samismom, a skippy filter is a DIY pond filter. It is best on small ponds (under 1000 gallons). A submersible pumps sends water down into the bottom of the filter, the water flows up through bio-media and flows out the top either via a waterfall or a pipe. It's very easy to make! Here's a link to skippy web site. This web site will show you how to build one. But do NOT believe the stupid statement they make about never having to clean it because fish poop turns into sand. That is the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. Sand is made of silica. The sludge in the bottom of the skippy filter is not sand....it is rotting fish poop and decaying materials. NOT a good thing to keep in your system. So build the filter with a drain as close to the bottom as possible and clean the sludge out a few times a year. Frequent cleaning is a healthy thing. Just don't rinse the bio-media too agressivly or let it dry out while you are cleaning the filter because that will damage the beneficial bacteria that is living on it. Just remember...the good bacteria lives on the bio-media. the bad bacteria is living in the sludge in the bottom of the filter. Here is a link that might be useful: skippy web site

Hi, I'd be very appreciate of any advice you could offer: 1)I started to tape up our duct work as we have a lot of leaks and found our black line (from the outside compressor) was dripping water). I figured that can't be good - what is that - there is black foam that is peeling away. The system is a carrier and about 5 years old (we have owned the house for three and had it serviced about 2 years ago). We were thinking about having it serviced anyway, for routine maintance, but any ideas? Here is a picture of the drip: 2) We have a lot of holes, soft spots, etc. in our duct work near the ac/heater/inside units - I'm assuming from the humidifier and long term usage. We had one AC company come out while on home warrenty the first year and they put tape and refuse to fix it even if we offered to pay if the warrenty company didn't. When we did our DIY kitchen remodel, we tried to get someone to look at it and help rework the kitchen ducts - one guy was great and refused the job as it was too small and he thought we could DIY just as easily but told us how to do the kitchen (which we did no problems). I'm worry of mold - is this a silly fear - can we rip it out DIY and replace it? What else can we use beyond the square metal? My husband likes flexable or round? (Or anything that requires cool new tools). Current set up with problem areas: 3) We have a Carrier humidifier that we've never used - I bought the new filter and well, after we removed the old one it was so gross I've never wanted to use it - is this the "best" unit or is there something "better" we can replace it with? How hard are they DIY? We've done a lot of plumbing (with soldering copper), electrical, the entire kitchen, windows, doors, and the list goes on). 900 square foot first floor with basement. (and we'd like to plan for a second story so have the unit big enough for that -another 900). Thank you in advanced!

I have one year old a GE profile Double Oven range converted to propane. Lately smell gas and I detected a small leak on the input flex hose to the end of range (bottom valve); [flexible gas connector from the gas shutoff valve to the range] What shall I use? I perfectly understand that I can use rather than yellow tape Gas dope as "RectorSeal", LocTite's anaerobic or Permatex formagasket #2. Which one is greatly available and where can I buy from? I don't want to spend $65 for a problem I detected myself without any technician from Sears or so. I am living in Hamden , Connecticut.

Lateral bracing design isn't determined by little pieces of wall construction; it involves the walls of the entire house. To criticize the resistance of this work you would need to know the wind speed and seismic categories of the site and see all the existing house elevations and know what bracing methods were used. But the inspector won't require you to do that. In other words, there is no reason to treat this small addition as if it were responsible for bracing the house. The old house walls actually wrap around the addition and are unchanged so there are bracing walls on 4 sides of the addition and there's a 3ft wide new structural panel at the left of the addition door. This construction should pass inspection as long as the nailing is correct (6" edges, 12" field) and all unsupported joints are blocked. If you are in a high wind area use 8d common (2.5" x .131") nails from IRC Table R602.3(3). However, if you were in a high wind area the inspector should have required this information to be on the permit drawings.