If you are looking at buying a home or walking around your neighborhood you may have seen this disk shaped gizmo with a pipe up the side of a house. In the last twenty years there has been a growing interest in testing for Radon (a gas generated deep in the earth as limestone deteriorates) […]Read More about Radon Mitigation System
Why two different receptacles?
Have you ever wondered why there is sometimes a single receptacle in your garage? You know that the regular looking one with the buttons is a GFCI protected receptacle ( and is usually supply’s power to your exterior receptacles). The GFCI is a safety type receptacle that turns off the power to the circuit and […]Read More about Why two different receptacles?
Basement Damp (What’s It?)
In a basement there is a plastic or metal strip around a section of or all round the exterior walls (foundation). What is it you wonder, looking further you notice that the floor was removed and filled back in and there is a cover with a pipe. This basement has had a history of wet […]Read More about Basement Damp (What’s It?)
Window Fogged (What’s It?)
It’s not privacy glass even though it works as one. Insulated glass that is standard in all modern windows is made up of two panels of glass separated by a filler piece. The seal between the filler and the glass develops a small hole allowing air into the space between the glass panes. The moist […]Read More about Window Fogged (What’s It?)
Dryer Vent (What’s It?)
This often evokes the question, what is that? It is not a chimney, it’s not a plumbing vent, an oil tank filler or any of the other suggested uses we have heard.The answer is simple, it’s an exterior clothes dryer vent.This vent remains sealed when the dryer is off, air from the dryer opens it […]Read More about Dryer Vent (What’s It?)
Transformer (What’s it?)
This funky and worrying thing with wires hanging out of it is often found in the oddest of places. They can be found on the wall in a closet, in the basement on the wall or in the ceiling joists, beside the breaker panel, just about anywhere in a home.Nervous buyers often look at those […]Read More about Transformer (What’s it?)
Telephone (What’s It?)
These blocks are often found in basements and can still be in use, but never in newer homes. Most newer homes have two plastic boxes outside with wires coming out of them. One for the cable TV wiring and the other for the incoming phone line. The phone “box“ is called a telephone interface which […]Read More about Telephone (What’s It?)
Water Softener (What’s It?)
Looking at plumbing in a house have you ever wondered what different things are? There is that usual loop of pipe, which for no apparent reason loops down from ceiling in the basement? Or the two copper pipes about a foot apart one above the other that are sticking straight out and capped off? The […]Read More about Water Softener (What’s It?)
Radiant Heat (What’s It?)
Walking through a home you might notice a non descriptive box in every room, some may have numbers on a dial 50, 60, 70. What you are looking at is a thermostat for the radiant heat ceiling. The house is not heated by air coming out of a vent but wires embedded in the ceiling. […]Read More about Radiant Heat (What’s It?)
