Jim Katen

What's the best continuous radon monitor for a radon measuring contractor to purchase?

Define "best."

Yes. I've seen it several times. I never thought it was paint but some kind of oxidation or anodization. When you slip a breaker on or off the bus bar, the spots where the breaker jaws grabbed the bar become shiny, but no particles fall away, as they would with paint. It doesn't seem to have any effect on the ability of the bus to make good electrical connections.

We designed this home and a drone was used to take aerial photos as part of the marketing. I guess it was illegal according to the article. I did not arrange for the photos. It was not too long ago that a helicopter was needed to take these photos.

http://mobile.obeo.com/viewer/ipadu.cfm?TourID=933104

We've got a local guy who's been doing those kinds of shots from a tethered helium balloon for years.

Nice home, by the way. I like the way it fits its surroundings. In this area, we stack our booji houses five feet apart from each other, like so much overpriced cordwood running up the hillside.

Is that really a "colonial?"

. . . Where are the clients getting this idea? . . .

Ask them.

Well, I did ask them about exterior, roof, plumbing, electric. I suggested it was important to inspect those things too.

That's not asking them where they got the idea. Did they read about it on the interweb, hear about it from their agent, friend, or family member, or just think it up on their own?

. . . Where are the clients getting this idea? . . .

Ask them.

I've pretty much come to the conclusion that most moisture problems in attics have nothing to do with the ventilation of the attic. Instead, they have to do with excessive moisture inside the living space, poor ventilation inside the living space (which is much the same thing), and poor barriers between the living space and the attic.

If a building is pumping its warm, moist air into an unconditioned attic, adding more attic vents rarely solves the problem. No matter how much ventilation you add, there will always be stagnant spots where moisture will condense.

Without reliable data, there's no way to proceed with an intelligent decision. The "safety siren" does not provide reliable data.

In my area, its more common to find forms under there than to not find them.

As far as I can tell, they rarely if ever cause a problem. Of course it's wrong . . .

Consider doing a long-term test to see what the average is. I would not believe that numbers from the Radon monitor thingie you are using.

Really.

A decent quality low-cost radon monitor sells for about $800 - $1200 and might have 25% +- accuracy. To get to 5% accuracy, you'd have to spend more like $4,000.

Do you really think that a $60 gizmo is going to give you results that are worthwhile?

If you want to know the long-term average levels in your house, spend $20 on an alpha track detector, expose it for a year, and send it in for the results, which will be real and reliable.

If you want to know the peaks, you'll have to either buy a long-term machine or hire someone to set it up in your house for as long as possible.

As others have said, no one really understands the relative health risks of radon at low levels. There are lots of things out there that can kill you. Why the focus on radon? Sunlight clearly causes cancer. Why aren't we each wearing sunlight monitors to measure our cumulative exposure to it?

Seeing this a lot lately. The exterior is to the left side of the valve.

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It's a silly mistake, but as long as they shut the valve and leave the bib open, it shouldn't cause any problems.

. . . Better yet, ask Katen what to do.....(with the cats)....

Have you tried curiosity?

Thanks Jim. Flickering Xmas lights I can do, no problem. It is that left turn signal I need.

I may wind up with a remote turn signal control in my lap for the garbage run 3 times a year. That I can power with the 12 v socket on the dash.

Maybe 2 push buttons in a box by my left foot. []

Don't they allow hand signals in BC?

A more classy solution:

http://www.vermontlanterns.com/content/ ... arboard-12

Why is it so close to what appears to be a bearing wall?

I'm guessing that's where the bearing wall ends and the beam takes over.

Has anyone checked the dip tube?

. . . It could also be the case that those rooms have supply registers but no returns, leading them to be slightly pressurized when the doors are closed and the heat's on, causing exfiltration.

Good thought.

Still, never seen anything like it. Maybe its just not cold enough here.

Never seen it in my climate.

Why only on the west sides?

Why would trees obstructing the sun prevent this from happening?

I didn't understand one isn't allowed interpretative freedom in storytelling.

Note to self.....when making up stories, stick to the script.

On the contrary, my post was about allowing interpretative freedom in storytelling. You said that you could *only* imagine disturbing stories. I'm suggesting that there are other possible stories here, not all of which are disturbing.

Wouldn't an HT vent be acceptable for outdoor applications?

Just size it properly and open that wallet wide.

Marc

B-vent is "acceptable" for outdoor applications, there's just no prescriptive guideline for using it outdoors below the roofline. I'm not at all sure that A-vent (what you can HT) is any more acceptable in that location when used with a gas appliance.

I've looked at the pics several times. Jimmy said (and I stole) "every house has a story.....I just write them down."

I can only come up with disturbing stories here. Another oddity in the billion footed city.

A bottom fiver.....maybe bottom 8-10'er.

Hey, the guy had an unusual hobby and was something of a natural philosopher. Why's that disturbing? My own house has, at various times, contained cat pelts (I was saving them up to make a vest before, regrettably, the moths got to them.), skulls from dogs, cats, deer, birds, and mice, and nearly a hundred insects preserved in vials of alcohol. I carry a pillowcase in my car to pick up snakes that I find and, though I don't pickle them, I do bring them home to release under my porch, to keep down the population of mice.

There is something to be said for a previous age, when people learned about the world around them by studying it firsthand rather than reading about it.

I'll never cease to be amazed at some people. Not only does he use the word "poisonous" when he means "venomous," but he misspells it. What's the world coming to?

How many of you know that a copper penny has the ampere rating printed on it ?

Ok. I'll bite. (Even though I feel like I'm being set up.)

I did not know that a copper penny has the ampere rating printed on it, how is that, Jack?

Not being set up in a bad way - just a fun way

the ampere rating of a copper penny is stamped above Lincolns head:

"In God We Trust"

Now that's funny. Never heard that one before.

Or it might have absolutely nothing to do with mold, and the pre-occupation with mold is blinding you to whatever the real problem is.

The coils are roughly 100% efficient. There would be no benefit to replacing them.

The brighter coil is probably wired by itself while the others are a pair or pairs.

You might try measuring the amp draw at each coil when they're all on.

It works the same way here. However, my impression is that the original poster is designing and building this project himself - no design professional and no contractor.

Now, in my area, the building departments encourage do-it-yourselfers to come in and review their plans informally before submitting an official set of plans. They are usually happy to help point homeowners in the right direction, particularly if the homeowners bring an offering of a box of donuts. . .