Forensic Engineers and Consultants

Archive: Residential

Stop or I’ll Soot!!!

Fire. Something about fire touches our brainstems…both good and bad!  Uncontrolled fire is terrifying and deadly to be sure.  But the controlled burning of wood at a campfire or in a fireplace in your home almost can’t be beat, to my mind! For that very reason, a fairly common amenity to houses nowadays is the gas log fireplace insert.

When not installed properly, these logs will generate soot. These soot particles can leave the fireplace and meander.  All. Over. Your. House.  Read More

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KEEP the CHANGE?

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As we all know, change is a part of life.  Sometimes the results from change are good.  And we know sometimes change may result in things becoming worse, although it may not be immediately evident.  I think it is safe to say that when we intentionally make changes to something, our goal is to make it better with respect to one or more metrics.  Engineers working in manufacturing facilities are often asked to make changes to existing machines and processes for multiple reasons: Read More

Hidden Heat: The Unseen Hazard of a High Resistance Connection

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A typical residence can have upwards of 10,000 feet of electrical conductors installed, most of which are buried in the walls, attics and crawlspaces.  A commercial building can have 100,000 to upwards of 1 million feet of electrical conductors.  At each device such as a switch or a receptacle are at least three, and typically six or more connections of these conductors within a junction box.  The connections can be in the form of twisted connectors, screw terminals, push in terminals and crimped connectors.

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The Alphabet Soup of Expert Certifications

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When consulting as an expert witness, having certifications can assist in establishing your credibility and qualifications.  If you’ve perused the Curriculum Vitaes of the experts at The Warren Group, Inc., you may have seen some of these letters trailing after our names.  What do they mean and what organizations grant them?  The following is a sampling of some of the certifications our experts have acquired: Read More

Waterpark Woes

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On July 12, 2024, a family entered the local water park to cool down. The family consisted of a mother and her two sons. While walking toward the wave pool area, the mother stepped off the wooden stairs and onto the surrounding concrete landing. As she did so, she slipped on a puddle of water that had accumulated on the surface. She fell backward, landing on her left side and striking her elbow and the back of her head against the stairs—effectively ending the family’s outing before it began. Read More

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 3: Sill Risers

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Welcome back to my multi-part series about water resistance in windows and doors. Last time we discussed weatherstripping. Today, we move on to a product common to sliding doors and coastal areas – sill risers.

Sill risers offer a brute force way to reduce water infiltration when a LOT of water is expected to hit a fenestration product. Unlike weathersealing, buried drainage, or weep systems, sill risers block water by providing a dam. Coastal homes with wind driven rain frequently have sill risers. They are practical and require less maintenance than weep holes or buried drainage systems, plus Read More

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 2: Weatherstripping

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Welcome back to my multi-part series about water resistance in windows and doors. Last time we discussed weep holes. Today, I’d like to talk about weatherstripping (also known as weathersealing).

During the life of typical exterior fenestration products, every driven rain is a test of the product’s water weathersealing system. Most windows and doors handle water without much homeowner input, but racked or misaligned windows, poor weatherstripping corner joints, and torn piles all contribute to reduced water infiltration resistance. They can allow moisture into the structure, where damage to flooring, walls, and Read More

Don’t Get Burned With Your Gas Grill!

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If there is one thing Americans can agree upon, it is the enjoyment that comes from an outdoor barbeque.  Whether a summertime cookout or a fall BBQ to watch a football game, we all love the fun and fellowship that comes from sharing a meal that was prepared outdoors on a grill or smoker.  In fact, 64% of Americans own a grill or smoker.  The great majority of these are LP fueled gas grills with comparatively few natural gas fired grills.  These products can be enjoyed safely when designed, installed, and used in a proper manner.  However, given the grill’s use of flammable fuel gas and high temperatures, the potential exists for things to go wrong and result in burn injuries or uncontained fires that spread to the surroundings. Read More

Water Removal In Windows and Doors – Part 1: Weep Holes

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In architecture, the word fenestration is used to encompass the windows and doors in a building. During my twelve-year career as a design engineer in the fenestration industry, water infiltration resistance (I.E., stopping leaks) consumed almost as much time in the test lab as pressure or impact testing. During the life of typical exterior fenestration products, every driven rain is a test of the product’s water evacuation system. Most windows and doors handle water without much homeowner input, but poor, clogged or covered water drainage systems can allow moisture into the structure, where damage to flooring, walls, and molding may occur. Poor water infiltration resistance also increases the humidity in a living space. Read More

Hidden Dangers at Home 3 Surprising Household Hazards You Shouldn’t Ignore

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Most folks think that chemical hazards are strictly limited to manufacturing or other industrial sites.  The fact that there are potential chemical hazards in the safe confines of their homes often comes as a surprise.

A surprising number of residential fires are caused by the spontaneous combustion of stain application materials.  When an oil-based stain is applied to furniture or flooring, the oils react with the oxygen in the air to form very large polymer chains.  The process of the liquid stain turning to solid barrier is called curing (it is not drying via evaporation) and the reaction is oxidation.  This reaction generates heat.  On the floor or chair, the heat dissipates into the room without an issue.  That same oxidation reaction is occurring on the brush, towel, sponge, or rag that was used to apply the stain.  If those materials are piled in a corner or in a trash can, the heat cannot dissipate.  If there is enough product present, enough heat can be generated to Read More

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