Richard Moore

I just found a rather nifty furnace model number decoder. My photo of a York furnace label today didn't quite turn out but I did have the model number. I like to report size (input BTUs) and so, went off in search of a decoder. I ended up at the Dept of Energy (EERE) site and discovered this PDF. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/a ... g_0906.pdf I have also uploaded it to the library under "Heating Systems/Gas Furnaces". Besides BTU rating it also shows where orientation, CFM, etc is located. The site listed it as a 2008 document, so it should be fairly up to date and it covers most popular brands. One word of caution...the York numbers list output BTUs. You have to do a little math to get back to input BTUs. In my case the number 64 divided by 80(%) x 100 gave me 80 (80,000).

Is the panel the service equipment? Because that's the way you seem to be describing it and, if so, both the NEC and IRC require it to be "nearest the point of entrance of the SECs". Even without the air-splice (right next to the attic hatch...sheeesh!), you can't run service entrance conductors across a garage or attic to the panel. Now if it's SE cable being used as a feeder from outside service equipment to an interior panel, then I believe that would be OK, but the appropriate splice would have to be made inside an appropriate box. And the cable needs to be moved away from the hatch where people are likely to be tossing crap or stepping on it.

That's the first thing I thought of. I'd bet there's some moisture migrating up and creating those little efflorescent bumps of delaminated concrete. Well, yeah, I'm also fairly sure it is efflorescence, as not much else makes sense. My head scratching has more to do with why it's so concentrated in one area and if it's migrating or migrated in the past tense. The more I think about it, the more I suspect a leaking hose-bib or hose just outside as the guilty party. But I'm done guessing. This is what I went with... BTW...if you think that wallpaper was bad, check out this room. They "accented" the decor with the sink! Click to Enlarge 74.1 KB The 70's were an ugly time for interiors.

I've not seen anything like this before. Very typical mid 70's split-entry home with a finished daylight basement (these basements were often bare when new and finished later by the homeowner). Anyway...there was a 6x8 laundry room which appeared to have mumps in the old, glued down vinyl flooring. Download Attachment: 100213P052x.jpg 81 KB Probably 50 or so lumps and bumps spread around the room. The bathroom next door had just a few and you could feel even fewer in the glued down carpet in the hallway outside. These weren't just blisters. Felt much more solid than that. I suspect it is old efflorescence. I was able to get a peek inside one split bump and I think that was what I was seeing...but I'm far from being 100% certain. Just across the hallway, in the under-stairs closet I was able to get a look at the only section of bare slab...and...nothing! Which leads to my second choice guess that this may be tied to a one-time laundry room flood(???). General grading of the rear yard (the side the laundry is on) was towards the home but the 8 feet or so right at the house actually had good grade, and there was no indication of repetitive flooding, etc. Downspouts were into drains, and well away from this area. There was a hosebib on the exterior wall just outside the laundry (my third guess as a possible source of water?). My Protimeter is next to useless on concrete, but my best judgement is that it wasn't an active issue. No odd smells, etc, that you would expect from a perennially wet basement. So, I'm recommending the flooring be removed for investigation (it needs replacing anyway) and also suggesting they ask the seller about any history. I'm just wondering if you guys have any experience or other thoughts on this.

IACHI has got a bunch of online classes approved. Unfortunately, I might have to partake in some of their action.I'm hoping it doesn't come down to that for me. I do like the idea of being able to do some of it on-line, but that particular vendor is just not my fave. I'm not sure my principles would understand.

Signed up. I need to start collecting CEUs as I only got 13 months out of my $680 "two year" license (grrrr). Does look like it might be some good info though.

I just found this...Some History of Residential Wiring Practices in the U.S. Kind of a fun read! http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/P ... Wiring.pdf I really need to go to bed!

If it's from the mid 50's, I doubt it would have a ground. Braided stuff in a home from the early 60's onward probably does have a ground but it would still look much the same. As for markings, today's grounded NM cable actually has a W/G (or sometimes the words "With Ground") marked on it as in "14/2 W/G". The photo below is from a 1964 home and you can see (sort of) it says "14/2 WITH GROUND TYPE NM". I'm guessing the older ungrounded stuff would just say 14/2. Click to Enlarge 23.63 KB This is from "Residential Electrical System Aging Research Project", a link someone kindly posted here earlier this year. Page 17 at http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//PDF/R ... Report.pdf Quote: Until the early 1960s, most NM cable for residential use did not have a grounding conductor. However, changes in the 1962 NEC that mandated equipment grounding for all branch circuits popularized the use of NM cable with ground.

Some of you, like me, may use links to inspect-ny.com in your reports for clents to get additional info on stuff things like FPE panels, aluminum wiring, etc, etc. I just noticed that they have changed their name and site address to http://www.inspectapedia.com/ . All the previous inspect-ny links still seem to work by getting forwarded to the respective inspectapedia pages, but I don't know if that will always remain the case. They might eventually want to sell the domain name? Anyway, it might be a good idea to update your links directly to the new name.

That would be fairly normal, original wiring for the period. It's usually referred to as "cloth covered NM cable". Nothing wrong with it except, of course, it lacked a grounding wire at that time (which became the norm shortly after...early 60's if I have that right). It doesn't have the same issues as knob and tube, but to bring the home up to modern standards you would still need to run newer "romex".

They only breakers listed as accepting 2 (copper) wires are the 10 through 30 amp, one or two pole, standard breakers. So no double-taps on AFCIs. Click to Enlarge 38.98 KB Download Attachment: SDwiresizes.jpg 63.55 KB

That has my vote for the best TIJ reply, ever! I'm green with envy.

Cool Chad! I'm sending you a b'day card but it will be heavily disguised as AARP junkmail! Have a great day you, still young, whippersnapper.

Actually, I prefer toffee fay. . . . Back in Connecticut the '70s, a crew that I worked with used to use the term "toffee fay" to refer to stuff like that. For those who don't know, Toffee Fay is the name of a type of candy. (Haven't seen it in years, is is still made?). When I moved on to a different crew, the first time I said toffee fay, they all stopped and stared at me. But after a while, they all adopted the term too. As far as I know, I introduced that phrase to crews in Washington, DC, New York, and Vermont. Then I arrived in San Francisco. The first time I tried using it there, one of the carpenters took me aside and explained that it wasn't nice of me to make fun of gay people. (oh, jeez . . .) So I moved on to fancy dandy, which, I'm told, is moderately better. - Jim Katen, Oregon It is funny how some terms you think are common turn out to be used by just you and a few aquaintances. My wife often uses the term "shitting pickles" for "scared". Something she picked up in high school. She always seems surprised when someone tells her "I've never heard that before". BTW...I think the correct architectural term we should have both used is Artsy Fartsy.

LOL...Jim and I were posting at the same time. Is "fancy-dandy" vs "fancy-schmancy" the right term?

Mike...google "bottle trap". They are decorative traps often used where the drain will be visible. Often used with fancy schmancy vessel sinks on glass counters, etc, etc. It is a p-trap and works the same way. The much sharper bend would seem prone to hair clogs, but I don't know if that's a problem or not(?)

There's an Anthony's Home Port restaurant overlooking the Des Moines Marina. It's not that far away from the airport. They specialize in seafood. We've never been to that particular one, but have no complaints about the ones we have visited. The ambience would be a lot nicer than anything along the airport strip...unless you're into hookers. Here's a direct link to it... http://www.anthonys.com/restaurants/info/desmoines.html

Here's a table of these "insulation piercing" connectors from the comapny site... https://www.ilsco.com//ProductsDetail.a ... ehSA%3d%3d If it's the second one down (it does look like fig 2) then it's rated for 600-volts, 4/0-4 AWG on the big side and for #6-14 for the small hole. I'm thinking the set-up might be OK. But it would have had me asking questions too!

Getting back to the Fluke 62 in particular. My first one lasted (I think it was a 62) about 6 years before going on the fritz. Suddenly started giving very low readings...Yes I tried changing the battery. Anyhoo, I replaced it with another 62 and I'm happy again.

I pity the poor fool who gets to inspect Chad's house when he sells it. Actually...mine would be no picnic either. [:-paperba Gary, was there a jetted tub? I've seen some strange locations for those GFCIs. The switch might be not be connected to anything.

Sorry John. I saw your paragraph..."It's nice when you have all the time in the world to make a production. You get to edit and omit anything that doesn't fit your template." I totally agree and thought I would have fun omitting stuff from your post to prove your own point.

...but also the IPC for plumbing. From the city permit website at http://www.cityoftahlequah.com/permits/ ... l_info.htm I'm not sure it really matters as even the wording in the IRC seems a bit vague as to whose responsibilty it is. Now if it had said at the property entrance...maybe.

It looks like the state of Oklahoma uses the IPC, not IRC or UPC. I only have an old 2000 version but it reads like it is more the responsibility of the building owner to provide adequate pressure, rather than the muni. Similar to the UPC code that Jim posted but a bit different in that it refers to a table of individual fixture type requirements.

Mike, I don't think it's the PVC exhaust/combustion air vents he is talking about. It seems he has some type of fresh air exchange system with one of the insulated ducts running from the exterior to the return plenum below the furnace. The other seems to be attached to the supply plenum??? The systems we typically see have a single, larger duct to the return with a motorized damper on a timer. If his system is constantly open (no damper) to exchange air I could see the intake, including the insulation, getting cold enough to cause consensation on the exterior of that duct. Although I would have thought that complete insulation would have prevented it. But, frankly, it's not a set-up I'm familiar with and I'm loathe to comment on the root cause of the moisture. He may be better off getting an independant HVAC tech out there for a look-see.

I know that the furnace is probably "multipoise" but I'm fairly certain that on its back is not one of the listed positions. One of the 11 defects I assume.