Archives by Month: July 2015

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 8)

Posted by in Cracking, Masonry, Simple Forensic Methods | July 27, 2015

What can we tell from THIS photo? The portion of the wall on the left side of the cracking has dropped relative to the right.  This indicates that the cracking is probably from some type of earth movement, such as… Read More →

Here Are a Few Head Scratchers

Posted by in The Unusual | July 20, 2015

Sometimes I see things that just don’t look right.  Here are a few.   How did THIS happen?   No matter which way I turn, I violate a sign.    This valley flashing doesn’t look like it’ll work, does it?… Read More →

Cinder Concrete Floor Deck

Posted by in Concrete, Steel | July 13, 2015

Cinder concrete was an early development in concrete floor construction.  It was appeared about one hundred years ago or so, when engineers and builders started combining steel and concrete to frame a floor.  It was a method that used a… Read More →

What Causes Siding to Become Loose in the Middle of the Wall?

Posted by in Siding | July 07, 2015

We have often seen a loose course of siding in the middle of an exterior wall of a dwelling (Figure LS-1 and LS-2).  In fact, I have seen it on my own home.     What causes this? If you… Read More →