so I didn't even think about another option yet, but I can ask them about that now. Is that because they are a injection foam company? I'd almost bet on it.
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Jan 23, 2023 18:02
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Motronic posted:Is that because they are a injection foam company? I'd almost bet on it. They're actually an insulation contractor specializing primarily in attics and crawl spaces. I did some research on them and they do also offer blow in insulation and batts but recommended the injection foam for the walls; now I'm wondering if thatjust happens to be the more expensive option they offer PageMaster fucked around with this message at 21:29 on Jan 23, 2023 |
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Jan 23, 2023 21:23
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Do you have an old home with wood siding and no house wrap? Blown in cellulose can have less-desirable moisture properties in those circumstances.
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Jan 23, 2023 21:29
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distortion park posted:Thanks, that's exactly what I was looking for. We might just be able to close it off now, as the kitchen has been opened up into the main living space which has loads of windows with some air permeability bits, but it looks important enough to ask a specialist first. yeah if anything just to find out if its a code requirement for your area or whatever. even still any nonpermanent solution should work, just dont spray it full of Great Stuff or anything like that 
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Jan 24, 2023 00:42
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Hell yeah, just had a big pine tree fall on my house. Smashed the roof up good (I can't tell how good until the tree guy comes out again tomorrow as I don't have a way onto the roof, but the crown of the tree is still up there), took out some fascia/knocked some of the soffit loose, and knocked the propane tank over. I already called the propane company. They came came out and replaced the broken gas line and leveled the tank. The tree guy is coming out tomorrow to remove the fallen tree so that he can get to the roof. I'm going to be working with a public insurance adjuster who's been around for like thirty years and came recommended. This is my first experience with this kind of situation. Just looking for some ballpark answers from anybody who's been through a similar experience -- what can I expect for the rest of the claims -> repair process, and what are the pitfalls to avoid? edit for a picture 
Eason the Fifth fucked around with this message at 03:22 on Jan 24, 2023 |
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Jan 24, 2023 03:12
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Don't work with a public adjuster. Don't sign. Try to unsign. I cannot overstate how dumb that will be for you compared to just letting your insurance company fix it.
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Jan 24, 2023 03:36
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Yeah those guys seem like yet another rung in the long ladder of ambulance chasers and house damage chasers. I think some googling on proper damage documentation to maximize loss reimbursement would provide basically the same value as their services. I know nothing about this however and defer to other posters.
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Jan 24, 2023 03:38
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H110Hawk posted:Don't work with a public adjuster. Don't sign. Try to unsign. If you don't mind, can you go into some detail about this? Sorry, total babe in the woods here. I haven't signed yet, he's due out tomorrow.
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Jan 24, 2023 03:41
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Eason the Fifth posted:If you don't mind, can you go into some detail about this? Sorry, total babe in the woods here. I haven't signed yet, he's due out tomorrow. Trespass them from your property in writing immediately. The public adjuster works for a cut of payout. So for a repair that costs $15k they just keep $5k of that. Their motivation is to jack up the value of your claim to the max, despite what you need - tree removal, siding fixed, roof fixed, propane pipe/leveling paid for, and maybe a hotel if somehow your house is uninhabitable. They are in total control of the process. Call some roofers, ask if your insurance has some preferred providers, get 3 bids, get some folks out for any other ancillary damage. Make sure you take a bunch of pictures from lots of angles (wide, distant, close, dumb looking, good looking, whatever it's not like you have to develop film) at all stages of the process. Before you start removing stuff. Make anyone up on your roof go take pictures. Make the tree removal person write the trunk diameter, breed, etc of the tree. Edit: had to run earlier mid post. Suffice to say you pay your insurance to help you out when calamity strikes. Let them help you, ask how you can help them. The adjuster can get you going including any mitigation necessary. Is it going to rain? Have the tree person tarp the damaged section up and over whatever eaves are going to pour water on it. Otherwise, a remediation company can do the same. H110Hawk fucked around with this message at 05:34 on Jan 24, 2023 |
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Jan 24, 2023 03:53
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Paging painterofcrap to answer eason’s roof question.
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Jan 24, 2023 04:15
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What H110Hawk said. Cancel the contract. Don’t know where you are but it should be at least 48-hours to cancel for no reason. If they try to give you any push-back, hold firm. There are times to hire a PA. This is not one of them, at least not yet. If possible, have your carrier handle the tree removal & tarping. That is the most important thing right now. If you have utilities & the house is secure, then work on estimates Your carrier will usually have contractors who can bid the job and at the very least, give you an estimate that should be accurate. I would get at least one other estimate. PM me if you need more PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 05:50 on Jan 24, 2023 |
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Jan 24, 2023 05:32
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PageMaster posted:Has anyone had injection foam insulation in their house that found any problems or things you wish you knew before doing it? It looks like our options are open cell or closed cell, and the only thing I can see needing to be very carefully considered is if it ends up acting as a vapor barrier or not. This is solely for exterior walls to thermally insulate The type of exterior wall you're trying to insulate here is critical, but the short version is that you need a moisture barrier of some type, either through sufficient thickness of closed-cell foam or with a separate moisture barrier on open cell foam. Closed cell foam doesn't really expand inside wall cavities via small drilled holes, so unless you're tearing out the walls you'd have to go open cell foam. And then what happens is that moisture diffuses through the open cell foam and condenses on the other side, which will rot out the wood cladding if that's what you've got, or cause freeze-thaw damage of the brick or the stone if that's what you've got.
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Jan 24, 2023 14:55
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Eason the Fifth posted:Hell yeah, just had a big pine tree fall on my house. Goondolences. Hopefully things go better for you than they are for me. My garage still isn't done after being smashed by a tree last June.
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Jan 24, 2023 15:07
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Oof, my sympathies. That happened to me in Jan 2019, but we were renting so I don't know what all the landlord had to do to fix it.
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Jan 25, 2023 03:25
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What is a public adjuster?
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Jan 26, 2023 01:22
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slidebite posted:What is a public adjuster? Oh good god. Where to start. I have been dealing with public adjusters since 1986, particularly in Philadelphia, which (along with the five boroughs of New York City & Long Island, California, Florida, and, increasingly, Texas) is the worst claims environment in the world. I was appalled at the concept the first time I heard of it. They're sorta the equivalent of an income-tax preparer, in that they sell the service to help you navigate a bureaucracy you do not comprehend with the knowledge and confidence to go it alone, and they try to do so to your general benefit and typically with a set fee schedule so that you have a general idea of what their services will cost you. Except PAs do not operate on a published fee schedule, but on a contingency fee basis - a percentage of whatever the insurance company will pay out - and are not particularly helpful to the insured throughout that process, and tend to disappear off your radar once they have you signed up & the property inspected. They work for themselves. You are a bovine and I am the milk. What's appalling about it is that, ostensibly, what the insurer's adjuster (moi) pays out to restore the property is supposed to be pretty damned close to what it should actually cost to do so - meaning that PAs are taking a percentage that isn't really there. Now, I can get into the weeds about how we wind up paying more to settle a claim. Maybe some other time. What matters here is that with few exceptions, public adjusters do not really help you to navigate the claims process. They prefer to keep you, the insured, mushroomed while talking to me to try to get more cash. Many are furious that I speak with my policyholder. Be clear: they are not lawyers. The only rights that you confer to them on signing up is that they can negotiate a settlement based on the value of what I agree is covered, and the right to take a percentage of what we pay. They can't negotiate coverage (if I deny part or all of a claim, they can do nothing but refer you to an attorney) . They cannot prevent me from inspecting the property as often as needed, speaking to or statementizing a policyholder, and they absolutely cannot tell a policyholder what to say/not say. You remain legally responsible for what occurs during this process, because, legally, you are directing them. They make more money by keeping the facts hidden or vague, and keeping you as far away from what they're doing as possible. Their contract means I have to put their name on any casualty check along with yours. Every state's regulations differ, and enforcement is spotty. In Delaware, their fee is capped at 10%. In Pennsylvania, I've seen it as high as 50%. Rarely does the insured know what the percentage will be, or they are told one number, only to find another added later, to the contract they sign. Typically, PA solicitors will show up at your house after a loss. They use scanners & EMT apps and many times will beat EMS to a fire. If it's a plumbing loss, then your plumber alerted them. Sometimes the plumber (i.e. Roto-Rooter although there are others) have a mitigation arm and will try to persuade you to let them tear up your house, before the claim is even reported. They will talk their way into your house and scream at you that the insurance company will rip you off or deny your claim and have you sign documents that they shove in your face, giving you no time to read them. Those contracts sometime confer power-of-attorney, meaning that they can sign your name to 2-party checks without you knowing. I many cases the PA and their pet mitigation contractor take more money than the insured gets to repair their home. If I had a nickel for every post- PA screwing story / complaint I get from insureds, I would have retired many, many years ago. What sucks for insureds is that there are a lot of bad insurance company adjusters out there. Some are inexperienced; others are incompetent. Almost all of them are overworked, with high claims pendings that make it very, very difficult to explain the process and shepherd the policyholder through it. I am fortunate that I am in a situation that allows me the time and space to do a lot of hand-holding when needed, but mine is, sadly, an exception. How we got here is familiar to anyone working in any service industry, especially in the US - it didn't used to be this way. So there is a place and a need for competent claims professionals to act as a third-party and help folks through the process. Unfortunately the real money is in keeping insureds mushroomed. Altruism and good, honest business practice does not pay the bills for the shore house, the boats and RVs, and the Escalade. Which is a shame, because even the few I know that are mostly honest make at least 3-5-times what I make. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 03:20 on Jan 26, 2023 |
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Jan 26, 2023 03:12
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This is the effort post I was expecting and waiting for from exactly who I thought was going to be best to make it. Nice one.
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Jan 26, 2023 15:58
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Yea that’s very interesting. Thank you.
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Jan 26, 2023 16:26
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PainterofCrap posted:What sucks for insureds is that there are a lot of bad insurance company adjusters out there. Some are inexperienced; others are incompetent. Almost all of them are overworked, with high claims pendings that make it very, very difficult to explain the process and shepherd the policyholder through it. I am fortunate that I am in a situation that allows me the time and space to do a lot of hand-holding when needed, but mine is, sadly, an exception. How we got here is familiar to anyone working in any service industry, especially in the US - it didn't used to be this way. Are you able/willing to talk about why you're in an unusual position to be able to help out policy-holders?
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Jan 26, 2023 16:27
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Thanks painter of crap. To our intrepid tree + house person above - you probably know more than you think about the process if you are able to spend some time and separate the stress from the paperwork. PA's come to you when you are at peak stress (I'm honestly surprised one is interested in what looks like a small job) and try to goad you into signing paperwork under the duress of calamatizing anything they see. It is true - the tree could have caused damage to the house structure that will basically condemn it. You need an engineer to determine that, not some scheister. Water can get in, you need a person with some tarps and weights not some scheister. You need a tree removed from your roof so you need someone with a chainsaw and a bucket truck, not some... Well you get the idea. Ask away, take pictures, we love a good story. 
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Jan 26, 2023 16:33
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Danhenge posted:Are you able/willing to talk about why you're in an unusual position to be able to help out policy-holders? I just happened on to a small company (through a friend) that believes in a decent work/life balance. I spent over sixteen years at Nationwide, with monthly pendings of over 100-new claims a month. When I started there in 2003, I was one of 14-adjusters working the city of Philadelphia. By 2011, that was down to one. It was unsustainable, and very nearly killed me. Where I am now pays substantially more and my pending is maybe 12-20, including a couple large losses (+$175K). We were purchased by a large national firm recently, but so far, they have left us alone. By the way, that appears to be a Scotch pine. Because of their feathery nature, they tend to do the least amount of damage because of the cushioning. It looks like the soffit & fascia took the brunt of the impact from the trunk of the tree or the good-sized limb that came down. The roof itself may have been punctured in a couple spots but the roof is probably not as bad as what you’re seeing here. PainterofCrap fucked around with this message at 17:08 on Jan 26, 2023 |
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Jan 26, 2023 16:56
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.... mushroomed?
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Jan 26, 2023 17:03
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PainterofCrap posted:When I started there in 2003, I was one of 14-adjusters working the city of Philadelphia. By 2011, that was down to one. Holy hell. I have nationwide and now I’m scared, although my roof claim and replacement went very smoothly.
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Jan 26, 2023 17:07
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BonoMan posted:.... mushroomed? Kept in the dark and fed bullshit
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Jan 26, 2023 17:08
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