If your house is like mine, there are a lot of pipes running through the basement. I’ve got cold water, hot water, radiator water feed and return, and natural gas. And it’s not always obvious which way the flow is…
Gas-fired hot water heat is an interesting overlapping set of semi-independent systems that work together to keep your house warm. First is the burner. There is a thermostat (called the aquastat to distinguish it from the other kind of thermostat)…
My heating system is divided into two zones. There are very clever motorized valves that open and close based on the heat demands of the thermostat in each zone. Near the end of last winter, I noticed that one of…
When the mixing valve fiasco was finished, I knew—deep in my heart—that it was a temporary fix. Really, everything is temporary. But I knew the goo I used was not going to last as long as “real” plumbing. Late in…
There are very very few actual parts inside a gas dryer. I know, because I’ve repaired or replaced most all of them. Several years ago, a room mate did a bad thing. The lint screen in my dryer pulls out…
My shower is a hedonistic wonder. When we remodeled the bathroom, one of the things we did was have two shower heads—with separate temperature controls—installed. One of these also has a diverter that can send water to the shower head,…
A House Of Ill Repair 