Garet

Why not just pull down a piece of drywall and find out directly instead of guessing? If it's just a crawl space you shouldn't be too concerned about what the patch looks like.

I see this once or twice a year. It's not "ordinary" reverse polarity between hot and neutral, instead it's reversed between hot and ground (at least that's what my 3-light tester tells me). That means any metal-cased appliance is now energized to the touch. I write them up as defective. They always re-trip when I push the test button again, and I've always been able (eventually) to get them to re-set in the normal position. Sometimes I have to re-test/re-set more than once.

I would definitely comment on the potential for a kid to find their way in there.

Mike, is this link what you're thinking of? But it sounds like Bill has more info on the industry buzz surrounding this. https://www.acca.org/archives/industry- ... t-air/5808

It's not uncommon. I find 5-10 GFCIs per year that don't reset after testing.

We've got similar ones in Denver. They always seem to come in pairs at about the lower and upper ends of the upper cabinets. I've always assumed they were for creating a 'cool' cabinet in the days before refrigeration was common. I say "Seal them up".

A relative's house on the north side of the LA basin had it, which was built in 1988. According to him, the local water is supposed to eat away at copper. Still, the galvanized lasted only 15 years or so before it choked off on the inside. Time will tell how long the copper lasts. Too bad the CA trade unions wouldn't allow CPVC for so long.

Galvanized pipes were standard for many years, even through the 1980s in some parts of the country. The Qest piping is polybutylene, an approved material when it was sold, but subject to one of the largest class action lawsuits ever (plenty of info about it on the internet). PVC shouldn't be used for supply pipes inside the house. If you're renting, why are you even considering dealing with it? Punt it to a plumber.

Different people smell things differently. Sometimes very differently. Some clients a few months ago were perplexed that I couldn't smell a foul odor in the house. They described it as smelling "like death". We finally discovered it was the rubber backing on an area rug. I always make a note of pet urine odors.

I'm surprised to hear this. Are you under the IRC? R905.2.8.3 requires step flashing.

I've never heard of heat vs no-heat affecting what surface finish is acceptable. Ask your friend where they got their information.

Liquid slugging into the compressor is what I was looking for. Thanks.

When I unlocked today's vacant property, the thermostat had set to 52 deg in the air conditioning mode. No telling how long it had been running that way. Normal installations in my area don't allow direct access to the evaporator coil, so I don't usually see the coil when I suspect icing. This roof-top unit has a handy access panel (what a concept!). The coil was encrusted in a solid 1" of ice. It had ice on the outside of the casing and coolant lines near the compressor as well. I couldn't see the compressor itself. I'll be calling for a full evaluation by a contractor, but it gets me to wondering: Is the icing itself likely to cause problems, or just reflective of a mis-adjusted system? Download Attachment: IMGP9844 (Small).JPG 94.64 KB Download Attachment: IMGP9847 (Small).JPG 92.54 KB

Could it be warm, moist air from the living space escaping up the conduit like a chimney and condensing inside the conduit (as opposed to attic air condensing on the outside)? It's not something I've seen before, but I usually see conduit under insulation where it stays warmer, plus I live in a dryer climate. My only thought on the walls is that I've seen snow blow in through attic vents plenty of times (including my own house). It usually evaporates as fast as it melts and doesn't cause problems.

That's not venting anything. Look at a Code Check book for a foot (island) vent configuration.

It does occasionally prove useful. Cable Guy's should, too, if they want to stay alive. Download Attachment: Sub Bonding Wrong 001 08082001.jpg 270.92 KB Download Attachment: Sub Bonding Wrong 005 080104.jpg 306.94 KB Download Attachment: Sub Bonding Wrong 006 09100601.jpg 485.81 KB

When neutral and grounds are connected in more than one place, it causes electricity to flow in places where it was not intended, such as through other grounded metal parts (water pipes, shielding on coax, etc). "Electricity, like teenagers, is not known for making good decisions." (I wish I could take credit for that line, but I'm not that clever)

I don't find it strange. Water has ways of moving through buildings in ways that we could never imagine by looking at surface finishes.

If they do, then the author has failed miserably at their job. Roy, no offense intended. You did ask for feedback from your peers, which is a daring and noble thing. Sadly, far too few of us do it. You're to be congratulated. Like others, I completely ditched all the canned boilerplate.

An overview picture would help. My first impression is that an addition was constructed on top of an older slab, and this was an easy way to fill in under a door that didn't fit quite right.

Looks like lettering imprinted into the plug, but I can't make out what it says. Try another picture with a flashlight shining across the face to highlight the lettering. What's the age of the house?

Found this on the deadfront of yesterday's panel. It's probably about 5-10 years old. Anyone know what it's referring to? Click to Enlarge 40.6 KB

Possibly a foreign object in the ductwork? Could be different between heat and AC due to different blower speeds.

Because you can't use PVC to vent a Cat I appliance.

A friend used to carry cell phones from two carriers (I don't know which ones). One didn't work at his house, the other didn't work at his office. I'm sure it varies locally.