View Single Post
  #26  
Old November 1st 07, 04:21 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Margy Natalie
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 476
Default Was: "Why I'm Not an A&P" - Now: Fixin' Stuff

Mike Spera wrote:
O.K. I have a good one. The doorbell mounted high on a soffit overhead
in the kitchen. What could they POSSIBLY screw up?

When I tore down the drywall (ALL 4 LAYERS - the DIP****S just kept
piling it on for the backsplash) I found the wiring for the doorbell.

It was an old 110v system. They used zip cord (brown 18 gauge lamp cord)
STAPLED TO THE 2X4 stud. It was wired into one of the legs to the
electric stove. Big lug with electrical tape around it. This was on a 50
amp circuit breaker. Remember that lamp cord is rated for 8 amps or so.

I found the doorbell shorted, the zipcord completely devoid of the
insulation because the short had cooked it off, and the remaining
strands of wire burned/buried into the scorched and blackened 2X4. I
have no idea how this did not start a fire.

I also found a "new" outlet some bubba installed. 2 pieces of insulated
wire strung between the drywall and studs, around and inside corner to
the new outlet. Real nice.

Finally the topper. They turned the former laundry room into a bathroom,
complete with shower. For an exhaust fan, they plastered in the wrong
sized unit into a big hole high up on a wall (2+ inches of plaster
oozing out the back). Now, the $6000 punchline. Since it was too much
trouble to run the vent hose properly (through a roof vent), they simply
left it hanging IN THE DROP CEILING COLD AIR RETURN. The warm wet air
from the bathroom was being pumped into this drop ceiling where it went
straight into the roof insulation and finally the roof decking. 80+
sheets of rotted decking (an additional $6k for the roof) because Bubba
Jackass did not have the brains to know that you NEVER run a bathroom
vent ANYWHERE but out of the house, preferably out the roof.

What have you guys seen? Don't limit this to your house, this is an
aviation group. I'm sure we have some real winners in the airplane
category...


Can't wait
Mike

We took out a DG that had a piece of masking tape that said "$5" on it.
Does that count? BTW the system had NO filters, at all.

Margy