Steven Hockstein

It is an obsolete air conditioning unit. Even if it is working, it is so inefficient that when it runs you can use the electric meter as a fan.

Thanks for the responses. This site is a great resource for when I see something new to me. Assuming that it was for a stove pipe and the fact that the house was built with a steam heating system, I have to assume that the original builder installed it, but it was never used.

I found this in the floor of an attic. The house is a little over 100 years old. I first thought it was for an old toilet but there is no plumbing on this side of the house. There is no existing mechanical equipment anywhere near this. There is a bedroom directly below. The house has steam heat. Click to Enlarge 36.36 KB

Mikeyjw, The reaction you are getting here is because many of us have seen the antics of the "Mold is Gold" group of people. Mold is not a new problem but within the last few years it has become a major issue in the real estate market, partly because of the hype of companies that are making lots of money on mold. I am not a mold expert and many of the people that claim to be mold experts have certifications that are bogus. There are people that go to a seminar, receive a certificate, and then go into the mold business. This cannot be compared to the scientists that spend a lot of time trying to determine how mold affects people and how to quantify exposure risks and which people are most affected by certain mold types. I think the most important thing that you should take out of this thread is that you should not instantly react and spend a lot of money repairing a problem that may not be real or may not be as bad as it seems because the company doing the testing is not a neutral party. Regarding your stone foundation I recommend that you contact a qualified mason to determine the extent of the damage and get an estimate for repairs. I would not rely on a "Mold Specialist" or opinions derived from your photo posted on the internet to evaluate your foundation.

My guess is that the real cost is somewhere in the middle. Seller uses the lowest number he can get away with and the buyer uses the highest.

Ask him what a "2.95" reading means. Is the contractor in the business of mold remediation? When did you last take a shower in that bathroom? Was the reading the same in all places? So many variables, so little time.

I've inspected many dormitories and off-campus apartment buildings (we just got a request for another 30). More often than not, it's the girl's areas that are perpetual disasters. It can get bad for the boys, but then they have a major party and clean everything up. Ditto that. I have a friend that won't rent to single women because they are more abusive to his property than single men. He told me about some of the things that were fished out of the drains and I gagged at the descriptions!

This proves that the Romans were onto something!

... Maybe you have a bad filter and it is blocking the flow. Rob said the filter had been changed. Marc That is my point. Maybe the new filter is defective in some way. Maybe the filter was installed improperly and is inhibiting the flow. It seems like the installation of the filter coincided with the burner problems.

My answer was not a joke. I have often seen situations where the burner starts and runs for a short time and then shuts off because there was not a proper or adequate oil supply. Very similar to the condition you described. Maybe you have a bad filter and it is blocking the flow.

Do you have oil?

There are a lot of POS companies in NJ but initials have a different meaning.

FYI The 2015 IRC (recently adopted in NJ) has changes regarding the installation of CSST gas piping and related bonding requirements. Check out G2411.1.1

First thing that came to my mind was when my kids watched Blues Clues.

a good read regarding duct cleaning... http://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-i ... me-cleaned

Looks to me like there are some stains bleeding through the paint that indicates past water leaking and associated corrosion. I always get suspicious of items that have been recently painted, especially stuff that is not typically painted.

I recently had a cat jump out from above a suspended ceiling in the basement. I was startled but I think it was more scared of me.

Seems to me that you need a different roofer to look at it and fix it. Determining where a skylight curb is leaking should be something that can be determined by someone that understands roofs. Your situation requires someone to actually see it. Also, Velux skylights are good but after 22 years it may be time to update the unit and flashing system. You must be tired of fixing the ceiling under the leak (not to mention that the chronic leak can also be associated with a bunch of other problems like rot, mold, etc.).

If she does not want to fix the deck at least tell her to move the wheelbarrow. No reason to crush a nice wheelbarrow when the deck falls.

Was this guy the plumber?

My house was built in 1956. There is a vent through the wall of the bathtub surround. Not against code. Just contrary to common sense.

Exposed crawlspace insulation needs to be properly protected from fire unless properly rated and designed to be exposed. There are a lot of green building type websites that discuss how to insulate a crawlspace. The crawlspace needs to be heated and air conditioned if you are to treat it as part of the house interior. Dehumidification is critical as well. Good Luck.

Sometimes when I perform an inspection the seller gets annoyed that I found so many problems. I am not surprised when I get a call a few weeks later asking me to inspect the house they are purchasing. Not uncommon for people to hope for a cursory inspection when selling their home and a very thorough inspection when purchasing one.

Exposure to radiation and associated health affects are related with the time you are exposed and the level of exposure. I spend limited time in my basement and much more time on the first and second floor of my house. If it was my home I would rather have higher levels in the basement and lower levels in the rest of the house (of course lowering the radon in the basement is the best option). Running a fan and equalizing the radon level throughout house below 4.0 pCi/L may actually increase the occupants' average exposure which is typically measured in WLM (Working Level Months). The link between radon and cancer is not a magic black and white switch between 4.0 pCi/L and below. It is a very linear relationship. 4.0 pCi/L was selected as the action level by number crunchers that determined what is considered an acceptable risk. The bottom line is that the more radon exposure over time, the higher the associated risk of lung cancer.

Check this out: http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/fi ... nsguid.pdf Read the part about sealing your basement.