Q: What kind of society do we live in where garden-hose fittings are referred to as "male" and "female"? How degrading is that? What if my children see this quasi-smut in the hardware store?
A: It's not just hose fittings, my friend — male and female parts are prevalent in automotive, carpentry, plumbing, electrical, fastener and any number of industries that require mating parts (sorry) in a specific sequence. If you can think of a more politically correct and equally descriptive term, I'm all ears.
Q: My wife and I are having a discussion over whether it is acceptable to store seasoned firewood under a protected area beneath a cantilever. Is this a fire risk? I think this would be adding to the fire risk, but my wife counters by saying that firewood has been stored outside millions of homes for years without increasing the prevalence of fires.
A: Knowing the dearth of residences in our soggy area affected by wildfires, the following is still true:
1. Many of us live in homes sided with cedar.
2. Beauty bark is routinely scattered against buildings.
3. Overhanging branches are routine.
Despite these "risk factors," the chance of your house burning as a result of stored firewood seems extremely remote. But check to make sure your homeowner's policy does not prohibit this practice.
Having firewood close is more likely to cause pest damage than to dramatically increase the fire risk. Having firewood, especially rotten or wet firewood, close to the home virtually gives the carpenter ants, termites, etc., an engraved invitation to come inside for a little foray.
Q: Loved the toilet feature last week. Any plans to have a "Toilets on Parade," similar to "Pigs on Parade"?
A: No, nothing like that, but soon you may see an "Out-Of-Work-Columnists-On-Parade."
It isn't easy building green
We need to be honest here. "Green" buildings have historically been embraced pretty much only by the Birkenstock-and-granola crowd. And most of the materials associated were considered ugly and/or expensive by the public.
Builders mostly have shied away from building homes with "green" attributes, unless mandated by the government (increased insulation values being exhibit A). Why? Because for the same price as the extra insulation and the sustainable carpet, the builder down the street offers a granite countertop — a tangible and immediate improvement. It's all about the money.
And it's still all about the money, but this time it may actually catch on. The green-building movement locally and nationally has been riding a very large wave of support. But this time, unlike the '70s, it's not about wacky technologies, high maintenance or ugly building designs.
Puget Sound Energy's Built Green Idea Home in Issaquah Highlands is being heavily promoted, and rightly so.
If you get a chance to see it, do. It is not all hype. It's open and free, now through Sunday, April 11, weekends only, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The address is 1789 24th Ave N.E., Issaquah (www.issaquahhighlands.com or 425-427-8736).
Bennett Homes will be incorporating many of the features of this home into its future production models as standard and optional equipment.
And there are many things incorporated into this home. Yes, it did cost more. The most mainstream ideas can be incorporated for even less, and will pay huge future dividends to the occupants.
Upon taking the media tour, I was impressed. The overriding feeling I had was that the marketing people didn't quite understand what a coup they have stumbled upon: Greatly decreased utility costs, endless showers, more storage space, no boxed-down ceilings, longer-lasting systems and reduced carpet-cleaning expenses (no unbalanced and leaky heat ducts) are tangible things people are interested in. These need to be heavily and seriously marketed.
Darrell Hay answers readers' questions. Call 206-464-8514 to record your question |
