ARCHIVED BLOG POSTS
2010
9
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In Northern Virginia there are many places you can go to see old houses and buildings. One defining feature common to all is that some windows still contain original glass. How can you tell? It is wavy or otherwise disturbed. Walking through Mount Vernon and Monticello, and other such historic...
05/28/2010
14
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I love seeing it when a kid wants or needs something and then goes about getting it! This young man, and I think it was a kid who put this up, lives way out in the rural boonies, has no school nearby with a basketball court, no church nearby that might have a facility, and homes all around withou...
05/27/2010
15
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The chart below is a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission draft release of their testing of various manufacturer's drywall for sulfur gas emissions from Chinese Drywall. All drywall tested was regular 1/2" drywall (from 4'x8' and 4'x12' samples) except for the one sample described as 3/8". ...
05/26/2010
An official list has been developed as regards the continuing investigation of problematic Chinese Drywall. The list is important. It identifies manufacturers whose drywall produces drywalls with emission rates of hydrogen sulfide 100 times greater than non-Chinese drywall samples. Such levels...
05/25/2010
6
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Rent is the return to any factor of production above its supply price. That is a classical definition that I actually learned in Economics 101 a century ago. And it hasn't changed since! When I finished my basement, I rented a drywall lifter so I could put drywall into place on the ceiling. It...
05/25/2010
15
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"The growing size of government debt should be of real concern to every creditor and especially to every taxpayer with any interest whatsoever in private property and personal freedom." Dr. Paul L. Poirot That was said before the recent, m...
05/25/2010
16
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This post might not be exactly what you expecting, given the title and all... When an array of studs is used as support under major load points, they are just nailed together and need some help. The help comes in the form of straps. Ideally the straps should be placed high, middle and low. The ...
05/23/2010
43
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Driving by the Stone House on the Manassas Battlefield I noticed the red flag was hoisted! It is not out there all the time and when it is one must take advantage. That means that the house is open to the public. I am the public, so I went inside. This house was occupied as a private residence...
05/22/2010
19
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The "Wet basement? Don't worry, we will keep your basement perfectly dry," companies have the same solution for most everything - canals, with plastic diverters, sending water into a sump pump pit. That isn't too effective if the source of the intruding water is not arrested. So, exactly what ...
05/21/2010
17
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In the interesting crawl space I beamed into I discovered another frightening thing, to me anyway. This crawl space was not secure! One side had a small door secured with a stick and the other had no door but was bricked over. That bricked access is visible in Beam Me Down, Scottie. While cra...
05/20/2010