Question:

The old house I lived in when I first contracted Asthma had a lot of mold in it.  I found this out when I went to remodel the basement and tore all the old paneling down.  I was surprised that underneath the paneling the concrete was covered with mold.    I used bleach to kill the mold but the fumes just about killed me as it’s hard to get good ventilation in a basement.  Then I used "Kilz" paint which went over the mold stains. Unfortunately, the fumes from that werea also bad. I had our ducts cleaned several times while I lived there but that didn’t help other than making the house a little less dusty.  I don’t know how you would be able to get mold out of the ducts. Jim Quinlan http://www.AsthmaStory.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yesterday I went over to my mother’s house and as soon as I went in the house I smelled mold that was apparently coming through the hear registers.  THis was the first time she turned on the heat since the Spring.  The house is old but I never smelled that before.  Is there a way of getting rid of this?  There are humidifiers constantly running in the basement.  I can’t understand this.  I immediately felt my allergy building up.  She has pulmonary fibrosis so she doen’t need this either.  The basement is very dry so I think this has something to do with the boiler and this is connected to the ducts. Joanne

Response:

The old house I lived in when I first contracted Asthma had a lot of mold in it.  I found this out when I went to remodel the basement and tore all the old paneling down.  I was surprised that underneath the paneling the concrete was covered with mold.    I used bleach to kill the mold but the fumes just about killed me as it’s hard to get good ventilation in a basement.  Then I used "Kilz" paint which went over the mold stains. Unfortunately, the fumes from that werea also bad. I had our ducts cleaned several times while I lived there but that didn’t help other than making the house a little less dusty.  I don’t know how you would be able to get mold out of the ducts.

If necessary, a contractor can replace all the ductwork with new ductwork.   Basically, you have it right–wherever the mold is, that entire area may need to be completely gutted and rebuilt and remodeled.  For a large house, it could be tens of thousands of dollars to chase down all the mold and get rid of it. — Steven D. Litvintchouk                  

Response:

Yesterday I went over to my mother’s house and as soon as I went in the house I smelled mold that was apparently coming through the hear registers.  THis was the first time she turned on the heat since the Spring.  The house is old but I never smelled that before.  Is there a way of getting rid of this?  There are humidifiers constantly running in the basement.  I can’t understand this.  I immediately felt my allergy building up.  She has pulmonary fibrosis so she doen’t need this either.  The basement is very dry so I think this has something to do with the boiler and this is connected to the ducts. Joanne

Response:

Yesterday I went over to my mother’s house and as soon as I went in the house I smelled mold that was apparently coming through the hear registers.  THis was the first time she turned on the heat since the Spring.  The house is old but I never smelled that before.  Is there a way of getting rid of this?  There are humidifiers constantly running in the basement.  

Sure, the mold can be removed.  The question is how extensive the mold contamination has gotten.  The mold spores may have settled into the carpets and furniture in the other rooms of the house by now. You need to get a professional contractor to come in to do an inspection.   — Steven D. Litvintchouk                  

Response:

Thank you.  Her service contractor for her oil burner/ furnace told her there was nothing that could be done.  That it always does that when you first turn on the heat after the summer season.  I figured that was bunk. I wondered whether some kind of duct cleaning could be done to help the problem.  I guess no one has had that done in the group.  I have asthma and sure hope that there is an answer.  What kind of contractor were you referring to? Joanne

Response:

Thank you.  Her service contractor for her oil burner/ furnace told her there was nothing that could be done.  That it always does that when you first turn on the heat after the summer season.  I figured that was bunk. I wondered whether some kind of duct cleaning could be done to help the problem.  I guess no one has had that done in the group.  I have asthma and sure hope that there is an answer.  What kind of contractor were you referring to?

Actually, the Yellow Pages phone directories usually list something like "mold remediation".  Or you can look that up on the Internet. — Steven D. Litvintchouk                  

Response:

Thanks again for your help. Joanne

Response:

 Let me tell ya about MOLD..  it is never good,  I lived  in a house with  black mold  my  and my children asthma couldn’t have been worse. Now  we are finding out that  we may have  it growing in our lungs.  actually making  out health  worse.  I have not gotten was fanitcal about mold in my house..

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Yesterday I went over to my mother’s house and as soon as I went in the house I smelled mold that was apparently coming through the hear registers.  THis was the first time she turned on the heat since the Spring.  The house is old but I never smelled that before.  Is there a way of getting rid of this?  There are humidifiers constantly running in the basement.  I can’t understand this.  I immediately felt my allergy building up.  She has pulmonary fibrosis so she doen’t need this either.  The basement is very dry so I think this has something to do with the boiler and this is connected to the ducts. Joanne

Response:

If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc…

Aren’t those rather pricey? This unit is $695 and is rated to cover 3,000 square feet. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

CBHVAC writes: Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%.

Really?  Which one?  You sure that’s not just some displayed resolution?

Response:

The THWD-1. Also..it may be worth noting the average electronic unit is off by only about +/- 3%, while the best sling psychrometer for commercial use, the Bacharach 12-7001, is rated at +/- 5%. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – CBHVAC writes: Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%. Really?  Which one?  You sure that’s not just some displayed resolution?

Response:

CBHVAC writes: The THWD-1. Also..it may be worth noting the average electronic unit is off by only about +/- 3%, while the best sling psychrometer for commercial use, the Bacharach 12-7001, is rated at +/- 5%.

Well, they claim 3 or 4 percent:   http://www.amprobe.com/amp_catalog_thwd1.html But I question this.  They claim +/- 1 degree in temp accuracy (also optimistic for a handheld unit), but that much error is multiplied many more times in differential wet/dry bulb RH calculations.  It is also questionable whether any volume of room air has RH that is that even to start with.

Response:

Depends on what you call pricey. The Shaklee unit is WAY overpriced in my opinion, but then, I sell the UV12 Field Controls unit, retails at $850, for $275, BRAND NEW, in the box, and if I have to install it, its still less than your Shaklee… I sell the UV300 Premier One Vital Aire unit, retail of $900, for $375…. The Vital Aire UV203, retail of $950, for $375… All the units listed above will cover up to 3,800 SF, and up to a 5 ton air handler… So…looking at those numbers, your unit is overpriced, not to flame, just fact. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc… Aren’t those rather pricey? This unit is $695 and is rated to cover 3,000 square feet. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years.

Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc… — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

Actually, today’s psychrometers are much more accurate than a few years ago. Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%. Trick is to move around a bit, and take several measurements and then get the average…IF there is a discrepancy in the rooms being tested. Bacharach still has the best sling psych…and cheap as well.. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Done that, got great results–when measuring the wet bulb temp it’s best to hold the thermometer in front of a fan instead of trying to swing it around. Luckily, I still had the psychometric charts from my Heating and A/C college course. MLD Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc. No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer. Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself. Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

Response:

It’s hard to tell if you were over charged or not. It all depends. This sounds like it was an emergency call though. Basically, a replacement of a gas to another gas hot water heater isn’t too complicated which explains the 1.5 hrs to install. Probably took longer to drain the old one than to put the new one in. Disposal costs may vary. Where I live, just put in on the curb and call for a special pick up from the town sanitation dept. No charge. If customers of his took time out of their day to log in complaints to the BBB, I bet they were pissed about something. However, it does depend on what these complaints were about though. Keep your receipt, check the new hot water heater periodically for any leaks while your warranty is in effect and don’t sweat the $700. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half.   I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

Two years ago I  paid $720 to replac emine. It took two guys about 3 hours. It was up in the aatic. I did call around to at least 6 or 7 places and they were all close in price. This included Heater removal installation and materials. Ed

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half. I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc.

No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer.   Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself.  Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

Response:

Done that, got great results–when measuring the wet bulb temp it’s best to hold the thermometer in front of a fan instead of trying to swing it around. Luckily, I still had the psychometric charts from my Heating and A/C college course. MLD – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc. No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer. Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself. Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

Response:

Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Your help is very much appreciated. Mia

Response:

Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Your help is very much appreciated. Mia

You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc.   The max reading is commonly quoted as 50-55% RH.  Above that, molds flourish. To determine if hazardous molds are growing in the house, you need the services of an expert who will take air samples. There is a huge amount of info available on the ‘Net; do a simple search for mold / mildew. A few interesting sites to start with: http://www.steritec.com/ http://www.aehf.com/articles/molds.html http://www.kathleenmag.com/fall/mold.htm http://masterhandyman.com/columndetails.hbs?myrec=6 Jim

Response:

Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half.   I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

You should have gotten a quote BEFORE the work was done.  It was your lapse, and now there’s nothing you can do for being overcharged. Yes, I think you were exessively charged, but like with any other product, some places charge you too much, and others not, but its up to you to shop around, else chalk the expense up to learning. There’s a small shop around the corner from my house that has inflated prices.  People still shop there, and pay excessivly.  Nothing wrong with commanding a premium price.  I however, educate myself as to the "going rate", and steer clear of that store and shop elsewhere for the identical products and a much cheaper price.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half. I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc…

Aren’t those rather pricey? This unit is $695 and is rated to cover 3,000 square feet. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

CBHVAC writes: Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%.

Really?  Which one?  You sure that’s not just some displayed resolution?

Response:

The THWD-1. Also..it may be worth noting the average electronic unit is off by only about +/- 3%, while the best sling psychrometer for commercial use, the Bacharach 12-7001, is rated at +/- 5%. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – CBHVAC writes: Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%. Really?  Which one?  You sure that’s not just some displayed resolution?

Response:

CBHVAC writes: The THWD-1. Also..it may be worth noting the average electronic unit is off by only about +/- 3%, while the best sling psychrometer for commercial use, the Bacharach 12-7001, is rated at +/- 5%.

Well, they claim 3 or 4 percent:   http://www.amprobe.com/amp_catalog_thwd1.html But I question this.  They claim +/- 1 degree in temp accuracy (also optimistic for a handheld unit), but that much error is multiplied many more times in differential wet/dry bulb RH calculations.  It is also questionable whether any volume of room air has RH that is that even to start with.

Response:

Depends on what you call pricey. The Shaklee unit is WAY overpriced in my opinion, but then, I sell the UV12 Field Controls unit, retails at $850, for $275, BRAND NEW, in the box, and if I have to install it, its still less than your Shaklee… I sell the UV300 Premier One Vital Aire unit, retail of $900, for $375…. The Vital Aire UV203, retail of $950, for $375… All the units listed above will cover up to 3,800 SF, and up to a 5 ton air handler… So…looking at those numbers, your unit is overpriced, not to flame, just fact. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc… Aren’t those rather pricey? This unit is $695 and is rated to cover 3,000 square feet. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971 Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years.

Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

If hes gonna do that, his money would be better spent on a whole house unit…such as Field Controls, or Vital Aire….Sanuvox…..etc… — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Mia, You might also want to pick up an air purifier that kills mold spores. Shaklee just introduced one that was designed by RGF Environmental (www.rgf.com), a company that  has been in the air, water and food purification business for the past 15 years. I got my first unit (I’m a distributor) and put it in a closet where we had water damage from a gutter overflow problem, since fixed. The closet had smelled musty, now it’s much better. For more info, check out http://www.needhamonline.com/services/Shaklee/health.html. Thanks, Lee

Response:

Actually, today’s psychrometers are much more accurate than a few years ago. Amprobe offers one that is VERY accurate, and is normally no more than + or – 2%. Trick is to move around a bit, and take several measurements and then get the average…IF there is a discrepancy in the rooms being tested. Bacharach still has the best sling psych…and cheap as well.. — www.carolinabreezehvac.com www.ebaystores.com/id=19893971

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Done that, got great results–when measuring the wet bulb temp it’s best to hold the thermometer in front of a fan instead of trying to swing it around. Luckily, I still had the psychometric charts from my Heating and A/C college course. MLD Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc. No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer. Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself. Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

Response:

It’s hard to tell if you were over charged or not. It all depends. This sounds like it was an emergency call though. Basically, a replacement of a gas to another gas hot water heater isn’t too complicated which explains the 1.5 hrs to install. Probably took longer to drain the old one than to put the new one in. Disposal costs may vary. Where I live, just put in on the curb and call for a special pick up from the town sanitation dept. No charge. If customers of his took time out of their day to log in complaints to the BBB, I bet they were pissed about something. However, it does depend on what these complaints were about though. Keep your receipt, check the new hot water heater periodically for any leaks while your warranty is in effect and don’t sweat the $700. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half.   I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

Two years ago I  paid $720 to replac emine. It took two guys about 3 hours. It was up in the aatic. I did call around to at least 6 or 7 places and they were all close in price. This included Heater removal installation and materials. Ed

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half. I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

Response:

Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc.

No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer.   Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself.  Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

Response:

Done that, got great results–when measuring the wet bulb temp it’s best to hold the thermometer in front of a fan instead of trying to swing it around. Luckily, I still had the psychometric charts from my Heating and A/C college course. MLD – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Speedy Jim writes: You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc. No, these are uselessly inaccurate. Get an accurate reading by easily improvising a wet-bulb thermometer. Search Google for a psychrometer table and read the results yourself. Zero cost if you already have a thermometer, which doesn’t even have to be well calibrated.

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Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Your help is very much appreciated. Mia

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Who can I call to check for the humidity in my house?  My kids are sick too often and I just want to make sure we don’t have mold in our house. We’re living in this house for the last 4 years. Your help is very much appreciated. Mia

You can measure the humidity yourself. Pick up an inexpensive Hygrometer at Radio Shack or Walmart, etc.   The max reading is commonly quoted as 50-55% RH.  Above that, molds flourish. To determine if hazardous molds are growing in the house, you need the services of an expert who will take air samples. There is a huge amount of info available on the ‘Net; do a simple search for mold / mildew. A few interesting sites to start with: http://www.steritec.com/ http://www.aehf.com/articles/molds.html http://www.kathleenmag.com/fall/mold.htm http://masterhandyman.com/columndetails.hbs?myrec=6 Jim

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Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half.   I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

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You should have gotten a quote BEFORE the work was done.  It was your lapse, and now there’s nothing you can do for being overcharged. Yes, I think you were exessively charged, but like with any other product, some places charge you too much, and others not, but its up to you to shop around, else chalk the expense up to learning. There’s a small shop around the corner from my house that has inflated prices.  People still shop there, and pay excessivly.  Nothing wrong with commanding a premium price.  I however, educate myself as to the "going rate", and steer clear of that store and shop elsewhere for the identical products and a much cheaper price.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone My 10-yr-old gas hot water heater gave up the ghost over the weekend.  I had a nightmarish job getting someone to replace it, and I think I might have been overcharged.  He installed a 40-gal. Hotpoint heater that cost about $300, but the final bill came to $700!!!  He worked for about an hour and a half. I have never had this kind of work done before, so I couldn’t argue with him, but does the labor on this seem excessive?  I don’t know of any complications. He took the old heater away, which, I imagine, he charged me for. When the heater conked out, I called my usual plumbing service and I have since discovered that the owner of this service (a fairly large metropolitan company) referred my call to his son, who has his own business.  I didn’t realize this till it was too late.  I’ve since looked up the son on the local BBB website and found that he does NOT have a good reputation.  It’s left a real bad taste in my mouth, but before I open it again I’d like to know what I’m talking about! Thanks for the help Deb Peterson

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Question:

I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of mother’s "pet" names for me). You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, not that you care, obviously. Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and disgusting to each other. Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to survive. Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. rosee —

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Rosee, believe me, I talked to everyone I thought might be involved.  It is NOT Lara.  It is NOT OJ.  As far as I know it is nobody I know. There were at least three separate sites (one of which was run by somebody I do not know) that had that particular picture on it.  Liz had it available through her web site, although I don’t think she intended for it to be. It is not anybody I am dealing with who is doing it.  I have no interest in doing anything to torment her.  She has enough on her plate without my help.

: : I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent : people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the : early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting : nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was : triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of : mother’s "pet" names for me). : : You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, : not that you care, obviously. : : Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and : disgusting to each other. : : Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to : survive. : : Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. : Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. : : rosee : : : — : : : :

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i just wanted you to know i did read all the way through and i’m sorry things are so hard

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Thank you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – i just wanted you to know i did read all the way through and i’m sorry things are so hard

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All my life, my sister has been the one single person I have trusted and held above normal people in my world, people I never trust for various reasons.  The only person in my life aside from my children I would die for if need be, because I have loved her and trusted her, known she was trustworthy.  I lost that last night.  I understand much of her reasoning behind her lies and evasions, but am astonished to find she believed herself to be so far above me in the food chain that she alone had the right to be in a position to decide issues of right and wrong for our family, that she had so little faith in *me that she did not trust me to …anything.

I have felt that devastation — that loss between two sister due to the very thing you point out….I felt utterly betrayed, and had no way to express it…really. I’m sorry you’re experiencing that bb deb x-no-archive;yes IF you think no one notices you, try missing a car payment

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I don’t think it’s necessary at this point to make it clear how I feel about Sherrie’s denial of her part in this. I do want to say though, that…. I am supposed to make a big deal about not being perturbed, or affected by Sherrie’s continuing obsession with me.  I’m not supposed to admit that it bothers me or registers on my radar screen the disturbing, inordinate amount of time she has devoted to attempting to ‘torment’ me, which has been amply evidenced in this ng as well as in irc chats.  Sherrie is not the only person involved, there are a couple of other people int he ng who help her and know what is what, and that too is not supposed to bother me or at least, for appearances sake, I am supposed to *claim it doesn’t bother me, because it was made a contest a long time ago, and which one of us was to be believed or ‘win’ was to be determined by the class or dignity with which they approach the other person. I may not ever be able to claim ‘dignity or class’.  But I can say that I have not approached Sherrie in any way at any time, privately or publically.  I have not tossed bombs out there for her to refute or deny.  I *have spent far too much time denying those she has tossed *my way, and at my family.  And I dare say that had any other parent here found their daughter’s picture on the internet with her home phone number and the legend ‘for a good time call’, they might have spent a bit of time arguing about it as well, and maybe with as little class as I have sometimes exhibited in defense of Sherrie’s ever incresingly outrageous claims and attacks. Some people could call me self absorbed, but I spend a good deal of my time in introspection.  I spend most of my time, from the moment I wake to the moment I fall asleep trying to sort out ways to be a better person so that I can be a better mother.  My entire life has been and continues to be about wanting to be the best possible parent I can be. Not only does this leave me with no time to devote to the kind of claims Sherrie continues to make about me personally, but it leaves me, especially after the day I spent yesterday, wanting to handle all this in a better way.  So I have to admit to being disturbed by Sherrie and her continuing obsession.  I won’t pretend it doesn’t bother me or that it doesn;t at times frighten me when I get calls in the middle of the night or wonder if she or a friend of hers is, as was warned, going to show up outside my home or at my child’s school. For the first year after Sherrie began making threats, as it became clearer and clearer she was dangerous and not simply just small minded and petty, I began doing my own digging and collecting of information. I read everything I could get, saved everything I could find, and went out of my way to make sure that should she make the move she kept threantening to make I would be able to fight back.  I filed police reports everytime I got one of the ‘I’m gonna get you sucka’ letters.  I spoke to the FBI and made sure there were reports and claims made long ago should I ever find myself in a place where I had to document the length of time this had been going on.  I dug up everything I could get….information about her service record, her social services experiences, etc.  I do not say that as a veiled threat but to make it clear to Sherrie *alone, who will recognize from those short few words what I am talking about, how serious I was and that what I am saying is true.  I saved it on hard copy, I saved it to disk.  And I kept my mouth shut…I only wanted it if I needed it, and I did not want to hurt her son, who would be affected not by every move his mother made but by any legal response of mine to it.  I believed in the end, the truth would come out, because right is always supposed to win in the end.  I was naive and I was stupid.  I had not counted then, not ever having experienced it myself, the depth of hatred or obsession one person could have for another, or the lengths they may be willing to go to to ‘torment’ a person they had not even ever met.  While I went through a period of wanting revenge on her for what she had done to me, it eventually passed, because after all, how can you keep something going over someone you had never even *met?  I couldn’t. So.  It disturbs me that Sherrie continues to find this need to ‘glom’ onto my life and try to find ways to keep me in hers.  The depth and length of this is frightening to me as is her continuing abillity to convince people she is not as disturbed as she is with her charm, the same charm I once found so attractive in her. However.  This has been a *very difficult year for my family.  I have lived most of the last two years in fear that has nothing whatsoever to do with Sherrie or her antics or those of the friends she recruits to help her.  Between dealing with my own personal issues of being bi-polar and adhd, my own black depressions and not wanting to get out of bed in the morning, there has been the issues with my children: asthma, seizures, hospitalization, biochemical disorders, mysterious brain clouds that were causing my daughter to lose her vision, her memory and part of her mind, something which, it begins to turn out, has had far more permanent results in her brain despite the successful treatment of the condition itself.  And I can’t ignore the effect all this has had on my middle child, who has no medical issues or biochemical ones and often gets lost in between the two who do.  I also got married this past year.  I have lost seventy pounds in this past year and in so doing a part of the protective shell I had previously found so useful. Last night, when I went to talk to my sister at the suggestion of Tigerbunny who remembered my post about Linda and a Diet Coke always making me feel better (Thank you).  We sat at Denny’s in Sylmar for *five hours and spoke and in the course of that discussion I found out several family secrets which had been kept from me because it had been deemed I would be unable to handle the realities.  My mother is extraordinarily ill and my sister is essentially a stay at home nurse to her at this point.  Last year, my mother won a 1.4 million dollar judgement against her former employer for sexual discrimination, a case eight years in the lawyers hands.  She ended up with appx. 300,000 dollars and my sister has had a house for almost a year no one told me about because with all the issues surrounding my children’s rising medical costs it was felt that had I known about the money, I might insist part of it be used for better testing or treatment, etc or just decide I was owed a share to play with and blow.  Last and most devastating to find out, it turns out my oldest half brother has been in prison for more than a year for molesting his oldest daughter.  This is a brother who had also molested *me as a kid and it was felt that he was innocent (by my family) who worried that had I found out, I would have been on the side of the prosecution.  I would have.  And in the course of the trial, he admitted his crimes and was sentenced, in a tough state, to a mandatory three years to life.   All my life, my sister has been the one single person I have trusted and held above normal people in my world, people I never trust for various reasons.  The only person in my life aside from my children I would die for if need be, because I have loved her and trusted her, known she was trustworthy.  I lost that last night.  I understand much of her reasoning behind her lies and evasions, but am astonished to find she believed herself to be so far above me in the food chain that she alone had the right to be in a position to decide issues of right and wrong for our family, that she had so little faith in *me that she did not trust me to …anything.  It was nice to hear her tell me that had my daughter needed tests insurance would not cover, they would have made sure the money was available, but how long did my daughter suffer through the hideous HMO system, how long did my sister listen to me complain that I couldn’t get the doctors, etc to agree to get her the help or testing, etc, when all along the money was available to help my daughter before, perhaps, what was happening in her brain caused the damage it did while we waited for the fucking insurance to do it’s job? I understand her fear that I would blow my mother’s money.  Part of the way my bi-polar stuff used to manifest was in my blowing money and lying about why I needed it or how, etc.  *Years ago.  I can understand that in my sisters inital belief that my brother was innocent, her being afraid I would help send him to jail.  I believe my sister alone was entitled to anything and everything my mother was awarded as Linda alone was groomed from the time she was small to give her entire life to taking care of my mother and I believe my sister deserves every possible bit of security she can get from this, and I do not begrudge her those things or question them.  But I cannot accept or understand watching my daughter in pain, going blind, losing her memory and hearing and sense of taste because I could not afford the right doctors and not speaking up and saying we can help. I am afraid that I won’t be able to forgive her that. I love my sister very much.  I *want to let it all go, and embrace her because she needs me so now.  I *want to fight to make sure I can convince myself all this is ok the same way I used to convince myself I was in love with every asshole I fucked so I could justify fucking him…I want to be able to find a way to justify letting it all go so I don’t lose my sister, and I am afraid I won’t be able to. I lost a lot this year.  I have been through a lot and my family has been through a lot.  It’s been very difficult for me.  And yesterday I came very close to killing myself because the pain and frustration of all that and my own failures had finally, after all this, become too much.  And then last night I find out

… read more »

Response:

james check your message window, wouldja?

Which one? The one with all the foul four letter words…  or your’s? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -jean following: Rosee, believe me, I talked to everyone I thought might be involved.  It is NOT Lara.  It is NOT OJ.  As far as I know it is nobody I know. There were at least three separate sites (one of which was run by somebody I do not know) that had that particular picture on it.  Liz had it available through her web site, although I don’t think she intended for it to be. It is not anybody I am dealing with who is doing it.  I have no interest in doing anything to torment her.  She has enough on her plate without my help. I’m fairly certain you have totally missed the significance of what you have just said. Suffice it to say though, I haven’t. I’m also certain at least a few others will not have. Believe me! : : I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent : people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the : early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting : nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was : triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of : mother’s "pet" names for me). : : You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, : not that you care, obviously. : : Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and : disgusting to each other. : : Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to : survive. : : Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. : Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. : : rosee : : : — : : : :

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*Cough – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Rosee, believe me, I talked to everyone I thought might be involved.  It is NOT Lara.  It is NOT OJ.  As far as I know it is nobody I know. There were at least three separate sites (one of which was run by somebody I do not know) that had that particular picture on it.  Liz had it available through her web site, although I don’t think she intended for it to be. It is not anybody I am dealing with who is doing it.  I have no interest in doing anything to torment her.  She has enough on her plate without my help. : : I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent : people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the : early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting : nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was : triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of : mother’s "pet" names for me). : : You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, : not that you care, obviously. : : Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and : disgusting to each other. : : Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to : survive. : : Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. : Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. : : rosee : : : — : : : :

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following: Rosee, believe me, I talked to everyone I thought might be involved.  It is NOT Lara.  It is NOT OJ.  As far as I know it is nobody I know. There were at least three separate sites (one of which was run by somebody I do not know) that had that particular picture on it.  Liz had it available through her web site, although I don’t think she intended for it to be. It is not anybody I am dealing with who is doing it.  I have no interest in doing anything to torment her.  She has enough on her plate without my help.

I’m fairly certain you have totally missed the significance of what you have just said. Suffice it to say though, I haven’t. I’m also certain at least a few others will not have. Believe me! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – : : I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent : people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the : early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting : nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was : triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of : mother’s "pet" names for me). : : You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, : not that you care, obviously. : : Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and : disgusting to each other. : : Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to : survive. : : Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. : Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. : : rosee : : : — : : : :

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james check your message window, wouldja? jean – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – following: Rosee, believe me, I talked to everyone I thought might be involved.  It is NOT Lara.  It is NOT OJ.  As far as I know it is nobody I know. There were at least three separate sites (one of which was run by somebody I do not know) that had that particular picture on it.  Liz had it available through her web site, although I don’t think she intended for it to be. It is not anybody I am dealing with who is doing it.  I have no interest in doing anything to torment her.  She has enough on her plate without my help. I’m fairly certain you have totally missed the significance of what you have just said. Suffice it to say though, I haven’t. I’m also certain at least a few others will not have. Believe me! : : I realize that you don’t really give a shit, but you are hurting innocent : people in your attempts to get at liz.  There are people here, some in the : early stages of recovery, that are terribly triggered by the disgusting : nicknames and fake email addresses you use.  Damn, for that matter, I was : triggered badly by one of your lovely names (part of it being one of : mother’s "pet" names for me). : : You try to hurt liz, but you hurt people that had nothing to do with you, : not that you care, obviously. : : Go back to your stupid putrid little group, and be obnoxious, offensive and : disgusting to each other. : : Or stay, and prove how little you care about those that are struggling to : survive. : : Sherrie, I don’t think you are doing it, but I do think you know who is. : Please talk to them.  Please.  Please.  Please. : : rosee : : : — : : : :

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