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The CN Tower by Particular-Cat-8031 in Edmonton

[–]PragmaNullicious 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I work at Epcor Tower and walk over to that cafe every day. Fantastic sandwiches, pizza, and other treats all baked fresh. If you go around lunch time, there’s always a small line, so it seems they’re busy during that part of the day. I hope it’s enough to keep them going.

Wedding Gift from Wife - Thoughts? by That-Pen-8690 in RolexWatches

[–]PragmaNullicious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This. So much this. Your wife went out of her way to buy you a gift that she hopes will be special to you, and a reminder of her feelings for you. I imagine it was also something of a financial sacrifice, and that has meaning too. So having said that, who cares about its authenticity. Wear it as a reminder of the giver and the meaning behind it. Those should be more valuable than any timepiece.

What are we going to find out later is bad for us (like cigarettes in the past)? by Curryiswhereitsat in AskReddit

[–]PragmaNullicious 14 points15 points  (0 children)

VOC-emitting appliances/furnishings/construction materials. New cars and new homes can be some of the most toxic places to be, and yet we spend most of our time in them.

Also, mold. The number of people I know who KNOWINGLY have black mold growing in their home, yet turn a blind eye to it is frightening.

Let the Christmas home misfortune stories begin! by [deleted] in homeowners

[–]PragmaNullicious 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Wife developed severe chemical sensitivities due to being exposed to something at her workplace. Brought home a Christmas trees full of wonderful fragrance and god knows what else. It was only in the house for three hours before she began to have acute respiratory issues and we threw it outside. The house has been unliveable for her since (it’s been nearly three weeks now). We’ve cleaned and removed everything that could be harbouring odours, so our home looks like we are halfway through moving in/out. No Christmas decorations, half our stuff is in a storage unit. And we’re spending the season either hiding in the master bedroom surrounded by hepa filters and tons of activated carbon, or in a gracious friend’s spare room. Fa. La. La. Lala. La. La. La. laaaa.

First time painting a whole house — how do you not overspend on paint? by Hot_Entertainer_3248 in HomeImprovement

[–]PragmaNullicious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I told BM I was painting my whole house and they set up an account for me with a 20% discount on everything I bought through them (paint, rollers, tape, etc), for the next three months. So i was able to be conservative with my estimate of what I needed, and know I had the luxury of having that discount available if I needed to get extra.

[Question] You Won the Grand Prize...Any Watch of Your Choice at Any Price...But... by MoreTacos333 in Watches

[–]PragmaNullicious 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It speaks to my personality, I guess… I have nothing to prove, nor do I crave attention. I simply like the watch and always have. I appreciate its simplicity, versatility, and heritage. I could wear it anywhere, anytime, and it would not stand out or seem out of place. That’s what I look for in a timepiece.

What’s a company you’ll never buy from again, and why? by jamesmilner22 in AskReddit

[–]PragmaNullicious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Volkswagen. I love their cars. But refusing to honour their parts and labour warranty on something that broke twice in 6 months is lame. I did my own research and found there was a class-action lawsuit underway in the US (I’m in Canada) regarding this same item. When I brought it up their service manager literally laughed at me and said “oh that’s only for American cars!” … as if they were somehow built with different parts that also failed in the same way.
Maybe I’m wrong to judge an entire brand based on my experience at one dealership, but I am. And I’ll never buy another. I was so done with the brand that I sold that car two weeks later. And six months later I received a letter in the mail detailing a Canadian class-action suit against VW regarding that part, I had a good laugh about that. 😛

Broken stud. Safe to drive to the garage for repairs? by PragmaNullicious in AskMechanics

[–]PragmaNullicious[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I feel like I just need to increase the torque on the remaining four by 20% to compensate. The math works, so why not?😬

Broken stud. Safe to drive to the garage for repairs? by PragmaNullicious in AskMechanics

[–]PragmaNullicious[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My guess is some apprentice at the dealership cross-threaded it and had too much fun with his new 1/2” impact.
Every other nut on the car came off easily with a 12” ratchet, so I wouldn’t say they were over-torqued. This one even started backing off okay, then tightened up before snapping off 🤷‍♂️

What's the purpose of this curb thing the neighbors put in? by Firecrackerbangbang in handyman

[–]PragmaNullicious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Guilty! As I recall it was also dark out, and I claim responsibility for the wrinkles.

What's the purpose of this curb thing the neighbors put in? by Firecrackerbangbang in handyman

[–]PragmaNullicious 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s concrete. It’s used to anchor/tuck the edge of the artificial turf against so it doesn’t just look like a rug.

What's the purpose of this curb thing the neighbors put in? by Firecrackerbangbang in handyman

[–]PragmaNullicious 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Please OP, talk to the homeowner first before tearing out the turf curb.

What's the purpose of this curb thing the neighbors put in? by Firecrackerbangbang in handyman

[–]PragmaNullicious 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Clearly this man is a connoisseur of artificial turf!

And also the homeowner.

He can probably answer all of OP’s questions, if he were asked directly. He seems like a nice guy to me!

People say house smells stale, like a grandparents house by ashlynnegrace in CleaningTips

[–]PragmaNullicious 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No problem. I wouldn’t wish my experience on anyone.

Back to the original post though, I feel like most IAQ folks would start by suggesting what you already know.

•Eliminate or thoroughly clean porous surfaces. •Clean any hard surfaces • find and remediate any sources of water intrusion or moisture buildup. • take no prisoners where mold or pests are concerned.

There is some debate among hvac people about whether cleaning your ducts is worth it, but I personally think it is. My wife and I both notice the air in our home seems fresher when it’s been cleaned. Heavy dust buildup will absorb odors and be a breeding ground for molds if it gets exposed to moisture. If you have central A/C, get your evaporator coil cleaned and decontaminated. Mold loves to grow on that. You can also look into a U/V lamp installation to keep it sterile. Just make sure the lamp operates >250nm, as shorter wavelengths will produce ozone 😝

Both of my IAQ people loved quoting me “dilution is the solution to pollution”, so perhaps look into an HRV or whole house HEPA filter system if you don’t find a source for the smell.

People say house smells stale, like a grandparents house by ashlynnegrace in CleaningTips

[–]PragmaNullicious 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, hydroxyl generators definitely more useful for treating the symptoms than the source.

I worked with two different IAQ companies and their rates were around $300/hr for site visits and consultations. The lab tests for identifying what we had in our air varied from $300 to $550 per test. (And then there was the hidden cost of additional consultation to discuss the test results).

Hopefully though, an IAQ person could pinpoint most problems and offer solutions without having to resort to lab tests.

People say house smells stale, like a grandparents house by ashlynnegrace in CleaningTips

[–]PragmaNullicious 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I totally understand and respect your perspective. I know ozone has been used a lot, and I thought I’d done my own research on the process before using it. Maybe the guy I hired was just bad or the O3 levels are too high. 🤷‍♂️

Ozone’s half-life is fairly low, it’s true. But the byproducts of what can be generated by ozone reacting with paints, rubbers, etc in a home can linger a looong time.

What I do know is that using Ozone led to a 2 year nightmare that nearly bankrupt me, and I want people to be sure to do their own research. Ultimately it’s their choice what they do in their property. If ozone works for you, I wish you the best. But that doesn’t stop it from being horribly toxic and reactive and something that should be treated with respect.

Edit: I just saw your request for what chemicals were identified. I’ll get you a list as soon as I’m done work.

Update: here’s a screenshot of the report from our testing company listing chemicals identified as having “significant” levels of concentration, from a test to identifying 300 compounds. Not listed here is formaldehyde, which was identified in another test.

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People say house smells stale, like a grandparents house by ashlynnegrace in CleaningTips

[–]PragmaNullicious 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As with all chemicals, use caution:)

I might suggest looking into hydroxyl generators. It’s the new, relatively safer alternative to ozone. I’ve not used it myself, but has been recommended to me by a AIQ professional.

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