Water heater maintenance basics
A few hours of maintenance once a year will add years to the life of your water heater A few years ago, I was at a seminar for home inspectors…
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November 17, 2022
Water Heater Settings
Which is worse, scalded skin or Legionnaire’s disease? Until 2006, many homeowners had to ask themselves that question. It has to do with water temperature. Water in a water heater…
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July 22, 2022
Why does my bathtub sound like that?
Does your bathtub take a long time to drain, and does it make a lot of noise? It is likely an issue with the plumbing vents. The sound is what…
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November 4, 2021
Water softener basics
More than you need to know about water softeners and water conditioners. A typical water softener is actually pretty simple. water comes into the house through the water meter and…
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January 29, 2021
Orphaned Vent
Sometimes a furnace has been changed over to a high-efficiency unit that is vented independently. The flue gasses are so cool they can be vented out a sidewall through a…
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December 16, 2020
Backdrafting Water Heater Vent
Most of the issues I find at a home inspection are both important and easy to fix. Old smoke alarms are a good example, because replacing them is not hard.…
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December 14, 2020
Don’t know how to sweat a joint? No sweat!
Besides a cleaver use of the term "sweat", what do you need to know about making copper pipe connections? Are you less than perfect at soldering copper pipes? You are…
March 26, 2020
Finding the right-sized water heater for your bathtub
A simple formula for matching your bathtub needs with your water heater capacity. Don't bother taking a bath after my daughter takes a shower. She starts singing Adele songs and…
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March 26, 2020
Corrugated Drain – an oxymoron?
See how I did that? How could it be called a drain if it doesn't drain? Get it? I'm not sure why home centers and hardware stores are allowed to…
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March 19, 2020
Dishwasher High Loop
A quick peek under your kitchen sink and a 15-minute fix can help avoid costly repairs. At nearly every inspection, I find a problem relating to the dishwasher installation. Even…
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January 9, 2020