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10
AD
2022 Oct 30, 8:41pm
AD
2022 Oct 30, 8:41pm
Tenpoundbass says
I saw you wrote about it starting near the microwave and wondered if it was a mouse that chewed a wire behind the wall.
Thankful you all are okay and it just affected the living room
.
yes
I saw you wrote about it starting near the microwave and wondered if it was a mouse that chewed a wire behind the wall.
Thankful you all are okay and it just affected the living room
.
11
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 30, 8:52pm
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 30, 8:52pm
Lose wires start fires. There's an open Neutral somewhere, and I don't think I cranked the lugs down on the Microwave several years back when it was installed.
Here's the Microwave cord, I think it got red hot and caught the cabinets on fire. Since I installed that, I have worked a lot with a master electrician. That obsesses over tightening lugs. I'll crank them down, thinking I gave it enough torque, but he will come behind me, and grunt a 1/4 to 3/4 turn.
Here's the Microwave cord, I think it got red hot and caught the cabinets on fire. Since I installed that, I have worked a lot with a master electrician. That obsesses over tightening lugs. I'll crank them down, thinking I gave it enough torque, but he will come behind me, and grunt a 1/4 to 3/4 turn.
12
Blue
2022 Oct 30, 9:33pm
Glad to hear you and family are ok. Sometimes bad electrical wiring leads to major events.
13
Ceffer
2022 Oct 30, 10:32pm
Ceffer
2022 Oct 30, 10:32pm
Sorry that happened to you and glad it was limited.
Are you sure it wasn't a space based DEW firing on a targeted Alexa spy appliance? Alexa ratted you out.
Are you sure it wasn't a space based DEW firing on a targeted Alexa spy appliance? Alexa ratted you out.
14
AmericanKulak
2022 Oct 30, 10:41pm
AmericanKulak
2022 Oct 30, 10:41pm
Happy that you and yours are okay.
Tenpoundbass says
They don't make 'em like they used to.
Tenpoundbass says
exposing still pristine dry, termite free Dade County Pine rafters.
They don't make 'em like they used to.
15
Hircus
2022 Oct 30, 11:04pm
Hircus
2022 Oct 30, 11:04pm
This has always been fear of mine too - wiring that shorts, but only a little bit, and so it's not enough current to trip the breaker to save you. But enough to get hot and cause fire.
I've been meaning to do some electrical upgrades to my home, and in particular I want to install lots of AFCIs and GFCIs. Probably GFCI outlets in the kitchen and bath areas, and then AFCI everywhere else. I think you can get them so you just pop an AFCI breaker switch into your breaker box and pow - that entire circuit gets AFCI protection.
Sounds like an AFCI maybe could have prevented this fire.
I've been meaning to do some electrical upgrades to my home, and in particular I want to install lots of AFCIs and GFCIs. Probably GFCI outlets in the kitchen and bath areas, and then AFCI everywhere else. I think you can get them so you just pop an AFCI breaker switch into your breaker box and pow - that entire circuit gets AFCI protection.
Sounds like an AFCI maybe could have prevented this fire.
16
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:30am
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:30am
Tenpoundbass says
I always start with a Philips head screwdriver, then switch over to a flathead to do the final tightening.
Having written that, I just learned that there is a special bit (ECX bit) that you can use for outlet screws to avoid having to use 2 screwdrivers.
Lose wires start fires. There's an open Neutral somewhere, and I don't think I cranked the lugs down on the Microwave several years back when it was installed.
I always start with a Philips head screwdriver, then switch over to a flathead to do the final tightening.
Having written that, I just learned that there is a special bit (ECX bit) that you can use for outlet screws to avoid having to use 2 screwdrivers.
17
Al_Sharpton_for_President
2022 Oct 31, 6:30am
Al_Sharpton_for_President
2022 Oct 31, 6:30am
Damn! Glad to hear that you and your family are OK, and that the house is relatively unscathed. Get rid of that info you have on Hillary.
18
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:32am
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:32am
Hircus says
I don't know. I think AFCI's are mostly a band aid for using cheap plastic boxes and romex (which also sucks). If you used armored cable and metal junction and outlet boxes, then AFCI's shouldn't be a requirement.
Sounds like an AFCI maybe could have prevented this fire.
I don't know. I think AFCI's are mostly a band aid for using cheap plastic boxes and romex (which also sucks). If you used armored cable and metal junction and outlet boxes, then AFCI's shouldn't be a requirement.
19
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:34am
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:34am
Hircus says
I almost had this happen on an iron and a hair dryer cord. The part of the cord gets thin where it's flexing the most and you can't see it inside the cord, but you can feel it getting hot. The solution was the cutting off the bad part, which does shorten the cord a little.
This has always been fear of mine too - wiring that shorts, but only a little bit, and so it's not enough current to trip the breaker to save you. But enough to get hot and cause fire.
I almost had this happen on an iron and a hair dryer cord. The part of the cord gets thin where it's flexing the most and you can't see it inside the cord, but you can feel it getting hot. The solution was the cutting off the bad part, which does shorten the cord a little.
20
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:35am
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 6:35am
Tenpoundbass says
Was the microwave on or on right before the first started?
Here's the Microwave cord, I think it got red hot and caught the cabinets on fire.
Was the microwave on or on right before the first started?
21
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 7:23am
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 7:23am
zzyzzx says
No it was off, zzyzzx says
Most electrical connections are designed to be tightened with the square tip, it doesn't slip. If you notice on those Philip screws, there is a large space in the center of the screw head. The square tip fits snuggly in that space. Hircus says
I'm kicking myself for not gouging out my walls and running new wires. I have a mantra, "There's always time to do it right" here I didn't want to cut a 1 inch route into my walls and run new wires, because I thought that it would be disruptive. Also filling in those ruts with Iron Man putty, would have taken weeks. Because you have to build it up a thin wipe at a time, let it dry then put more. I would not have not put joint compound and tape, not over plaster. But now here I am having to do way more extensive work.
Was the microwave on or on right before the first started?
No it was off, zzyzzx says
I always start with a Philips head screwdriver, then switch over to a flathead to do the final tightening.
Most electrical connections are designed to be tightened with the square tip, it doesn't slip. If you notice on those Philip screws, there is a large space in the center of the screw head. The square tip fits snuggly in that space. Hircus says
I've been meaning to do some electrical upgrades to my home, and in particular I want to install lots of AFCIs and GFCIs. Probably GFCI outlets in the kitchen and bath areas, and then AFCI everywhere else. I think you can get them so you just pop an AFCI breaker switch into your breaker box and pow - that entire circuit gets AFCI protection.
Sounds like an AFCI maybe could have prevented this fire.
I'm kicking myself for not gouging out my walls and running new wires. I have a mantra, "There's always time to do it right" here I didn't want to cut a 1 inch route into my walls and run new wires, because I thought that it would be disruptive. Also filling in those ruts with Iron Man putty, would have taken weeks. Because you have to build it up a thin wipe at a time, let it dry then put more. I would not have not put joint compound and tape, not over plaster. But now here I am having to do way more extensive work.
22
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 7:25am
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 7:25am
My Daughter set up a go fund me, if anyone is interested.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/qhfqcc-please-help-my-family-recover-from-a-house-fire
https://www.gofundme.com/f/qhfqcc-please-help-my-family-recover-from-a-house-fire
23
Hircus
2022 Oct 31, 9:36am
Hircus
2022 Oct 31, 9:36am
zzyzzx says
A long time ago an electrician told me an AFCI does black magic to analyze the current usage pattern, and can tell the difference between an arc caused by a light switch, and one caused by wires touching each other. Do they not work well in practice? Why do you think it wouldn't have helped here?
Hircus says
Sounds like an AFCI maybe could have prevented this fire.
I don't know. I think AFCI's are mostly a band aid for using cheap plastic boxes and romex (which also sucks). If you used armored cable and metal junction and outlet boxes, then AFCI's shouldn't be a requirement.
A long time ago an electrician told me an AFCI does black magic to analyze the current usage pattern, and can tell the difference between an arc caused by a light switch, and one caused by wires touching each other. Do they not work well in practice? Why do you think it wouldn't have helped here?
26
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 5:04pm
zzyzzx
2022 Oct 31, 5:04pm
Do you have information that would lead the the arrest of Hillary Clinton?
27
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 6:57pm
Tenpoundbass
2022 Oct 31, 6:57pm
NuttBoxer says
It's not, but the reality is, I'm 55 and all of my Barn Raising buddies from long ago. That I could call on for some muscle when I needed them. Are all now ten years older than me.
My neighbor a young kid, just popped by with his wife. And wished me their condolences, then said "Well let me know if there's anything I can do, or help you with."
I replied, "Yeah well you can help me pull this stove out," (cemented in, with moist mortar mud, and crystalized carbon). He was like "Well uh let me get you my hand truck" which I have one, it's the pulling it out I could used a hand with. He then told me he has a sciatic nerve damage in his back. I certainly don't knock him for that. But "Let me know if there's anything I can do for you." is most always not a serious offer to help.
It's so hard to find willing able, capable help. The two times I tried grabbing help from the Home Depot parking lot. They either end up making you redundant, because either your doing all of the work and they are just watching, or you have to watch them, and can't get anything done yourself. I can do the electric, finish work, painting and other work alone. But if I have to go buy Drywall, and material deliver it all by myself, and hang all of the drywall by myself, this will drag on for many months, that it should if I did have help.
Upon further inspection today, this is going to be more extensive than I was initially hopping. I will need to replace my duct work, remove the AC coil and thoroughly clean them.
The wife and adult daughters are worried it will take many months, like it did building my shed. They want me to enlist capable quality help, if not contracting out.
If anyone can donate to the GoFundMe my daughter set up, it will go to hiring the right help or buying the right tool, as that is not in my initial $15K to $30K(depending on quality and inflation) assessment. I was just thinking doing it myself, which used to mean, my buddies would all end up helping me if I needed some extra muscle. .Which isn't the case anymore so many decades later.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/qhfqcc-please-help-my-family-recover-from-a-house-fire
Really doesn't look that bad. Glad everyone is ok.
It's not, but the reality is, I'm 55 and all of my Barn Raising buddies from long ago. That I could call on for some muscle when I needed them. Are all now ten years older than me.
My neighbor a young kid, just popped by with his wife. And wished me their condolences, then said "Well let me know if there's anything I can do, or help you with."
I replied, "Yeah well you can help me pull this stove out," (cemented in, with moist mortar mud, and crystalized carbon). He was like "Well uh let me get you my hand truck" which I have one, it's the pulling it out I could used a hand with. He then told me he has a sciatic nerve damage in his back. I certainly don't knock him for that. But "Let me know if there's anything I can do for you." is most always not a serious offer to help.
It's so hard to find willing able, capable help. The two times I tried grabbing help from the Home Depot parking lot. They either end up making you redundant, because either your doing all of the work and they are just watching, or you have to watch them, and can't get anything done yourself. I can do the electric, finish work, painting and other work alone. But if I have to go buy Drywall, and material deliver it all by myself, and hang all of the drywall by myself, this will drag on for many months, that it should if I did have help.
Upon further inspection today, this is going to be more extensive than I was initially hopping. I will need to replace my duct work, remove the AC coil and thoroughly clean them.
The wife and adult daughters are worried it will take many months, like it did building my shed. They want me to enlist capable quality help, if not contracting out.
If anyone can donate to the GoFundMe my daughter set up, it will go to hiring the right help or buying the right tool, as that is not in my initial $15K to $30K(depending on quality and inflation) assessment. I was just thinking doing it myself, which used to mean, my buddies would all end up helping me if I needed some extra muscle. .Which isn't the case anymore so many decades later.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/qhfqcc-please-help-my-family-recover-from-a-house-fire
28
HeadSet
2022 Nov 1, 2:06pm
HeadSet
2022 Nov 1, 2:06pm
Very sorry to hear about your house fire, I am glad no one was hurt. I remember how you helped me with that SQL code on the Cab Use, so I made a donation to your gofundme.
29
stfu
2022 Nov 1, 3:24pm
Too bad home owners insurance didn't work like healthcare, you could sign up for a policy tomorrow.
As far as finishing, I suggest Pine T&G instead of Drywall, unless you know how to hang and finish DW yourself. By the time you pay somebody to install and finish the dry wall you are almost at the cost of T&G - which I think looks better anyway. Also, you can get 12' T&G into the back of a short bed pickup and with a simple mitre saw, jig saw and brad nailer have the walls finished in two days. You can flip it over and do the ceilings in bead board too.
Or you could go with cement board and simple 4x2 white tile, which may be even cheaper.
As far as finishing, I suggest Pine T&G instead of Drywall, unless you know how to hang and finish DW yourself. By the time you pay somebody to install and finish the dry wall you are almost at the cost of T&G - which I think looks better anyway. Also, you can get 12' T&G into the back of a short bed pickup and with a simple mitre saw, jig saw and brad nailer have the walls finished in two days. You can flip it over and do the ceilings in bead board too.
Or you could go with cement board and simple 4x2 white tile, which may be even cheaper.
30
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 1, 3:30pm
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 1, 3:30pm
Than you very much. I stopped at Publix today for water and coffee grounds, and passed by the Deli and was looking at their 12 inch Roast Beef sub for $7.99.
When a young black kid approached me and said "excuse me sir, I'm trying to put together a few dollars to get something to eat. " I asked him if he was hungry, and he said yes. I told him I would buy someone hungry something to eat. I got two Roast beef subs and told him to grab a half gallon ice tea too.
When a young black kid approached me and said "excuse me sir, I'm trying to put together a few dollars to get something to eat. " I asked him if he was hungry, and he said yes. I told him I would buy someone hungry something to eat. I got two Roast beef subs and told him to grab a half gallon ice tea too.
31
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 1, 6:34pm
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 1, 6:34pm
stfu says
Yes I can install drywall, I would go with firecore the Purple drywall if do. I'm leaning toward getting 7/16th's drywall, drill 3/4 inch holes every 4 inches across, install it, put a mud stucco scratch coat over that to ooze into the holes, then a 3/8ths coat of stucco over that, then a 1/8th inch coat of plaster. That's what seems to be under the stucco, very ingenious instead of having to nail all of the wood lathe under the scratch coat. The board with the holes in it was probably store bought in 1951. I wonder if they sell anything like that today? I was a Flooring expert in my previous life before getting into Computers, skimming, patching, floating and feathering was my specialties. SO I can finish a wall like nobodies business.
I would like to do all of that, because I know how fire resistant it is and how long something in the house can burn before it eats through the wall. I know the regular white paper drywall, wont last 5 minutes before wooden frame starts burning. I'll look more into the Purple Fire Core drywall and see how resistant it is.
As far as finishing, I suggest Pine T&G instead of Drywall, unless you know how to hang and finish DW yourself.
Yes I can install drywall, I would go with firecore the Purple drywall if do. I'm leaning toward getting 7/16th's drywall, drill 3/4 inch holes every 4 inches across, install it, put a mud stucco scratch coat over that to ooze into the holes, then a 3/8ths coat of stucco over that, then a 1/8th inch coat of plaster. That's what seems to be under the stucco, very ingenious instead of having to nail all of the wood lathe under the scratch coat. The board with the holes in it was probably store bought in 1951. I wonder if they sell anything like that today? I was a Flooring expert in my previous life before getting into Computers, skimming, patching, floating and feathering was my specialties. SO I can finish a wall like nobodies business.
I would like to do all of that, because I know how fire resistant it is and how long something in the house can burn before it eats through the wall. I know the regular white paper drywall, wont last 5 minutes before wooden frame starts burning. I'll look more into the Purple Fire Core drywall and see how resistant it is.
32
AmericanKulak
2022 Nov 1, 7:11pm
AmericanKulak
2022 Nov 1, 7:11pm
Tenpoundbass says
You're a good man TPB. Especially to share the Florida Man's Top Eat.
Than you very much. I stopped at Publix today for water and coffee grounds, and passed by the Deli and was looking at their 12 inch Roast Beef sub for $7.99.
When a young black kid approached me and said "excuse me sir, I'm trying to put together a few dollars to get something to eat. " I asked him if he was hungry, and he said yes. I told him I would buy someone hungry something to eat. I got two Roast beef subs and told him to grab a half gallon ice tea too.
You're a good man TPB. Especially to share the Florida Man's Top Eat.
34
WookieMan
2022 Nov 7, 4:16pm
WookieMan
2022 Nov 7, 4:16pm
Tenpoundbass says
Since it seems like you'll have a fresh start on the kitchen. Ever thought about double oven and a separate stove top? Best flipping decision we made when remodeling our kitchen. Two ovens seems like a lot, but we use both at the same time 2-3 times a month. The efficiency of cooking is amazing with the double oven. Just did breakfast for my kids sleep over. Set one oven to hold for the pancakes I just made and finished the bacon in the "hot" oven. Could have been cinnamon rolls or whatever.
Once you have it you can't go back. Not cheap, but if you're staying long term totally worth it IMHO.
Planning on a corner stove layout.
Since it seems like you'll have a fresh start on the kitchen. Ever thought about double oven and a separate stove top? Best flipping decision we made when remodeling our kitchen. Two ovens seems like a lot, but we use both at the same time 2-3 times a month. The efficiency of cooking is amazing with the double oven. Just did breakfast for my kids sleep over. Set one oven to hold for the pancakes I just made and finished the bacon in the "hot" oven. Could have been cinnamon rolls or whatever.
Once you have it you can't go back. Not cheap, but if you're staying long term totally worth it IMHO.
35
FortwayeAsFuckJoeBiden
2022 Nov 7, 6:37pm
don’t waste time in ovens. too low, got to bend over, gets hard at age.
i recommend standing one, its what we use. much easier to use and has lots more options.
Breville is a good one.
i recommend standing one, its what we use. much easier to use and has lots more options.
Breville is a good one.
36
KgK one
2022 Nov 7, 7:20pm
Sorry to hear about fire.
Get that wiring checked n replaced to avoid future damage
Get that wiring checked n replaced to avoid future damage
37
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 8, 8:03am
Tenpoundbass
2022 Nov 8, 8:03am
KgK one says
I'm replacing it all .Old cloth romex. Well not really cloth, it's some black fiberglass and asbestos woven wrap. Yuck!
Get that wiring checked n replaced to avoid future damage
I'm replacing it all .Old cloth romex. Well not really cloth, it's some black fiberglass and asbestos woven wrap. Yuck!
I got about 2 hours of sleep, and spent all day cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, scrubbing walls and mopping up the house. Had soot everywhere, had to change the water a hundred times. I'll need to clean the AC coils tomorrow, and try to get a long duster in the ducts, Scrub the walls and ceiling throughout and then give them all a coat of Kilz.
Thankfully that 1950 plaster walls held up, and acted as a Fire Wall and kept the flames from spreading into the rafters and taking over the rest of the house. The fired department when they put out the fire, they pulled the charred ceiling in the kitchen, exposing still pristine dry, termite free Dade County Pine rafters. A little more demo and pulling nails, and it will be ready for drywall in no time. Though I would really like to research the building methods used on these walls so I can a)tie it into the rest of the house, b)not have a drywall and plaster transition on my ceiling. That never holds up, and will most likely require me having to pull out more of the existing ceiling to where the walls in the hallway and other separate rooms meet, to avoid a bad tie in to the plaster.
I'm also thankful the firemen didn't go blazing in the house with the nozzle on full blast and soaking everything. They went in and gave the hotspot over the stove a few quick nozzle turns, and kept the amount of water down. It turned out to be the wire from the back of the microwave fried and caught the cabinet on fire. I'm just lucky the firemen are just blocks down from me, and got here quickly.
It could have been a lot worse, and I'm very thankful it ended up the way it did. We were talking about a Kitchen remodel, I have been letting outdated wiring linger, because I didn't want to rip ruts into the walls to run new wires, and abandon the old black wire wrapped in fiberglass that was there. The microwave was a melted heaping mess ontop of the stove, which still will come on but the electronic soft switches that controls the oven melted away.
Probably looking at $30K to get back right, and that's doing it all myself.
Luckily the house when we bought it had a 1br efficiency on one side of the house we knocked a wall down and liberated it to join the rest of the house when we bought it. To give us the extra bedroom, plus the extra den with a kitchenette area. Which we took the stove out of, but keep a fridge on that side, and use the cabinets for all of the fancy cookery that are only used on occasion.
The ambulance chaser pulled up just minutes after the fire department left. He tried to stop me from entering the house as he's getting out of his car and suiting up to go in. I asked who are you? He said, I'm the fire restoration assessment, making himself sound like he's part of the fire department. I asked so you're with the city, he said no, and I finally nailed him down, that he was just a company showing up for a job. I told him, well I'm not insured. So he dropped his pitch tactics and fear mongering about the toxic cinide gasses and particles that are in the house, and the water from the fire department is going to cause spores of mold all over the house. I said, I know I used to be the recovery Racket! He laughed then asked, mind if I just take a look inside. He couldn't get past my optimism that everything is going to be OK. I told him, worrying is like praying for the worst to happen.
Good night everyone I sleep now!