Nearly every engineering project requires a team of engineers working together. Like most organizations, though, there needs to be a hierarchy. Certain engineers have various responsibilities on a given project. This hierarchy of responsibility is made simpler by designating an engineer in responsible charge. This engineer has multiple responsibilities, including the final sign-off on project plans and other documents. Being the engineer in responsible charge comes with more than just a wider scope of responsibility. It’s also far from an all-encompassing term. In this article, we’ll answer some questions regarding engineers and their responsibilities. What does the term engineer in... View Article
When you think of problems around the house, you might think of a leaky roof, electrical issues or a broken furnace, but the real trouble comes if your house has foundation problems. Even seemingly-minor house foundation problems can lead to total collapse under the wrong circumstances, which is why they need to be addressed ASAP. The issue many homeowners run into is paying to address foundation problems. After all, they’re not exactly cheap fixes. Continue reading to learn more about what homeowner’s insurance does and doesn’t cover when it comes to the foundation. When does homeowner’s insurance cover foundation issues?... View Article
We all know the devastation fires cause on siding, roofs, walls and other wooden parts of a home, but we don’t always think of what those flames can do to a concrete foundation or a concrete structure in general. After all, concrete should be tough enough to handle anything, right? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. This post will cover what fire does to concrete and how we conduct a fire-damaged concrete assessment: Spalling: Concrete contains water, and that water turns to steam as the temperature of concrete rises in a fire. If the evaporation rate is high enough and the... View Article
What is a solar light tube? It’s a question we’ve been receiving with greater frequency as an increasing number of people are looking to start relying more heavily on solar power at their properties, both residential and commercial. Solar tubes are a type of tube designed to capture sunlight from the roof of a property and use it within a home. Solar tubes are similar in this way to solar panels: They perform the same general function, with some important differences. They’re not used to power as many types of appliances and are mostly meant to bring some natural light... View Article
If you’re having some HVAC work done on your property, you might be wondering: What is Manual J, and what is the role it plays in your HVAC installation? Basically, the Manual J calculation is used to determine the proper size for an HVAC unit being added to a building. Knowing this calculation is critical for anyone who will be performing HVAC work, so they can apply it to the building on which they are working and get a system that is properly sized for that property. During the calculation, the HVAC contractors will take a variety of measurements and... View Article
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