Tankless Water Heater

Posted on by Tim Carter
tankless water heater

Tankless Water Heater | Inside this box is a tankless water heater. The other mystery is how long will it take for you to recapture the extra initial cost! © 2017 Tim Carter

Tankless Water Heater TIPS

DEAR TIM: I wonder if a tankless water heater is the best thing for a new vacation home I am building in Michigan. Does a tankless hot water heater makes sense since the house will be vacant from November 1 to April 1 and occupied on a random basis the remainder of the time? For the seven months where we will be there from time to time, it seems that turning down a regular heater will waste energy. What would you install if this were your vacation home? Bob S., Amberley Village, OH

Author's Note: This is the second column I've written on this topic. I URGE YOU TO CLICK HERE and read my first column as well. It contains MUCH MORE information and several homeowner stories sent to me from people who have NOT SAVED MONEY using tankless water heaters. In fact, they spend MORE MONEY each month on fuel.

DEAR BOB: Each time I discuss tankless water heaters certain people get really hot. It is one of those topics that seems to polarize people, and I have come to realize that many consumers don't stop and ask all of the right questions before they get out their credit cards or checkbooks. It is impossible in this limited space to fully discuss the topic.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who can install water heaters.

To answer your questions, I am going to stick to some basic facts. I gathered them from my own utility bill, tankless water heater manufacturers and websites that sell additional installation parts. I also am adding a pinch of high-school math. Let's state as many facts as the space will allow, and then start a discussion.

Tankless Heaters Expensive!

A tankless water heater can cost up to three times a traditional storage-tank water heater. Some tankless water heaters that use natural gas or propane require expensive stainless-steel exhaust-venting pipes.

The gas lines feeding the heaters need to be larger than a traditional water heater. This is not a challenge in new work like yours, but can add considerable expense in an existing home where the fuel lines might need to be redone.

More Energy Efficient, But...

Tankless water heaters are more energy efficient than traditional storage-tank heaters. A traditional storage-tank water heater might be 60-percent efficient while a newer tankless heater often can produce efficiencies of 80 percent or slightly higher.

I studied a past utility bill and discovered I spent about $36.00 on hot water using a traditional storage-tank heater for a family of five that was sometimes taking two showers a day after sweating to death doing outdoor work and activities.

This means I spent $1.16 per day to heat and store my water. My winter hot-water costs could be expected to be slightly more, since the temperature of the incoming water is colder and must be heated longer to get to the desired temperature.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from local plumbers who can install water heaters.

We use our water heater every day. You will be using your water heater for maybe 40 - 50 days a year.

Let's do the math.

If I were to switch to a tankless heater today, I might save $7.00 per month on the efficiency differential and maybe an additional $2.00 per month on the amount of energy lost while the heated water sits in the tank. This means a tankless water heater could save me $108.00 per year. Let's go ahead and be even more aggressive and say $125.00 per year.

Installation Cost is HIGH

I did a calculation and discovered that if my existing water heater failed today and I replaced it with a tankless water heater sized for my family needs, I would have to spend an extra $1,550.00 to install the new tankless heater. Not only is the heater much more expensive than a standard storage-tank heater, I need to do all sorts of extra work installing a larger gas line and vent modifications to make the new heater work. This could easily cost an extra $1,000.

Many Years for ROI

Using the most basic math, it would take me nearly 12 and one-half years just to break even. Remember, if you have to spend extra money on anything to save money, the savings part of the equation does not kick in until such time as you get the extra money back plus any lost interest or investment equity you would have made had you not spent the extra money. I did not include lost-interest income in my payback example above. Had I, the payback period would have been longer.

IMPORTANT: The bottom line in your case is that the economics are far worse. It could take you 30 years or more to break even, since the tankless water heater would sit idle in your vacation home for so many days each year. Tankless water heaters must work very hard each and every day of the year for them to make economic sense for many people.

Vacation Mode

When your vacation house is shut down for the winter, you are going to drain the heater and plumbing lines in case the furnace fails. You use no energy in those months. When you do occupy the house, turn the heater off when you leave to go back to your primary home. Do not use the "Vacation" setback thermostat setting. When you arrive back at the vacation house for each visit, turn the heater back on as soon as you walk in the door. Within 90 minutes or less at least you will have lukewarm water.

Great Machines

Tankless water heaters are marvelous machines if you want an unlimited supply of hot water. They do a splendid job of that and can provide lots of hot water if there is not a drastic difference between the cooler incoming water and the outgoing hot water. If you have a heated-water temperature of 110F and the incoming water is 75F, then some tankless heaters can produce 8.5 gallons per minute of hot water. But if that same heater has incoming water of 45F like I do in January, then you can only get about 5 gallons of hot water per minute.

IMPORTANT TIP: Beware of buying a tankless water heater just to save money. I have received emails from people who spend more each month on both water and fuel. Some people end up using far more hot water than usual once they discover there is an endless supply. CLICK HERE to read some of the emails.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from plumbers in your city or town to install a tankless water heater.

Column 710

January 10, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

Once again, there's lots to share. I'm having a BLAST going back and revising all of my past columns at the AsktheBuilder.com website. More on that in a moment.

My oldest daughter Meghan, and her husband Brent, bought me an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas. I LOVE IT. It's just a little bigger than a hockey puck. Here's a photo of one:

The dot is your invisible companion that can settle arguments, tell you weather forecast, play music for you, etc. I often use it when we talk about something at the dinner table and two people can't agree. Here's an example.

My son and I wondered if we could get great barbecue in Austin, Texas. He and I are in the early stages of planning a one-week BBQ road trip. So I asked Alexa, "Alexa, can you get good barbecue in Austin, TX?"

She came back with a list of top-rated locations!

CLICK HERE to for a partial list of all the Amazon Echo Dot can do.

We use it downstairs in the giant family room because I have the larger Alexa up in my man cave.

I'm still discovering all the helpful things it can do. For example, I just used it to set an important timer for an upcoming conference call.

I said, "Alexa, set a timer for one hour and six minutes." She responded very politely that the timer had indeed been set.

Some people don't like this technology. You may be one. All I can tell you is that voice recognition is the future and it's a time saver.

You can almost always *talk* faster than you can type or manually set something. Just about every text message I send I do so using voice recognition. I don't *type* all the letters and words. Sometimes you get funny results and I do send those for a laugh.

Meghan and Brent control the temperature in their house with their Alexa. They also control the lights. Instead of walking over to a dimmer switch, Meghan just says, "Alexa, set the kitchen lights at 30 percent."

If you have someone you know that LOVES technology and you're looking for a great gift, consider the Amazon Alexa or the Echo Dot.

Dresser Danger and Toddlers

Did you see the video that went viral a few days ago about the two twin boys who decided to go mountain climbing in their bedroom? Bob Tingler, a good friend and subscriber to this newsletter, asked me to share it with you.

CLICK HERE to watch the video and discover HOW to PREVENT this from happening.

I decided to write out clear step-by-step instructions on how to keep kids like this from getting killed.

In this instance, the one boy kicked the Grim Reaper to the curb. But sadly, other toddlers have died when this happens.

If you have toddler grandchildren, or are about to have some, PLEASE send the following link to your kids or anyone you know that has an infant or an adventurous toddler. Infants will SOON BE toddlers:

Send the following URL to anyone that needs this information. It could be a friend, a son or daughter, a local newspaper letter to the editor, etc. Do whatever you can to spread the word about how to bolt a dresser to the wall.

Dresser Falls on Twins BOLT to Wall

Thanks Bob for the reminder.

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!

I'm in the final editing phase of my Roofing Ripoff book. Don't ask me how I overlooked this, but last year when I wrote most of it I FORGOT to ask you a few important questions!!!!

I NEED your input to really add some weight to things that are covered in the book.

If you've not yet taken my Asphalt Shingle WARRANTY Survey yet, please do. I just announced it on Sunday.

If you've already taken the survey in the past two days, do NOT take it again.

You should take the survey if you have an asphalt roof, or are planning to put a NEW ONE on this year.

If you take the survey, I'm going to send you a SPECIAL EMAIL when the book is ready. You'll be able to get a 20 percent discount on the .pdf version of the book.

CLICK HERE to take the SHORT survey. Thanks!

Latest REVISED Columns

I'm having a BLAST revising the columns and creating the helpful bullet-point lists.

If you're a new subscriber, I'm going back into my website and refreshing older content, revising it, and adding HELPFUL LINKS to save you time and money. Those columns that talk about the products I LOVE and USE will have DIRECT LINKS so you can get the products yourself.

For example, this morning I revised one I wrote, are you sitting down?, eighteen YEARS ago about tankless water heaters.

You should READ IT, especially the stories sent in by homeowners like you that bought a tankless heater only to be shocked at what happened!

CLICK HERE to read it.

I'm finding out that I'm revising columns faster than I thought. This means it might be a good idea for me to send out emails to you that just have SHORT LISTS of the columns I just did the day before.

If I just wait and save them up, then there may be too many for you to look at when I send out editions of the newsletter like this. I already have a big backlog. UGH!

I know that it's impossible to satisfy everyone, so let's try sending out short announcements and I'll monitor if I get too many complaints.

If it gets overwhelming SEND A REPLY TO ME and I'll make an adjustment. I don't want to stress you out, but I do want to SAVE you time and money!

I plan to make each Subject Line be a little different so you can save the emails if you don't have time to open each one. That may make it easier for you. See below.

It's a hard balance to strike with respect to keeping you informed, but not swamping you at the same time.

Here's a list of FIVE MORE revised columns you should really take a look at:

Light Bulbs Burn Out TOO FAST

STOP Water From Leaking Into Your Basement / Crawlspace

NASTY BioFilm in Your House!!! How to STOP It.

Ten SECRET Drywall Finishing TIPS

Modifying a Load Bearing Wall - SUPER IMPORTANT!

Okay, enough for today. WATCH for the SHORT Announcements about future revisions! I'll make this the Subject Line so you know:

AsktheBuilder.com (insert date) Column Revisions

Passez une bonne journée!

Tim Carter
Founder - AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Dresser Falls on Twins BOLT to Wall

Posted on by Tim Carter

Dresser Falls on Twins - Bolt Your Dresser to the Wall

You can see in the above video how the twins decided to climb up on the dresser to have some fun.

The issue is that it could have ended badly with the one twin being suffocated or dying from a crushed skull.

Children do die from these accidents, just read about it online from trusted news sources.

This warning was shared in my January 10, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter.

You can PREVENT this from happening by just installing two lag bolts through the back of the dresser into wall studs. Here are the easy step-by-step instructions:

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from handymen in your city or town to do this project NOW.

Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs behind the dresser.

Trace a faint line on the wall across the top of the dresser using a pencil you can erase with ease or wash off with soap and water.

Slide the dresser out of the way for a moment.

Mark the center of the studs on the wall with a pencil about two inches LOWER than the top of the dresser and extend these lines up the wall so they're just above the top of the dresser.

Slide the dresser against the wall where you want it.

Transfer the pencil marks that are the center of the studs to the top of the dresser using a faint pencil mark.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from handymen in your city or town to do this project NOW.

Slide the dresser away from the wall and use a small torpedo level to make lines down the back of the dresser that represent the center of the wall studs.

Remove the top drawer(s) from the dresser.

Use a 5/16-inch drill bit and drill two holes through the back of the dresser about 2 inches down from the top. Drill from the back of the dresser. Don't put the drill inside the dresser trying to guess where the holes should be, that's way too hard.

Slide the dresser back into position on the wall making sure the pencil lines on top line up with those on the wall!!!

Put your arm inside the dresser and insert a pencil into the holes in the back of the dresser to make two small dots or circles ON THE PENCIL LINES that are on the wall.

Use a 3/16-inch drill bit to drill into the wall at the two marks making sure you hit solid wood. Drill the holes 2 inches deep.

Get two 1/4-inch lag bolts that are 2.5 inches long as well as flat washers. Insert them from the inside of the dresser so they poke out the back.

Line the bolts up with the holes you drilled into the wall and start to spin them clockwise.

Use a socket wrench to tighten the bolts into the pre-drilled holes in the wall and tighten so the dresser will not move.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from handymen in your city or town to do this project NOW.

Cabinet Knobs

Posted on by Tim Carter

Cabinet Knobs Secrets and Tips

  • Function more important than form
  • Knob location must be comfortable
  • Best location 2.5 to 3 inches from door corner to center of knob
  • Templates can create errors if not used properly - SEE BELOW
  • CLICK HERE to subscribe to Tim's FREE Newsletter

DEAR TIM: I am struggling with cabinet knobs on my new kitchen cabinets. The cabinet knob placement has me scratching my head. How do you know where to place kitchen cabinet knobs and pulls? Should I use cabinet knob backplates? Can you tell me the proper way how to position cabinet knobs? Lois M., Canton, GA

DEAR LOIS: You are by no means the first person to struggle with cabinet knobs. I have seen knobs placed in all sort of places on cabinet doors, but there is a standard many carpenters seem to follow that has worked well for me and many of my customers over the years.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from finish carpenters to install cabinet knobs for you.

cabinet pulls being installed

Function First

Cabinet knobs are a great example of a utilitarian item found in just about every home that is a crossover between function and form. The knob performs a very important job by allowing you to easily open a cabinet door. But at the same time, the knob needs to look good , and more importantly, its placement on the door must look right.

I am a huge proponent of function being more important than form. When you think about cabinet knob placement, you want the knobs at a height where they are comfortable to reach, and they provide the greatest amount of physical advantage or leverage when opening the door.

Easy Open

The farther away the knob is from the hinge, the less effort you need to open the door. You can prove this easily by placing a knob on an old cabinet door. Put the knob in the center of the door and you will quickly see it takes far more effort to open the door than if the knob is on the outer edge of the cabinet door frame away from the hinge.

Small Target

The cabinet knobs for kitchen wall cabinets seem to work very well when they are placed somewhere between 2.5 and 3 inches up from the lower corner of the cabinet door opposite the hinge side of the door. Since many cabinet doors have frames that surround a raised decorative panel, center the knob on the frame or flat area of the frame. Many cabinet door designs are different, so carefully look at the knob on the door before you make the final decision.

The cabinet knobs for kitchen base cabinets are placed somewhere between 2.5 and 3 inches down from the upper corner opposite the hinge side of the door. When knobs are placed in these locations, you will discover that your hand comfortably can grab them without your arm stretching.

cabinet hardware drill template

This is a set for both doors and drawers. CLICK THE IMAGE to BUY IT NOW.

Backplates

Cabinet knob backplates can be very useful. They often prevent dirt and grease from fouling the cabinet door finish. Some people do not like the look of backplates, as they can make the cabinet door look hardware heavy. I would suggest testing one to see how it looks on your cabinet door. Install a knob with a backplate on one door and then a knob on another door nearby and see which one makes you feel better.

You can use a tape measure and a pencil to make a mark on the cabinet door showing you where to drill the hole for the screw that holds the knob in place. But let my voice of experience tell you that this can be dangerous.

Templates

If you are tired, distracted or just make a mistake, a knob will end up in the wrong place. It is better to use a template that fits over the corner of the door. The face of the template has a hole in it at the precise location where the knob will be. You then trace the outline of the hole with a pencil and drill a perfectly-located hole each time.

cabinet hardware fixture template

Plastic templates can be purchased at many hardware stores, home centers or fine hardware stores where you can buy premium cabinet knobs. The plastic templates are inexpensive and allow you to drill holes in the template for different locations to match your final decision on cabinet knob placement. I prefer to place masking tape over any extra holes so that only the hole I want to use is open. This prevents errors.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from finish carpenters to install cabinet knobs for you.

Right Screw Length

Be sure to use the proper length screws for cabinet knobs. The fastener must penetrate into the knob a minimum of 1/4 inch. Be careful when tightening the screws. Use screwdrivers that fit into the screw slot tightly. If the screw driver slips as you twist that final partial turn, the screwdriver can slip off the screw and scratch the inside of the cabinet door.

IMPORTANT TIP: Drilling the hole for the knob should be done very carefully. The drill bit should be the same diameter of the screw or possibly larger by only 1/64th an inch.

Drill from the front of the cabinet door to the back, but apply minimal pressure as you complete the hole. If you push too hard as you drill, the drill bit will explode out the back of the cabinet door leaving an ugly mess of splinters and chips of wood. Often the screw head will not cover the damage.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from finish carpenters to install cabinet knobs for you.

Column 658

Water Leak Under Porch

Posted on by Tim Carter
wood column base with rot

Water Leak Under Porch | This is the base of a wood column that sits on a wood-framed porch exposed to the weather. Water is leaking causing the wood to rot. © 2017 Tim Carter

DEAR TIM: I’ve got water leaking and infiltrating the underside of my front porch. My house is about ten years old. The porch has a roof over it with a decent overhang, but the floor system is regular wood joists covered with plywood. The contractor installed a waterproof layer over the plywood, then ceramic tile filled with urethane grout. The ceramic tile overlaps row-lock brick at the edges of the porch. What could have possibly gone wrong and how can it be fixed? How would you have built this porch if you were the builder? Steve G., Ellicott City, MD

DEAR STEVE: I’m really sorry you’re having these water leak issues with your front porch. You’ve got a real mess on your hands and I’m afraid I’ve got distressing news from you based on all the photos you sent me. You’re going to have to demolish everything and start over.

I’m fortunate to be old enough to have worked on many older homes that had wood front porches that stood the test of time and were built somewhat similar to yours. The big difference was the materials used and the method of construction. In fact, the second home I owned had a wood front porch. This house was about eighty years old when I purchased it and the porch had virtually no rot even though it was open on three sides and had a roof overhang similar to yours.

The reason why my porch lumber didn’t rot was because the wood for the porch decking was tongue and groove vertical grain wood that not only sloped away from the house, but the individual boards were also installed so the interlocking tongues and grooves pointed away from the house. These decking boards overhung the porch fascia and framing by about 3 inches.

The wood joists under the porch and the tongue and groove decking were old-growth timber that had about a 50-50 ratio of summer wood to spring wood. This high concentration of dense dark-grained summer wood made the wood very rot resistant. The wood decking was also painted and the paint was always kept in good shape.

The wood used to build your home and front porch deck has been hybridized so it grows fast. As such it has a much higher concentration of the lighter-colored spring wood in the annual growth bands. This spring wood is very susceptible to wood rot because it’s not nearly as dense as the dark summer wood. The darker bands of summer wood are so dense they have a hard time absorbing water.

I feel the contractor who built your porch didn’t have a full understanding of how water migrates through and around building materials. At the very least, the plywood deck should have been covered with the best ice and water shield product that seals to itself and just about anything it touches once it heats up. This membrane needed to lap up on the walls of the house next to the porch and then lap over the finished exterior wall surfaces below the porch. Properly installed this membrane would have created a waterproof barrier over the wood framing system.

So long as the wood-framed porch had a slope built into it allowing it to shed water to the outside of the building, any water that penetrated through the tile floor, around the waterproof substrate under the tile and around the large corner support column would have just eventually made it to the outside and never touched the wood. But don’t underestimate how hard it is to install a membrane like this and have it work.

You also were inviting all sorts of issues with any connections between porch railing supports and the porch floor. Each one of these is a possible entry point for water.

While it’s impossible in this small amount of space to share all construction details, had I been the builder on the job I would have tried to convince you to install a properly flashed poured concrete porch floor that rested on masonry foundation walls on all sides of the porch. The technology to do this and prevent water infiltration into the storage space below has been known for decades. The house I grew up in had a poured concrete porch with a roof over it. It was exposed on three sides and the storage room below never had a drop of water in it.

If you resisted using concrete, then I would have insisted that the entire wood system that was installed be all treated lumber, including the plywood decking. As you know, treated lumber can resist wood rot quite well. Many people are unaware that you can purchase sheets of treated plywood. It’s readily available at traditional lumber yards near you.

The porch would have had a slope to it so any water that hits the plywood drains away from the house. I would have made sure the waterproof membrane that was applied to the plywood overlapped another waterproof membrane that was on any wood-framed walls that might support the porch floor. Picture how a traditional asphalt shingle roof works where one shingle overlaps another and works with gravity to keep a house dry. You need to do the same thing to waterproof any wood-framed structure including walls and floors.

The final finished flooring of the porch would have been installed and it would have overlapped the exterior lower section of the porch by 3 inches. I would have made sure there was a drip kerf in the underside of the overhanging material so water would not run back to the vertical walls.

January 8, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Posted on by Tim Carter

I've got some great news for you. In fact, I'd love your input.

A month ago, I was in California and had a meeting with a friendly competitor of mine, Don Vandervort and his son Kit. Don owns the website hometips.com.

We were talking about how we could help one another, and Don suggested something that my oldest daughter Meghan had talked to me about, are you sitting down? Seven years ago.

Meghan and Don suggested that I go back into each old page at my website and refresh the content and add a small bullet-point list at the top of each page telling you the most important stuff.

It's a daunting project. You're talking about thousands of pages of content. This is one reason I shirked away from the task.

I started doing that two days ago and made some good progress. It's going to take months of work chipping away at it about two hours a day, but I've decided to do it.

How is this going to help you?

I've been astonished at some of the content I wrote twenty years ago that I've not looked at but is very relevant to saving you TIME and MONEY today.

As you might expect, there's new information to be added to quite a few columns because I've been exposed to more data, new products and more life experience of my own.

For example, I used to feel really great about asphalt shingles. In the past 16 months, I've discovered some very shielded information about these products and my opinion has changed 180 degrees.

That's why I wrote my Roofing Ripoff book that should be ready for you in about seven weeks.

Here's what I'm going to do now each issue of the newsletter.

I'm going to publish the headline of each page and make it a link. You'll see the first list below.

I recommend that you open each page and scan the bullet-point list. But realize there's MUCH MORE goodness below the list!

I GUARANTEE you that you'll save a boatload of money and time doing this. Plus, I've included all sorts of new links in these revised columns to new products and tools I love that will help you.

For example, are you getting ready to remodel a bathroom or kitchen or some other place where you don't want the drywall to get ruined by water or water vapor?

Then CLICK HERE to read about a SECRET TRICK I discovered that can make drywall almost completely immune from water damage caused by splashing or direct contact, not flooding mind you!

Asphalt Shingle Warranty Survey

This coming week I'll put in the latest information into my Roofing Ripoff book and it will be done as far as I'm concerned.

But I need one last thing from you. It's very important.

Please CLICK HERE and take a survey. You'll be able to see how your answers compare to everyone else's once you click the Submit button.

CLICK IMAGE BELOW to get SWEET DEALS on Power Tools!

Five Contractor Hiring HACKS

A month ago I created a new page at my website for your benefit.

The inspiration for it comes from the daily avalanche of emails I get from people who get burned during a construction project.

The most common root cause is: HOPE

You, almost always, HOPE that everything is going to go well and you HOPE the contractor will treat you like you treat others.

Hope is the emotion of last resort.

You hope for things you can't control like the weather and if you might get rescued from a deserted island.

You CAN CONTROL your destiny when it comes to working with a contractor.

CLICK HERE, read the five simple hacks and you'll have a huge advantage next time you hire a contractor.

BTW, a contractor friend of mine here in New Hampshire saw this list and really objected to Hack #4. Go look to see what it covers. I guarantee you'll discover something new there.

REVISED Columns at AsktheBuilder.com

Okay, here's a list for you of some of the columns I've revised.

I'm serious when I say you should CLICK EACH ONE if for no other reason to see the bullet-point list. Have fun!

Flexible Gas Lines - I've Got Them in my NH House!

HVAC Return Air Ducting - A MUST READ!!!!

Sewer Gas Smell - Don't Skip This One!

Deicing SALTS and CONCRETE - A MUST READ!!!!!

DIY Toilet Repair Tips to SAVE You BIG $$$$$$

How to Paint Ceramic Tile & it LASTS - SECRET TIPS

I did about ten other ones, but that's enough for you for now. Tell me if you like the bullet list at the top.

Don't forget to take the Asphalt Shingle Warranty Survey!

More Tips Soon.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

Brown Stains on Side of House

Posted on by Tim Carter

Brown Stains on Side of House TIPS Below

Brown Stains on House TIPS:

  • Cedar has natural preservative chemicals that dissolve in water
  • Stains originate just above metal z-flashing
  • Weather conditions before stain appeared are critical
  • Carpenters installed z-flashing wrong
  • Cedar was not painted on back and edges
  • CLICK HERE to subscribe to Tim's FREE newsletter

 

Pete lives near the seacoast in southeastern New Hampshire.

He emailed me the following photos on January 8, 2017, showing brown stains on the side  of his house. This date provides a very important clue as to the problem. Here's what he had to say:

"My family and I built our new home (we general contracted it) and we moved into it in November of 2015.  Since then there haven't been any issues with the siding, however a week ago I noticed a bunch of brown streaks/stains on the east side of the house.  I thought it was bird droppings at first so I power washed it off.  Fast forward a week later and the stains have reappeared in the same spot.  After further research, it looks like I likely have water getting behind the cedar shingles, and from there it is going down the OSB (ZIP System) until it hits a horizontal trim piece which you can see from the pictures.  From there, the water is flowing out over the trim piece and down the white James Hardie board siding.

There is a window directly above where the stains are occurring so I'm wondering if somehow water is getting in from above or directly below the window.  I haven't had a chance to get a ladder out and take a closer look yet.  I don't think the water is getting behind the cedar from way up above the window because you can see a horizontal trim piece above the window and there is no staining on it.  If the water was getting in above that point, I expect the water would flow out once it got down to this trim piece and cause some staining up there.

It also looks like there is some very minor staining elsewhere at the corner of the house about 15 feet away from the main staining under a gutter.  I'm thinking these may not be related but I'm not sure.  What does everyone think is causing the staining and where is the water getting in if you had to make an educated guess?

Also, I didn't mention that the walls are insulated with closed cell spray foam and under the cedar is Benjamin Obdyke Hyrdrogap wrapping and Zip System OSB with taped seams."

Here are the photos Pete sent. Below them I'll address the possible issues and what I think is going on.

You can see the brown stains dripping down from the behind the white horizontal fascia boards. © 2017 Tim Carter via perpetual license from Pete

Here's a wider view of the situation. The red arrow points to the stains. © 2017 Tim Carter per perpetual license from Pete

Here's some staining on the underside of the gutter. There is a trace of it on the edge of the soffit. © 2017 Tim Carter per perpetual license from Pete

Here's my autopsy report dated January 9, 2017.

Here are important facts:

  • The siding is cedar
  • The previous year in New Hampshire was very dry and extreme drought conditions were happening where this house is located
  • The stains first appeared after one year
  • The stains appeared in cold weather, although there has been some rain in southeastern NH in the past month
  • The z-flashing above the top white horizontal fascia board that goes behind the siding extends over to the soffit adjacent to the gutter

Cedar and redwood contain natural chemical preservatives that dissolve in water. The technical name for the stains on Pete's house are extractive chemical stains. Because they dissolve in water, that's why Pete was able to wash them off the first time. 

I'm at a disadvantage because I've not been on a ladder to inspect the problem closely, but my first suspicion is improperly installed z-flashing above the topmost white horizontal fascia board.

The carpenters could have installed this flat with hard 90-degree bends instead of making the part on top of the flat edge of the white trim slope towards the outer bend. By making the bend in the metal flashing more than 90 degrees, it creates a tilted profile so water rapidly drains off.

The z-flashing also has another obvious defect. The front edge that's visible should have come down across the face of the horizontal white fascia board about 3/8 inch and then had a 30-degree bend on the last 3/8 inch of material so the bottom edge of the metal in no way touches the white board.

Allowing the metal to touch the board creates a capillary attraction issue for the water that comes to the bottom tip of the z-flashing. This water can be drawn back up underneath the metal because of the natural surface tension in water.

My guess is the carpenters didn't work with the painters on the project. the cedar siding should have been pre-painted on all sides and edges two coats before it's installed. This would prevent water from soaking into the wood and dissolving the extractive preservatives.

I'm also quite certain the carpenters probably placed the starter row of cedar shingles/shakes in contact with the z-flashing. This is a critical mistake. They should have been held up off the back bend of the metal at least 3/8 inch. If the shingles/shakes are in contact with the 90-degree metal the unpainted bottom of the shingles/shakes readily absorbs the rainwater that collects on this ledge.

The stained water on the flashing is then running over to the end corner of the house and running down to the soffit and getting onto the gutter.

Finally, my guess is the z-flashing has simple overlapping joints. I'm guessing it's also made from aluminum coil stock. You can't solder aluminum. Any lap joints should have been made with interlocking hammered flat seam joints to prevent water infiltration.

 

Properly Size Your Water Lines

Posted on by Tim Carter

 

size water line

Size water line - The red arrows point to a large-diameter 1-inch feed line for all the hot water in a home. Behind it on the wall are smaller-diameter 5/8-inch supply lines to each fixture. Copyright 2021 Tim Carter

 

"Waterline size determines the amount of water flowing from a pipe. Bigger is better if you want lots of water in a short time."

Revised February 2021

Size Water Line TIPS

My guess is that most people don't think twice about the water that will flow from the faucets in their new homes. You may not even give a second thought to the noise water makes when rushing through water lines.

Tim Carter Plumber

Because you are moving into a new home, my guess is you might assume a waterfall of water will cascade from each faucet and hose bib.

Don't count on it. Your builder or plumber may have made a few mistakes that can restrict the amount of water that flows from faucets. These same mistakes can also cause significant water pipe noise that drowns out conversation and other pleasant sounds around your home.

Related Links

Low Water Pressure Common Causes

Old Water Pipes Create Water Flow Problems

Free & Fast Bids

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from plumbers in your city or town to help increase your water pressure.

Bigger is Absolutely Better

If you are in the planning stages of building, you can correct these problems before they happen. A water supply pipe of a given size can only supply a given quantity of water at a given pressure and a given hydrostatic head. Hydrostatic head commonly refers to the vertical distance a water line extends.

Size Water Line Video

This short video is fantastic. Pay attention to the first two numbers he quotes!!! HUGE difference in volume for just a tiny increase in pipe diameter!

If you live near a water tower, you want to be as far downhill from it as possible. Usually, these towers are placed at high points in the landscape. To have the best water pressure, you want to be in a valley with as much vertical distance as possible between you and the bottom of the tank. The greater this distance, the greater the hydrostatic pressure.

High Water Pressure From Elevation

In Cincinnati, Ohio for example, if you have a home in the Mill Creek valley below all the hills above you where the water tanks are, your water pressure could easily be in excess of 200 pounds per square inch (PSI). The land above the valley is 400 feet higher in elevation. The weight of the water in the pipes between the valley and the hills above presses down and creates very high pressure.

If you are trying to push water up a pipe from a basement to a second floor, gravity is doing its best to exert an opposite force against the water pressure. Gravity becomes your friend and increases water pressure if you store your water up on your roof, but how many people do you know have 5,000-gallon storage tanks in their attics?

This is what you'll find in large office towers, hotels, hospitals and other buildings where lots of people could be using the plumbing system at the same time.

3/4 Inch Is Okay | 1 Inch Is Better

You need to have lots of water capacity coming into your home, even if you don't need it all the time. For most homes in most cities, a 3/4-inch line might be sufficient, but if you have the opportunity to specify the pipe size, put in a 1-inch line. I'm a master plumber and believe me, you'll never regret doing it.

Plumbers and builders know that people rarely turn on more than three or four plumbing faucets at the same time. But it can happen.

If you want a plentiful supply of water to flow from each faucet, you must be certain that the main water line entering the house and the main feed line within the house is at least three-quarter inch in diameter or possibly one-inch in diameter. This larger sized pipe can carry a significant amount of water.

Size Water Line Software

Watch this short video to see computer software that will help you SIZE your water lines. It's from Australia, but the principals are the same all over the world.


CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from plumbers in your city or town to help increase your water pressure.

Rural Well Water Pipes

Be sure your well digger puts in a 1 and 1/4-inch plastic line from the well to the inside of your home. Usually, it's a short distance and you'll never regret the larger pipe. Remember, it's easy to put in the right size pipe when the trench is open. If you try to do it later, it's an enormous, expensive, job.

If your home is far away from the water main, up a hill and it's a monster job to install a water line, you can't make a mistake. It's well worth a $500 fee, even $750, to pay a mechanical engineer to size the water line you need. It's very possible you may need a 2 or 2.5-inch diameter water line if your home is 500, or 1,000, feet from the city water main. Do NOT GUESS. You'll regret it.

Install Large Pipes to ALL Bathrooms!

All too often, a rookie plumber might start to prematurely reduce the size of the water lines in a home. If you see one-half inch diameter water lines that serve two or more fixtures, trouble may be just around the corner. If your new home has three or more bathrooms, consider keeping the cold water pipe size one inch until it has served the water heater, the first bathroom group and possibly one or two outdoor hose bibs.

The main water line can then be reduced to three-quarter inch diameter to serve the remaining bathrooms, laundry room, hose bibs, etc. One-half inch diameter pipes can branch off the three-quarter inch line to serve individual fixtures. Extend the three-quarter inch line until you get to the final two or three fixtures in the house.

This is very important if you want great pressure and volume in all bathrooms.

Large-Diameter Pipes are Quieter

Pipe noise is also a function of pipe size. Larger diameter pipes create less noise because the velocity of the water moving through the pipe towards the fixture is lower. You can also minimize pipe noise by specifying a thicker pipe size.

If you are using copper tubing in your new home, it is very likely that type M copper will be used indoors. This is the thinnest pipe allowed by most plumbing codes. Thin pipes transmit noise more readily than thicker-walled pipes.

Use Thicker Pipes Too

The next thicker pipe type is L copper. Look at a piece of L vs. M copper and you will not see any difference. But pick up a 10-foot long piece of each and you will immediately realize the type L copper weighs more. This extra copper absorbs sound.

The fantastic news is that the cost upgrade for type L copper in a typical residential home is less than $275.00. (2017 prices) This is a one-time fee that allows you to have quiet water supply piping for the life of the home. It is a very small price to pay for peace and quiet.

Drill Large Pass-Through Holes

Finally, be sure the pipes are not in a bind as they pass through wall studs, wall plates and floor joists. The holes need to be slightly oversized so the water pipes can expand and contract freely.

Pieces of rubber that absorb vibration can also be installed between the pipes and any wood framing. Installing the strips of rubber can be a hassle, but any acoustical engineer will tell you it helps to stop noise transmission.

CLICK HERE to get FREE & FAST BIDS from plumbers in your city or town to help increase your water pressure.

Bulletin NH007

Coal Fire on Titanic Sinks Ship No Way

Posted on by Tim Carter

Coal Fire on Titanic

There was a recent story floating around the Internet that a coal fire may have contributed to the sinking of the HMS Titanic.

CLICK HERE to read one of the stories.

I'm a master plumber, albeit not a PhD metallurgist, and am here to tell you that if you try to unsolder a fitting from a copper pipe that's filled with water, you'll get nowhere fast.

The water sucks all the heat out of the copper never allowing it to get to the several-hundred-degree temperature needed to melt the solder.

So think now about the HMS Titanic. Put on your high school physics hat.

A large fire in the coal bunker would create all sorts of horrible smoke. Were there any historical mentions of this smoke?

If the fire was immediately next to the steel hull, the ship passing through icy water the entire journey would not have seen the steel temperature get very hot at all. The ship moving through the water provided constant cooling to the steel, quite unlike an acetylene torch aimed at a tiny copper pipe filled with a small amount of water.

In other words, the steel hull was being cooled constantly much like you see water flowing over a spinning wet-diamond cutting blade. I'll mention the water used to cool these blades is rarely at 34 F.

Whenever you read sensational stories about things like this, stop and use some common sense.

Extension Cords Size Chart

Posted on by Tim Carter
extension cord sizing

Extension cord sizing is not a guessing game. This is a beefy 12-gauge extension cord. This is the male end in my hand and the female end has a small glowing light in it when energized. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

"Electricity encounters friction as it travels through electrical wires. Knowing this, use only as much extension cord as you really need. I can call you on the phone to answer your extension cord questions so you don't get KILLED or BURN DOWN YOUR HOME. The call is FREE if you're not satisfied with my answers. CLICK HERE to set up the call."

Extension Cord Sizing Checklist

The size of your extension cord is very important. If you under-size one, you can start a fire or ruin an expensive tool.

Tim Carter holding extension cord

CLICK on my face to ensure you get the CORRECT extension cord so you or your family doesn't DIE IN A FIRE.

Fortunately, many common small hand-held electrical tools can operate without danger of motor damage when powered by a 16 gauge cord that is 100 feet long. To make sure you're properly protected, use the following sizing guidelines below.

How Do You Start to Size an Extension Cord?

You start to size an extension cord by obtaining the motor amperage from the plate on the tool. You'll find this information on the small metal plate where the serial number and model number is listed.

extension cord size

The green arrow points to the amperage of this professional circular saw. It shows 15A. That means 15 amps. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Usually, you will see an amperage rating. A tool may say it's rated for 8 amps. That's amperage.

What is Ohms Law?

Ohm's law is a physics principle that helps keep you safe with electricity. In its simplest form Ohm's law is:

Volts X Amps = Watts 

This simple formula helps you to understand the sizing of extension cords because you may be required to convert an amp rating on a tool or appliance to watts.

Think about a light bulb. They're often sized by watts. The voltage in most circuits in USA homes is 120 volts. You may have a circuit breaker panel in your garage that has 15 or 20-amp breakers. All of these things concern Ohm's Law.

If for some odd reason, you see watts listed instead of amps, you can convert watts to amps easily!

Here is how you do that: The formula for the conversion is:

Voltage x Amps = Watts

120 x 20 = 2,400

120 x 15 = 1,800

Because we use 120 volts as an electrical standard here in the USA, that means that every 600 watts equal 5 amps (120 x 5 = 600).

What is Voltage Drop?

Voltage drop is the loss of voltage as it travels down a long wire.

Voltage drop is real. Electricity encounters resistance as it travels through electrical wires. Knowing this, use only as much extension cord as you really need. Resistance in the real world often creates friction which in turn almost always creates heat.

You can do your own simple experiment to demonstrate somewhat how this works. Use your one hand to rub your forearm back and forth. Go slowly at first and you may not feel much. Increase the speed of going back and forth and press down harder as you rub. That increased resistance will make your skin feel HOT for sure!

In other words, don't use a 100-foot cord for a project that is only 20 feet away. Purchase and maintain an assortment of different length cords.

Can I Have Multiple Tools On 1 Cord?

Yes, you can have multiple tools operating on one extension cord. You just have to be sure the cord is large enough to handle the loads.

I was guilty of this infraction many years ago before I fully understood all that was involved.

On construction sites, we'd commonly feed multiple saws and drills from one cord. If the circuit breaker at the panel is working fine, then you'll pop the breaker if there's a current overload.

But, if you've got a smaller-gauge extension cord, it's possible to overheat the cord and melt the insulation before the circuit breaker would trip!

However, if the breaker is bad you can either burn up the cord or damage tools from voltage drops. Use common sense.

How Do You Size an Extension Cord?

You size an extension cord by first determining the appliance or tool that will be plugged into the cord.

Determine the amperage of the tool(s) being used. Here is a handy list of some common electric power tools. The average amperage is listed below the tool. Always check on your tool label for its specific amperage.

Here are some COMMON amperage ratings of tools around your home:

  • Circular saw: 12-15 amps
  • Power drill: 3-7 amps
  • Hedge Trimmer: 2-3 amps
  • Weed Wacker: 2-4 amps
  • Electric Chain Saw: 7-12 amps
  • Leaf Blower: 6-12 amps
  • Electric Lawn Mower: 6-12 amps
  • Table Saw: 14-20 amps!
  • Reciprocating Saw: 6-8 amps
  • Router: 4-6 amps

Is the Length of the Cord Important?

Yes, the longer the cord is the greater the voltage drop will be. If you must go a distance greater than 100 feet, then upsize the extension cord.

Calculate the length of the cord you will need. Of course, you want to determine the maximum distance you think you will be from a permanent electrical outlet.

What Does Wire Gauge Mean?

Wire gauge is the measure of the diameter of the metal conductors in the extension cord. Common extension cord wire gauges are:

  • 18
  • 16
  • 14
  • 12
  • 10

Use the following list to select the proper gauge extension cord. Remember, wire gauge refers to the thickness of the actual copper wire. As a wire gets thicker it can carry more electricity (amps). To confuse us, some idiot decided that as a wire gets thicker (bigger) the gauge number should get smaller!

extension cord wire gauge

The orange cord is only 18 gauge. Look how thin it is compared to the yellow cord that's 12-gauge. NOTE the 18-2 before the word TYPE in the red oval. That's how you know it's 18-gauge wire. Copyright 2018 Tim Carter

Here's what I mean. A 14-gauge wire can handle LESS current than a 12-gauge wire. The number 14 is bigger than 12. Confused? You should be!

What Load Can Each Gauge Wire Handle?

16-Gauge Cords: Any 16-gauge cord between 0 and 100 feet long will adequately handle tool loads up to 10 amps.

14-Gauge Cords: Any 14-gauge cord between 0 and 50 feet long will adequately handle loads between 10 and 15 amps.

12-Gauge Cords: If your tool load is between 10 and 15 amps and the length of the cord is 50 to 100 feet, you need a 12-gauge cord to safely power any tool.

outdoor extension cord

This is a great extension cord for many purposes. CLICK THE IMAGE NOW to have it delivered to your home.

Why Does my Circuit Breaker Trip With the Right Cord?

Your circuit breaker may trip because the tool you're trying to power draws too much current. This is very common if you're trying to operate a large table saw cutting thick wood.

CAUTION: Most circuits in ordinary houses are wired with 14-gauge solid copper wire. This means you'll see a 15-amp breaker on the circuit breaker panel.

You may purchase a 12-gauge extension cord thinking that you'll be able to operate a powerful table saw but the breaker will probably trip when you load the saw. Remember, the circuit is rated for the SMALLEST SIZED cable or wire in the circuit.

Do Other Things on a Circuit Add to the Load?

Yes, other things, like a garage light or some other appliance, could be on the same circuit you've plugged the extension cord into. This adds to the total load on the circuit! You may think you have 15 amps available going to your extension cord, but several of those amps might be in use from something else.

B174