Yeah, definitely an old discussion. I think it pretty much got torn to shreds by the rather eloquent opposition. But the real question is: how much markup is acceptable, and when should one attempt to bargain with one's mechanic for a slightly lower price when the parts are known to be more than 100% marked up? Of course, the immediate answer to the bargaining question (as discussed above) is to simply find another mechanic who will charge a total amount which is acceptable. However, what if I have come to appreciate a particular mechanic / business to a point where I want to do business with said mech/business as opposed to supporting their competitors? In other words - let's say I am quoted $300 for parts plus $145 for labor (about 1.5 hrs) for a repair. I do the research, and find that a typical supplier will charge $100 for the parts. If I pay the quoted price, the business gets $445 for the ---- In defense of the repair industry: I am a skilled PC (computer) technician, and have worked as such before - both employed and freelance. I, too, had to deal with the issue of mark-up. Doing freelance work, I felt bad about marking-up goods that I did nothing but diagnose the need for and order. As such, I did some research on what is fair in terms of mark-up. The conclusion I reached in the end was that 100% mark-up is typical and thus, fair. Ergo, I would judge that markup in excess of 110% is "gouging" unless some manner of extra effort was required to obtain the parts. However, for a business to be efficient, the employees don't have time to shop around. Therefore, they will most likely use their standard parts dealer, at whatever cost the dealer quotes (they don't care - the customer pays for it). So the only way to really know if mark-up is exceeding a fair amount is to contact the dealer yourself (perhaps under the guise of an employee of the shop you're a patron of ;) ). So, don't expect that your shop always gets parts at the lowest price themselves - they can get gouged as well. --- And to Dr. Farrell, I enjoyed your humorous anecdote about offering independent business to the mechanics. I know _I_ would much rather give my money directly to these people than to give the shop say, $65 an hour just to have the shop pay the mech $8 an hour - I've been on both sides of this situation before. On the other hand, don't get all high-and-mighty because you can put "Dr." in front of your name - even sodas can do that. Agreeably, I doubt pharmacists really work all that hard. However,lawyers DO do a lot of hard work, and are doctors as well - most of them just don't get such big heads about it that they have to _title_ themselves. Furthermore, intelligence isn't measured my how much schooling one has managed to progress through - the mere cost of schooling, for one, has seen to that. That being said, there are some of us who work in certain lower-paying fields because we are, for the time being, happier here. There is a big difference between enjoying one's work and simply enjoying one's paycheck. Which is one reason which we will always have plumbers, mechanics, et al. - I, for one, fully support doing one's own work - when such action is an option, of course - but we can't each do ALL the work which could be done by others. Sure, I can learn how to fix parts in my own vehicle, or I can pay somebody else to do it for me; but paying for it doesn't make me less intelligent. In fact, this do-it-yourself fallacy of logic quickly spirals out of control. Did you mine, refine, form, etc. your own glass, metals, and plastics to use as raw materials for your truck? Did you create each part yourself from these materials, then assemble them into a functioning vehicle, etc., etc.? In our all-too-short lives, we have to pick and choose our battles. For you, education and minor vehicle part replacement seem to be central to your enjoyment of life; but we all find value in different things, sirrah. By the way, what does a physician need a utility truck for? I can only assume it's for "squander[ing] away [your] earnings" as mentioned earlier in the case of the half-hearted mechanic. The enlightened find drinking more rewarding than trying to out-do their neighbors in a worldly possessions contest. (Hey, I can make uneducated assumptions and generalize too, can't I?) Knowledge does not grant education Education does not grant intelligence Intelligence does not grant wisdom

Are you referring to a topload SmartLoad or AeroSmart dryer? Which specific model number? There is a diagnostic test to confirm the sensor bars are responding. Yes, both bars must be exposed through the grill. Tumbling clothes must touch the bars to register moisture. There's a separate (white) wire connected to each bar behind the grill. Damp clothes touching the bars completes a low-voltage electric across them, though the two wires to the control board to register moisture. No moisture registration = dry clothes, machine shuts off. There also should be a green ground wire clipped to the bottom edge of the machine's FRONT panel,

The required clearance to combustible materials for this gas fireplace/heater is 1/2" at the rear and sides and 0" at the floor. There is a noncombustible zone about a foot high above the metal frame of the glass and a few inches to the sides. The manufacturer's installation instructions say: "If installing Tiles or Faux Rock, first install a ýâ thick (minimum) Cement Board (Hardibacker or Durock Brand) over the face of the fireplace and framing members. Follow by applying Thinset mortar (no polymer additives) using üâ square notched trowel on the cement board surface. Finally, install tile to reach a finish material depth of 1 inch." "If installing Marble or Granite slabs as fascia materials, specify that the inner edges that will be adjacent to the Glass Door are polished ... Attach Marble or Granite slabs to face of unit and to drywall surface using adhesive that does not offgas when hot." I'm going to guess that the problem is some kind of plastic in the backing or setting materials behind the cladding that off-gases or softens from the heat of the fireplace. If this model has heating blowers in it, that might also contribute to the problem. Typical building codes requires that factory-build gas fireplaces be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions and so should your contract. This post was edited by Renovator8 on Sun, Jan 25, 15 at 9:33

It may be tied to a fresh air intake vent. They did this introduce fresh air into tightly built homes. Trying to undo this, may wind up making you sick. See "sick building syndrome" SBS. I service the Katy, Texas area.