There are some additional piping considerations for plumbers to observe. septic tanks are designed to handle routine sewage. They are not meant to modify chemical discharges and high volumes of water. If, as a plumber, you pipe the discharge from a sump pump into the sanitary plumbing system, which you are not supposed to do, […]
Shimming
Shims are time-consuming to use and tend to fall out as wood shrinks. You can eliminate shims if you use the clipping technique to hold trimmers securely in place (see p. 130). Clipping will also allow you to nail the jamb directly to the trimmer. For many years, trim carpenters have been using drywall screws […]
Road Wastewater Treatment Options
The following figures illustrate some options for treatment systems. Figure 13.29 shows a system where little or no treatment is needed. Figures 13.30 and 13.31 show situations in which progressively more treatment is provided, while Figs. 13.32 and 13.33 show situations in which “hard” treatment solutions with settlement, retention and infiltration tanks are provided in […]
SANDING FLOORS
A quick review: Shut off all pilot lights, seal off doorways, open windows for ventilation, wear a respirator mask and ear protection, start with the least aggressive sandpaper, and lower the sander drum only when the machine is moving. Start sanding with the drum sander. Sanding with the direction of the wood grain cuts less […]
DO THEY HURT A SEPTIC SYSTEM?
What about garbage disposers, do they hurt a septic system? The answers offered to this question vary from yes to maybe to no. Many people, including numerous code enforcement offices, believe garbage disposers should not be used in conjunction with septic systems. Other people disagree and believe that disposers have no adverse effect on a […]
Cooking Options Pit Efficiency against Cost
More efficient cooking saves energy and money directly, of course, but by keeping waste heat out of the kitchen, it also saves on air-conditioning. Although this impact might not be huge in a typical home, it can make a difference. As a rule, electric cooking appliances are more efficient than gas-fueled ones. But the relative […]
Trick of the trade
When doing finish work (particularly when remodeling an older structure), carpenters often run up against crooked floors, walls, and ceilings. I’ve found that when things are out of plumb or level, it’s best to build parallel to that. The eye can see two lines that go away from each other much easier than it can […]
Style and Use Determine Efficiency
WHAT TO AVOID Automatic ice makers. Ice makers consume energy, though exactly how much is difficult to determine. WHAT TO LOOK FOR • The Energy Star label. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency confers its Energy Star label on models that are at least 20% more energy efficient than the federal minimum. Shopping for this […]
Value Engineering Change Proposals
As described by AASHTO, VECP programs differ from other VE programs in that the construction contractors develop the recommendations. The contractors choose whether or not to participate, with the incentive for sharing in any cost savings realized. Thus, the states must create and manage a program that will be attractive to the contractors. This program […]
The “belle epoque” of the Middle Ages, from the dawn of the 12th century to the Hundred Years’ War
The hydraulican-monks: Benedictines and Cistercians We have seen that the earliest Benedictine monasteries at the end of the 8th century already were employing a range of hydraulic techniques to support their activity. Much later, in the 12th century, Saint Bernard founds the abbey of Citeaux in Bourgogne, and with it the order of the Cistercians. […]