Tom Raymond

Those are cool, but did they chase you? I had a wolf spider in my camper a few weeks ago, bigger than a penny but smaller than a nickle, when he realized I was too close to him he raised his front legs above his head and charged at me like an angry dog. I almost felt guilty for stepping on him, but the futility of his attack made me laugh. Tom

I've had to dig up two systems in the last two years that were behaving very much like the one in the OP, just thought I'd share my misery, err..experience. I would be leaning toward a blockage or improperly pitched drains then, missing vents tend to syphon traps not back them up. With the high quality work there I wouldn't be surprised if you find some horizontal tees or wyes too. Tom

Kyle, Thanks for code cite, but in my experience, and at this lattitude, shingles on a 2/12 pitch tend to wear out before they seal down. I've seen several instances where the area under the tabs is more than just a little wet after a light rain, the worst was wet after a heavy dew. Tom

Rob, Was it on a septic system? What you described sounds like either a clogged tank filter if it's a newer system, or a clog between the tank and the leach field. Tom

Those GFCI circuits are way creative[:-bigeyes Tom

That's what I was thinking. I'd hate to be the poor SOB that found it if it was just covered in fiberglass, or worse yet, full of cells. Tom

I'd call them out for replacement just because they're ugly[] Tom

As far as I know, floor tiles are just like any other ACM, the vast majority of the hazard lies in the removal process. Tom

"Get the guideline from ASTM. Go to the summary outline page at the very end of the (seemingly endless) pages of ASTM-ification of what is, at base, relatively straightforward and simple." I've had the misfortune of reading far too many ASTM documents recently, my wife just got her Concrete Tech Grade 1 certification. I vote that engineers not be allowed to write, they are far better at communicating with numbers and pictures than they are with words. There is no reason it should take 2 pages of incredably small text to describe how to mix three scoops of concrete to make an adequate composite sample. I can't even begin to imagine what that standard looks like. Oh, the horror! Tom

"As for the blanket it's-40-years-old-you'd-better-replace-it statement..." I'll have to run that by my wife, "Honey, you're over 40 so it's time for a replacement"[:-dev3] Too bad she's only 36. Any chance Jim will revise that advice? The only Cutler Hammer I advise to upgrade based on age alone is the old XO. Breakers are only available as used equipment and the few that have them want a fortune for them, a pair of double pole breakers will run you about what a preloaded Square D panel costs. Then too, there's always the panel that has so many issues replacement might actually be cheaper than fixing it. Tom

One more thought, even if you can conjure a scenario where the disconnect wasn't required at the time of install, it is unsafe for someone to work on that equipment in it's present state. Tell your client that it's hard enough to find a good HVAC guy, it will be harder still when they electrocute the first guy out there. Tom

Gene, I still think the thermosyphon will work, even if only as a preheater. If you can build all that stuff living out of a tent, then you should be able to build a simple thermosyphon, my first thought when I saw the Sunmaxx kit was that I could build one. The basic principles might even allow you to scavenge heat from lots of sources into a single storage unit. BTW, you should be thinking of heat storage as a medium separate from your potable water, once you do that the posibilities are almost limitless. Tom

C'mon Jerry, if the receptacle was anywhere else then how would the resident reset the GFCI when it trips and he is in the tub? Tom

I would think that the first roof would leak, shingles of any kind should not be on a slope that low without a complete cover of IWS. The spongy sheathing is likely due to the leaking low slope roof or they used the wrong sheathing material or failed to install the proper clips. Tom

Are there similar concerns with Wirsbo products? I have pex in my heating system and the manifolds and tempering valves leak when the system isn't running at capacity, like in the spring and fall when the heat will run a few times at night but not during the day. I think it is because the castings have far different expansion charecteristics than the machined caps and adaptors. The tubing and fittings are fine. Tom

Gene, You need to look into a solar thermosyphon(sp?) system. Way safer and simpler than what you have been playing with. Google Sunmaxx Solar or thermosyphons. Tom

If the water heater wasn't cleaned and flushed prior to draining it, the sludge at the bottom of it was whipped into the system when it was refilled for the inspection. At the very least they are going to need a new water heater, the sludge starts to stink if it is left exposed to air in an empty system. Tom

I consider a 32' ladder a 2 man ladder-- some may not. Anyone in OR bring a ladder this large to an inspection? I have one and I'll bring it if I know in advance that I'll need it. Sometimes, if I use it on a job, I'll leave it on the rack for a few days just because I'm too lazy to take it off. It's really not a big chore to use. In the bad old days, I used to use a 40 footer. That was freakin' bear. - Jim Katen, Oregon Those are puny! The ladder that wrecked my back 19 years ago was a monster, 60 foot wooden ladder in three sections. It took three guys to stand that puppy up. Tom

I report the concern but the last house I did had rodent feces and seed hulls in the panel, and the outer sheathing on the 220 line right next to the opening had been chewed on. Since the rodent wasn't in the panel, it would have been nice to cover the opening with something to keep him out. Maybe a red plug that would show up in a picture to indicate what needs proper fixing, and show a little extra attention to my client's safety. Too bad they would be too small to print my logo on. Tom

Scott and Jim, That is why I'm here every day, 'cause I learn something. Tom

I have a Stanley soft bag something like this: http://www.stanleytools.com/default.asp ... +Mouth+Bag but mine has soft rubber wheels and a telescoping handle as well as the carry handle and shoulder strap. It is not on their website any more. I leave it in the car for the exterior and drop it in a central location for each floor on the interior. In my pockets I carry my camera, flashlite, 2 screwdrivers, stiff blade putty knife, and my Swiss Army Cyber Tool knife that has a small multi bit screw driver on it. I swap out a volt stick for a 3 light tester when I do attics and crawls. In the bag are: channel locks, cresent wrench, multi bit screw driver with hex, torx, square, and a few security bits, slip joint pliers, small pipe wrench, a good multi meter, IR thermometer, mini binoculars, a compass, tape measure, folding stick rule, a sonic ruler (to distract clients or agents), torpedo level, 16" laser level (also a good distraction), rags, ball cap, and my coveralls. I also add an assortment of hardware as I realize what I should and shouldn'e have with me, like receptacle cover and panel cover screws. I need to find a cheap and easy way to fill openings in panel boxes, it's amazing how many of those I find. Edit: If I am concerned about people messing with my tools I pop up the handle and roll them with me from room to room. Tom

That's screwy, I'll bet they added the drip edge to cover new aluminum fascias. Around here 15 year old three tabs are almost all cooked, my own roof is 14 year old 20 year IKO's that are in dire need of replacement. What does one pay for a roof cert. and what do they get for it? From what I see, it's not worth the paper it's printed on. Tom

For the record, if you toast them, they taste like cashews. - Jim Katen, Oregon The termites or the cat carcases?[:-crazy] Tom

You mean like this? Click to Enlarge 13.94 KB Tom

I don't follow the logic. A heat pump is a split AC with a reversing valve to switch the coil functions back and forth. While it would certainly make sense not to run the cooling cycle in winter, I don't see the harm in running the heating cycle in summer, the loads are going to be very similar. I think it would be wise to allow the system to "cool down" between cycles rather than slam it from cool to heat and back again. It's easy to imagine a scenario where the system is in cooling mode all day and switches to heat mode over night, especially with the crummy summer we're having. Tom