What Does Hail Damage Do to a Roof?
Here in the Treasure Valley Idaho we had a big hail storm September 5th 2013. It came in from South West and clobbered the North West end of the valley hard, especially Eagle, Idaho. Roofers all over the region started licking their lips and scouting out the areas...
Ode To An Old Appliance.
Most folks don't think much about dishwashers, they have become a necessity of modern life. Most kitchens have them and if they do, the most common decision is what color they will be. Stainless is all the rage right now but black and white are still selling according...
9 Volt Battery Safety Alert
I saw a heartfelt plea from a gentleman on the internet that had a 9 volt battery cause a serious house fire. Part of his concern is that he felt very responsible because he was ignorant of the danger and asked that I pass this information along. I'm doing my duty to...
Tell Me Where It Hurts
Come share a cup of Joe with Joe at Contractor Café Anyone who knows me well, knows that I enjoy a good cup of Joe. I also have a bunch of useful knowledge about all things related to homes and remodeling that I am more than willing to share. To put things together,...
Why Do An Energy Audit?
As a remodeling contractor I am often asked to troubleshoot home comfort related problems. I have used this blog platform, specifically the Understanding Your Home partition, to help others figure out their homes and solve all sorts of issues that we come across....
What is a Water Hammer
"No honey, there are not ghosts in our house rattling the pipes." Much like the "Snow Lion," my friend's son was having trouble seeing in the foot hills. "No son," he said "Snow Line." In our case, the rattling pipes are being caused by a water hammer. A water hammer...
Recent Posts
Failing Exhaust Duct work
A client called to report a hot exhaust wall in their bathroom. Naturally fire and Carbon monoxide poison come to mind. The gas water heater exhaust and the 80% furnace exhausts commingle and go up and out of the home in a double walled oval exhaust flu. The home was...
Is My House Toxic?
I have always enjoyed understanding building science and have dabbled in the realm of an amateur of sorts trying to discover what is causing a home to make a resident feel ill when they are inside of it. Being a former Paramedic, I blend my knowledge into a pretty...
Figuring Out a Three Way Switch
Three way switches used to frighten me, they seemed so complicated. I found a great residential electrical book and redrew the diagram several times until I thought I had it figured out. Inevitably, I ended up not trusting myself and randomly switching wires around...
Hey, Is That A Contractor In Your Pocket?
Technology is becoming so important. I have seen the future and it dared me to think big. It begs the question, "Is that a contractor in your pocket? Or are you just happy to see me?". My daughter Athena lives in the Bay Area 800 miles away but she is able to get me...
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