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Friday, October 28, 2016

Building Officials Association of Texas BOAT


Our BOAT has floated.  BOAT is a Preferred Provider approved by the International Code Council. We should have joined years ago.  This group of professionals has several conferences a year for program of quality education and training for the Building Professionals including Builders, Building Officials, Contractors, Municipal Inspectors, Real Estate Inspectors,Architects, Engineers, Plumbers, Fire Protection Personnel, Code Enforcement, Permit Technicians, Electricians,and Environmental Health and Safety Personnel, as well as its own annual convention.
The conferences are run by The Building Professional Institute (BPI)  This teaching group is a combination of Building Officials Association of Texas (BOAT) and the Construction Research Center (CRC).
We, as home and building renovators, need to keep up with all building codes, which are the minimum, well thought out practices for home repair, additions and rejuvenation. They are the law of the land and city building inspectors are law enforcement officers. They can fine you, condemn your property and throw you in jail. One roofer threatened one and Federal Marshals were at his home the next day. Glad it wasn't the FIB.
Obviously insurance carriers don't know this because they say they won't pay for something unless the city writes a letter saying it is an enforced code. you think the city might? Hell no! These are laws. I have to point out that a particular code insurance companies want us to ignore could cause the death of firemen. Plus I could be sued for not following code or manufacturer's minimum specifications.
Finally, I'd like to thank Lawrence Crowe of the Irving Building Inspections for encouraging us to join. 

Jon Alan Wright
Jon Wright Roofing, Siding, and Windows
1915 Peters Rd., Suite 310
Irving, TX 75061
972.251.1818 Office
214.718.3748 Cell
972.554.8090 Fax
    Follow jwrightroofing on Twitter

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Death by Falling Chimney

My sabbatical, a very long Saturday for my Jewish friends, has terminated and we are about to start deluging you with stories, procedures, certifications, new products and old plus other bs.

This last year was a wet one for the record books. And before it was over the last few months were really wet. Thus began the masonry leaks and devastation..

In the past we saw full brick chimneys with plywood/mortar caps, erode and spall. So much water was suspended by continual drizzle, rain, cool weather, lack of sun, that nothing would dry out. Once these chimneys were saturated it became one drop in and one drop out...one gallon in and one gallon out. I mean everywhere. No amount of roof work, counterflashing work or chimney cap work would help. Time for the masonry coating.

Those poorly build and cheap zero clearance chimneys that were made out of cardboard rotted away. Those cheap ones with one ply of brick over a framing and felt or blackboard, really started to leak. But the worst is yet to come:chimneygeddon. All across North Texas feom Las Colinas to Rowlett, in Carrollton and every area built up since the cities looked the other way on rules concerning masonry supported by masonry all the way to the foundation or at least set on steal posts and beams, the chimneys are starting to list and crack. Wood framing under heavy masonry has always been against code but it was overlooked. Even just outs set on wood framing. !0...9..8..7..6..5.. run away. People will die.

We had one chimney leak and and its insides revealed no bones. One ply brick with no framing or waterproofing sitting on wood. Weight with rubber legs. We tore it down, built a frame and put artificial brick by Exteria. This use to be called Nailite. I love it. The color looked so much like the brick on the home no one can tell. Strong, lightweight and elegant, if brick can be elegant.

Anyway, have your chimney looked at before it kills you.


Jon Alan Wright
Jon Wright Roofing, Siding, and Windows
1915 Peters Rd., Suite 310
Irving, TX 75061
972.251.1818 Office
214.718.3748 Cell
972.554.8090 Fax
    Follow jwrightroofing on Twitter