Planning

Reply to: We just finished remodeling our kitchen and the product I liked best was a Mannington sheet vinyl. I am a Realtor and am in and out of a lot of homes, and have seen AMAZINGLY life-like vinyls. I decided I wanted vinyl as we have another home that has tile, and I wanted something warmer and softer in this house...but I wanted that look. The product that we used was called Mannington Sobella Supreme Guadalajara. (The samples on the web-site don't look a thing like them...see the real samples if you can.) When I had a guy out to give me an estimate on our tile backsplash he reached down and touched our floor and said "OH! This is vinyl! I thought it was tile..." And I told him I was so happy because he was a tile expert and he couldn't tell. The other night we had some neighbors over and the husband looked at our floor and he said "Your tile floor looks nice but do you find that it is really cold?" And I said "It's vinyl." At which point he also reached down to touch it. Anyway, to each his own, but they have come a VERY long way with vinyl sheet goods. Good luck with whatever you choose, Cathy

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Reply to: FYI, a quality frame starts with 5/4 kiln dried hardwood, double doweled with screws and glued, with corner blocks in all corners screwed & glued. Either 8-way hand tied or sinuous wire springs. To most manufacturers this cost them around 200.00. Quality padding meaning high density foam or fiber over the springs, arms, back and outsides adds about 30.00. Seat cushions should be in a woven ticking wraped with 1 1/2 to 2 ounce fiber or you can opt for fiber/down envelopes. Choose at least 1.8 pound density HR foam or a marshall spring unit. These usually cost around 35.00 to 50.00 per seat cushion. Backs should also be a woven ticking with at least 3 dividers filled with fine denier conjugated 100% fiber or a 50/50% mixture of this fiber with feathers/down. The cost is usually between 25.00 to 35.00 per cushion. Labor and indirect expensives adds around 40.00 per seat. Always calculate these numbers as chairs =1 seat, loveseats 2 =seats and sofas 3=seats and sectionals add additional corner seat. Add these numbers together then times 2 to get what a retail store should pay the manufacturer excluding the cost of the fabric or leather. Quality fabrics wholesale to manufacturers price starts around 8.00 per yard and leather around 4.00 per sq. ft. Same rules apply here take these numbers times the amount of material needed times 2 and add the previous figures and this is what the retailer pays the manufacturer. The retailer usually mark this up 100% then adds freight cost around 75.00 per seat,depending on the distance. This will give you a starting point on what to expect to pay. Or you could make the trip to NC and shop the factory outlets and save around 50%. BTW, Ethen Allen, Lazy-Boy, Ashley, Broyhill most their frames are plywood. One easy way to tell a quality upholstery is to lift up the seat cushion and it should be thickly padded under the cushions and you will not be able to feel any springs. That works only when they use springs and not elastic webbing, something you should avoid also. Hope this helps.

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Reply to: http://libanswers.cmog.org/faq/144022 Why does Corelle get brittle as it ages? I've checked with our research scientist who believes that Corelle should not get brittle as it ages...that there is not a scientific reason for this to occur. I also contacted World Kitchens (makers of Corelle) and here is the reply I received today: Thank you for contacting World Kitchen, LLC Please be advised that we have recently learned that abrasive automatic dishwasher detergents can cause damage to Corelleware and cause the dinnerware to become weak. Over time the dinnerware may become rough or chipped along the edges. The finish may wear off and the pattern/color may fade. If items are dropped or bumped/banged damage may occur because the dinnerware is weak. We recommend using less abrasive automatic dishwashing detergents such as Palmolive, Sunlight, or a store brand. For further assistance, please contact our Consumer Care Center at 800-999-3436. Representatives are available from 8am to 6pm, EST, Monday through Thursday and 8am to 5pm on Friday, and will be more than happy to assist you. Sincerely, April World Kitchen Consumer Care Center

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Reply to: I have a 5 yr old S&F set that I paid about $2500. for back then. It has not held up - sinkholes so bad now that I'm having back problems. We got a cushion firm and all the cushion foam does is pop back up to disguise the sinkholes. The rep came out last week to check it for warranty and it didn't meet the 1.5 inch depth requirement for replacement. Don't know if I would ever pay this much for a mattress again but I do know I won't be buying a S&F. BTW, the rep said they get the least amount of complaints for Simmons.

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Reply to: Your welcome Lenny and thanks for thinking that Iam a guy on the internet worth asking.. This gets a little opiniony knowing squat about your situation involving many variables but.. probably not, yes and no in the same order you asked. I have no idea what level of code is enforced in your area but I highly suggest sticking to the minimum levels of energy performance called for in the International codes. IECC 2012 is about to have its 2015 update and Iam excited to find out how wrong or right I am in squawking how they arent going to raise many insulation requirements but blower door testing will see a lot of very overdue attention. This thread is long overdue, for a serious plug on reducing uncontrolled air leakage. If your home is not a certain level of airtightness, then insulation can be an enormous waste of resources. If you are concerned about reducing your exposure to toxic air then focusing on the interior materials is a waste, if youre not building tight and ventilating it right with the "home as a system" priority. Insulation is expensive compared to airsealing and less effective in terms of overall energy performance. Uncontrolled, moving air carries a lot of moisture that does serious damage when moving through building cavities and thermal enclosures. It also leads to condensation and mold, especially in poorly installed fiberglass batt wood framed wall cavities with small levels of insulative sheathing. Add in a good vapor source, moisture reservoir cladding like stucco and brick that really soaks in the rain and drives it to the interior when the sun comes up and you contribute to much job security for those in renovation. But hey, it could be fine if the masonry has a good draining and ventilating airspace and that 1/2 piece of foam is well taped foil face isocyanurate, and the wall cavities are air sealed on all six sides with a dense batt filling all voids. I suggest pricing between OC spray foam and dense pack cellulose or FG (not batt). These are the things that best achieve a completely filled wood frame cavity. If not venting the roof deck, I suggest spray foam or insulative sheathing to the exterior. More important than insulation, is your ACH50 as measured by a blower door. The level of air leakiness in most homes is unacceptable leading to massive amounts of energy loss and unhealthy indoor air conditions. The code calls for an ACH50 of 3 or lower for building climate zones 5 and 6. I think that's pathetically leaky and not at all appropriate for a home built with the current international levels of insulation in the code. Homes in all climate zones should be pushing hard for an ACH 50 of 1.5 or less. Cost effective energy efficiency, increased durability and moisture resistance, and the ability to control the cfm rate of outdoor air exchange, which is probably the best way of improving Indoor Air Quality. As for levels of insulative sheathing, cant explain it any better than Martin at GBA. Its an important detail for everything weveve talked about, cost-effective energy efficiency, increasing indoor air quality and durability of the building envelope. Minimum For 2x6 in zone 5: R7.5 and zone 6: R11.25. Even 1" Isocyanurate with a foil facing the air cavity will be slightly below code and risky as far as interior condensation. I would do my best to get 2" thickness, even if it meant falling back to 2x4 instead of 2x6. I also suggest everyone to set a goal for ACH50, inform your builder that you expect to meet it and hire a third party to do a blower door test which puts a number on the value of the integrity of your home in terms of energy efficiency, indoor air quality and healthier building science. Here is a link that might be useful: Calculating the minimum thickness of insulative sheathing

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Reply to: "For cavity insulation, I might argue that cellulose or fiberglass has just as many concerns as spray foam. At least spray foam will better stop air movement which helps reduce humid air flowing through building cavities which increases risks of hidden mold. " I'd add that the same holds true for wall & attic insulation. if the wall is air tight to start with, (housewrap installed properly etc and air tight drywall approach to interior) then there is no air moving through the wall cavity to introduce into the living space any insulation particles. by the same token if you put insulation on attic floor..and ceiling of living space is full of unsealed holes ( IC recessed lights, oversized cuts for hvac supply boxes & bath fans just to name a few holes...then attic air will enter the living space when central system comes on. with this extreme temp attic air, as it filters through the insulation it brings in particles of insulation & dust. properly installed spray foam seals air leakage & insulates in one...but at a hefty price. the term 'toxic insulation' is offensive in that no insulation is good for you...but we aren't eating the stuff. put insulation in a sealed wall or ceiling & there is no toxicity entering the living space. air seal and what you put in walls & attic isn't an issue. best of luck.

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Reply to: MACV: You are a WONDER!!!! Thanks for that. So, if I want a solid house, ICF or Hebel Panels can be the way to go. If I want an energy efficient, yet cost efficient, I should: (1) frame with 2x6's, (2) put in really heavy insulation, (3) tinted low E windows because the back of the house is more windows than walls and is my North facing wall (4) clad with either brick, (probably the best?) render (stucco) or Fiber Cement Siding. (5) make sure I have really good insulation in the roof (6) roof choices are either cement tiles or Colorbond Steel. Asphalt shingles are not used here, but just starting to come to market. if I used them I would be the only one in the whole town that has them. The house has to have a Five Star Energy Rating, otherwise I will not get my Certificate of Occupancy. However, seeing the crappy construction that is done, it doesn't seem to be too hard. Like I said before, I am after a solidly built house. The current house I am in is a Melbourne 1920's Edwardian Wood Cladding home that has a side gate next to the Master Bedroom. Whenever we get wind and the gate is unlatched, it blows open against the wall and shakes the whole thing. You don't just hear it, you feel it to, down to the foundation. Drives me fricken nuts!!!

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Reply to: Hi,Remove as much dirt as needed. Patch the holes with a marine epoxy, Bondo may work. seal the wall with Dryloc or roofing sealer, Like Henrys.Imbed the drain in p gravel cover this with garden cloth to let water through but not the dirt. Replace the earth and plant your petunas. Good Luck Woodbutcher

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Reply to: If the "droppings" from the roof, and the "droppings" from the tree are ID'ed as being the same, it's likely carpenter ants. Carpenter frass looks like shavings out of a pencil sharpener. Drywood termite feces look like very small wooden pellets. Magnified pellets have concaved sides the same color as the wood they've eaten. Subterranean termites can, and do, easily infest your roof. Subterranean termites do not always rely on soil moisture. If secondary moisture sources are found, such as: leaking roofs, ac lines, plumbing leaks, subterranean termite may not return to soil. Sub colonies may have more than one queen and may have several supplementary queens. It's called survival.....colonies do bud out. Controlling subterranean termites when secondary moisture is present is impossible. You must stop all available moisture, then plan your treatment. Call a pro. If it's subs, request Termidor, Carpenter ants, I like Termidor on the outside/perimeter and Phantom on the inside. Maybe some dusts in the wall voids and attic.

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Reply to: Just start a new thread and post the vitals: # of people Analysis: hardness, pH, TDS, iron, particulates City or well water Any high-flow fixtures (like a multi-head shower or jetted tub? Special circumstances (like lots of guests, home empty part of year) Plumbing size

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Reply to: "Highway robbery"... that's a pretty strong statement and I'm sure is loudly proclaimed based on personal experience, but experiences vary. Here are some things to consider before buying any water softener, and many other things. You get what you pay for There is a huge difference between prebuilt box store softeners and the "real" thing. The design, ease of maintenance, cost of parts, quality of the parts, quality of the materials, efficency, reliability, and service life must all be considered. Don't think for a second that you are getting the same thing at Sears for $500 that Kinetico, or Culligan, or Rayne, or a local water treatment pro offers, installs, and warranties. How does it work? Softeners get blamed for many things and water treatment pros get blamed also. There's a big difference in salt and water efficency between a simple single (resin) tank softener and a dual (resin) tank softener like a Kinetico. Many old timer softener people avoid dual (resin) tanks softenrs that provide 24/7 uninterruopted soft water because "you don't need it". But, maybe you do? You should be making the (informed) choice. Am I buying the right thing? How do you know? Are you a water treatment pro? Ok, water softener 101 ... First, get a complete water test from an independent lab. This is a MUST DO because without it everything is a guess. A quickie water test from Sears or a water softener company won't be complete. They only test for the "profitable" stuff. Second, hit the Yellow Pages and call at least three local water treatment pros. Make sure you call at least one of the big dogs like Kinetico or Culligan and at least a couple independent pros. DON'T TELL THEM YOU HAD YOUR WATER TESTED. Give each an opportunity to offer suggestions and provide you with a quote to meet your water treatment needs. IGNORE ANY THAT DON'T TEST YOUR WATER THEMSELVES as they can't speak intelligently to water treatment without knowing what needs to be treated. Ask lots of questions. Warranty, parts & labor, how long? Install, permits required, licensed plumber? Routine maintenance and costs? Do they stock parts? Response time for emergency (water leak) calls? If they don't explain things to your satisfaction that is a good indicator of how you'll be treated after the sale. You want them to make a fair profit so they'll still be in business when you need service. Remember, we all like to get paid for what we do and many of us are just trying to make a living, not a killing. After they've gone use your water test to compare with their's. Are all your treatment needs being addressed? Ask your neighbors if they have any water treatment experience. They might tell you who's good or who to avoid. What's the rep and the rap? Some softeners get a bad rap, and usually from people who have to sell against them. One "self-annointed" water treatment god on the internet decries Kinetico for using "centuries old water power technology" instead of AC power to run the control valve. Is that a bad thing? Water power works great at the Hoover Dam and worked for centuries in the Roman aqueducts. Water power costs nothing, how's that for efficency? Not using electricity allows Kinetico softeners to be installed in situations where it would be very costly, or very difficult, or not possible to install any other softener. Kinetico softeners seem to go a long time because they are well designed and pretty efficent. There are quite a few posts on these forums from Kinetico owners with 20 year old softeners that have the resin replaced and a few o-rings and seals and they are back softening in short order. Amortize that cost over 20 years and expensive softeners can be very cost effective in hindsight. Your water quaity is important (especially if you are on a well) and you don't want to trust your health to a lesser quality softener without informed consent. If you cruise the water treatment self-help forums on the net you'll find that the most commonly complained about softeners are the Sears, Morton, GE, Waterboss, et al and the least frequently mentioned softeners are Kinetico and Culligan. There's a reason these companies have been around a long time. With real estate it's location, location, location, and with water treatment it's dealer, dealer, dealer. Who's sorry now? Companies like Kinetico and Culligan have built up a loyal customer base who rarely complain on these self-help forums because their softeners work. When they have a problem they call their dealers who provide them with timely service, stock parts, and have the technical knowledge and experience to get the unit back up and running in short order. How's that work with mail order and internet companies? Move it closer to the phone so I can see it? Remember, long distance softener sellers offer no service by definition. Their warranty is only on parts and those warranty replacement parts are always UPS or FedEx away. Some long distance softener sellers are honest, fair, and pleasent to deal with and some are not... you take your chances and usully don't find the jerks until after you sent them the money or have a problem. Us or them? Either you diagnose your water problems, formulate the (correct?) solotions, and install the equipment or you bring in a water treatment pro to do the job. Like Clint said in Dirty Harry, "do you feel lucky"? Because without specific knowledge selecting the right water treatment hardware and installing and setting it up properly can be a matter of luck. Not to mention that when it breaks you fix it while your better half screams "where's my soft water"? Clint again, "a man (woman) has got to know his (her) limitations". If he (she) doesn't he (she) will be reminded by his (her) better half When you do it yourself there's no one else to blame. If you want to DIY and approach the situation with eyes wide open and all the facts then give it a try. If you want it done right and in the shortest amount of time with a warranty and after the sale service then bring in a water treatment pro. The bottom line Water treatment ain't magic. It's chemistry, physics, and mechanics. IMO, the real determining factor in getting quality water treatment at a reasonable pice is premeditation. Ask lots of questions, ask lots of sources, and temper what people write on forums with a 40 pound bag of salt. I have no connection with any water softener seller in any way and am simply relaying what I've learned the hard (and costly) way.

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Reply to: Highway robbery!!! All of those are high. First of all, do not get a softener with the carbon mixed in. There are lots of reasons, which have been detailed very nicely in other posts, but, in a nutshell: The carbon won't do you much good for very long, the fact that it's mixed with the resin means it can't protect the resin from chlorine damage and when the carbon has to be replaced (and it will) you'll have to replace the resin also. Carbon is cheap (relatively) resin is expensive. A whole house carbon filter is your best bet to eliminate the chlorine in all of your water. However, if it's purely an issue of drinking water flavor/smell, just install a small filter for drinking water. You do not need 2 softeners, unless you household is showering 24/7. Softeners can be set to regen in the middle of the night. Even demand softeners will wait until a convenient time to regenerate so there should be no time when the regeneration cycle causes you a problem. Unless you use a lot more water than an average household, you will NEVER need the ability to hook up to 1.5" lines. Even 1" is often too large. 1" is nice for water pressure reasons in new construction, but can actually cause a problem called channeling in your softener. Channeling is when, instead of being dispersed over the whole bed, the water flow is low enough compared to the distributor that it ends up flowing down through only a small portion of the bed, resulting in hard water. If you have a large hookup to the softener, you need to make sure you ask about how the water is distributed evenly over the diameter of the bed. If they say there is not mechanical distributor, run away. Can around to other softener suppliers (smaller, local companies) and you will get a much better deal. Or, order online and install it yourself or hire a plumber to install for you.

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Reply to: minnheadz3 - I try to stay away from specific brand recommendations but I would be happy to give you some things to look for. The amount of iron in your water will likely cause discoloration. A softener will be less expensive than a stand-alone iron filter. While 5 grains is not high hardness on its own, many, many factors determine the scale potential of water. If it is causing scale and it bothers you or your wife, it's worth removing. Your choice. Unfortunately, your price point will preclude most water treatment pros in your area. If you are handy, or know a plumber that can follow directions, you can install yourself. There are many online stores that sell softeners for reasonable prices. Another option: many places will rent or lease-to-own a soften for you. If at all possible, I would avoid box store brands for several reasons: inferior valves, inferior resin, storage in unheated warehouses which breaks resin, proprietary valves that are expensive to repair, one-piece designs that make maintenances difficult. However, if all you can afford right now is a box-store unit, it will be better than nothing. You can get a better softener online, for the price, but you will be dealing with someone who doesn't have to look you in the eye. You are the one that has to reconcile your budget with your comfort level buying online. Look for: - Major name valve. I prefer Fleck, but hear good things about Clack as well. Autobus is okay. - Never stored in freezing conditions. - Two piece design. Brine tank separate from resin tank. - Water analysis is needed for proper sizing You wart to know: calcium, magnesian, alkalinity iron (Fe 3, Fe 2), TDS, pH, sulfur compounds, nitrates, manganese, possibly phosphates if they are prevalent in your area). You can call your local city water facility to see where they get their testing done. When you talk to the lab that will do the testing, be sure to ask them about proper sampling technique. - Anyplace that doesn't ask for or perform analysis before trying to size a softener for you, doesn't deserve your business. - Ask about service after the sale. Make sure they supply instructions for set-up. - The softener should regenerate based on gallons of water used rather than solely based on time. - Ensure the paperwork with your softener lists the type and amount of resin.

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Reply to: Yes, yes, and yes. You want to ensure you get the following: High quality American or German made resin. This will provide a tight size distribution for optimal flow within the resin, longer resin life, and more reliable, predicable water softening. Since you have CITY WATER: 10% crosslinked resin. The oxidizers that city water treatment plants use, such as chlorine or chloramine, are harmful to softener resins. Higher crosslinking will resist chemical attack longer. Top basket. This serves two purposes. It sets up a proper water distribution during normal operation and prevents resin loss during backwash. Gravel underbed. The gravel underbed is there to set up proper flow patterns, improve backwash, keep the bottom basket in place, prevent basket failure, and prevent channeling. Many softener sales companies like to leave this out or sell softeners with a vortex system instead. Vortex systems weigh less than gravel so they cost less to ship. In addition, they are a more expensive item that adds profit for the softener salesperson, but provides no additional benefit to the homeowner . It simply adds another piece of equipment that can break. Fleck or Clack valves. These set the industry standard. Be aware that you will not be able to purchase Clack valves online. This is not a problem if you purchase locally. The valve should regen based on water usage, not time. Install the softener with a three-valve bypass. This will make it much easier if you ever need to remove the softener for repairs or wish to take it with you when you move. Use full-port, quarter-turn valves. Noryl bypass. Most softeners are available with either Noryl or stainless bypass valves. Both are good valves, but the noryl tends to be more reliable when not used for long periods of time. This is a redundancy if you install with a proper three-valve bypass. I prefer a bit of redundancy but it is your call. Brine tank: Although either round or square will work, round brine tanks are more structurally sound and will not deform like a square tank will. Additionally,with a softener 1.5 cuft or larger, a square tank will most likely be too small. If you live in a cold climate, ensure equipment is stored in a climate-controlled environment. Frozen softener resin is damaged softener resin. Purchase a Hach 5-B test kit. You will want to periodically check to ensure your softener is working correctly and this kit is your best option.

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Reply to: Most homeowners opt for a single tank. There is no reason they can't get you the larger, single-tank softener. As to explaining, simply tell them you want your softener to regen no more often than once per week with four people in your household. Print the equation for them - perhaps they will learn something.

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Reply to: usingCity water is safe to drink so, yes, carbon solves strictly a taste issue, primarily chlorine. An RO system has carbon filtration prior to the RO membrane so chlorine is removed. With city water, I recommend 10% crosslinked resin because it resin is more resistant to damage from the chlorine in city water. Yes, of course regen occurs on use, but we have to estimate usage based on the number of people in the home. In general, 60 gallons per person per day is a good estimate. It is lower for some, higher for other, but it is a good average. A great many factors go into proper softener sizing. In simplified terms we estimate usage based on the number of people in the home and the water analysis. Hardness is the primary analytic, but we also look at iron, manganese and TDS as well because they will change necessary capacity as well as required salt dosage (with affects size as well). We shoot for the best balance among salt usage, water waste and equipment wear and tear. Generally, that point lies at 7-8 days between regens, using six lb salt per cubic ft of resin. A cu ft of resin starts with approximately 32,000 grains capacity (different brands and grades vary slightly). It is not possible to maintain that capacity without using obscene salt dosages. As we reduce salt dosage, capacity decreases, improving salt efficiency, but increasing the required softener size. In your case (click on it to see the full equation if only part of it is showing): using 44 lb of salt for three, or 58 lb of salt for four people, regenerating 36-45 times per year. The size recommended by both companies you spoke to would regen every four days for three people or three days for four people. That's 91-122 regens per year. You can see how that would increase wear and maintenance on equipment. If, however, you want to try to decrease wear on the smaller softener, you can increase your salt dosage and get 4-5 days before a regen, but at the cost of 76-122 lb salt per month. Short answer: Yes, both companies are vastly underestimating the size you need.

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Reply to: Unfortunately, you are seeing the problem with the entire home water treatment industry. The folks selling the systems, in general, know little more than then homeowners buying the systems. Most of these companies offer little or no technical training to their employees and stock softeners in one size, which they recommend to everybody. It's pathetic, and you shouldn't have to deal with it, but it is the current state of home water treatment. If you want carbon to remove chlorine, get a separate system. You are better off with no carbon and 10% crosslinked resin. Install a point of use carbon filter or an RO system at the sink for drinking water. Either can also be installed in a utility room with water plumbed to drinking water faucets wherever you may want them. Either a 2.5 cu ft single tank or a twin tank system with 1.0 cu ft in each tank will work for you. You should use 44 lb salt per month with three people, 58 with four, up to 9 lb less with a twin tank system. Ask these companies how often their softeners will regen and how much salt they will use per regen and per month. Ask them how they determined appropriate size. If you like the answers, get performance guarantees in writing.

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Reply to: IMO, your towns water report should be all the testing needed. There are several independant labs that charge $35-200 for a test. With what you have provided, your hardness is about 24 GPG (404/17.1). Sizing is done by multipling the hardness by the water used. Lets say you have 4 people in the family. The average usage per person is 65 gals per day. So 65*4*24=6240 grains removed each day * 7 days=43,680 grains removed per week. So based on the figures I've provided, the unit will be a 45K (1.5 CF) or 60K (2 CF). Now you can work the figures backwards. A 45K unit set at an efficiency setting has 30K capacity. 30,000/24/65/4=4.8 days between regen using 9 lbs of salt per regen so 30 days per month/4.9*9=56.25 lbs of salt used per month. A 60K efficiency setting is 40K so 40,000/65/4/24=6.4 30/6.4*12=56.25 Both system will use the same amount of salt, but the bigger one will regen less which in turn will last longer and use less water.

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Reply to: Hi all, Just thought I'd add my two cents. I've been using Charlies off and on for the past few years. I had some problems at one time with my clothes getting a white coating on them and becoming rather stiff when using Charlies. After consulting with Taylor, he suggested adding TSP or TSPP to my wash along with the Charlies. I had to look up the water hardness for my area which turns out to be horrendously hard. One tablespoon of TSP or TSPP (not both) has made a considerable difference. I'm not getting the white film on dark clothes and my towels, jeans, etc. do feel much softer. Maybe it is a hard water issue. One thing to note, I had tried Calgon water softener and Washing Soda and Borax as water softeners before and they didn't really seem to be doing much better. The TSP/TSPP as well as a vinegar rinse really seem to help.

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Reply to: Every time there is the mere mention of a pinhole leak where they have acidic water everyone goes into full panic mode as if all the remaining copper pipe in the house is going to crumble overnight...Baloney.... First off, according to studies done by the Copper Developement Association in conjunction with UCLA & the University of Arizona over 60% of all residential structures in the U.S.A. today have copper pipe, yet the study, which has been ongoing since the mid 1950's shows that there are less than 2000 instances of acid water pineholes in copper per year nationally and 95% of all those instances occured west of the Mississippi River. In fact,91% occured in arid regions of New Mexico, Arizona, S.Calif and Utah. In fact, when we consider the top ten causes of pinholes in copper pipe, acidic water is #5. The number one cause is installers and maintenance ppl who do not properly wipe the excess flux off the copper when soldering. The number 2 cause is the use of under sized pipe, which results in excessive velocity of flow and pipe wall erosion. (Code limits the velocity of flow to 8fps in copper pipe) The number 3 cause is the use of steel straps, steel clamps and steel wire hangers to support copper pipe. The number 4 cause is the use of type M (thinwall copper). Type M was commonly used for all installation from the late 40's until the early 60's. Number 5 is acidic water, however it must be noted that the acidic water must also have a high concentration of entrained carbon dioxide & oxygen and those conditions generally only occur in deep wells in arid regions. What I found most interesting was that one of the leading causes is ppl who use steel coat hangers or steel wire to hang things from the copper pipe in their basements. If a lead occurs such as was described by msbrandywine at the beginning of this discussion, you certainly need to fix the problem and if correcting the problem requires opening a wall it would be prudent to replace all the pipe that is available at that time, but I certainly would not want to put the homeowner in panic mode where they feel they have to sell their bass boat and drain their kids college fund to replumb the whole house immediately. It should be carefully explained that when one leak occurs the odds are it is indicating the system is nearing the end of its service life and they should consider replumbing ASAP, but, What is ASAP? Obviously the potential exists that another leak is forming while we speak but the odds of that are slim. I would suggest they begin reviewing thier budget and plan to have it done within 6 mos to a year and during that time they should not only set money aside for the project, they should begin discussing the problem with different plumbers. Keep in mind that plumbers have to schedule their jobs months in advance to insure they can keep all their employees busy year around. By discussing your project with plumbers you may find one who will give you a great price if you can schedule the work during a non-peak period. Now here is a question that I feel is much more important. If there is anything in your water that is eating up your pipes, what is it doing to your body? I am a plumber, and yes, I would love to have the job replumbing your house because that is how I make my living, but in truth, I would rather you begin by installing a water treatment system to correct the problem. Not only will a treatment system help to prolong the life of your pipes until we can schedule your replumb, it will have an immediate effect on the health of everyone in the household. Now let us discuss what kind of pipe to put in. Per code your choices are, Brass pipe (labor intensive & absolutely cost prohibitive), Galvanized steel pipe (again labor intensive, cost prohibitive and without question- the shortest anticipated service life), Copper pipe types K (heavy wall),L (medium wall) & M (thin wall) in both hard drawn rigid lengths & annealed continuous roll, CPVC, PEX & PEX-AL-PEX. Now it has been previously argued that PEX & PEX-AL-PEX are impervious to acid water problems, but that is not true. It is certainly true that the PEX tubing is impervious to acid water but, and here is a big BUT: Code requires that the PEX MUST remain inside the wall where it is not exposed to UV light and on the fixture end of every PEX run there is a copper stubout that is made of type L copper and subject to the same problems as what you might encounter in a total copper run. It is also argued that PEX will tolerate freezing without splitting the pipe like a copper pipe, and that is also true, but, and here again a big BUT that commonly rearing its head. If PEX is installed in a standard main & branch configuration generally a freeze will occur in a fitting. When the fitting freezes the fitting, PEX tubing & the crimp ring are expanded by the ice, but once the line thaws the fitting and PEX tubing shrink back to their normal size, but the crimp ring remains expanded and you end up with a loose joint that could and often does create a pinhole leak. No, in addition, while we are concerned about freezing in winter with PEX you have the year around problem of rodent damage. This is especially true in homes with a raised foundation in rural areas. It seems that rabbits, opossums, squirrelys, chipmonks, mice & rats all have a sweet tooth for vinyl plastic & PEX tubing. In fact, if you opt not to put in a water treatment system the best choice would be CPVC.

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Reply to: Ok, water softener 101 ... First, get a complete water test from an independent lab. This is a MUST DO because without it everything is a guess. A quickie water test from Sears or a water softener company won't be complete. They only test for the "profitable" stuff. Second, hit the Yellow Pages and call at least three local water treatment pros. Make sure you call at least one of the big dogs like Kinetico or Culligan and at least a couple independent pros. DON'T TELL THEM YOU HAD YOUR WATER TESTED. Give each an opportunity to offer suggestions and provide you with a quote to meet your water treatment needs. IGNORE ANY THAT DON'T TEST YOUR WATER THEMSELVES as they can't speak intelligently to water treatment without knowing what needs to be treated. Ask lots of questions. Warranty, parts & labor, how long? Install, permits required, licensed plumber? Routine maintenance and costs? Do they stock parts? Response time for emergency (water leak) calls? If they don't explain things to your satisfaction that is a good indicator of how you'll be treated after the sale. After they've gone use your water test to compare with their's. Are all your treatment needs being addressed? Ask your neighbors if they have any water treatment experience. They might tell you who's good or who to avoid. Come back here and post the specific recommendations and hardware with the costs and we'll give you our opinions. If you're a DIYer then you have other options and here's a good place to start ... http://ohiopurewaterco.com/shop/customer/home.php?cat=179 These other threads may interest you ... http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=284967 http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=285326 The negatives regarding the pre-built softeners are ... Lower quality materials, mostly ABS which ages and becomes brittle. ABS does not do well with really hard water. On 3 gr hardness city water most any softener will give a decent service life BUT harder water than that seperates the pre-built box store softeners from the quality ones. While all ion exchange water softeners use resin and "tanks" there's a big difference in the resin and resin "tanks". Again, the pre-built softeners do not use the top quality resin from companies like Purolite or Ionac and the materials their resin "tanks" are made of are not the same quality as the Structural brand (10 year warranty) resin tanks the top quality softeners come with. Most of the parts are proprietary and available from limited sources and they tend to be expensive. The pre-built softeners are "cabinet" (all-in-one) designs and are much harder to work on. The cabinet design puts the resin tank inside the brine tank. The routine cleaning of the brine tank is more difficult and takes a lot more time than a conventional design softener but the Sears type does take less floor space (the ONLY advantage in it's design). The greatest falsehhood is that pre-built BOX store softeners are less expensive than the industry standard softeners. The Sears softeners around 40000 hardness capacity generally run a little under $500. For $466 you can have a Fleck 5600SE electronic on demand metered softener delivered to your home including shipping. You'll need to assemble it (takes less than 30 minutes) and install it. You can have a plumber assemble it and install it (you'd need a plumber to install the Sears softener also or DIY). You'll get a control valve that has proved it's reliability over 20+ years, is made of state of the art materials (Noryl) which does not turn brittle and is totally inert. You'll get a 5 year warranty on the control valve and ten year warranty on the resin tank. You can buy parts for the Fleck control valve locally or all over the internet. Complete parts and service/repair manuals are available for download and there is always someone everywhere who can service Fleck control valves as they are the long established industry standard AND they are as easy OR easier to program than the pre-built softeners. They tolerate the hardest water with no problem. Real softeners generally last 20+ years EVEN on ludicrously hard water while the service life on a pre-built softener seems to be under 5 years (if you're lucky) on really hard water and lasting longer than that is a rare exception. Sears, GE, Waterboss, North Star and the like are the most commonly complained about water softeners on this forum and all over the internet. The Fleck, Autotrol, and Clack water softeners just work and work and work and work and work ... Why buy a lesser quality water softener for more money?

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Reply to: The "magic" of ion exchange is controlled by ionic charge differences, diffusion kinetics of ions into the resin beads, osmonics, flow, temperature, pressure, and ion competition. I haven't the time to teach a "fundamentals of chemistry and engineering" class. If you want to fully understand it, you'll need to head to your local university. If you are interested in a reasonably simple explanation, however: If you looked at a resin bead under extreme magnification, it would look like a complex cave system. It takes time to get through all of it. All of those surfaces have Na+ (sodium ions, plus one charge --- Salt is NaCl sodium chloride) loosely attached to all of the surfaces, typically to sulfonate ions. Sulfonate is more strongly attracted to Ca(2+) ions because they are more strongly charged than the Na+. Hardness removal is as simple as that. Two sulfonates release two Na+ and grab a Ca(2+) (or magnesium, or three will grab an iron, but let's stick to Ca for simplicity's sake). So, not let's assume enough hard water has run through the resin beads to saturate them with Ca and it is time to regen. Solubility of salt is about 3 lb per gallon of water at normal household temperatures - you were correct to say that only so much will dissolve. So, we control salt dosage rate by the volume of salt-saturated water we use during regeneration. The Na+ is able to essentially knock the Ca(2+) off of the sulfonate because it is present in overwhelming concentration. Even though the sulfonates prefer Ca(2+) because of a stronger charge, it's not a strong bond and the concentration of Na+ creates a strong osmotic pressure (basically, solutions want to come to equilibrium, to be the same). So, then, why does it take way more salt than it seems like it ought to take in order to get a resin bed completely regenerated? Think of it this way: You have a twisting, winding, complicated cave full of balloons (sulfonate sites) that are magically hanging in the air in fairly random fashion, with plenty of space between them, and a large supply of darts (Na+ ions). You throw darts randomly through the cave, no aiming allowed. Once a dart hits a balloon they both fall to the floor. You'll start out hitting a ballon with nearly every dart, right? But, as more and more balloons are missing, and your dart throws are still random, the chances of hitting a balloon get lower and lower. Instead of one dart = one balloon, it starts to take 2, then 4, then 10, 100, etc. There comes a point where it simply isn't work the expense of more darts to get the last few balloons. All of that said, given your water conditions (pH and alkalinity are fine, btw), you could get away with a 1 cubic ft or resin system. However, given the size of your house, I would go with a 1.5 cubic ft softener so that you don't regen every 2-3 days when you have guests and to ensure your softener can accommodate sufficient flow. You want to ensure you get either a Fleck or Clack valve/controller if you want proven reliability (or Kinetico, but those operate differently). Although you will likely pay double to triple if you purchase locally, that buys you installation, setup, and someone to call if things go wrong. If you DIY, you are stuck with your own expertise. Weigh that trade-off before making a decision.

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Reply to: What remington said, with a couple of exceptions/additions: Dissolved solids is not the same thing as turbidity. Turbidity is a measurement of clarity and is caused by suspended (non-dissolved) solids and colloidal materials. You want test results from an independent lab to get ACCURATE numbers. The sales folks that come to your house from the various vendors will use field tests that can be very accurate in the right hands. However, most of those folks use poor technique at best and will be well off the actual numbers. You city water report can be a good resource for you as well. Be aware that the water can pick up a few things on its way to your home, particularly iron which makes a huge difference when specifying a softener. You want to know: pH, TDS (total dissolved solids), iron, manganese, chlorine/chloramine (I assumed city water based on your description), hardness, alkalinity, particulates (if you have them in your water you want to know amount and type). Does your water have an objectionable odor or color? Do you see rust-colored staining in toilets, showers, sinks? You do not want to water your yard with sodium-softened water. Your grass/plants will not thank you for it. This leaves you two options. 1) As you mentioned, plumb to your outdoor faucets with untreated water, 2) regenerate your softener with KCl (potassium chloride) rather than NaCl (sodium chloride). KCl is more expensive, plus you will be treating alot more water. If you have a way to determine how much water you use indoors vs your total water bill, we can give you an idea what the cost difference would be. Water softener providers: Kinetico, as you mentioned, is good. They do tend to be the most expensive option. Their equipment is reliable, sales people are generally well-trained, and they do not require electricity. Other national vendors such as Culligan are good. They sell reliable equipment, but sales people are generally less well trained. Local vendors are well worth your time. Their prices are typically good and they have access to the same reliable equipment (Fleck valves) as the big guys, but often with more personal attention and better prices. Once you have test results and a few vendor quotes, we can help ensure you get a correctly sized softener if we know the following: 1. Test results 2. # of people in the home 3. # of bathrooms 4. Any high-water-use items such as pools, jacuzzi tubs, mult-head showers? 5. Frequent guests? There are a few things that you want: 1. 10% crosslinked resin (to resist chlorine) 2. gravel under-bed 3. top basket 4. USA-made resin (higher quality and better size control) 5. fine-mesh resin IF you have iron, standard if no iron 6. Fleck valve or equivalent 7. Anyone who gives you a quote should perform tests. 8. If a vendor is not responsive before the sale, they will be less so afterward.

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Reply to: well... first of all to inspect the weep holes we simply removed the drain grate and used a dental type mirror. we lowered it into the drain hole and were able to get a pretty good look at them from the back side. they looked like they had mortar in them, but not any hot mop/waterproofing. so we removed about 1 sq foot from around the drain. nothing looked to bad, but there was no gravel, spacers, etc.. just drypack (sand and lime free cement) right up to the drain. now keep in mind that the shower has not been used for 19 days at this point, and had only been used for 14 days prior to that. the drypack was damp, but not saturated, we were hopeful that after a day or so the water would weep through the mortar bed, be visible on the exposed waterproofing, make its way to the drain and dry out the grout etc... well 30 hours later the edges of the exposed mortar bed are damp to the touch, but there is no visible water, and the grout has not dried out. So I am concerned that the mortar bed does not allow adequate drainage to be used in this application. i am wondering first of all how long should it take a properly mixed mortar bed to weep the water out of it? secondly if it is more than a few hours, than how can it be expected to allow the floor to dry out and not cause the grout to remain wet looking? lastly, if the mortar is not expected to dry our very fast, i was considering two different options. first was to install a drainage mat below the mortar bed that would allow the water to freely trave to the drain. second was to install a waterproofing -like antifracture membrane to the surface of the mortar bed and just below the thinset to keep the water form getting that deep in the first place. any advice on if either of these solutions could work? if i have to remove the whole floor i am not going to put it down the same way again, trusting that the mortar was improperly mixed, because i honestly don't see how the water can drain through it that quickly no mater how much sand you put in it. i have done dozens of floors, always using the antifracture membrane and then thinsetting directly to that, and have never had this problem. The tiler that i used on this job prefered this method and, not knowing any better i assumed that it would work fine, but there is clearly more water in the pan than is desirable and where this might have been ok for ceramic or porcelain, it does not seem to be adequate for natural travertine. thanks for all the great advice so far and for any addition input. Josh here are the links for the antifracture membrane and drainage mat. Here is a link that might be useful: antifracture membrane

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Reply to: ALL conventional shower pans are designed to accept water under the tile and in the mortar base. This is the reason there are weepholes at the base of the drain, and the reason why the Kerdi system is so revolutionary-- it's the first shower system where it IS designed not to let water get past the tile and grout. Now, twotzus-- you definitely have one thing going here, and probably two-- first, I would imagine your shower pan is flat bottomed, instead of sloped to the drain. I'm sure there's a slope in the tile, but there should also be what's called a "preslope" UNDER the pan membrane, so that water that DOES get through the grout joints will follow gravity to the weepholes at the base of the drain and flow out the waste pipe. For whatever reason, very few tile installers or plumbers know that the preslope's even supposed to be there, and many who HAVE heard of it just don't care to spend the extra time required to install it. The second thing is the weepholes are most likely clogged, which is why the pan is filling up, and the grout joints are staying wet for so long. You're actually lucky that you're not seeing what looks like leakage on the backsides of the walls of your shower, because what happens many times is that water, once it reaches the bottom of the wallboard where it's buried in the mud, will start whicking up the wall board, much like dipping the corner of a paper towel in a small puddle of water. The problem with that is once the water gets over the top of the pan membrane, which at most, only comes up the walls about 10", will spill over into the wall cavity, and once enough of it has spilled in, it'll begin to show as a leak in your shower, and if left unchecked, could do alot of structural damage, as well as causing mold problems. The ONLY correct remedy is to replace the shower pan, although you might be able to get away (for now) with just taking up around the drain, unclogging the weepholes, and patching it back in. For the benefit of your contractor, here are the codes that state the pan membrane must be presloped: IRC Preslope code: 2000 IRC: P2709. 3 Installation. Lining materials shall be pitched one-fourth unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent slope) to weep holes in the subdrain by means of a smooth, solidly formed subbase, shall be properly recessed and fastened to ap-proved backing so as not to occupy the space required for the wall covering, and shall not be nailed or perforated at any point less than 1 inch (25. 4 mm) above the finished threshold. Uniform Plumbing Code related to shower pan construction. "412.8 When the construction of on-site built-up shower receptors is permitted by the Administrative Authority, one of the following means shall be employed: (1) Shower receptors built directly on the ground: Shower receptors built directly on the ground shall be watertight and shall be constructed from approved type dense, non-absorbent and non-corrosive materials. Each such receptor shall be adequately reinforced, shall be provided with an approved flanged floor drain designed to make a watertight joint in the floor, and shall have smooth, impervious, and durable surfaces. (2) Shower receptors built above ground: When shower receptors are built above ground the sub-floor and rough side of walls to a height of not less than three (3) inches (76 mm) above the top of the finished dam or threshold shall be first lined with sheet plastic*, lead* or copper* or shall be lined with other durable and watertight materials. All lining materials shall be pitched one-quarter (1/4) inch per foot (20.9 mm/m) to weep holes in the subdrain of a smooth and solidly formed sub-base. All such lining materials shall extend upward on the rough jambs of the shower opening to a point no less than three (3) inches (76 mm) above the top of the finished dam or threshold and shall extend outward over the top of the rough threshold and be turned over and fastened on the outside face of both the rough threshold and the jambs. Non-metallic shower sub-pans or linings may be built-up on the job site of not less than three (3) layers of standard grade fifteen (15) pound (6.8 kg) asphalt impregnated roofing felt. The bottom layer shall be fitted to the formed sub-base and each succeeding layer thoroughly hot mopped to that below. All corners shall be carefully fitted and shall be made strong and watertight by folding or lapping, and each corner shall be reinforced with suitable webbing hot-mopped in place. All folds, laps, and reinforcing webbing shall extend at least four (4) inches (102 mm) in all directions from the corner and all webbing shall be of approved type and mesh, producing a tensile strength of not less than fifty (50) psi (344.5 kPa) in either direction. Non-metallic shower sub-pans or linings may also consist of multi-layers of other approved equivalent materials suitably reinforced and carefully fitted in place on the job site as elsewhere required in this section. Linings shall be properly recessed and fastened to approved backing so as not to occupy the space required for the wall covering and shall not be nailed or perforated at any point which may be less than one (1) inch (25.4 mm) above the finished dam or threshold. An approved type sub-drain shall be installed with every shower sub-pan or lining. Each such sub-drain shall be of the type that sets flush with the sub-base and shall be equipped with a clamping ring or other device to make a tight connection between the lining and the drain. The sub-drain shall have weep holes into the waste line. The weep holes located in the subdrain clamping ring shall be protected from clogging. *Lead and copper sub-pans or linings shall be insulated from all conducting substances other than their connecting drain by fifteen (15) pound (6.8 kg) asphalt felt or its equivalent and no lead pan or liner shall be constructed of material weighing less than four (4) pounds per square foot (19.5 kg/m2). Copper pans or liners shall be at least No. 24 B & S Gauge (0.02 inches) (0.5 mm). Joints in lead pans or liners shall be burned. Joints in copper pans or liners shall be soldered or brazed. Plastic pans shall not be coated with asphalt based materials." The same language also appears in the Tile Counsil of North America's Handbook, which are the specs WE must follow.

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Reply to: Since you have a large bath with a separate water closet, here is what we recommend for ventilation. Have an inline fan installed in your attic which would replace both of the fans you currently have. They attach to the rafters and are totally silent. You can have multple ducts and grills installed for the one fan. We like both the Broan and the FanTech. I think you can get up to about 270cfm in these lines. We also install a humidity sensor in the bath and attach it to the fan so that it runs any time it senses moisture so you don't have to turn it on and off (you can override the sensor if you wish). Yes it does take an electrician but you will see a tremendous difference. If your current fans happen to be fan/light combination units (say in your shower ceiling) then use the Broan product as it has a grill that also has a light in it and it matches up to Halo recessed lighting. If after improving ventilation you continue to have mildew issues, then you most likely have excess water that is staying in behind the tile and is not being managed out properly. That will ultimately require a redo of the shower.

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Reply to: I'd put awnings first. beat the heat before it gets into the house, is your best savings. besides, with dual paned windows, you can't use window film. for instance, I have bananna trees planted on west side of my house. by mid July when heat in afternoon is getting strong the trees are tall enough to block the bulk of the sun. come august/september..windows are fully shaded. solar plantings can save you $$, if you have room, time & want to do so. I agree with Ionized about www.resnet.us but interview the raters in your area. pick the one who best understands your situation. I also have issue with raters/auditors selling products. but have come to the understanding that I often recommend things that the homeowner either can't do, or can't find anyone to do. thus I get into the energy retrofits... audits from utilities will offer at best 15% savings of overall utility cost. to save more..hire an independent. don't forget that utilities are in biz to make $$. in existing homes 40-50% savings isn't uncommon if all reccomendations are followed. and to answer your how does summer heat get into a home? radiation, convection & conduction. air leakage, heat gain, cooling loss. making the house tight, sealing ductwork so that all cooled air gets into the space where you live..those are money savers. best of luck.

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Reply to: What is the total living space in the house? Is it 2850 + 450 for a total of 3300 sq. feet? What will be the R value of the new insulation in the attic? What was the cause of the attic mold issue? My first thought is 5 tons is too big for a house of your size and climate. Plus you live in a humid climate so you don't want to over size the unit. Has any contractor done a load calculation? I think a 4 ton condenser would be the proper size, but I would like to see a load calculation for confirmation. You quotes need to include the model numbers of all the equipment (air handler, coil, and condenser). The quote is incomplete without this information. In addition the filter and thermostat should also be specified. Once you have those details you get opinions whether the price is reasonable or not. Prices vary across the country. The best way to determine a fair price is to get 3 quotes on similar equipment and installation. Post back when you have more quote information.

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Reply to: Load calculation and Manual J calculation are the same thing. The other important one is the Manual D which calculates the sizes of duct work. You could have great equipment, but if the duct work is undersized and poorly configured you will continue to have problems. The fact that you spend so much money on energy and are still uncomfortable suggests the ducting and piping is not good. A good HVAC contractor should inspect everything before giving a quote. If you are adding additional insulation and making the house tighter, then it needs to be reflected in the load calculation. Take good notes as you talk to these firms. You may feel you don't know much about HVAC, but as you start talking to these guys you will quickly pick up who knows what they are doing and who does not.

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Reply to: wear_your_baby: you can use the Great Stuff foam in cans with straws from your local orange or blue big box store. They don't give you great control, but they'll do the job. Dow (Great Stuff) also sells foam guns that you thread the can into and have a lot of adjustability in how much you're squirting out. I'm on my 2nd one, IIRC they cost ~$40. There are several other brands out there. I buy EnerFoam from a local tool shop b/c it's in big cans and is a relatively good deal. You can also use their low-expanding window/door foam to seal between all your windows/doors and the adjacent framing. Places to seal: - penetrations into the attic for wiring, plumbing, ductwork, etc - framing gaps into walls below (drywall to top plate) - I would do ceiling boxes for light fixtures (wire penetration and at drywall) - Others I'm sure I'm forgetting despite 2nd cup of coffee this AM Backing up a couple steps, if you're building new you have a lot of opportunities to end up with a tight, well-insulated home. I'd spend a bunch of time looking at the Building Science and Southface sites to learn more. There are framing details, air sealing details (many opportunities besides attic), etc. Foam is great in a lot of places, but caulk is cheaper and works for a lot of the framing sealing. Two other thoughts- get insulation-contact airtight (ICAT) recessed fixtures; these will have gaskets for the ceiling flanges, so no foam necessary (not to mention they'd get hotter than I'd be comfortable with next to foam if you use incandescents). Second thought- some will say that with cellulose you don't need to do all that sealing. I would argue to do just what I've listed b/c the cells will seal but they're also a dusty mess that you don't want leaking down into the house.

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Reply to: sweet home there are inserts to make IC recessed lights air tight. IC is insulation contact..which means that insulation can be installed next to and over cans. However..IC cans have holes in the housing, when insulation is piled next to and over these cans the insulation particles are drawn into the house. when insulation is not next to or on top of the hot dirty attic air is drawn into the house. These inserts are installed from inside the house..by removing the trip piece and bulb. the insert is a sealed system that will aleviate the above mentioned issues. get the name brand and model number of your recessed lights and go online to the company. search the site for ICAT. That is the easiest way to find the inserts. Oh and if you want to find the leaks that are buried in the attic insulation..look for dirty insulation. as the air filters through the insulation it leaves dirt marks. next to every hole is a dirt trail.. I just think they should have been able to identify the sites..I dig out recessed lights..one or two to show home owner..and other known leakage sites. Its not rocket science and leaks are easily found when house is depersurized. just my experience. organic possum..I've had several chemically sensitive clients that had no problems with the smell of foam, although one did move out for the day of the install and came back the next evening. putting the ducts and mechanicals under the insulated rooflines is a great idea for my climate. best of luck to both of you.

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Reply to: this is going to get a little confusing...but can you post your video over here? I can't diy you on hvac talk forum, but can here. this is what I noticed in your video. R/A to master (first one shown) goes up from return plenm, then over, then down to ceiling return @ attic floor. a straighter run would work better. up..across & down is a more turns than you need. gentle sweeping turns are one thing...but any 90 degree turns in supply or return reduces air flow. also on both returns, the duct is attached to framing members in the attic then sheetrock ceiling, with R/A grill inside the house @ ceiling. if you dig the return framing out of the blow fg, you'll see that the framing isn't sealed. each 2x should have been caulked together, then sealed to attic floor. insulation may be dirty in this area, and sheetrock dust will be around botton 2x @ attic floor. on the inside of the house, you'll want to seal it also..better two methods of air sealing to catch anything you missed than just one. I'd use paint on mastic, paint all joints, corners & 2x's to each other. make a good seal everywhere but pay special attention to framing at attic floor. do same from interior of both returns. now...back to plenum connections to equipement. I see foil tape...not the best product to use in my experience. I only use mastic tape, or paint on mastic. sealing plenums to equipment..both supply & return..use Hardcast brand #1402 mastic tape. take off foil tape. use hardcast to seal top and sides of plenums to equipment. the tricky part is sealing the bottom joint. its fairly easy if you have someone on the opposite side of plenum. you tear off the tape from the roll, peel off the plastic backing & slowly seal as far as you can reach...the other person reaches from their side to continue the seal. mastic tape needs to be pressed tightly to surfaces to stick. (you can actually buy a little credit card sized squeegie for this). surfaces need to be both clean and dry. the reason I'm telling you about this product is that this will also be used at each of the takeoffs from the sheet metal trunk line for the flex ducts. these areas have no sealant. paint on mastic is going to be difficult..bottom of the duct usually isn't well sealed, unless it is something you do often. Hardcast is 3" wide, so it gives you room to position it and covers well. pop that lock tie on the flex. fold the insulation & reflective liner back...and scoot it down the duct. now you'll see that they used another lock tie or maybe even duct tape (prolly lock tie/pundit.. its quicker). if it is a lock tie...leave it...but use the mastic tape to seal the inner liner to the duct take off. at the plenum you'll now have room to work. here, you have to tear the mastic tape into pieces about 4-5" long to make the seal. overlap each piece by 1". press it well to seal. start at top of duct...and contine around until all is covered. pull insulation IN CONTACT with metal take off and then pull outer liner to cover insulation. I don't use lock ties here..again...mastic tape. you can put a lock tie for added support..but tightening it too much compresses insulation & reduces R-value (condensation in my hot humid climate). seal outer liner of flex to fsk duct wrap paper on hard pipe. now rather than just covering up the leakage.. you are sealing it, and keeping insulation in contact with metal of take off collars. once you get the hang of it...it will go faster..and you might want to re-do the return ducts to return plenum. I'll let the guys on hvac talk discuss sizing of supply plenum & ducts...I'm not good at gauging sizes of flex... now the other leakage...luckily you'll go inside the house for this. take off supply grills. see that oversized gap around supply box that the supply grill covers. mastic tape. split the 3" width in half. keep the tape within the area the supply grill will cover. tape from sheetrock ceiling into metal lip of supply box. but carefully. once mastic touches sheetrock..it sticks. and it will remove paint..and paper. see picture attached. while you have the ladder out...take off cover of bath vent fan..the nut is behind the light bulb. you'll prolly see the same oversized cut as at supply boxes. nicely hidden behind cover. use mastic tape to seal this area also. when you're in the attic...take a look at damper on bath fan. should be a back draft damper installed so that damper hangs closed when fan isn't in use. about 1/2 the time..the are installed incorrectly. sometimes there isn't a damper at all. this is a 4" opening open all the time when no damper is installed. see...hidden holes in air barrier @ attic floor... I use the mastic tape to connect the back draft damper to the bath fan & to connect the venting to the damper. once you decide which way the damper correctly installed goes...put a piece of tape to show which side goes up. pita to have venting connected & accidently put damper the wrong way..ask me how I know! LOL. this is how I seal ductwork & the bath fan penetrations etc. all these areas..plenum to equipment..duct take offs to plenums..supply box to hole in attic floor and returns...these areas leak. low man on the job runs duct..30% duct leakage isn't uncommon at all. only one recessed light...correct? you can use an ice chest (foam ice chest) to seal this from in the attic. you have to have 4" clearance on all sides & to top of recessed can. press the ice chest firmly in place. the foam will show where you'll need to trim it to fit around 'legs' of recessed light. notch for the legs, then run a bead of caulk on both ice chest & attic floor (after moving fg back). caulk at notches for legs of can light. don't use foam to seal, as it doesn't seal well at all. what are the batts of insulation on the attic floor? is there a fireplace opening hiding under them? can you take a picture of the fireplace from inside the attic? attic stair case? I have a diagram on how to best seal this also..weatherstripping doesn't really last but building a box around stair case with a removable lid..works great.. lasts. unfortunately I only have it in pdf form..not a link. if you drop me an email..I can attach it in my reply. ok...that's my duct/return/bath vent/recessed light attic seal advice. post the video so I don't look like I'm tripping here... here is the sealing of the supply pic & maybe the better filter ( media filter) to fit in existing returns. if I can attach both. once ducts/returns are sealed..better filters are great. keeps coil really clean & picks up a lot of particluate without being restrictive. I might have to do that on another post... best of luck

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Reply to: loves2read having an energy audit on the home you are proposing to purchase is an investment. not only for the cost of the audit, but also for the work that will become apparent once the inspection & testing is done. granted the rating information will be your information to choose when & what items you want to address, but for you at this time, a simpler request would be to ask for copies of utility bills & question the homeowner about temps set on tstats for a starting point. if the homeowner is moderate with temp settings & costs are high..then would be time for you to consider an audit..or keep looking. I won't get into all that I don't agree with in some of the responses..hey life is short!..but I will say that most HI's that I know don't check head pressures & wouldn't know a what a delta t was if it bit them..sadly the same goes for many hvac companies in my area. HI's for the most part work for the reality companies and are a bit biased so they can get the next job..again just my experience with HI's, few are independent--as in work exclusively for home owners. I am a big fan of zoned systems and while you may think that you would save $$ by stopping air supply to the upstairs areas, it really is best to allow some air flow & movement in these areas. setting tstat for minimal air flow is a better concept for our hot humid climates. If I were inspecting, testing & making recommendations for an existing home, these are some of the things I look for & recommend. upstairs areas..walls shared between 2nd floor and attic. insulated? sealed? using a foil/foam sheating board serves several purposes. one it adds an additional insulation value to the wall, two it reflects heat back into the attic instead of transferring it into the upstairs areas,and most ..stops air movement. radiant barriers can always be added, several products on the market, but what I have in my home is a one sided foil paper installed to the bottom of the rafters with the foil facing into the attic space. these two items will make a huge difference in comfort, and utility costs. stopping the excessive air infiltration will lower utility costs, although it will take time & effort on your part. a good hvac company can balance the air flow with a balometer ..fyi, I often use one myself on both new & existing homes, but that is getting more into home diagnostics than the rating service. a good energy audit will take 2 to 3 hours depending on the size & complexity of the home, and the compexity of what you require. my minimum charge on existing homes is $500. for a basic test & inspection. best of luck & if I can help to anwser any questions drop me an email, as I don't get here as often as in the past.

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Reply to: Because of its age, this house will probably not even come close to today's energy standards, but it's a used ten year od house. That's not a bad thing, it's just the way it is. If you want to have an energy audit for your own info. go for it but don't be surprised or disappointed at the results. A good home inspector has the tools and knowldge to test the HVAC system for proper charge, electrical, suction and discharge pressures, properly sized coils, and duct work, delta T across the coils, whether the condensor and evap. coils need to be cleaned, or are leaking, rusty burners, crack heat exchagers, number of returns, etc., etc. If not, you can always hire a seperate HVAC company to inspect that part of the house, just like most of the times you have to hire a separate termite inspection from a licensed pest control company. Just remember, whether new or old, there's no such thing as a perfect house...some are better than others, but the perfect house does not exist!

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Reply to: hmsweethm - for what it is worth, I'm renovating a 1912 2-story colonial. In my experience, these are the things that have had the biggest impact/bang for my buck. 1) Sealing leaks. I think the house was just one big leak! Caulk, spray foam, weather stripping etc by the carload. 2) High efficiency furnace and A/C. The house didn't have heat upstairs, so we had to use space heaters the first winter! 3) Attic Insulation - someone had put R-15 in about 30 years ago, but it was flattened and pretty useless. 4) Wall insulation - I thought this would help most in winter, but it really moderated temps in summer too. 5) Window coverings - we have old, single pane windows (historic) so they are just never going to be efficient. We put up roll shades with curtains over them. 6) Pipe insulation - super cheap but made an immediate difference. The "hot" water stays hot on the second floor now instead of cooling down along the way.

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Reply to: The PAR 38 LEDS from Lowe's (private label is Illumitech made by Feit for them) have Edison bases. They fit my 8 y.o. Lightolier cans. Each can brand/type has bulbs they accept -- my cans have a sticker inside with that info but lighting specs for the cans should show that. Thing with the LEDs I've been using is that they must be compatible with my dimmer switches so I've been focused on that. Lutron's site has the compatible bulb list in their switch specs. LEDs are very cool compared to incandescent. So there is much much less heat. What they did in my house was go into the attic and air seal with soy foam around every can from above. The foam dries rigid and nothing gets through. They foamed around around every electrical chase, the hvac vents -- everything. It took 3 guys two days. Then they cut this 2-inch thick foil-lined foam board to fit around the attic perimeter, installed the proper vents, foamed the joints and then taped the foam board over the entire attic floor. They closed in the sides of the access stairs and made a hatch door -- it looks like a space station up there. Would think it's ideal for insulation to go in before the cans and then have them sealed down properly. Retro work is much harder. They also sealed up every cranny in my basement around the rim joist which also was leaking like crazy, around windows and even under the metal fireplace floor guard. An insulation contractor who is certified and knows what he is doing is a blessing. I was very dubious before. DH didn't even want to bother with it. But once they go through your house with the infrared camera and show you where everything is leaking -- then walk through with you again after the job is done -- and no more blue spots, you can see. They sealed up spots in my garage as well. I'm a complete convert after these 5 days of 0 to 10 weather. Proof is the stable temperature in the house; lower heating and electrical costs. I don't know about cathedral ceilings -- expect that would depend on the roof construction. If you went for an energy audit (they are free under a certain income level with modest surcharges above in our state) they could tell you what you need to do and give you an estimate.

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