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Pollybutylene Plumbing


Polybutylene is a form of plastic resin that was used extensively in the manufacture of water supply piping from 1978 until 1995. Due to the low cost of the material and ease of installation, polybutylene piping systems were viewed as "the pipe of the future" and were used as a substitute for traditional copper piping.  Warning: In some regions of the country plumbers used copper "stub outs" where the pipe exits a wall to feed a fixture, so seeing copper here does not mean that you do not have poly.

Hardboard siding

Hardboard lap siding has been used on homes for years because it mimics the look of wood siding but is much less expensive. One of the disadvantages of hardboard siding is that exposure to water can cause it to deteriorate over time. This is most common on the bottom few courses near the foundation.

If you have this problem, you might want to consider replacing the rotten courses of hardboard siding with more durable fiber cement siding. Fiber cement siding is available in the same look and dimensions as hardboard siding but is more resistant to water damage. It also doesn’t cost much more than hardboard, and it’s a fairly easy to make the repairs yourself.

Aluminum wiring


In home from 1964-1974.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff and other government officials have investigated numerous hazardous incidents and fires throughout the nation involving aluminum branch circuit wiring. A national survey conducted by Franklin Research Institute for CPSC showed that homes built before 1972, and wired with aluminum, are 55 times more likely to have one or more wire connections at outlets reach “Fire Hazard Conditions”1 than homes wired with copper.

Brick or stone without weep holes
 

Brick is in no way waterproof. As a matter of fact, because brick (and stone) is a porous material it actually behaves much like a sponge. During a rain event, the masonry wall  absorbs a tremendous amount of water and and stores it. The weep hole is designed for two purposes. 1. It provides an opening to allow water to drain out through the bottom of the wall. 2. It is intended to allow ventilating air to enter behind the wall to help dry the structure.

Click on the Propane tank for the distance requirements from the house.

. Call Mike at 919-830-3588 .

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