Why Can’t The Gas Company Find These Gas Leaks? - 06/29/10 06:30 AM
As I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, I find a lot of gas leaks, and I always try to make it easy for a repair technician to find the leaks.  I take a photo of the leak with a bunch of soapy bubbles coming out of it, I mark the exact location of the leak with orange tape, and I write “Gas Leak” on it.  You can't miss it.


So why is it so difficult for the GAS COMPANY to find these leaks?
Ironically, I’ve found that almost every time Centerpoint Energy comes out to repair a gas leak that I've found during … (7 comments)

Is Legal Trouble Worse Than Death? - 06/22/10 06:17 AM
 
I might start red-tagging furnaces.  If Centerpoint Energy can do it, why can’t I?  People take these red tags very seriously.
The gas company will red-tag a furnace if they deem it unsafe for use – this could be because of a high carbon monoxide reading in the flue gas, backdrafting, a cracked heat exchanger, or many other things.  Do you know what happens after a furnace gets red-tagged?
Nothing. The gas company won’t lock the gas off at the meter, they won’t notify the gas gods, and no demerits are handed out.
So what’s the point of the gas company ‘red-tagging’ a … (10 comments)

Nine Common Myths About The Minnesota State Building Code - 06/15/10 07:34 AM
Myth: The owner occupant doesn’t need to pull permits – permits are only for contractors.
Truth: If you’re the owner occupant, you have the...ahem,  privilege of pulling a permit without having to be a licensed contractor.  It doesn’t mean you can skip pulling a permit.
Myth: Kitchen remodels don’t need permits because the code specifically says that cabinets, countertops, and floor coverings don’t require permits.
Truth: While cabinets, countertops, and flooring don’t require permits, just about any plumbing or electrical work does.  Most kitchen remodels will include both.
Myth: Decks that are less than thirty inches high don’t need a permit.
Truth: A … (6 comments)

Two Ways To Correct An Improper Faucet On An Old Clawfoot Bathtub - 06/08/10 05:56 AM
If you have an old clawfoot bath tub with a standard faucet that’s located inside the bath tub, such as the one pictured at right, you have a potential cross connection.  If the tub were to fill up with sewage or something even worse, the household water could come in contact with it, because the spill line of the bath tub is actually higher than the bath tub faucet.  If you live in Minneapolis or Bloomington, this is also a required repair for Truth-In-Housing Evaluations.
There are two common ways to correct this issue – replace the faucet or install check valves on the water supply pipes.
… (1 comments)

Don't Get Locked Out Of Your Garage - 06/01/10 06:08 AM

Check out the photo below.  Can you guess what's missing?  Here's a hint: this garage doesn't have a service door, but it does have a automatic garage door opener installed.
 
If you said "pizazz" you would be correct, and you might also make a good home stager, but that's not what I'm talking about today.  This door is missing an emergency release.
If the power went out, the GFCI outlet inside the garage tripped, or the garage door opener failed, the owner would be locked out of this garage.  The fix for this is quite simple - install an emergency release kit.
  
These kits … (13 comments)