Bain

I wasn't aware of the precise settings you mentioned, Terence, but I knew something was out of whack and phoned the seller immediately. What about settings for a newer furnace? I'm not up to speed on those, either. John

Mike, you'd be surprised by how often I see that here, especially in old houses. Maybe it stems from complaints about getting chilly while bathing. Every once in a while, when I stick my lighter up to the register, I discover that it's a return, distributing all that steam and yuck-smell throughout the house.

A house I checked out this afternoon had a 20-year-old furnace with a cracked heat-exchanger that wasn't visible until the chambers heated up. The supply-air temperature---incredibly---was over 200 degrees as you can see from the photo. Is the extreme temperature attributable to the flue gases comingling with the conditioned air? Or might there be another explanation? The blower was operating normally, and clearly the limit switch needs checking, but I was wondering if anyone had seen this before. I think the temperature would have kept climbing had I not shut the furnace down. I called all the principles, so it's out of my hands now, but still, I wonder if there's anything else I should have been aware of. Oh, the furnace was a 75,000 BTU Sears and Roebuck. John Download Attachment: DSC00891.JPG 563.21 KB

Erby, How dare you refer to this wondrous urban sprawl called Lexington as out in the country! [^] No, I won't be in attendance at the KREIA conference. I have some profound conflicts with how a couple of the members conduct themselves. I certainly hope you and I cross paths one day, however. Best, John

Erby, I wouldn't refer to G'town as "out in the country." I'm there quite often and I think it's great. John

Mystery solved. I phoned the realtor this morning to see if any improvements had been mentioned on the seller's disclosure. Turns out the seller had installed a sink for her in-home hair salon in one of the lower-level rooms. Everything had been removed and sealed--hopefully that includes the drain line and vent if one ever existed--and the wall had been patched leaving no trace. The pressure-relief tubing had been transformed into a supply-pipe!!!! Thanks to me, the sellers are now incensed that they have to re-remove the drywall to make certain the T-P tubing doesn't terminate at a shut-off valve, which of course shouldn't have been enclosed in the first place. I always try to give tradespeople the benefit of the doubt, but what kind of numbskull could have in good conscious made this modification? John

This house was on a slab. The second gate valve is the main shut-off for the house. The water heater was on the second floor, and the end of the exterior T-P tubing was totally dry. Though I've never seen one this small, I wondered if the fitting beneath the ball valve was some sort of pressure regulator that discharged excess water down the T-P tubing. With the valve open and the tubing dry, little else makes sense. Bill. I, too, often answer, "No clue," when asked why a tradesperson would make a bonehead move. But still, someone went to a lot of effort to configure this water heater. It makes me wonder---what was he or she trying to accomplish?

Paul, I told my buyers I would look into the situation and get back to them by tomorrow. The house was built by a reputable company, and the inspection sticker---Yes, I know what you're thinking. : )---is in plain view, so logic suggests the seemingly superfluous tubing is there for a reason. John

I found this in a 4-year-old house during my morning gig. Why is there tubing between the supply pipe and the T-P valve tubing? The ball valve is open, however no water was discharging from the T-P tubing at ground level. John Download Attachment: DSC00886.JPG 517.93 KB

Thanks a ton, Bill. Possessing that kind of ammunition is priceless. Now I hope the realtor or seller DO call to ask about what's lacking. It's like when a realtor calls about Stab-Lok panels---I zap him or her back an e-mail with fifteen links that detail the woes associated with FP panels. It's amazing what a company will do to save money. Right there on page six of the Solatube instructions it says that the suspension assembly is sold separately. How much can a couple of eyebolts and a strand of wire cost? It almost makes you understand why someone would spend a few hours cutting a hole in a roof, installing the skylight, and then walk away when page six is reached and it's learned that all the necessary parts to finish the job aren't included. I know I'd be tempted to head toward the shower. [:-paperba John

Thanks fellows. Kurt, your description was right on the money. The light produced down at the lens was practically nonexistent. This particular skylight was installed above a shower---someone's attempt at infusing a little romanticism into bathing, I assume. The flashing was beneath the shingles, so I couldn't get a look at. Thanks for the heads-up on the suspension kit, too. Now if the seller or his realtor calls, I can explain the kind of support that needs to be added. John

The attached photo is of the tubing/housing of a round-lens skylight in a house I checked out yesterday. The housing had no support whatsoever except for a few haphazardly placed strips of duct tape--several pieces of which were partially detached. Does anyone know the proper method of supporting these things? I looked for a manufacturer's label to check them out on the web, but had no luck. John Download Attachment: DSC00882.JPG 606.71 KB

That's one of the downsides to our jobs; we can't always find out what the diagnosis and repair were. The listing agent is an old fussbudget, and the seller--due to water damage in the crawlspace caused by adverse grade conditions--now hates my guts because the buyer walked. I don't think the fussbudget or the seller would be receptive to my calling and saying, " Uh, by the way, what did the HVAC person have to say about that misfiring furnace?" John

Brian, I've seen similar configurations before, and like you, suggested further evaluation by an electrical contractor. But . . . the electricians took the stance that as long as all the wires were properly fused--#3 copper is on the threshold of suitability for 90 amps, but acceptable--no further modifications were required. The thinking behind the arrangement you described is, in the event of an emergency, rescue workers can shut off the power and enter the house to save the occupants without fear of electrocution. The interior panel--again, as explained to me--is there for the homeowner's convenience. The last time I wrote this condition up as a defect and was later shot down, I phoned the electrician, who was well-spoken and reasonable. "Yes, the rules you mentioned are being broken," he said. "But there aren't any exigent safety concerns, so I can't responsibly tell the homeowner she has to pay me a couple of thousand dollars to rework her electrical system." John

Thanks for the good advice, fellas. I actually showed the seller what was going on and told her to call an HVAC person ASAP. I also phoned both realtors just to make certain my rear-end was appropriately covered. John

The laundry closet had louvered doors, coated with dust that reduced the free area to who knows what, but the doors were open prior to and during the furnace firing.

I've never seen this kind of malfunction before. The furnace's second and third burners fired, but the first burner didn't. The furnace was located within a laundry closet, and was coated inside and out with lint and dust, etc., so I imagine the jets are merely clogged. Does anyone know of any other explanation for this malfunction? John Download Attachment: DSC00876.JPG 585.07 KB

If your area is like mine, Kevin, the city inspectors have never enforced fireblocking so the builders have no clue as to its need or purpose. A fire can easily spread from the basement of a house to its attic via the gaps around a flue pipe. And attic fires are what cause houses to be destroyed reeeaaally quickly. I loathe those conversations, but I'd remain firm with the builder and try to make him or her understand.

Buster, The size of the evaporator coil is nearly always included within the model number. It's expressed as BTUs so look for 24, 30, 36, etc. Lennox is one company that makes determining size difficult. On their condensors, for instance, they add one to the size, so ton-and-a-half units are labeled "19," and two-ton units are marked "25." As for sizing all units, there's a manual for sale that lists the model numbers of nearly all pieces of equipment and their corresponding capacities. John

The chain merely needs to be tightened, or the clip on the down-rod if it's a Fluidmaster. I used to consider this a homeowner/maintenance issue until a woman threatened to sue me for the two-hundred bucks she had to pay a plumber to adjust all her commodes. Live and learn, yes? John

Thanks, Scott. Is that the industry standard, or is it in writing somewhere so it can be referenced? John

While checking out new construction yesterday, I noticed that the size of the interior coil was two and a half tons, while the exterior condenser was a three ton unit. I see this all the time, and wonder if there's a reason for it. I was taught that both coils should be the same size, but I see mismatches all the time. Are these mismatches incorrectly installed? John

60 degrees in January, Mike? See, even if it's true you shouldn't say so 'cause it makes the rest of us sooooooo envious. John

The reason the wood's so clean is that the temperature here yesterday was about five degrees, which we don't see too terribly often. Today's in the mid-thirties and it feels almost like Spring. John

No real question, here, but check out the roof decking of a house I was in today. That's actually ice coating the tips of the roofing nails. The only vents were the gable louvers, which clearly weren't creating much of a cross current. John Download Attachment: DSC00844.JPG 591.95 KB