by Michael Lennon MISREADING A
HOUSE
H O U S E D E T E C T I V E W O R K
Many "hidden" building problems leave visible clues. Train your eyes to pick them
out at a glance and read them correctly. The information gleaned could spare you
many unpleasant surprises once you're knee-deep in the job.
Soot near this through-thewall
furnace indicates bad
draft or something seriously
out of adjustment. Also,
could backdrafting fumes be
entering the wall jack above?
Heavy canvas wall coverings
can hide crumbling plaster
and-more important-
deteriorating brick. If bricks
are damp and deteriorating
(look for red dust), what
about the joist ends resting
on the brick?
This poor excuse for