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Is it cheating to use tandem circuit breakers? - 02/28/12 02:58 AM
Confusion abounds over the use of tandem circuit breakers in panelboards, even among electricians and electrical inspectors.  Today I'll set  the record straight as to when tandem circuit breakers can be used.   This is an adaptation of an article I wrote for the ASHI Reporter, which was published in February of 2011.  
First, a quick definition.  A tandem circuit breaker is a double circuit breaker that takes up the space of a single circuit breaker on a panelboard. You'll also hear them called duplex, slimline, twin, half-height, half-inch, double and wafer breakers, depending on local customs. While a two-pole circuit … (21 comments)

I'll Tell You What's Wrong With That Flipped House Without Even Looking At It - 02/21/12 03:11 AM
Home flippers buy dilapidated houses, fix them up, then sell them again as quickly as possible with the intention of making a tidy profit.  Flipped houses look shiny and new inside, but what's going on underneath all the new drywall, carpet, and paint?  Very few home buyers seem to trust flippers, and with the cheesy 'repairs' or 'cover-ups' I've seen over the years, it's easy to understand why.  Most of the quick and dirty home flippers take the same shortcuts when flipping houses; I've seen so many of them done the same way that I'm going to tell you all about … (83 comments)

Training Advice For Future Minnesota Home Inspectors - 02/14/12 06:16 AM
About two to three times a month, I get a call or email from someone who is interested in becoming a home inspector.
"What kind of training is required to be a home inspector in Minnesota?  What type of background is required to be a home inspector?  Are you hiring?"
I always call people back to chat about this business and give the long answers to all of these questions; there is no such thing as licensing for home inspectors in Minnesota, so there is no 'right' answer to these questions.  I'm happy to share my time chatting about this stuff, but … (20 comments)

Most Attic Access Panels aren't Insulated Properly - 02/07/12 06:22 AM
For at least the last twenty years or so, the most common way of insulating attics in Minnesota is to use loose-fill insulation - either cellulose or fiberglass.  This is a huge improvement over fiberglass batts, because batts are nearly impossible to install in attics and they cost more money.  Despite the decline of fiberglass batts in attics, I still find a small section of fiberglass batting used above the attic access panel at about 90% of the homes that I inspect, even on new construction.
For the fiberglass batt to insulate the scuttle hole effectively, it needs to fill the entire … (43 comments)

 
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Minneapolis Home Inspections - Reuben Saltzman

Minneapolis, MN

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Structure Tech Home Inspections

Address: Minneapolis, MN, 55416

Office Phone: (952) 915-6466

Cell Phone: (612) 205-5600

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Home inspection topics in the Minneapolis / Saint Paul area.


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