Lead in Old Pyrex Bowls Do you have any old kitchen bowls like you see in the photo above? I grew up with bowls just like it. In fact, each night for two years in the early 1970s I ate a pint of plain Skyline chili with onions and cheese in a red Prex bowl […]
How to Make Your Bathroom Floor Warm as a Hypocaust You may find this hard to believe, but I didn’t build the house I currently live in. It’s a long story but this current house in central New Hampshire was supposed to be a transition home while I did build a Queen Anne Victorian house […]
Fixture Unit Calculations - They Must Be Correct! Your building department may require you to provide fixture unit calculations to obtain a plumbing permit. These are very important as the calculations show to the department that the drain pipes you plan to use are sized properly. Because of the physical laws on Earth and how […]
Plumbing Fixture Schedule - Seems Easy But It's Not Some government entities require you to supply a plumbing fixture schedule to obtain a plumbing permit. These tables identify all the plumbing fixtures in a job. That's the easy part. You also need to list the drain fixture units and the water-supply fixture units. That's the […]
Plumbing Riser Diagrams and How Pipes Work Author's Note: I've been a master plumber since 1989. CALL ME NOW to talk about your riser diagram. 603-470-0508 I'd love to draw your plumbing riser diagram or isometric drawing. GO HERE to order one. Destined to be a Builder You may wonder how I got my start […]
Secrets to Square Anything - It's So Simple Are you trying to save money in these harsh financial times? Have you given up trying to find a contractor and are starting to do more projects on your own? If so, you’re in fine company as my email inbox has exploded over the past months with […]
How to Prevent Contractor Mistakes - Phone Call Help and Due Diligence I feel it’s my job to save you as much money and time as possible on every project you plan to do at your home. While it’s a noble quest, I’m thwarted each day by two or three things. First and foremost, if […]
Painting Rusty Metal and Steel - Prevent Explosions! Did you see in the recent news the catastrophic gas explosion that killed nine people on the island of Jersey in the English Channel? It’s early in the investigation and the experts may not ever be able to pinpoint the cause, but I have my own idea […]
How to Build a Masonry Fireplace - It's Very Complex The two main reasons for smoke in his home were the lack of a combustion air intake and his chimney was not the correct height. A few of his photos also showed a very dangerous situation where his flue liners were not surrounded by solid […]
Cold Weather Myths and Your Home - Easy Ways to Save $$$ When I woke up just before writing this column, it was a balmy -15F here at my house in central New Hampshire. A gale was blowing and the wind chill was -41F. You may be reading this column in sunny Florida or southern […]
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