Something tells me the humidifier isn’t needed at the moment… As for needing a humidifier for wintertime, well I still doubt it but some people still insist on having them.
Energy Code Basics: Avoiding the most common fail
No one likes to fail a building inspection especially when you get dinged a penalty from the Building Department for it. Not only are you out the fee & time you spent there, but it can leave the homeowner or General Contractor wondering about your work. So what is the biggest failure? Duct leakage or […]
Electrical FAQ: Off the wall questions…
In some past articles we have talked about swapping out outlets in your house with newer Tamper Resistant ones especially if you wish to child/baby-proof your home or if you wish to give your house a facelift. Last week we also posted a question – just what is wrong with these pictures? If you haven’t […]
Wacky Weds: Electrical What’s Wrong
Can you spot the issue? Quick Note – please ignore the light not showing on the plug – it does have power & the device itself works properly, the real issue is… If you got a guess, please leave a comment below & then check your answer… Electrical FAQ: Off the wall questions…
Energy Code Basics: Duct Testing – 4% or doesn’t matter?
I’ve looked everywhere… read the code book three times… you’re full of it, they fail… The issue? Well that is where does it state that while duct testing is required, only those following the Prescriptive* path have to be at 4% or less while those following the Performance* or ERI* Paths just have to test […]
2018 IECC & Illinois – Where we stand (Sub Committee’s)
Updated: As we have been covering, the State of Illinois is under the clock to adopt the latest Energy Code (2018 IECC) per the EEB Act (The Full Timeline). At this point in time, the sub-committee’s should have reviewed & voted on all the proposed changes as the next step is the full council votes […]
Energy Code Basics: 3 Key Terms & Compliance Paths
As a certified HERS rater and ICC Residential Energy Inspector / Plans Examiner I find many builders and even inspectors that get confused when it comes to the Energy Codes (IECC). So with that in mind we have started a new series on the basics not written in code speak, starting with the three means […]
Tuesday Tip: Dealing with Self Stick Tile
Self stick tiles are some DIYer’s best friends but also the bane of many with tiles coming back up, not lining up, etc… Here are a few tricks that should help you succeed. Proper prep is key – you should never go over other tiles especially if there are issues with them Whatever the substrate […]
Wacky Weds: Small Plumbing Issue
Why is my water running so slow… Yeah not only was the pipe clogged up but it had corroded so bad one good turn of the wrench sheared the supply right off. Might be time to repipe with a better product….
Wacky Weds: Knee Wall Water Line Fail
Really do I need to mention this is a really bad thing in a knee wall area – if so Preventing &/or Fixing Frozen Water Lines