April 24, 2015 AsktheBuilder Friday eBlast
Friday Weekend Warrior Blasts are supposed to be short. Sorry, not today. There's some IMPORTANT stuff in this issue.
I've got a QUICK reminder for you below if you're just getting out your lawn mower or ANY OTHER small engine for the Spring. Don't miss it!!!!!
Each time I send out a newsletter or eBlast like this, you may be one that responds.
I love getting responses back from you, good or bad.
The following story is important because it's one that demonstrates to you that the contractors or consultants you MAY DECIDE to hire for a job may NOT be too smart or they may give you BAD ADVICE.
A few days ago a thermal-imaging contractor from a river town in Kentucky emailed me this:
"Your information about thermal imaging cameras shows just how little you know about the subject. Before running off at the mouth and encouraging folks to do things that are wrong, maybe you should do some research about the subject. Evaporation is not why you can see moisture in walls and you can't see moisture or leaking air with a camera. It only reveals thermal anomalies that must be verified by other means. A thermal camera in a novice hands can be a dangerous tool."
He was referring to my column about Phone Thermal Cameras.
So here's a fact for you.
Believe it or not, I do make mistakes. Three times in the past twenty years, I've made one in my syndicated newspaper column.
I also make them frequently in this newsletter. That's when the Doofus Alarm goes off.
When mistakes happen, the FLOODGATES open and I'm pummeled by letters, phone calls and email about my error.
And I deserve each and every one for making the mistake.
In this case, only this gentleman has reached out. The folks that make the Seek Thermal camera, I told you about two weeks ago, have not said a word about what I shared in the newsletter and my column.
Why? Because my information is factual.
I went back and forth with this contractor and asked him to explain the science about the following great photo below I took of Lady the Dog that CLEARLY proves what I said is correct.
He refused to answer my question as to why Lady's nose and paws show dark in this thermal image. Moments before the photo was taken, Lady had been outside in the wet snow so her paws were wet.
If you remember your high school physics class, you know that evaporation is a natural cooling process.
This is why our bodies perspire - to cool us off. As the sweat or moisture leaves our skin as water vapor, it takes HEAT with it.
When was the last time you touched a dog's nose or paws? What do they feel like?
Wet and ......... COOL or COLD.
So if you have a wet spot in a wall or ceiling, the water is evaporating. In rare instances, the relative humidity can be so high nothing is evaporating.
Most of the time the water is evaporating and the thermal camera will register the wet place as a cooler temperature than the adjacent areas that are not wet.
Period.
Briggs & Stratton Visit Video
CLICK HERE for a super-important tip about gasoline that's sat all winter in a can in your garage.
Look for the paragraph partway down that's in BOLD TYPE.
DO NOT put that old gasoline in your small engine! I tell you why and I tell you WHERE to put it in the link above. Go back up and click it.
I put together some footage that was shot of me at Briggs & Stratton last week.
It's an odd mashup video and some of it was taken while a professional video crew was taping me using and testing some of the Briggs products.
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Dave for taping the intro and to Kailey Bender for taping all the rest of the footage you'll see.
My oh my did I get to see some innovation. Wait until you see how fast the one monster commercial mower goes. I thought I was in a NASCAR car!
New LISTINGS on eBay
If you're new to the newsletter, I'm in a MASSIVE Purge mode. I moved my office and it's time to sell a ton of stuff I've accumulated.
My loss is your gain.
You're going to see new eBay listings just about each issue for a while. I'm SO SICK of moving stuff around my garage, garage attic, etc.
There are some amazing deals to be had.
FujiFilm FinePix S5000 Digital Camera
Evolve Water-Saving Shower Head
Collectable Wooden Cowboy Hat - VERY RARE for Woodworkers
Autographed NFL Football - FUNNY Description!
Casio Compact Pocket Digital Camera
That's enough for today.
OH!!!! HUGE Gutter Guard SALE and Stain Solver SALE on Sunday.
OPEN your Sunday eBlast from me!!!!
Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
Do It Right, Not Over!