Steven Hockstein

Thanks for the feedback. I did not think about the risk of somone switching breakers on and possibly shocking a serviceman. For now I will get a couple of extra extension cords. I will have an electrician install a transfer switch soon.

After seeing what many of my neighbors have gone through during Hurricane Irene I bought a small generator to power my sump pump, refrigerator and a few lights when there is another storm related power failure. I was thinking about the best way ( and least expensive) to connect it to my equipment. I could run a few extension cords directly to the pump and refrigerator but I was wondering if I shut-off the main breaker could I back-feed the circuits by running an extension cord ( for each circuit) with plugs on both sides from the generator to an outlet that is closer to the generator (on the same circuit) and use the wiring in my house instead of extension cords to distribute the power. Is there a problem with doing this? The generator is grounded. There is a circuit breaker on the generator for each connection. Feedback please.

Have seen both of their work and they have satisfied our past clients: Jack Williams and Sons Chimney Contractors http://www.jackwilliamsandson.com/--Nutley Afton Contractors Address: 6 HENDERSON RD Chatham, NJ Add Favorite This is me Phone: 973-635-1460

After $14,000 I certainly hope not. Good grief! No. It's from condensation. In winter, warm moist air is getting into the attic and condensing on the cold underside of the sheathing - usually the sheathing on the north side of the house. Because it's wet all the time, mold grows on it. The mold produces enzymes that stain the wood. It has nothing to do with mold in other parts of the house. However, if you have enough moisture in other parts of the house to cause mold there, that moisture can migrate through the house to the attic and contribute to the condensation problem. You need to eliminate the sources of moisture. I'd certainly start with the bath exhaust fan ducts. They should go directly outdoors through tight vents that allow no opportunity for the moisture to blow back into the attic. Another source of moisture was probably the basement water issue that's, presumably, been solved. There might be any number of other moisture sources - recessed ceiling light fixtures are a common one. You need someone to help you sleuth out the moisture. I'd recommend your home inspector but since he was enough of a wuss to call mold a "bio-organic material" he's too concerned with his own butt to bother protecting yours. Don't even think about cleaning or treating the mold until you've gotten the moisture issue under control. After that, I don't see much benefit to treating the mold. If you manage the moisture, the mold won't continue to grow. If you fail to manage the moisture, the mold will just come back whether or not it's been cleaned or treated. Now if you happen to be some kind of whack-job mold sissy, then by all means, hire a pest control contractor to apply an EPA registered fungicide such as Boracare with Moldcare, Sporicidin, Concrobium, or something similar. If you're a chump whack-job mold sissy, then hire a "mold remediation specialist" to do the same thing but be sure to pay him $14,000. Now, be aware that after all this, there will still be staining up there. If the stains really bother you (that is, if you're an anal-retentive whack-job mold sissy) then you can paint the attic with a stain-killing primer such as Kilz or Bin. But be warned that any inspector going up there in the future is going to see the paint and think, "Geez, some anal-retentive whack-job mold sissy must have owned this house.) Is the master bedroom deck *above* the window? If so, I guarantee that the ledger is leaking into the wall. There might be concealed water damage and maybe even *gasp* mold. Open up the wall to find out. My advice: Stop focusing on mold and start focusing on water. Keep your house clean and dry. If your family members get sick, take them to the doctor. Don't pay any attention at all to anything you read on the internet or hear in the popular media about health concerns associated with mold. Great Answer! No moisture=No mold. If this was Facebook I would have "Liked" your response. It is amazing to me that we all survived the "Mold Problems" in our homes before the Mold Testing and Remediation Businesses were invented.

Slightly off-topic but ...Bernie Madoff is in jail for perpetrating a Ponzi scheme. Seems to me that the Social Security System is the government doing the same thing!! We are all in deep s**t if we are counting on that money when we retire.

Sorry to hear that you are not healed yet. I hope you get well soon. A few drinks and a hammock may help over the holiday weekend.

Mike- How are you doing?

Your question is difficult to answer because there are variables (i.e.how high is the crawlspace, how hard is it to access). Some crawlspaces are like a low headroom basement and others require someone to crawl on the belly. Get a couple of more estimates for comparison.

Have gone to the Chiropactor a few times for various ailments and it seemed to help. Just hate the neck cracking (AKA adjustment) part. Question: How many chiropractors does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: One, but it takes 27 visits! Sorry for your pain Mike. Hope you feel better soon.

If the radiant heat is bad you can abandoned the pipes and add baseboard radiators.

Who else felt it? My office was rocking in Millburn, NJ

Are the houses connected to a municipal sewer system? I see this type of viewing port when there is a private waste disposal system on the property.

Just when it seemed that the worst of our economic woes were behind us, our National Leaders succeeded in sabatoging the progress for the sake of politics. Thanks a lot. My favorite teachers in college were people that had successful professional careers and returned to teach what they knew and share their experiences. The worst teachers were the ones that went directly from being students to being teachers with no real world experience. Regardless of political orientation, I think our country would be better if our leaders were required to work in the real world for a minimum amount of time, do their service as political leaders, and then have to return to the environment that they helped create. Nobody should be allowed to have a lifetime career as a politician and be insulated from the impact of their decisions. This comment is intentionally politically neutral. No red vs. blue responses are allowed. Just venting my frustrations.

I tell me clients that they need to use common sense, regardless of code minimum requirements. I proceed to explain that if it was my house and my kids were playing on my terrace, and the terrace was 29 inches above the macadam driveway, I would want the edge protected. If one of my kids fell 29 inches off the edge and onto his head, his head does not care about the code. In your situation it is an easier argument because you can use the code to back-up your opinion.

This can also happen when someone swaps out a standard furnace for a higher efficiency furnace and they do not upgrade the same chimney connection. The new furnace discharges cooler combustion gases that do not adequately exit the top of the chimney and the result is condensation that causes visible effloressence and staining. It mostly occurs on chimneys that are located on exterior walls but I have seen it happen on exposed chimneys in attic areas when the attic is well insulated and ventilated.

Wow. Around here, a basic chimney cleaning is about $170. Same here (for a real cleaning). There are sketchy companies that advertise $35 chimney cleanings and those are the ones that you have to watch out for.

They are full of it. Of course any chimney can get blocked or damaged but gas flues typically do not need to be cleaned because of combustion residue. Periodic inspection and maintenance is always a good thing. Around here chimney cleaning can be a major scam. I tell me clients never to allow the low budget chimney cleaners anywhere near their houses. Almost without exception they "Find" expensive problems that need to be repaired. The use high pressure and scare tactics. They have to find problems to fix because there is no way that they can make a profit cleaning chimneys for $35. My experience is that if they make any repairs at all, they are often done improperly. The call you got reminds me of the driveway sealing companies that are "In the neighborhood" and can give you a good deal. They charge you to spray used motor oil on the the driveway and disappear. A guy rang my doorbell a few weeks ago and claimed to be doing a termite treatment in the neighborhood and offered to check and treat my house for a low price. I politely refused. Hold onto your wallet (Not that the money in the wallet will buy you much nowadays!).

So you can find the switch in the dark?

My air conditioning is running so much that I can use my electric meter as a fan.

At least I can't see that from my house!! Imagine if that was what you saw when you looked out of your front door. I think the technical term for that style is "Architectural Diarrhea"

I'm 41 and have had enough beer with my Dad to float an aircraft carrier. We've drained 'em in countless places, a dozen states, three countries, and two continents. Air, sea, and rail. I'm sure I didn't appreciate them all, but i never took one for granted. Anyone here remember Ballantine Ale? Schlitz? These days, he's kind of tame, smiles a lot, and like to laugh at old times. Sorry to hear you can't have one with your Dad, but you're welcome to join us if you're in the area. We used to drink a lot of Rolling Rock. Now I enjoy drinking Yuengling. The first time I heard of it I thought it was some type of Asian beer. Now I know it is from PA and has been around for a very long time. It is a good beer for the price.

Les, I am sure that you also get some notes like the one I got this morning (they help make up for the agent complaints and associated stress): Thank you for your time Steve. Vince ( his four year old son that attended the inspection and I handed him a plastic flashlilght so he could "Help" me inspect) had a great time and I found the whole process to be very informative. I'm sure we'll talk again when we're ready to do some work in the house (he told me that he wants to do an addition in the future and wants me to be the architect). Thanks again, *name removed*

Darren, Hope you are enjoying dealing with the Newark Building Department. Frame looks good. Now comes the fun part. Be careful out there. They are killing people at record pace in the City of Newark. I hope you have good site security! Stay cool and safe! Steve

As usual, you are right on point Kurt. As an outsider (former ASHI member-originally joined in 1981) I am still amazed at how the organization's leadership thinks any of this stuff really makes a difference to anyone outside of their small circle of ASHI members. Nobody has asked me about ASHI since licensing became a requirement in New Jersey.

In this area when the panel has to be upgraded it is typical that the service wire to the house has to be upgraded because it is old, undersized, and weathered. The utility company requires that a permit be pulled before they will swap out the service wiring to the house. Sometimes I will see a new 200 ampere panel installed but the main wire remains undersized because the owner/electrician ( or "Uncle Louie" that knows all about electrical systems) installed the new panel without a permit. If the panel is new I advise my clients to get the documentation (proof of permit and inspection approval) for the work.