Recent content by jacob_coulter

Where is it leaking from? Could be as simple as a schrader valve.

I'm pretty sure it's not "code" but some insurance companies mandate it. Mine did, first summer the thing gave a wrong reading and shut my unit down. I unplugged it and didnt have a problem since. A different unit had them and it never gave me any trouble.

Go big, thats my advice. A lot of space to cool down. Lots of fans also.

It's probably a $200-$300 box if you're lucky. I had a similar one I gave away, I think I paid maybe around $400 for it new.

Sort of obscure today, but I still like using Saltus wrenches

My nat gas bill for my 2 water heaters (plus kitchen stove) is like $16 a month. So any extra costs in installation for a tankless are going to take a LONG time to recoup. Usually the major selling point for why you have tankless is the extra room and efficiency. I really could care less...

I think GearWrench ratcheting wrenches are a bargain and would recommend them. I've gotten them in the past with like half off. If you can find them on sale like that, its a no brainer. I like GearWrench's whole line.

Gear Wrench is where I would start. 20+ years ago I would have said Craftsman was a great value. That's long gone.

It's a deal breaker for me if they don't have a quick release button. The slightly thinner profile just doesn't mean much, I can use a wrench in those situations. Having greasy gloves and trying to swap sockets is just too frustrating. It gets to the point I have to keep a flat head...

It's a no brainer and will also save you quite a bit of money rather than running your Central AC so much. I would just make sure you can deal with the noise and maybe buy one you can take back if it doesn't work for you. The compressor is louder than most fans. A mini split would probably be...

A lot of these plans assume the subsidies will never be phased out. When that money stops, my guess is the homeowner will be footing the difference. Are we still going to be throwing taxpayer dollars at solar installation 30 years from now? In my state, they've already rolled quite a bid of...

You shouldn't need an EPA license to purchase r-410 which is what most of them run on. It's a gray area after that as far as "handling" it, but a homeowner can easily get a hold of it

Most of the numbers I've seen makes the "payback" seem impossible. I guess the big exception would be if the government throws crazy amounts of money subsidizing it, it might make financial sense. Which is a whole different discussion. You almost have to be an enthusiast for alternative forms...

I'm not talking about the "bleeding edge" type equipment that nobody was building decades ago. Obviously that's going to have all sort of issues with the added complexity. I'm talking about just the basics like coils that leak because they were manufactured in Mexico or China using ******...

It's definitely worthwhile to use sniping type services and you can find completely free ones on the web. Unless you have some sort of business that needs a lot of features, the free ones like Gixen work great. I rarely use Ebay anymore, just an all around crappy company in my opinion, and...