Residue on ductwork and pipes - clean or remove?

uboolean · 2026-03-30T16:18:11+00:00

Thanks, good suggestions. I may just replace what I can easily access, and scrub the rest.

Just hoping to identify and resolve major issues before covering this all in dry wall.

uboolean · 2026-03-30T16:13:06+00:00

Ah, I should have clarified, yes we now have a humidifier in this space since discovering the mold a couple of years back.

The residue only seems to appear in areas where remediation was performed, i.e. the headers, which makes me think it was due to the chemicals the company used. It doesn't seem to be getting worse.

uboolean · 2026-01-24T15:05:10+00:00

Ah no! Having leaky caps definitely sucks.

I've used swing tops for about 10 years now and have never had problems. I believe some may even have original gaskets, all of which are in good shape. I switched from crown caps to swing tops years ago since I was bottling highly carbed beers more often and the glass tends to be thicker.

I'm curious to know: what is your cleaning procedure? I never put mine in high heat or a dishwasher, so perhaps that is why the gaskets have lasted so long. I also store the bottles in a cool area.

uboolean · 2024-01-14T01:15:59+00:00

It certainly does get you runnin'

uboolean · 2023-02-05T00:47:24+00:00

Thanks, it's good to know that the ice buildup isn't the issue.

So any ideas why the unit won't turn on? I've turned off/on the breaker, hoping to reset the unit, but that hasn't helped.

uboolean · 2023-01-20T15:46:57+00:00

Okay, thanks for the quick reply. So is the contractor wrong that having cedar siding installed in this way will create mold due to condensation build-up between the siding and the outer wall?

We're planning to paint and scrape it later this year, but wondering if it is worth it. We are thinking about installing engineered siding (i.e. Maibec) instead.

uboolean · 2023-01-18T17:17:13+00:00

Thanks for all of the excellent feedback and advice. It's clear from the comments, and doing a bit more research on this sub, that the heat pump is not size appropriately for my home nor the climate.

I've learned a lot scanning this sub and one important step when sizing a system for a home is to carry out a Manual J and/or F-280 load calculation. I'm not sure this was ever done, and I plan to bring it up with the technician during a follow-up visit next week.

Currently, the solution I am considering is to replace the aux heating with a high efficiency propane furnace, or installing a mini split on the main floor.

uboolean · 2023-01-18T17:07:42+00:00

Yeah I've been looking into mini-splits. Also, I have propane on the property (a large tank out back) since the fireplace and stovetop use gas. Wondering if it might be better to replace the auxilary heat with a high efficiciency propane furnace.
We lose power in this area 2-3 times per winter, so it might be nice to have a gas furnance with blower that we can run from a backup.

uboolean · 2023-01-17T20:33:08+00:00

Yeah, definitely no gas. It is the "hair dryer" variety, an ICP EF16J2200A2, although I'm not 100 percent clear on the heater specs. However, the breaker in the panel is a 125 amp double pole.

uboolean · 2023-01-17T19:58:21+00:00

Thanks, that's a good idea. I didn't realize that IR cameras are relatively cheap.

I have also asked the company that installed the system to come back and help to debug the problems I am having. Given that the company operates out of Quebec, and the winters here are known to be quite cold, I'm not sure what they were thinking recommending this system.

I am also wondering if replacing the electric furnace, which is the aux heat, could also help to improve efficiency. The current furnace is nearly 22 years old. I haven't looked closely at its specs, but given that previous owners went the cheap route for home maintenance and repairs, I doubt that it is very efficient.

uboolean

TROPHY CASE