Remembering the 3-R’s- Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home Inspections

We all remember the 3-R’s, Recycle, Reuse and Reduce right?

                                                                 3-R's

During a recent home inspection I came across a reuse of materials from the around 1945.

                                                  Recycle and reuse

During World War II due to financial and material shortages it made it necessary to reuse goods and recycle materials.

The war efforts demanded so many resources it left little for the home-front. Many items such as metal, rubber and even certain food items had to be rationed.  Much of these materials were needed overseas for the warfront.

Thus it became necessary for those at the home-front to recycle. Recycling was patriotic.

There were large campaign drives urging people to donate metals and conserve fiber and to contribute to war efforts and as an expression of patriotism.

Here is an example of that conservation. These are unused cans for different products that were used as ducting in this home heating system.

                                               Oil Can

Though it was a patriotic use of materials in 1945 it is now is a health and safety issue for my clients. These sections are about 3 feet long and each are connected using asbestos tape. This material is now in a friable condition and attached to the ducting system. Asbestos in a friable condition is a health risk.

     Asbestos Tape         Asbestos

Whenever you see asbestos in this type of condition it is time to have a professional come in and remove this material.

 

"If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur..."

Red Adair

 

 

“Inspecting the World-One Home at a time”

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…                             

NCW Home Inspections LLC-509-670-9572

 

 
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24 Comments on Remembering the 3-R’s- Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home Inspections

20 Most Recent Comments Displayed Show All

OCT
06
2011
730,389 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Donald, interesting to see how everyone cooperated to help the war effort during World War II.
8:57am • #5

It would of been a great conversation piece other than the asbestos tape and toxic bug spray.
9:44am • #6
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Charlie,

Yeah, I hope them cans never saw their product.

Jay,

Yeah that one is especially special, Heck asbestos ain't nothing, eat with my Wheaties ; )

Lenn, You are right Red was a wildcat down in Texas and put out many well fires.
10:00am • #7
442,381 Points 4 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router Called Shot Master

This is a wonderful blog!  I never understood the depth they went to in their efforts!  God Bless the sincerity!
10:00am • #8
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Brian, This was a very interesting reuse of materials.

Michael, I think many forget how much the effort took for the country. My aunt was a "Rosy the Riveter" for Boeing.

 

Brad, yeah, can you imagine, "hey look at my ducts, they are so cool. But please hold your breath while down here" ; )
10:04am • #9
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Lisa,

This was a great example of a snapshot in time.
10:06am • #10
680,654 Points 51 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Donald, that's amazing. The Seller probably didn't even know/remember it was there!
10:26am • #11
177,169 Points 7 Featured Posts Called Shot Master

Wow I have been in many many houses and never seen anything like that! I know from being a History major that stuff was reused during that war but this is the first time that it has become career specific! Imagine insect spray bottles held together with duct tape! WOW!
11:45am • #12
228,204 Points Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Donald - Those pieces of cans made into piping shows how ingenious some would be to keep things working.  It is interesting that the tape has become friable when the heat it was exposed to wasn't that high.  Must have been the continual dryness that affected it this way.
2:56pm • #13
1,352,282 Points 42 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Donald - Patriotic or not, it doesn't look like stuff I'd want in my house.
9:47pm • #14
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Connie,

The seller was an elderly person so they probably figured they have lived with it that long what could be the harm.

Rosalie, I find many relics in this area. Sort of adds to the fun of these older homes.

Steven, As you may know it gets pretty dry over here so that tape usually is in pretty tough shape at that age. I see the tape fairly frequently in these older homes.
11:45pm • #15
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Christine,

I am with you on that one. Very interesting though.
11:47pm • #16
OCT
07
2011
1,392,388 Points 28 Featured Posts Hit Router Called Shot Master

Interesting post, quite enlightening.  Some of the comments are really great as well.  Thanks for the info.
9:08am • #17
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Gabe,

Thank you. This was a great reminder from that era on what was going on at home during the war.
10:29am • #18
166,378 Points 3 Featured Posts

Oil cans and asbestos tape... Love the angle of your post. I think upon first sight, we would all ask what were these people thinking. However, you brought in a whole new perspective explaining "why" some folks do what they do. It doesn't make it any safer,though...  Good job.
1:17pm • #19
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

David and Bonnie,

Sometime as inspectors perspective is just as important as everything else. But safety is safety and it trumps all.
9:33pm • #20
OCT
08
2011
155,778 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Aerowax! Now if your ducting is made of thiese cans does that make it a slick job?
2:39pm • #21
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Robert,

You betcha. It was quite a system in that home. Oil, Aerowax and TOX. Just needed a couple of milk cans.
2:58pm • #22
OCT
10
2011
567,760 Points 140 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Very cool find. That asbestos tape is durable stuff, which is kind of a good thing. So did you use the lick test like Jay asked?
8:25am • #23
293,069 Points 66 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Jim,

Yeah I was up there slobbering all over the stuff ; ) I Thought I shoud just take some down and do the sniff test ; )
9:46am • #24

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