Author Archives: Jerry Prugar

What Were They Thinking?

Posted by in The Unusual | October 22, 2018

On occasion we observe a construction detail that causes us to think or even say aloud, “What were they thinking?”  Here are a few: Why is this chimney so tall?  I’ll bet Santa doesn’t use this chimney. Why are the… Read More →

Getting Ready for Winter … Again

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, Winter Concerns | October 08, 2018

The days are getting shorter.  The leaves are turning colors.  The temperatures are dropping.  The Halloween decorations are starting to go up.  It’s that time of year again.  Winter is approaching. How is your attic ventilation?  Are the screens on… Read More →

The Importance of Galvanizing Lintels

Posted by in Case Studies, Steel, What happens when ...? | September 24, 2018

The featured photograph shows a lintel that was removed from over a door opening. The brick wall is about 45 years old and faces west. The age of the brick veneer and the lintel are not known with certainty, but… Read More →

The Importance of Allowing Room for Expansion and Contraction

Posted by in Case Studies, Structural Principles | September 10, 2018

While waiting at an exit on I-71 for a traffic light to change, I noticed a large vertical split in one of the posts for the guardrail (see feature photo).  Being of the forensic persuasion, I gave a quick thought… Read More →

Happy Labor Day (2018)

Posted by in Commemoration/Celebration | August 27, 2018

Two thoughts about work from the Bible for this Labor Day:   Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, where you go. (Ecc… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 17)

Posted by in Impact Damage, Simple Forensic Methods | August 13, 2018

What can we tell from this photograph? This photograph was taken at the base of a wall in a hallway. The vertical and horizontal cracking exhibit sharp edges and relatively clean fracture surfaces indicating that they occurred recently. The horizontal… Read More →

What Happens When… A Roof Leak is Unseen or Ignored?

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, The Unusual, What happens when ...? | July 30, 2018

The above condition is not unusual for an industrial facility that has been expanded multiple times.  A low roof area is surrounded by higher roofs and the roof runoff is directed to a trough area along one of the walls. … Read More →

What Does a Landslide Look Like? (Revisited)

Posted by in Buying/Maintaining a Home, Foundations, Soil Issues | July 16, 2018

A wood deck set at the crest of the hill overlooking a wooded valley with a river.  Mornings drinking a flavored latte, afternoons sipping a lemonade, or evenings toasting friends with the latest creation of Great Lakes Brewery while gazing… Read More →