Konrad

Hi all, Well.... Here goes. Not one, but BOTH of the heat exchangers in our pair of (crappy) Tempstar furnaces have cracks in them. They're DC90's. I know that the heat exchangers themselves are under warranty, but I'm obligated to pay for the labor/installation. Is there a recall of any kind on these that anyone's aware of? Any help is greatly appreciated. Konrad

Thanks you guys. I love this website. [:-thumbu]

Hi all, I have an attorney friend who asked me questions about site graading around a single family residence. (Water in the basement) Our locale uses IRC 2000. I can't find anything in there about minimum positive drainage away from the structure, but I'd swear there's something in there somewhere. Anyone?

He said he's "just guessing by the physical size of the meter". *yoink*

I showed the photo to one of my elect. engineeers, here are his text comments: Panels can be mounted either way. It is okay to bottom feed a panel. The problem with this is it is a NEMA 1 rated panel, indoor use only. It is not rated for exterior use and is not weather tight. Also, I don't see a ground wire connected anywhere. Also, why not just cut the feeder wires to the correct length versus try to loop it around the panel? Also, the panel appears to be 200 amp and the meter socket is definitely not rated for 200 amps. Too small for that. That's all from him, not my comments. Konrad

It's a new slab (3 months old) and it's inside our newly-built shop. It's just spots of paint, but there's one or two smears that are about the size of a dollar bill.

Anyone got a good trick for getting white latex paint off of a slab? I don't own a power washer.

I've heard second-hand info that says high nitrogen content in some well water supplies will cause corrosion of copper piping. A sign of this is blue staining in the toilet bowls. Anyone confirm this?

Hope you don't mind me cutting and pasting some text. Cockroaches 101, my bread and butter (so to speak): Cockroaches can be present in almost any place inhabited by humans. They move quickly and are especially active at night. Characteristically, most roaches hide in cracks and crevices or between surfaces that provide darkness and cover. Inside buildings, roaches move freely between rooms or adjoining apartments using wall spaces, plumbing and other utility installations. They can be carried into structures in food and beverage boxes, grocery sacks, animal food and other household goods. Cockroaches can eat almost anything, but they are especially partial to starchy foods and meat products. They feed on such diverse items as cereals, pastries, chocolate, milk products, beverages, cooked potatoes, glue, book bindings, wall paper, animal food, fresh or dried blood, excrement, dead animals and leather products. Damage Disease Transmission. Cockroaches can carry organisms that cause human diseases, including food poisoning, dysentery and diarrhea. However, roaches have not been associated with serious disease outbreaks in the United States. Repulsive Odor. Most cockroaches produce a secretion or chemical that has a repulsive odor. This characteristic odor can be detected in infested areas. Allergy. Roaches can cause allergic reactions in some people. The response is caused by roach "allergen" that is ingested with contaminated food or inhaled when dried fecal particles and fragments of ground-up bodies of dead roaches are mixed with house dust. Anxiety. The sight of cockroaches can cause considerable psychological or emotional distress in some individuals. Cockroaches usually do not bite, but their heavy leg spines may scratch. There are 55 species in the U.S. Only 5 live in Nebraska, but that's irrelevant I guess. Seeing roaches at night is more common, and suggests a lesser infestation. If you see roaches running amok in the daytime, THAT means you probably need a pest control tech such as myself.

All right, all right... Sheesh, everyone's a comedian. [:-slaphap I am licensed in NE and do pest control on the side of my day job, and I've had a handfull of mouse calls lately. (Typical with the winter months.) Mice aren't too hard to wipe out, but (like home inspectors) I don't talk to a lot of other exterminators, because I rarely run into them. I was kicking around the idea of a black light because they can be had for about $20.00. They're not mandatory, but are perhaps a usefull tool for developing a trap strategy. The jury's still out. Glad you sprung for a pest control forum! I'd be happy to contribute more than I take (for a change). It's a rather involved exam to learn how to transport, mix, apply, and dispose of pesticides in accordance with the EPA's regulations. Not to mention the Homeland Security background check before you get your license to buy. (Guess that rules you out, Brian. Ba-da-Bum!) [:-paperba *thread drift* I treated a house 3 weeks ago for BEDBUGS, of all the damned things. That was a first for me.

Just wondering if anyone uses a black light to ID where rodents are traveling. Any tips are appreciated. Konrad *edit* Wasn't sure where to post this on TIJ. But you guys are usually a great resource, so if it needs to be moved, no prob.

Sometimes the plumber installs the gas valve down stream of the sediment trap in the gas piping. Ideally, the valve should be installed UPstream of the sediment trap. That way you can isolate the appliance and the sediment trap at the same time. Is this just a good idea, or is it actually a UPC item?

That note says: 3/4" exterior ply with blocking as required to provide slope.

Marc, Not sure I totally follow your question, so here's a scan of the parapet wall detail. We don't get so specific as to call out mechanical fastener spacings on the flashing. That's a "manufacturer's recommendation" type thing. Sorry the file size is so large. The elevation of the flashing is not quite the same, because this scan is from a different (but similar) store.

The State will inspect them, at least in commercial buildings. No idea about "private" elevators though. I would guess that there's a certificate on record somewhere from the initial inspection. Ask your state inspector. *useless trivia alert* State elevator inspectors are also the ones who inspect those rickety carnival rides at the state fair.