Category: Uncategorized

Are Zurn Pex Fittings Breaking Down?

Post author By WNY Handyman
Post date September 20, 2012
No Comments on Are Zurn Pex Fittings Breaking Down?

A contractor who has done some work for me stopped into my office yesterday. He mentioned that a friend of his was able to buy up a number of Zurn Pex fittings because they are defective. According to his information, the fittings contain too much Zinc and are prematurely breaking down. I suppose any time a plumbing fitting breaks down would be premature. This contractor must have felt the need to let me know about this since he re-plumbed 2 baths and 2 kitchens in a double of mine and I’ll let you guess what he used. Heck, I use the same stuff.

Apparently, there is a class action lawsuit against the company, Zurn, but they continue to sell product. This could be a bunch of BS, but I will probably switch to the plastic fittings anyway. In fact, I purchased some bulk elbows for my last Pex plumbing project. Over the last six years, Zurn has reportedly sold more than 140 million of their brass PEX fittings.

Now, a class action suit is very often useless. The only people who collect are the attorneys. The system is a bit rigged. A judge imposes the settlement amount on the company and determines how much the attorneys receive. Guess what that judge used to be? You guessed it, an attorney. I don’t necessarily recommend joining the class action, but it will be in your best interest to stay informed.

Here is some information that was found on a forum (TerryLove.com)

Zurn may well get into serious financial damage on this one, as the potential for enormous property damage is so high.
Here is a link to an article in Blaze news.
http://newsblaze.com/story/200708101…/topstory.html

Here is the Larson King website.
http://www.larsonking.com/

Here is a link to layers and settlements.com
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com…-plumbing.html.

Here is an article in the Bismarck Tribune about problems there.
http://www.bismarcktribune.com/artic…cal/142172.txt

Here is an informational website.
http://www.zurnclassaction.com/

If you are in the same boat as I am on this one, I would recommend that you pay close attention to your own fittings (assuming they are visible). If they show the signs of dezincification, you should consider replacement.

Tags class action, dezincification, fittings, pex, zurn

Uncategorized

Fire Safety for Kids

A fire can happen to anyone. We all think that it isn’t possible that we will be a victim, but it could happen to you. There are many types of fires and many causes. Faulty wiring, a faulty product, a space heater left on, or… kids.

Just the other day there was a fire in a neighborhood close to my own. This fire was caused by teenagers playing with a lighter in a bedroom. Think back to when you were a teenager. You probably played with matches and lighters now and again. I know that I did. Heck, I almost burned our house down lighting tissue paper in my bedroom when I was about 8 years old. It makes sense to discuss fire safety with our kids.

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I just had a discussion with my son about the dangers of playing with matches or lighters. They will probably do so when they are older and I let him know that I understood that. We discussed it and covered some of the safety issues associated with playing with fire.

Here are a couple of fire safety resource sites:

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Tags fire, house, lancaster

Uncategorized

Construction Art?

My brother-in-law is an artistic type who happens to be a lawyer. He has a unique eye and I don’t always agree.

We were viewing some project photos and he picked a couple out as pictures for framing. I didn’t consider them anything but a picture to record the state of things prior to renovation. I often take pics of wiring and plumbing prior to tearing apart or buttoning up.

What is your opinion? Art?

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Tags art, construction

Real Estate Tools and Reviews Uncategorized

Lancaster NY Assessments Through the Roof!

Post author By WNY Handyman
Post date February 25, 2010
No Comments on Lancaster NY Assessments Through the Roof!

Lancaster, NY revaluation. It stinks!

Well, if you live in Lancaster, NY, you probably received a lovely letter yesterday regarding your property taxes and your property assessment. There were increases that appear across the board. The equalization rate is no longer as we have moved to 100% valuation. The increases are staggering in many cases.

The town of Lancaster continues to spend, and spend, and spend on projects that don’t benefit the town as a whole.

There is a pricey new addition to town hall (approximately $985,000).
There is a new police and courts facility in the works ($8,000,000 Plus).
There is the new use of a former library for an emergency management office (that’s right, Lancaster has one).
There is the proposed recreational facility that will certainly add long term costs.
etc. etc.

Let’s not forget that use of these properties suddenly pulls them off the tax rolls. And, in the case where a sale is possible, eliminates the funds from a sale (Depew Library is a prime example).

Many will be fighting the new assessment figures. In a couple of cases, I will be one of them. If you aren’t familiar with the tools available to you for searching property information here are a couple:

Lancaster Online Assessment Review System (OARS) http://www.oarsystem.com/ny/lancaster/main.asp
Erie County Real Property System http://www.erie.gov/ecrpts/webprop.asp
Erie County Internet Mapping System http://gis1.erie.gov/website/Erie_help/help.htm

I know that there is quite a bit of state and/or federal funding drying up for Towns and Villages. How about cutting costs rather than continuing to spend. If a surplus builds, cut taxes!

Politics suck.