Recent Projects
- Evaluation of alleged code compliance deficiencies at the scene of a fire damaged structure in Staten Island, NY
- Engineering consultation regarding water intrusion and structural failure concerns at the foundation of a structure under construction in the Town of Clarkstown, NY
- Quantification and qualification of fire damaged framing at a structure located in Monsey, NY
Balcony in fatal Berkeley collapse had severe dry rot, report finds
On June 23rd CNN.com reported that “a residential balcony that collapsed and killed six students in Berkeley, California, had decayed to the point of severe dry rot…A memorandum from inspectors at the Berkeley Building and Safety Division says that the deck’s severed joist ends — horizontal, parallel beams that support a ceiling or floor — looked ‘extensively rotted’ where the structure had ripped from the wall..The outer beams of the balcony had sustained ‘significant rot and decay,’ while the inner joists appeared to be in better shape…The balcony collapsed during a 21st birthday party at the Library Gardens Apartments in the early hours of June 16, killing six of the 13 people on the fourth-floor structure”.
Yarmus Engineering, P.C. is available to inspect decks for unsafe conditions, and to consult with property managers, owners, contractors, etc. on maintenance and inspection practices. We also design decks and certify existing installations for code compliance for those instances when construction takes place without a permit or when construction is completed without final inspection(s). Please contact our office if we can be of assistance to you or your clients regarding such matters.
Lower-Cost LEDs Offer Some Competition to Compact Fluorescent Lights
On June 3rd NYtimes.com reported that “for years, lighting manufacturers have labored to make LED lights mimic the warm feel of incandescent bulbs. But what they offered in features and quality, they could not match in price. As a result, many consumers and businesses looking for efficiency and lower cost opted for compact fluorescent lights, even if the light quality was often seen as worse. Now, LED manufacturers say there is little need to make that choice”.
Yarmus Engineering, P.C. is available to provide consulting and design services with regards to available lighting alternatives and code requirements for levels of illuminations. Please contact our office if we can be of assistance to you or your clients regarding such matters.