Typical Residential Panel

I realized this issue after a friend called. He had just purchased a remodeled home, and was concerned that his electrical panel was mislabeled. This turns out to be a fairly common problem.

What happens is that over the years, our electrical needs change and or problems occur, and an electrician is called to either upgrade or replace a faulty breaker.

The electrical paned is opened up and the circuit breakers a rearranged to fit better. Unfortunately, the step that is frequently skipped is relabeling the panel correctly.

Years ago, we had half of the gadgets that we have now. Rather than enlarging the panel box itself automatically, a first step is to get breakers that are 1/2 size. Once a panel is full you must upgrade to a larger service which in turn mandates a larger upgraded panel.

When Levco evaluates  a kitchen remodeling project, we look for ways to avoid upgrading the service or enlarging the panel to save cost, but it is often it is inevitable.

On a recent whole house project, we eliminated an electric water heater and an electric stove as well as an electric furnace.  This allowed a full panel box to have 8 free spaces.

Kitchens require at least 4 separate 110 circuits, and one 220 stove circuit. That doesn’t account for a lighting circuit. There are requirements for GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter)  as well as AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter). These take up much of the freed up space.

Typical Fused Panel

So why is it important to know what fuse or breaker controls which part of your home’s electricity. Well surely safety is one reason. Say you want to replace a bathroom fan and it’s switch. It would make sense to turn off  the breaker that controls it. But say you flip the wrong one. This could make you an electrocution patient in the Emergency Room. (If you’re lucky)

The Trick:

So here is the trick to labeling them correctly yourself. Having two people to do this makes sense and will cut down on the running around. Cell phones are a time saver if you are out of ear shot. It should take less than an hour, and you may even have fun.

First, find the electrical panel. There may be several other panels called sub panels as well, so locate them too. If at any time this seems frightening, stop and get an electrician to help. I don’t want anyone to put themselves in danger. Open the hinged cover. you should not see any wires. If you do then either there is either not protective cover plate, or you have gotten into the panel too far.

Half Size Breakers

Make a drawing of your panel, y0u will notice that each breaker is numbered next to the corresponding breaker. (Some are fairly faint). Then turn everything on in your house, (except for your computer). Have someone then flip one breaker at a time off. Identify what that breaker controls in each area of the home logically. You can turn the breaker back on and go to the next area. Take a small electrical fixture like a lamp with you and plug it into the outlets and see which ones are controlled as well.

Hint: Usually the outlets that are controlled are in the same general region as the lights that are effected but you never know.

Single

Numbers also appear on the ends of the breakers themselves. These refer to the number of AMPS that can go through them prior to popping. There are very specific rules about size of wires and the number of amps they correspond with. Fiddling with changing out breakers to solve a popping problem is not recommended.

Electricity Can Be Dangerous

Once you have operated each breaker or unscrewed each fuse and have a good map of your electrical panel, use mail labels to transfer your information. Place the appropriate label next to each breaker (or on the panel cover if there is not room) each breaker, and viola, you’re done.

Example of good labels are to the point, and in large enough lettering to scan in a hurry.

• Front room north wall outlets.
• Guest bath.

220 Breaker

You may find breakers that do nothing. You will find  breakers that are tied together. These are 220 volt breakers and need to be operated together.

Common 220 electrical fixtures

• Water heater
• Your spa
• Your electric stove

When it comes to working on electrical components, I always recommend double checking. If, for instance, you want to replace a weak outlet, be sure the power is off for certain by using a tester or plugging something in before you get behind the cover plate.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

Frosted Edge

For years now I have noticed an interesting phenomenon that I am not sure anyone else notices. It has to do with recognizing roof patterns in the winter. This is clear evidence that heat is escaping through your roof.

Head down the block and check out your roof and compare it to your neighbors place. Of course there are a myriad of issues that could be contributing to the results you find, but this is a telling sign.

If your roof is the bare one when others have snow or frost, despite having a similar pitch, you could be losing a boat load of energy in the form of heat. This year has been ridiculously light on or late for snow, but you can see it on the frosty mornings too.

Thermal imagery is available in the valley, which that can do a more accurate picture for you. There are also companies that specialize in energy efficiency audits. But for now, this crude visual tool may get you moving in the right direction.

Missing Insulation

The fix could be adding insulation or filling a hole. It could be as simple as a detached exhaust vent. The important thing  to understand is that there is no one size fits all approach. You need to figure out what is causing the problem and address each individual situation to fix the overall issue.

Here is another look at what you might see if you look at your roof at just the right time.

From a remodeler’s perspective, this is always on our minds. At Levco, we always take a look at  the attic and make sure that the existing conditions are addressed and that anything we disturb is re-insulated when we are done.

Over the years, we have made many recommendations to homeowners when we’ve seen problems, and remodeling is a good time to have these issues evaluated and addressed.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

CSI

Let’s first outline the subject matter. I recently published a similar blog on foundation moisture to review the senses and how they can be used to ferret out what is wrong. In this post I am exploring how I use my senses in a broader way. I work like a Crime Scene Investigator or CSI when it comes to remodeling. It gets easier with time but it requires concentration and some reflection when it is all done. The standard 5 senses work just fine for most things, however it is the 6th that often solidifies the course for my recommendations.

Common sense is not so common. What sets Levco apart is our willingness to get opinions from multiple experts. I realize that despite our experience, not all problems are simple to solve. Every contractor has an opinion, we reserve ours until we get corroboration from experts on complicated or rare problems.  At Levco we run toward unusual situations, we are stimulated by the unusual and love to solve home problems. Our goal is to develop a plan that works to address the problems that are found.

Homes tell a story and a brief inspection using your senses usually helps you find clues about what the home was originally. You can also determine what had been done to keep it functional over the years as well as uncovers some mysterious things. On a very recent outing I found a large aluminum box adjacent to the stairwell. The owner told me that the HVAC guy said it used to be hooked up and was central air conditioning. I examined it and found a very early version of an electronic air cleaner.

Something smells off

SMELL: I just had a flashback to Grandpa Ben’s shop. Turns out that I developed a habit or reusing paint thinner, the sludge settles and the thinner is still good so when I opened the top I realized that this was an old grandpa Ben trick too. He was a child of the depression that stood in bread lines and ate hardtack at the orphanage so it comes as no surprise that he was thrifty.

I use my sense of smell most commonly on initial inspection; a whiff of something musty may mean mildew or mold. Some folks have a real reaction to mold, I do not, but that is a good thing to have. Sycamore trees give off a nasty thing at certain times of year that makes you cough and give you a scratchy throat. Dead things give off a powerful smell. Pets can ruin a home and their urine can really make a place stink. I recently smelled lots of naphtha or moth balls at a job site.  Perhaps they had an infestation, it is an old remedy. Other smells are clues too such as cigarette smoke and occasionally coal; the important thing is to be aware that what you smell is as important as what you don’t smell.

One of my favorite stories about smell involves a close call with natural gas. We were smelling it in the neighborhood in the mornings and it was pretty strong. This had gone on for a few days so I brought my combustible gas sniffer and went to the neighbor’s house. I had it on as I knocked and when the door opened it started to scream. “GET OUT!  I YELLED!” It was winter and they all filed out and I turned off the gas. After investigating I realized that the furnace was malfunctioning. I was able to fix it quickly. Did I save the neighborhood? Possibly, incidentally they had taken the flue off to get more heat in the home. I guess they had so many broken windows the carbon monoxide went out with the exhaust gasses. I fixed that too.

Hearing

HEARING: Less helpful but there none the less. Creaking hardwood floors, sparking switches, outside noises while inside often means poor insulation or missing windows. Rattling fan blowers may indicate a poor exhaust fan or HVAC blower problem. Clogged exhaust fans make a weird noise too.

Touch

TOUCH: Moistness, damp feeling, temperature, I used my fingernails to identify Celotex, an old type of insulation/rigid board that made a nice printable ceiling. (In my research for this article I discovered that Celotex may have asbestos in it as a result of being mixed in back east. Touch is often used in conjunction with other senses to verify something that is not quite right.

Sight

SIGHT: The most powerful sense, looking for cracks, wavy walls, things that are out of place. Painted over wallpaper is a good example of a recent find. Occasionally we can find where a doorway once was. Other items include loose handrails, (your feet touch too)  loose tiles, misaligned thresholds and transitions, stuck doors and door knobs, leaks and water where it doesn’t belong or fresh paint, so I ask myself, what are they hiding? Over spanned lumber or timbers. uneven flooring, scary electrical situations, Fungus growing on siding, bug infestation. I found a great site for things seen on home inspections.

Our eyes have an amazing ability to forgive and see past things especially once you get familiar with a place. That is why first impressions are so important. The eye sees it all, it takes a brain to determine if something is off.

Taste anyone?

TASTE: Not used often, although one time I was offered some tea and cookies, so taste came in handy at least once. To be honest I can’t recall a time when this sense came into play for determining anything of interest.

Common Sense

COMMON: The final and most important sense is common. I have seen so many homes that have been carved up without thinking. I am working on a home where they excavated beneath a poured cement floor. I see sagging floors only to discover that the supporting structure had been partially removed on several. I have yet to respond to a home cave in. I am certain it is just a matter of time. Faulty electrical wiring is a huge problem. We just removed a bunch of Romex wire that was stapled on the outside of the home that was abraded and deteriorated. Kids were playing around it. I love telling the story of my dad giving a remodeling seminar and a fellow asked seriously…”I am considering taking down my brick chimney… Do I take it down from the bottom or the top”. I suppose those questions are fewer and further between thanks to the internet and quick access to good information.

Tools of the trade include a Moisture Meter, Flashlight, Camera, a poker to jab into the soil around foundations, Magnifying glass, Thermometer (instant read laser) Electrical Tester. Just to name a few.

Structure

We, ” Levco” just encountered another situation where the handy man would not be a good fit. Did you ever get the feeling that the (fill in the blank) just didn’t feel strong enough to hold a few folks in the same place. Weird feeling, trust your gut.

I recall seeing a video of a post accident reconstruction. A newly constructed balcony had fallen off the second story of a home and killed a few people.

I have seen several poorly supported structures in my day but nothing quite like this one. To be truthful a guy could argue that things are under supported all day long. It isn’t until a real failure happens that someone gets to say…”I told you so”

Here in Boise we use building codes like most of the country. I would say we are keeping up with the Jones so to speak. According to Carl Madsen, a residential plan checker of the Boise City building department, building codes went into effect in the 1930′s.  I suppose that there will always be those that ignore the rules. There are homes that have either been built poorly, or remodeled poorly, everywhere here in Boise’s North End. The truth is that building science and building materials have advanced incredibly since then too.

What we found was a concrete slab that was undermined to create a basement addition. (At least that is what we think happened.) With no obvious visible means of support, we were looking at the underside of a slab that was poured on dirt.  Never mind the fact that the structure has withstood years of being the way it was, my gut instinct was to not go under there. I immediately knew this one required the assistance of my team.

Others that have seen the project wanted to demolish the structure and start over, still others wanted to do midnight repairs. I on the other hand was looking for a cost effective cleaver solution to a complex problem. The other caveat is that it would have to meet the requirements of safe and above board…In other words it had to have the building departments seal of approval, by that I mean (A Permit).

The owner was concerned that the home might be condemned. The real life situation is that they had no idea anything was wrong until a snoopy home inspector found the problem and made a small mention of it in their report.

Calculations

Although my Architect, Tom Trutna has a degree in engineering, he is a practicing Architect not an Engineer, in other words he knows his stuff. To be technically correct the City wasn’t going to take the word of an Architect that the structure was fixable. This is when we brought in the big guns.

Scott Soule of Core Engineering. Scott met me at the site and we looked the entire project over. He reassured me that we were on the right track and gave his blessings to the plans. He also provided the six page report with calculations-o-plenty to back up what he and Tom had concluded earlier was the proper way to remedy the problem. (Ala- Alice’s Restaurant)

The good news is that it only took six pages of calculations, some glossy photos, and a few trips to the city to get approval but by golly that is what makes this job interesting. With the addition of several structural beams, lots of supporting columns, and some concrete anchors, we had the problem licked in a few days. Content clients, and a safe structure, who could ask for more. Is this the makings of legendary service? Perhaps. The point is we did the right thing for the right reasons.

If you, or someone you love is concerned about a structure or need reassurance that everything is going to be OK, please let us come evaluate your particular situation. There is nothing more satisfying to me than making recommendations based upon sound advice from my team of remodeling professionals.

Can we fix everything? No. Can we fix most things? Ya-sure, you-bet-ya. It all goes back to our mission statement

Much of what we do at Levco here in Boise Idaho, seems to be dealing with moisture in foundation walls. Weather we are dealing with a remodeling project and active problem, doing preventative measures, or just inspecting foundations that have telltale signs of moisture penetration, there are several signs and symptoms of water being a culprit.Essentially you need to use several of your senses.

basement effervescence

• Smell, a musty odor often a clue to water behind a wall. 
• Touch, a flaky powdery feeling mineral build up called effervescence. Moisture passes through the foundation slowly and deposits minerals on the inside of the foundation. It can pop off paint.
• Sight, Effervescence is a whitish, often flaky or powdery substance, often found at cold joints and minor cracks. It can be seen mid span too and often traces down from a level where the water is coming through the wall. Dark stains on pine paneling is another sign.
• Taste, not useful in this situation.
• Common, (that rarest of senses) in this case best used to avoid a potential accidental ingestion.

Active problems These are usually from one of these common problems in our area.

1. Ground Water: Although I live a mile from the river, the water table is about 17 feet (at least it was when I had my well dug). Water can rise up and come into a basement or crawl space. The pressure can be tremendous and seep in. This is common in areas near the river, especially like this year when river levels are high.  Hillside flows can also be the culprit, I have seen in the Shenandoah area with springs and creeks flow from the rocks. Neighbors watering can effect a downhill property several homes away.
2. Reverse Grade: This means having the dirt slope towards your home. This allows water that falls nearby to run towards your home. Fortunately in the Boise North End the soil is sandy and most water returns to ground quickly. We see the occasional subterranean foundation vent and tree roots penetrating cracks in foundations when the tree was planted too close to a basement wall.
3. 

   sprinklers on a house

   Sprinkler systems: the usual culprit is a misdirected head. In one case I was able to put my hand through soggy siding and OSB right into the insulation. Back flow preventers, and sheared off sprinkler heads have done plenty of damage. We did one repair that was caused by leaving a hose on near a foundation for an hour which lead to water entering a gap in the footing straight into the home.

4. Gutters & Downspouts: Gable sides gather a tremendous amount of water and dump it next to the foundations if there are not gutters. Window wells scoop it up and can overflow. Gutters direct water to downspouts that, if not taken via pipe away from the foundation, can cause all sorts of water to come in. We do not warrant Egress Windows that have no gutters on the gable side.

Dealing with active issues begins with discovering the cause of the problem, or in some cases, causes plural. It is not rare to find a series of issues that need repair. In one case the suspect was reverse grade plus they had  a canal running near the back yard that is higher than the home. The owners believe that the canal is the problem. My take is to solve the problem later and deal with the situation now. What’s wrong is more important sometimes when the source is not positively identified. Rather than allowing me to pump the crawl they have elected to allow it to go on… “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” It will become a problem eventually I assure you. In another classic response to a landlord’s call was to find a sprinkler pointing at the home , full gutters, roots growing through foundation cracks and reverse grade. They also had a leaky faucet shutoff valve but that was the least of their problems. From an insurance perspective, unless the water issue was caused by a domestic water source i.e., plumbing…you are not covered. Only the Federal Government covers true flood insurance from other causes.

Preventative Measures: Our approach is to think like the water. Waterproofing is an art and we do not profess to be experts. However there are lots of things we have learned along the way most of which are employed regularly.

Sheet Drain

Keeping water out from the outside: This is the first line of attack for Levco. Using tar for parging is a good start. We use a product called Bituthane with their primer first to seal up below Egress Windows. We also use Vicor around windows. Our egress window wells have gravel in them and a reverse grade. Other cool moisture proofing materials that can be put outside the foundation include Bentonite impregnated materials like rope that we place in the footing to stem wall notch and impregnated sheets against foundation walls. When used in addition to a sheet drain provide a suspender and belt approach to solving a problem for good. Bentonite is also found in cat litter among other things for its absorbing abilities.French Drains and connecting down spouts work well too. All of these techniques are like tools in a tool belt and should be used only when appropriate.

Keeping water out from the inside: This is the second best way to attack basement water problems. Products like Dry-Loc and Xypex work well and are a good second line approach. They seal concrete up from the inside and if incorporated into an overall plan would be fine.

Interior Perimeter Drain

Another common solution is what I call the Judo Method. This involves trenching a perimeter inside the basement and install drain pipes to bring all of the water into a sump pump system. Although this may seem extreme, sometimes it is easier to just let the water in and pump it out rather than keeping it out in the first place.

Case Study: In one case on a daylight basement we put fabric cloth against the bank, then one foot of lava rock leading to a perforated pipe surrounded in fabric cloth. Then gravel a sheet drain with a rubber pond liner membrane against the concrete. The idea was to get the water to go down to our pipe then to a sump pump. It worked but I wish I had not pumped the excess water up the hill. Always use gravity when you can.

I use to call in a third party for third party verification of my opinion but over the years it became obvious that I knew as much as the consultant. In researching his credentials I discovered that he was quite convincing and a good salesman, but he was a remodeler once that became the resident expert by doing this sort of work.

If you have questions or need third party verification of your suspicions, I am available for consultation and would gladly help set up a plan to eliminate the moisture problems from your basement.

An Old Home

I recently had the wonderful experience of providing my services to a few home inspections. No I am not a certified inspector but I know my way around a home. This all stemmed from the NARI home tour and a family that was anxious to find a home in Boise’s North End, a historic area that is loaded with charm. They had recently sold a home and were currently renting in the North End. They were pretty sure they found the street they wanted to live on and it was just a matter of keeping an eye on the MLS. I discovered through a dear realtor friend Donna Jacobson, that the technology exists to help perspective buyers keep an eye on such a narrow search parameter.

We first met at a stucco home. As I walked through, I noticed that it that had all the signs of being renovated in an unloving way and major attempts to put “makeup on a pig”. The home did not meet my “Has to have good bones” requirement nor did it have the space they needed as a family. I believe that my observations confirmed their suspicions.

The next call I received was an excited call about a potential keeper with plenty of room that they had “locked up” with a tentative offer with contingencies. Upon arrival I noticed a corner lot with a great turn of the century set of neighboring homes. This one had charm and elegance. There was a real home inspector on site too. I performed my walk through and had time to listen to the couple and ask lots of questions. I was able to point out a bunch of stuff that could be fixed and should be fixed. I mainly looked at what could be done to adapt the home to be more livable for them, add energy efficiency and maintain the charm.

An Inspector

Then I received a complimentary copy of the home inspection. Initially I was pleasantly surprised. The inspector was sensitive to the fact that the home was built in a different era and much of the deterioration and or quirks of the home were expected from a home of this age. Sure there were buckets of stuff on the list that needed attention but all in all the structure was sound. I was not as kind, but I get the sentiment. My take is that it has been poorly maintained for years and it shows. I added to the list and essentially reiterated that there are a bunch of “must fix prior to occupying” and another list of things that could be done once they settle in.

After reading the inspection again I noticed a disturbing twist. The inspector was dabbling in making subjective statements about the cost to repair the home and minimizing the severity of things that he had not completely evaluated. The inspection is suppose to be an objective evaluation of the condition at that moment in time and a list of things that should and must be repaired. Incensed by the cavalier inspection report I wrote a scathing letter to the perspective buyers discrediting the inspection. I also included a ball park price matrix to assist them in making a proper offer on the home.

Money Pit

At Levco Builders we try to be as up front and factual as possible. We have found that sugar coating things backfires quickly. Who wants to see the world through rose colored glasses when they are the financially responsible party. As it turns out this family has very little experience living in an older home and it could potentially ruin them financially. Remember the movie The Money Pit? When it comes time to evaluate a home for purchase get an objective second opinion and a third f that is what it takes. These are no times to be making foolish decisions with your hard earned cash. It is a buyer’s market and don’t you forget it.