mjr6550

In my area they are typically not protected, but are attached (and usually much shorter). However, in Philadelphia where houses abut a sidewalk they require conduit over SEC up to 6 feet above grade.

I constantly use codes as a guide, but I seldom quote code. You expose yourself to liability for not finding everything that is not up to code. I often use the phrase "does not comply with typical standards".

If A contractor who works for Lowes installed it I doubt than anything about the installation is correct.

I noticed that cracks converge at those two spots. This could be caused by shrinkage or expansion if the concrete was poured tight to an object like a pipe manifold, large stone or old broken piece of concrete, etc.

Check with Trane. It is not uncommon for air handlers to be rated for use with more than one size condensing unit.

That unit is rated at about 16,000 to 18,000 btuh at 17 degrees and about 26,000 to 28,000 btuh at 47 degrees (I just looked it up). How big is the house?

I used to have slides of a painting of the basement in my old house. It also showed the boiler, etc. The former owner was an artist who specialized in photo realism. His paintings were about 6 feet by 6 feet. I believe the artist photographs the subject and then paints it from the photo.

I recall hearing that some brands of water heaters had problems with inlet screens clogging up with dirt. Seems odd to be both units, but could be from similar conditions-construction debris, unvented dryers.

Never seen that. Builders are too cheap around here to use brick for anything other than the front of a house-and that is getting less common. Water will seep through the mortar joints and is will behave like stucco since the brick and mortar are probably directly in contact with the felt. I know you said you have seen the brick placed directly on OSB, but can builders really be that stupid in your area? I would contact the Brick Industry Association and see if they have any input.

The wording below is from the following link: http://naturalgasnb.com/cms/en/home/saf ... fault.aspx You mention that the pilot goes out. It is probably from build-up on the Thermopile, but make sure it is not from the oxygen depletion sensor. What are the danger signs of carbon monoxide? Be alert to these signs: Stale, stuffy air in your home. The pilot light of your furnace or other gas?fired equipment keeps going out. A sharp smell of rotten eggs when furnaces and appliances turn on. A normally clear blue burner flame becomes "lazy" and mostly yellow or pilot light turns mostly yellow. Note that a little yellow will always be present. Small bits of airborne dust will go through the flame causing some yellow. Chalky, white powder on a chimney or exhaust vent pipe or soot build?up around the exhaust vent. Excessive moisture on walls or windows in areas with natural gas equipment. Be sure to check your humidifier settings as well. If the humidifier is turned up too much, this can also cause moisture build up on windows and walls. Your carbon monoxide alarm sounds Also, the attachment below is from a gas log installation manual. They mention white powder due to furniture polish, etc. I see this occasionally (but not nearly that much). I thought it was from impurities in the gas, such as sulfur. Download Attachment: Doc1.doc 41.37 KB

If my math is correct then your lights would use 346.5 kWh assuming they ran 5 hours/day for all 33 days. I took a ballpark guess that the furnace blower would use 95 kWh for 33 day assuming it ran 12 hours/day and used 2 amps.

Yea. I've been there. Click to Enlarge 43.48 KB

I see similar stains all the time in my area. However, the stains are typically from red clay. Seldom is the grade above the foundation, so I assume it is probably from dirt that blows around on ends up on top of the foundation wall from shoes, wood sitting on the ground, etc.

As others have said, yes. I will add that this assumes the ridge board is not a ridge beam (a 2x is almost never big enough to be a ridge beam). This assumes that ceiling joists are present (i assume that the four 1x board are partially supporting ceiling joists. When ceiling joists are present and properly installed then the ridge if not structural. No ceiling joists-then ridge beam is needed unless other suitable ties are present.

I think you nailed it.

Steam is an efficient way to transfer heat. That is why it is used in central steam loops. The heating of the radiators has to do with phase change. There is a large amount of energy transferred when water changes phases. It could be that most of the one pipe systems I see have old vents that do not work well. Not much is maintained on many of these systems. Another important issue with steam systems is boiler size. Unlike other systems, the boiler cannot be sized based on the heat loss of the building. It needs to be sized based on the surface area of the radiators. In my area this results in much larger boilers than would be used for hot water systems.

Although many people seem to feel that Teflon Tape is not approved, I recalled reading years ago that it is ok to use. I just looked at a National Fuel Gas Code handbook (1992). In reference to section 2.6.7(d), which refers to using pipe dope suitable for use with gas, The handbook says: "This requirements does not prohibit the use of teflon tape as a pipe dope. When using teflon tape extreme caution must be taken to ensure that tape fragments do not enter the piping system where they can block orifices and restrict flow. Many gas piping installers do not use teflon tape for this reason." I do not know what later editions of the code say, but from that wording I assume it is or was permitted. There is no mention of different types of teflon tape. I wonder whether the colors have more to do with marketing than chemical resistance. I also looked at a chemical compatibility chart on for Teflon. It lists Teflon as being compatible with Liquefied Petroleum Gas. The IRC says that pipe seals for gas piping must be compatible with LPG.

Mike, The steam condenses in the radiator and the condensate can flow back while the steam is still entering the radiator. When condensate gets trapped in a radiator because it does not slope properly that can create the banging sound associated with steam heat. The sound is water flashing back into steam.

Almost all of the one pipe systems I have inspected take a long time to heat the radiators. I see two-pipe systems mostly in larger buildings and they generally heat up much faster. Maybe I did not understand your point, but I thought that being cheap to operate means it must be efficient.

Look anything like these? Click to Enlarge 13.57 KB Click to Enlarge 9.53 KB

Kurt, I assume it is a two-pipe system. Much better than single pipe. As for efficiency, I think it says more about how leaky your bungalow is or how inefficient that heating system is. Steam may be an efficient way to distribute heat, but steam does not change combustion efficiency.

Scott, I'm not sure where the cutoff is between hydraulic and cable elevators, but I think that hydraulics are typically used up to at least 6-8 stories. The cheaper home use elevators are cable type, but the higher end are hydraulic.They often have the cylinder mounted in the shaft.

I have come across quite a few over the years. I always look at the visible components, operate the elevator. I also disclaim any expertise and recommend inspection by a installation or service company. Years ago I did read up on the mechanical home elevators. I believe they have a clutch that engages with loss of power. I cannot recall what the chain controlled.