Recent content by Steve603

I don't think that formaldehyde was ever an issue. "the discovery that drywall used in homes throughout many states may be emitting sulfur dioxide, is causing a great deal of worry for homeowners concerned about the health of their families and the value of their homes." The sulfur dioxide...

As Reach4 said “Methane alone should not cause your symptoms.” I concur. 320 ppm would = much lower levels even some feet distant. While it is true that OSHA does not have a PEL for methane specifically, methane is still covered under NIOSH’s TLV of 1000ppm as a time-weighted average. Thus...

I have a standard residential (thermaflo 30 gal) oil fired hot water heater that about 9 years old. I replaced the anode 4 years ago and again last year and it was about half corroded away. The water heater has no issues other than an irritating "popping sound" near the end of the firing...

Oops....I should have looked closer... to this link here, question answered, thank you! https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?26673-Watts-Floodsafe-Not-Very!-part-1 Simple question: Are Floodsafe toilet connectors worth using? The shut off if water flow exceeds 2.5 gpm, but I'm...

I just replaced an ail fired water heater with a new Bock. I got 15 years out of the old one because I change out the anode rods every 5 years. It still worked fine, but it was creating more and more sediment and chewing up the anodes, so its time had come. 15 years with chlorinated water...

I've an older (~1986) oil fired hot air furnace that seems solid. The 6" galvanized stove pipe going from the furnace to the chimney has two 90 degree bends. It seems to me that this is a no-no and that there should be two 45 degree bends instead and it's getting a bit ratty looking so I've...

*sigh* I just installed two new Tota emax toilets in two apartments, back to back (a percentage of you already know the problem) and though installation went perfectly this morning, the water spot in apartment #2 is gone. The cause is obvious, hidden behind the walls, perhaps to save $2...

I replaced an old, circa 1982 brass faucet, nice and still working fine but showing corrosion. I happened to have an old (Made in Taiwan, so probably 1980's) faucet. The faucet installed nicely. I installed the drain assembly and where the pop-up "ball and socket" assembly is, I get...

How important is level on a toilet? I'm replacing an old ~1960'ish Mansfield toilet with a Toto Drake. The floor is flat but tilts towards the back (out of level) by less than 1/8th inch. Leave it tilted or use wedges to level it? In other words as long as it is flat and has no wobble to...

No rebates, not a zinc penny... any preference in that case? Which one, since the prices are similar, in your estimation, would be best, absent any rebate? And yes, I have seen San Francisco's $150 rebate program, nice, but I am happy not to live in California because they would ultimately...

Thank you Terry. I just spent two hours and though I can find nothing local, I did find an online provider that appears to have a good reputation here in the East and was just about to ask (since I've become convinced of Drake's quality) should I go with the: TOTO CST744S Drake Two Piece...

Thank You! That is an amazing photo! The next time I buy a toilet a hand mirror and level will be coming with me! Sure, splatters leave an extremely fertile ground for stench--what a horrendous (and increasing, I fear) example of total lack of QA.

Yes, somethings in life these days are positive... --my water bill is amazingly positive (currently as much each month as it was when I bought my apartment houses). Few townspeople water their lawns anymore. --The new (largely unknown by rental owners) Depreciation Recovery Tax which means I...

No septic system, city sewer and I've never smelled anything from it. If I turned the exhaust fan on in the bathroom it would stop the smell in the rest of the apartment. I did a better job than the local plumber at making absolutely sure the area where the wax sealed was perfectly clean. And...

I have a triplex, each has Kohler toilet. It was the model that got highest recommendations from Consumer Reports about 10 years ago. All work fine except the one in the bottom apartment. That one works fine also except only in the summer, when the apartment windows are open, it exudes a...