John Kogel

Something not mentioned in those info notes - CFL's don't work right with rotary dimmer switches. They either come on full or go out. Or sometimes, they will flicker and drive you crazy. A vacant condo unit last week had a mixture of fluorescent and standard bulbs in the kitchen and dining room on dimmers. It made for an unpleasant afternoon until I loosened a couple of bulbs so the others could relax. Check out the new LED bulbs. They are supposed to be coming down in price soon.

Nice catch, Mike. I imagine the homeowner was mystified as to what those things were on the wall outside. What about pulling combustion air down from the attic through a 4 or 5 " pipe? If soffit vents are plentiful, are there any negative issues with that?

I see a few guys have walked on that tin roof. I wonder if the head flashing is leaking, but that would show up on the outside of the chimney. It is normal for the tarp to go on after the big squall has already hit and the damage is done. I'll bet the water was peculating up thru the basement drain. That thingy under the carpet there. []

For an RV, maybe? The cover didn't fit very well in that narrow space, so he turned it sideways.

I saw one of those rad hose traps in 1963, at the gas station where I swept the floor. So under the tight jeans and manly footwear, you'all got pantyhose on? Hahaha.

I found a shot of clouds and blue sky through a skylight is pretty good for a generic pic to display on my laptop. The dirt spots and bird poops add interest. []

Thanks, Bill. I will file that one for next time, pressure reducing valve in front of a pressure relief valve. (But behind it in the pic). A check valve and that other thing that's not a boiler component. [] I don't have pics of the original circulating pump, but I got the instructions. It needed oil every 3 months and not sewing machine oil, either. SAE 20. Click to Enlarge 91.9?KB Chad, if you had 5 of these pumps in your basement, you could oil a pump every weekend of the year for the rest of your life. Five pumps, each with 3 oil cups, spread over a 3 month rotation, with a holiday.

The original oil burner has been replaced with a 125 amp electric unit. This little unit heats about 2000 sq ft. What are the red devices on the supply pipe and what functions do they serve? From the right at the supply valve, I see a cast iron bulb that could be a sediment trap. Then there's a pressure regulator? The device in the foreground has a discharge tube. Is it a pressure relief valve? Why does this system need these devices? At the left of pic 1 is the 55 year old water heater. I called it copper, but it looks like it could be brass? It has one 120 volt element, and is still heating water faithfully. The pressure relief valve is leaking, though. I don't think there is a TPRV with a temperature sensor that is long enough to be mounted that high above the tank, is there? I described it as a PRV. Click to Enlarge 65.9?KB Click to Enlarge 47.56?KB Click to Enlarge 50.81?KB Click to Enlarge 51.69?KB Click to Enlarge 45.87?KB Yes, I saw that asbestos.

Looks great but why not 5 zones, since you have 5 pumps? You cutting corners, having a good enough moment or somethin? No, that can't be it. [] I like flourescents in a trouble light because they're much harder to break than an incandescent bulb. You must have smacked it a good one. I knocked one with a paint roller a couple of weeks ago, and the glass popped out of the socket, and was hanging by 2 wires, but still burning.

Everytime people stick their heads up in the attic, the relay is there to baffle them? []

If you touch them, they will leak. [:-weepn]

One day last week, I tucked my Telesteps under my arm, took the elevator to the fourth floor, down the hall to the stairwell where there was a roof hatch with no ladder, popped up onto the roof and took some quick pics. It was all very discreet. That is where the flimsy little Teleteps is handy if not very safe.

I see you keep the crowbar handy as well, "don't need no stinkin' door key". []

When I do that, mine leaves black scuff marks on the hatch. I sometimes drape my towel over the top first to avoid the marks. Don't the rubber feed on yours leave those marks? I sometimes use the Erby method as well. My Telesteps has black rubber knobs on top. I cured the black skid mark syndrome easily(?) with white electrical tape. You need to use a herringbone tape pattern, like you'd bandage a bad knee. Works great. Click to Enlarge 34.69 KB

Hello Cableguy. A gas tech told me that "Airco's are good". They actually built furnaces under licence to one of the big companies I can't be sure which one. If the furnace goes 'Whoomp", it's a good bet it needs professional help. It might cost $100 for a house call? That's cheap insurance. Get an old furnace checked up, and that is the time to ask about corrosion on the heat exchanger. If you have the unit that blows down into crawlspace ductwork, there might be less corrosion than if it blows up into attic ductwork. That is just a theory. Ask your gas furnace guy if he's noticed a difference. On the other hand, if it's drawing return air from the laundry room, it might have more of a corrosion problem, not less.

Have they progressed to the point of "self inspections" yet? With that program, the builder gets one of his guys certified and they "self inspect" as they go. The munis just conduct the occasional QA inspection. I sometimes see work signed off by the electrician who did the work. It takes the pressure off the town employees, and it gives us HI's something to look for. Not so much for new construction as for remodeling work, upgrades and such. I will say that the standards for electrical are pretty stringent here, so I never see stuff like that Mickey Mouse clamp. We find reverse polarity, 3 way switches that don't switch, neutral bonded in the sub, the more subtle stuff like that.

It wasn't their fault that he was allergic to peanuts.

Thanks Bruce. That does make sense now that you pointed that out. The wiring is unconventional, but I guess my question would be, does it need to be repaired? Yes, I believe it needs repair. The subpanel has a neutral bus, and that is where the branch circuit neutrals should be terminated. Then they should leave the subpanel through separate cable clamps or conduit and go off to wherever, but never back to the main. Amateur workmanship, maybe done without a permit, possible hidden faults. An electrician also can check that grounding is correct and adequate.

He wants you to charge $1000 so his disciple can get the job for $925. [] Big Mike's ok if you stay on the good side of him and never appear on camera as the guy that missed a bunch of stuff. He has definitely raised awareness. A Holmes disciple gets 50%, so they are doing a full IR scan and snaking the toilets for about $400 after the overhead. How's that for Math?

That website lists 10 species of termites in Aus, nine of which are destructive to buildings, and #10 can't be trusted either. [] Did the inspector probe the place? Chad needs to know.

Swarming termites are not typical flying insects. They drop their wings and crawl into dark places. This much I know. Australia is home to some of the most amazing creatures in the world. Most of them live in Melbourne. [] I don't recognize those critters you have there, but I would defer to the pest expert. I'm sure if you were being invaded with termites, Australian ones to boot, he would have said so. Learn more about termites here. http://www.termite.com/termites.html They say if you have gum trees within 100 metres of the house, you'll get swarms of termites. PS, keep that little one away from the big ones.

What Jim said, cellulose, which is often made from recycled paper and treated with a fire retardant. Borate is one of the chemicals used. Rockwool is only found in houses over 40 years old in my area. Younger than that will have fiberglass. Or cellulose. In that other thread, we were talking about the rare shredded wood insulations. Click to Enlarge 42.76?KB Click to Enlarge 54.33?KB Click to Enlarge 69.24?KB Here's some blown-in cellulose on top of some paper-backed yellow-white material. I think it is an early fiberglass product, 1950's house.

Scoop a sample of that white stuff into a baggy. I'll bet it's what Mike L. said, Lime or borax or some other to kill the smell of cat urine on rat urine? Human sewage is also possible in that environment. PS, if you every find the infamous dripping water bag hanging down from the frame, you must resist the urge to poke it with a screwdriver. Nothing good can come from doing that. []

As the others have said, the ceiling needs to be closed off, and the chimney made safe, or they won't survive to pay the mortgage. Sometimes, the best choice is to add a few grand to the lump sum they need to borrrow. Or cut back on the specialty coffees for a couple of months. The chimney could be extended past the eave with a cheap metal extension. But short term remedies are a waste of money. A new metal chimney will add value to the place. I agree, that the asbestos shingles can be a decent product if kept intact and painted.

Built in Vancouver, according to the bottom line of the label.