I would pull the plugs and read them. spray some carb. cleaner down the spark plug holes and motor the engine over (motoring the engine would be with the spark plugs removed turn the key and let the motor free spin blowing out the carb. cleaner and anything else) If the plug were good I would clean and regap them before I installed them. If one was black sotie and you have no ignition problems as suggested above I would do compression check. If you have at least 100 psi in each cylinder I would suspect dirty carb. and fuel system. If the compression was low in one or both cylinders say 60 psi or lower then you would have to get pass that problem before continueing of course.? I would then do a fuel system clean up if the compression is A OK!. (probably needs it anyway and it don't cost you nothing but time). Fuel system clean of consists of replacing the fuel filter, inspecting and blowing out the fuel hoses (all of them including all the way to the tank), remove the gas tank clean it out with bottle brush type brush by scrubbing the bottom and sides or using a pressure washer and rinse with fresh gas, last would be removing the carb., disassemble and cleaning of all the small passages. When you inspect the fuel lines any weather cracks or dry rot I would replace them. I replace them anyway while I have it torn apart cause you really can tell the condition internally of old 10 year old fuel hoses? I have found if I do my part my vanguard will almost out live me! time will tell, I'm 58 and the vanguard is 21!?!

As for ventilation, there is none getting in from the sides or bottom. The lid, which is cracked along the sides so it is impossible to seal also has five 3/4 inch holes drilled in it as well as a 2x3 inch hole from the cracks. So, effectively no lid at all. Is this enough? As for carbon, I have damp paper towels that were used to either dry my hands or clean up coffee spills. Any paper towels that were used with some type of cleaner are discarded. Every pot's worth of of coffee grounds includes a paper coffee filter. I also tore up several bills and an entire checkbook to throw in there. Since there is no such thing as too much bedding, I'll tear up more paper tonight and toss it in and see if I have any "clean" cardboard to toss in. Also keep in mind that I did not order a 1000 worms over the Internet. I purchased a Styrofoam bowl, the size of a small KFC gravy, from a local bait shop for $4.00. It couldn't have contained more than 30 worms at best. The goal is to see if I can keep them alive and maybe grow them into a decent sized community before getting a "real" setup. Like I said, my primary goal is to not kill them. Then again, I guess that's the primary goal in raising anything. SteamyB, Heather's site is down. A Google search turned up that she is in Dallas. A bit far to drive so I'll try to see if I can locate an email address or something. And I lied. I have been going through older posts, but I have not been able to find anyone who has successfully raised or slaughtered worms in the Texas heat. I've found many posts from people who have compost piles full of worms but nothing that would help me understand why mine is not one of them. Yes, I run a hot pile from time to time, but for the most part, it's relatively cool. My finished pile hasn't cooked in six months. It has grubs and a slew of other bugs, I've even found a couple of snakes, but no worms at all. I can only guess that the only worms in my area are earthworms that do better in red clay soil than in a nice, soft compost pile. There are tons in my garden where I've tilled in compost and even more where buried horse manure, but none in the actual compost pile that is, well, made of compost with horse manure worked into it. Thanx again everyone for reading and replying.

I am glad I stumbled across this thread! (thanks jnjmom for the orig. post!) I think many posters are right. Some posters just listed their personal preferences/taste as classic and their peeves and trendy and dated, but I still thought that overall, the cross sampling of opinion helped me get some perspective. I assumed that many posters are framing the conversation with respect to standard single family houses, while in NC at least, townhomes are cropping up like weeds. (many of which I'm convinced were thrown up in a hurry during the housing boom and were cheaply and 'trendily' made.) What are there time-stamped building trends in townhouses that you would avoid? (I assume many that apply to houses also apply to townhomes.) One potential 'time stamp' that jumped out at me when looking through the listings were arched entry ways and arched cutouts  all in townhouses built in the early 2000s. In a townhouse especially, they strike me as 'time stamped'. I used to live in an old 1950s home with a gorgeous arched front door, but had no other arches entryways, and I would never call it trendy. However, I've been avoiding those "obviously arched" entryways and cutouts in my search because regardless what I think of them personally, I think a square entry to another room or hall is- well, standard, and I have to consider eventual resell. Some of the comments mentioned the unnecessary interior molding. I think it is so true! I've seen it in so many 'luxury apartments' but I didn't think of it, so thanks. Some townhouses do have two story and vaulted rooms, and while I personally donÂt mind them, I do consider the future energy costs associated with heating and cooling them down the road when I want to sell. If you have any other townhouse Âtime stamps (with regard to design not personal décor) please post! Thanks

If the kitchen walls are not load-bearing, you could easily remove them and redesign the kitchen to include a pantry and banquette seating by slightly expanding the kitchen in one or both directions. The kitchen design needs help anyway. A redesign would also give you a open, flow-through space in one or both directions. If the walls are load bearing, you could substitute appropriately sized new beams and re-design/expand the kitchen. 4,000 SF +/- is a lot of house to heat and cool, considering that the air leakage of windows and walls is probably high and the insulation remaining in walls and roof is probably low. Might want to consider some rehab to make the house more energy efficient. That would include checking the age and condition of all heating and cooling equipment and the water heater. Good luck with your project.