Question of the week 08/07/16

Inspection Education Topics Inspection Education & Training
1

Question of the week introduction:

A member of the Award Committee will post a question, at a random day/time.

A competing members winning entry must have all parts of the question answered completely in one post. Editing your answer(s) will result in disqualification. Also, winning more than once in 31 days will result in disqualification. We would like many members to have a chance to win…Thank you for understanding.

First correct answer (as judged by the Awards Committee or Poster of the Question) wins.

The lucky winner will get a case of “Now that you’ve had a Home Inspection Books” shipped to them at their address on file. Make sure your Address on File with Inachi is correct.

Courtesy of Nick Gromicko.

Winners of the Question of The Week shall request their prize by emailing fastreply@nachi.org and submitting their Mailing address for shipping.

Allow 2 weeks for delivery.

This week is one question sent to me by Roy Cooke.

NOW THE QUESTION:
**
This home has a different shade of brick on the first 5 courses. Why would someone do that? **

Your answer will be based on both experience and good guessing. See pictures below and GOOD LUCK !

Brick 2.jpg
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Brick 1.jpg
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2

Is there a basement?

3

BOND BEAM: Course or courses of a masonry wall grouted and usually reinforced in the horizontal direction. Serves as horizontal tie of wall, bearing course for structural members or as a flexural member itself.

4

That is a good one Paul, and thanks Roy. I don’t think anyone will guess this one. :wink:

5

Couldn’t they still have been the same color?

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Any good guesses are Welcome. :slight_smile:

7

To prevent spalling of brick beneath the thru-wall flashing.

8

Is the lower portion veneer?

9

No it is Brick

10

Yes it has a basement.

11

Possible raised for more room or moved from another location

12

A previous raised flower bed may have been the cause of the damage/replacement of the bricks.

0282.jpg
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13

Wayne, its actually 2 questions. ( I could have said that but I saw this as one question that needs 2 answers.)

Why are the bricks a different color?
Why would you only do 5 courses of brick?

14

Basement/foundation wall collapse /repair?
they couldn’t match the brick color.

15

I would think that this house got elevated from it’s foundation at one point and that the 5 courses is to give it 16" extra to the basement. The different color is because they could never match the older bricks. I’ve gone through the whole internet that’s all I got. A bricky would probably figure that one out in a hurry.

16

The bricks appear to be painted.
To prevent moisture intrusion.

17

Sorry David, you only get one try.

18

The color difference is because the bottom five courses are denser bricks than those above.
Not being able to see the elevation of the overall property, I would say the five courses is to maintain the correct DPC height at elevations we cannot see in the photos.

19

lol it is OK Paul it got them thinking

20

Not much brick and basement experience here, but looks like a rim joist replacement due to water damage. Repaired drainage plane and installed mismatched solid brick to cover.