Your questions about air duct cleaning machines

Do I owe this contractor?

Long story but, really need help.
Our house was hit by lightning on 6/12. The attic caught fire but, that was it. The roof had to be replaced along with most of the trusses, duct work and ceiling of the up stairs. That day the insurance company sent out a company to put an ozone machine in to clean the air. A couple days later the insurance company sent this same company out to remove all of our stuff from the house. They took everything and cleaned it. With much influence from the insurance adjuster we hired this company to repair our house as well. We did tell the adjuster that we would be doing the painting and the flooring and she paid on the estimate from the company. Two and a half months later they started working on the house. They removed the roof that was keeping the water out. Replacing my roof took approximately 2 and a half months. The roof was not acceptable so they have hired a professional to come fix it. This is happening today, 4 months since they had the reach fork delivered. I have not paid this company a penny. I have refused to so far because of the length of time that it has taken them and the fact that most of they stuff they did was not done correctly. The roof, the landscaping, the HVAC system and replacing a gate that they ran into is all that is left to do. But, now when receiving the bill for everything minus the painting, carpeting and cleaning(at which we had to do because they kept delaying)they are charging me for a general contractor fee for the paint and carpet which they did not touch. Should I have to pay them for stuff they didn’t handle??? Any advice at this point would be greatly appreciated.

Mold is growing on my carpet, white powdery with large fungi that are as big as my hand. HELP!?

I found large growth of fungus in the back of my closet. I know that a leak on my porch is the problem. The builder is addressing that issue ( again ) today. I found the growth last night and have not tried to start cleaning it. I have the builder VP coming out to look at it himself. I’ve asked them to have a mold specialist come out too. My question now is…What about all our clothes and shoes. Should they be responsible for cleaning them? and how should I got about the cleaning job, I’d hate to spread more around. I have a heat duct in the closet, so I’d guess that mold has gotten into the air system in the house. We are not sick. (thankful) But I don’t want to start carrying all these clothes around washing them by my machine and making the problem worse. Should we throw out the carpet? What about the leather shoes thats white dust was on? Builder said that it would be a good idea to stay out of the closet, What would one of you do next? Thanks

the new GTR specs for the us?

US SPEC INFORMATION: The 2009 Nissan GT-R will go on sale in the United States in June of 2008 with a base price of $69,850. The premium model will sell for $71,900, and will include a Bose sound system, side airbags, and heated seats. The Bose system consists of 11 speakers mounted in rigid aluminum diecast panels. The car’s pre-order program, available through select US dealers, will begin in January.

2009 Nissan GT-R: Awesome From Afar

The 2009 Nissan GT-R has broken cover. Or rather, several well-known automotive media outlets have blown its cover! When the December 2007 cover of Motor Trend got leaked (or swiped) from the printer, press embargoes were tossed aside, along with it the thin veil of secrecy the GT-R was still hiding. Namely its off-the-chart performance numbers: 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, 11.7-second quarter mile, and top speed of 193 mph. Better still, the supercar is expected to be in the amazingly affordable $70-80K range.

Unveiled at Last

The black covers that hid the GT-R’s nose are gone and reveal a chiseled carbon fiber nose piece, flanked on both sides by small canards molded into the bumper itself. Look closely, and you can see how the deep front splitter directs air to the radiator and around the car. The sleek shape of the new R35 is a commendably slick 0.27 Cd (co-efficient of drag). Twin NACA ducts in the hood channel air directly to the small IHI turbos located underneath. They’re not the only low-drag aero devices used on the car, either. The front fenders have functional air ducts that sweep back from the sides of the car, drawing heat away from the engine compartment. One detail not readily apparent is the rear carbon-fiber splitter that uses airflow under the chassis to develop downforce. While standard practice for LeMans prototypes, these types of details are reserved for only a few road-going machines. Nissan engineers knew the enormous performance envelope for this car would require every (aero) trick in the book! Rear styling of the R35 features the iconic twin round taillights of the GT-R series. All in all, Nissan stylists have created a modern, functional shape that pays appropriate homage to the legendary line.

V-6 Power First for GT-R

Looking under the hood of the new PM (Prime Midship) chassis reveals the front-mounted engine is mounted far back for better weight distribution. But there’s no blown straight six for this thoroughly modern supercar. The new twin turbocharged 3.8 liter V-6 is named the VR38 and puts out 473 hp at 6,400 rpm and 433 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm in its initial state of tune. No doubt Nissan will have more on tap for the future, but all appearances suggest that this is the engine to be federalized for North American use. Expect the compact IHI turbos to have little to none of the dreaded turbo lag of years past. An extremely clean turbo installation utilizes separate plenums and tuned intake runners for each bank of the engine. Expect to hear more details on this amazing powerplant in the near future.

Meanwhile, a carbon fiber prop shaft transfers power to the rear- mounted transaxle. Utilizing a six-speed, direct-drive semi-automatic gearbox, Nissan’s latest AWD creation can vary power delivery from 50/50 (front/rear) to 2/98 for heavy acceleration. By utilizing the paddle shifters, GT-R pilots may sample full-throttle, no lift upshifts, and computer-guided downshifts with full rev matching. The GT-R’s suspension is more familiar, with twin wishbones up front and a five-link rear. The dampers are electronically controlled, with three separate programs (race, sport and comfort) available at the touch of a button. More extreme are the 20” alloy wheels with massive six-piston Brembo (front) and four-piston (rear) calipers with equally enormous 15.2” rotors. You’ll need that kind of stopping power, as the latest R35 is expected to tip the scales at a touch over 3,792 pounds.

Silken Hammer

Inside the cockpit, it’s luxury blended with pure performance. Racing-style leather seats with large side bolsters will hold you (and your passengers) in place, although I’m not sure anyone really wants to be tossed around in the smallish 2+2 seats in back! A beautifully sculpted instrument panel features a center-mounted tach (with a 7K redline) and a smaller speedo on the left. The instruments move up and down with the steering wheel, so each driver can find the perfect position. Nissan continues their superb job in blending traditional control surfaces with cutting edge technology. A good example is the center stack with traditional HVAC controls in the center and a large video screen just above this. Toggling through this display provides such diverse information as turbo boost, g-loadings, engine performance parameters and which of the really hot girls is lusting for a ride in your new GT-R. OK, I made that last one up. Step into the new R35 and you’ll find everybody wants a ride!

Is anyone worried about the long-term environmental effects of compact fluorescent bulbs?

Considering that the EPA recommends these steps if you ever break a bulb, I wonder if we might end up causing more environmental problems than we are solving by switching to these bulbs: from http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/pr…

How should I clean up a broken fluorescent bulb?
Because CFLs contain a small amount of mercury, EPA recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
1. Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room
Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

2. Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces
Carefully scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass pieces and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

3. Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug:
Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

4. Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding, etc.:
If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

5. Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

6. Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming
The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

The Government has said no incandescent bulb by 2012 but what about CFLs?

The US Government has passed a law banning the sell of incandescent bulbs in 2012. Their recommended alternative is the Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFLs. However the CFLs contain small amounts of mercury but not enough to be concerned about the Government told us. If you break one of these CFLs in your home here are the recommended clean up procedures:
Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.
Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.
Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.
Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Anyone else going to be stockng up on incandescent bulbs prior to the ban?