December 1986 Table of Contents

Features

By Gerald L. Wykoff. Sooner or later, every renovation contractor will run into this menacing material. Be prepared in your contracts and company policies. Read more

In Search of Simple, Low-Cost Ventilation

By Steve Loken. If you build tight houses but aren't in love with air-to-air heat exchangers, there must be a simpler solution. This Montana builder has been experimenting. Read more

The Chimney Safety/Heat-Loss Dilemma

By Charlie Page. How do you seal and insulate around a chimney flue? The codes conflict and the experts disagree on how to handle this critical detail. Read more

Tuning Up New Heating Systems

By Harris Hyman. If you think that a new, engineered heating system is going to work flawlessly from the day it's installed, you're in for a surprise—and a callback. Read more

Update on Plastic Plumbing

By Richard E. White. Before plastic plumbing makes any inroads into residential water-supply systems, the manufacturers wi ll have to come up with a better joint system. Read more

Letters

Q&A