0105 - Storm-Ready Doors, Fiberglass Wallboard, and Power Backup October 10-16, 2005 | April 10-16 Buy Show Video
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
WELCOME TO OUR STORM-READY HOUSE
HERE IN PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA.
THE OUTSIDE IS
COMING TOGETHER NICELY.
WE'RE GONNA
GIVE YOU A LOOK
AT SOME OF THE ROUGH ELECTRICAL
AND PLUMBING WORK
THAT'S ALREADY
BEEN DONE INSIDE.
ALSO, FRONT DOOR INSTALLATION
AND OTHER TRIM ITEMS.
WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT A NEW TYPE
OF WALLBOARD THAT'S MOLD
AND MILDEW RESISTANT.
AND PUTTING IN
A GENERATOR TODAY.
STICK AROUND.
CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSE
IS REALLY ALMOST COMPLETED,
WITH DRYWALL UP,
PAINT FINISH IS ON.
IN FACT, THE FRONT DOOR IS IN.
I CAN'T OPEN IT 'CAUSE IT SWINGS
IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT OPENS OUT.
BUT ANYWAY, JESSE GONZALES,
OUR CONTRACTOR,
WAS HERE THE OTHER DAY
TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT IT.
OK, SO, JESSE,
NOW WE'RE LOOKING
AT THE FRONT DOOR,
AND IT'S OVERSIZED,
RIGHT?
CORRECT. THIS IS
A 3 FOOT BY 8 FOOT
ENTRY DOOR
WITH A 12-INCH
SIDELIGHT.
WITH A 12-INCH
SIDELIGHT.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT THE SIDELIGHT
A MINUTE.
BECAUSE ALL THE WINDOWS
AND ALL THE GLASS IN THIS HOUSE
IS IMPACT RESISTANT.
CORRECT.
THIS IS ALSO?
THIS IS ALSO
AN IMPACT SIDELIGHT.
OK. THAT MEANS
IT'S HEAVY.
AND AN 8-FOOT DOOR.
IS IT A METAL DOOR?
A WOOD DOOR?
WHAT IS IT?
NO, THIS IS
A FIBERGLASS DOOR.
OK, SO THE FIRST THING
HE'S DONE IS TO PUT DOWN
A THICK BEAD
OF BUTAL CAULKING.
CORRECT.
AND...YOU GUYS
ALWAYS POUR YOUR SLABS
SO THAT YOU HAVE THIS KIND
OF A LIP THERE.
YES, WE DO.
AND WE ALSO USE
AN OVERSIZE SILL.
WE USE AN INCH
AND 3/4 SILL
TO KEEP OUT
THE WATER PENETRATION.
ALL RIGHT,
AND IT'S ALUMINUM.
CORRECT.
SO WHAT'S HE DOING
NOW OVER HERE?
RIGHT NOW HE'S
MULLING THE TWO,
THE SIDELIGHT
AND THE DOOR,
TOGETHER.
THE INTERESTING THING
ABOUT THIS DOOR, THOUGH,
ASIDE FROM ALL
THE OTHER FEATURES,
IS THE FACT THAT
IT SWINGS OUT.
CORRECT. IT IS
AN OUT-SWING DOOR.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S BEING DONE
PRIMARILY FROM THE POINT
OF VIEW OF HURRICANE WINDS,
BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE
AN OUT-SWINGING DOOR,
OBVIOUSLY WHEN
IT'S CLOSED.
IT'S BUTTING AGAINST
A RABBIT, AGAINST AN EDGE,
AGAINST A DOORSTOP,
AS WELL AS THE BOTTOM LIP
OF THE THRESHOLD.
CORRECT.
SO, NOTHING'S GONNA
BLOW THAT IN.
ABSOLUTELY.
SO IT'S A NICE FRONT DOOR,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE,
MOST OF THE FINISHES
ARE VERY MUCH COMPLETE
INSIDE THE HOUSE.
ALTHOUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING
HASN'T BEEN INSTALLED YET,
AND WE'RE BUILDING IN
ABOUT 95 DEGREE TEMPERATURES
OUT HERE IN FLORIDA SUMMERS.
THIS IS THE ENTRANCE
TO THE MASTER SUITE.
8-FOOT DOORS THROUGHOUT
THE AREA.
AGAIN, THE FINISHES IN HERE
ARE COMPLETE,
AND THIS IS A ROOM THAT,
I THINK, IS 12x16
WITH THE BIG SLIDER
LOOKING ACROSS THE POOL
ONTO THE OPENINGS
AND THE CANAL.
NOW, THE ROUGH ELECTRICAL WORK
WAS JUST GOING IN LAST WEEK,
AND SO WE TOOK A PEEK AT HOW
THEY COUPLE THESE PLASTIC BOXES
WITH THE METAL STUDS.
LET'S WATCH.
ALL RIGHT,
JOSE RODRIGUEZ HERE
IS DOING THE ROUGH
ELECTRICAL WIRING.
WHAT KIND OF A BOX IS
THIS THAT WE USE WITH
METAL STUDS, JOSE?
THIS IS A PLASTIC BOX,
YOU HAVE TO...
WORK WITH THE SCREWS
OVER HERE.
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE.
SO IT COMES WITH
THAT PLASTIC FLANGE
SO THAT YOU CAN DRIVE
A FASTENER RIGHT INTO
THE METAL.
RIGHT.
THIS IS A NAIL PLATE.
YOU HAVE TO PUT A NAIL PLATE
RIGHT OVER THE WIRE
ON TOP OF THE FURRING.
AND A SIMPLE TIE
TO GET THEM ALL
TIGHTENED UP.
RIGHT.
FIRST YOUR GROUND,
RIGHT?
YES. ALWAYS THE FIRST
IS THE GROUND.
AFTER IT THE WHITE WIRE,
AND THE HOT IS
THE LAST ONE.
SO FIRST THE GROUND,
THEN THE NEUTRAL,
THEN THE HOT.
THE MASTER SUITE
IS VERY SPACIOUS.
NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE BIG WALK-IN
CLOSETS ON EITHER SIDE HERE,
BUT THE SPACE ITSELF
IS ABOUT 12x12.
SO THAT THERE'S ROOM
FOR A LINEN CLOSET,
A TOILET ALCOVE,
TWO VANITIES,
ONE ON EITHER SIDE,
A SHOWER AREA,
AS WELL AS A BIG SOAKER TUB,
AND THIS WILL BE COMING TOGETHER
NEXT WEEK.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
IN THE LIVING ROOM.
NOW, THIS HOUSE IS ABOUT
2,400 SQUARE FEET,
AND LIKE MANY
MODERN FLORIDA HOUSES,
MUCH OF THE SPACE IS INFORMAL,
BUT THEY ALWAYS HAVE AN AREA,
USUALLY BY THE FRONT ENTRANCE,
WHERE YOU HAVE
THE FORMAL DINING ROOM,
YOU HAVE THE FORMAL LIVING ROOM,
AND OF COURSE WHAT MAKES IT
A FLORIDA HOUSE IS THE VIEWS,
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
THE VIEW IS OF THE CANAL,
AND WE'VE GOT THESE
FANTASTIC TRIPLE SLIDERS.
LAST WEEK WE VISITED
THE PGT PLANT NOT FAR FROM HERE
WHERE THEY MAKE ABOUT 30,000
OF THESE IMPACT-RESISTANT
WINDOWS A WEEK,
AND WE SAW FIRSTHAND
HOW THEY STAND UP TO OBJECTS
HURLED
AT THEM IN HIGH WINDS.
BACK HERE WE SAW
HOW THEY'RE INSTALLED
INTO THE PRECAST OPENINGS
IN OUR SOLID-WALL FRAME.
AND WE GOT STARTED INSTALLING
THE FRAMES THROUGH SOME OF
THE PRETTY LARGE SLIDERS.
ONCE THEY WERE SET, THE GUYS
WERE ABLE TO WORK THE ENORMOUS
GLAZE PANELS INTO THEIR TRACKS
AND ADJUST THEM
FOR SMOOTH OPERATION.
EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HEAVY,
THEY'RE WELL-BALANCED,
WELL-D
ESIGNED SLIDERS.
AND OF COURSE, THAT MEANS THAT
WHETHER THEY'RE CLOSED OR OPEN,
YOU'RE GONNA ENJOY
THIS TERRIFIC CANAL VIEW
WITH ALL THE SAILBOATS
AND STUFF,
AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
THE ASSURANCE
THAT IF YOU ARE IN A HURRICANE
WITH HIGH WINDS,
YOU'VE GOT
THE IMPACT-RESISTANT GLASS
WITH THE DUPONT BUTACITE
LAYER IN THE MIDDLE OF IT,
WHICH MEANS THAT NO MATTER
WHAT SHOOTS INTO THIS
AT A HI?
GH IMPACT RATE,
IT'S NOT GONNA SHATTER
THE GLASS,
AND THAT'S THE KEY THING,
NOT ALLOWING HURRICANE
WINDS TO ENTER INTO
THE HOUSE ENVELOPE,
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW EVERYTHING
GETS DESTROYED.
OK, AND NOW THE TRANSITION
BETWEEN THIS FORMAL SPACE
AND THE VAST INFORMAL AREA
OF THE HOUSE IS A NICE TOUCH.
THEY BASICALLY FRAMED THIS OUT
WITH THE METAL STUDWORK
SO THAT YOU'VE GOT THESE STEPS
LEADING INTO THE OPEN ARCHWAY,
AND IN HERE, YOU'VE GOT
AN OPEN-PLAN KITCHEN
THAT WILL HAVE A LOW WALL.
THE LOW WALL SEPARATES
THE FAMILY ROOM FROM
THE KITCHEN AREA.
THE LAYOUT INVOLVES AN ISLAND,
BUT THE MAIN THING IS THAT
YOU'VE GOT SO MUCH OPEN SPACE.
AN AREA OVER HERE
FOR INFORMAL MEALS,
BREAKFAST NOOK OR WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO CALL IT.
THEN A VERY NICE,
DEEP FAMILY ROOM
WHICH AGAIN BENEFITS FROM
ALL THE VIEWS OF THE POOL AREA
AS WELL AS THE WATER,
THE CANAL.
AND THEN ON THIS SIDE
OF THE WALL,
YOU'VE GOT 3 SMALL BEDROOMS
FOR VISITING KIDS OR GRANDKIDS,
AND THE BATHROOM HAS BEEN
POSITIONED RIGHT HERE
OFF THE HALL.
NOW, LAST WEEK, WE WERE LOOKING
AT SOME OF THE ROUGH WORK
THAT WAS BEING DONE HERE
WITH, AGAIN,
METAL STUDS AND PVC PIPING.
LET'S WATCH.
OK, THAT
MAKES IT EASY.
NOW, DAN, WORKING
WITH METAL STUDS,
WHICH MUCH OF
THE NEW HOUSING
HERE IN FLORIDA
IS ALL METAL STUDS,
RIGHT?
YES, SIR.
DOES THE PLUMBING
WORK GO QUICKER?
AH, YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT
EASIER TO TAKE IN
AND PUNCH IT OUT
WITH THAT
AS OPPOSED TO
BRINGING IN A DRILL,
MARKING YOUR HOLE,
DRILLING IT OUT.
PUTTING IT UP.
YEAH. SO WE'VE
ALSO GOT A SLAB.
A LOT OF VIEWERS LIVE
IN HOUSES WITH BASEMENTS
OR CRAWLSPACES.
WHEN YOU'VE GOT
A SLAB,
THAT MEANS THAT BEFORE
THE SLAB GOT POURED,
EVERYTHING HAD TO
BE RUN, RIGHT?
YES, SIR. WE TAKE
ALL THE PLUMBING UNDERGROUND.
WE START OUT AT THE FRONT
WITH THE DRAINS SET
A CERTAIN HEIGHT.
AND RUN OUR PLUMBING IN.
AFTER THAT,
WE BRING IN THE WATER LINES
AND RUN THEM TO THE POINTS
WHERE THEY NEED TO BE,
THE HO
T AND COLD.
YEAH. SO THAT HERE
ON THE SLAB,
WE CAN SEE RIGHT NEXT
TO WHERE HE'S WORKING,
THE LARGE
OPENING THERE
IS ACTUALLY
THE WASTE PIPE
FOR THE TOILET.
YES, SIR.
THAT IS
A 4-INCH PVC DRAIN LINE,
AND WE GLUE A FLANGE
DOWN TO IT.
THE TOILET SITS
RIGHT ON TOP OF THAT
AND BOLTS RIGHT TO IT.
ALL RIGHT, OK.
NOW, WHAT KIND OF
TUBING DO YOU USE
FOR ALL THE HOT
AND COLD FEEDS?
WE USE A CPCV.
IT'S MUCH LIKE PVC,
ONLY IT'S RATED
FOR HOT PIPE.
OK. AND YOU JUST
CUT IT WITH THAT
TOOL THERE.
YES, SIR,
THAT'S A RATCHET CUTTER
AND YOU CAN
PUT A LITTLE BEND
INTO IT LIKE THAT?
YOU DON'T HAVE
TO WORRY?
WHAT DO YOU DO
ABOUT KEEPING IT
FROM VIBRATING
IN THE METAL STUDS
AND HAVING A NOISE
PROBLEM?
WHAT HE'S INSTALLING
RIGHT NOW
ARE CALLED PIPE TIGHTS.
THAT WOULD BE
A HALF-INCH PIPE TIGHTS.
THIS IS HALF-INCH PIPE,
AND IT'S TO PROTECT IT FROM
THE METAL CUTTING INTO THE PIPE
AND ANYTHING ELSE
GETTING INTO THE PIPE.
RIGHT.
SO WHAT'S HE GETTING
READY TO BUILD HERE,
OK, WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS WE'RE HAVING TO RUN
A LAV ARM
OVER TO THE LAVATORY
TO TIE THE DRAIN IN
ON THE SINK ITSELF.
OK, SO THE SINK IS
GOING IN THIS CORNER
OF THE BATHROOM.
YES, SIR.
AND THAT'S
ALL THERE IS TO IT.
ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE DRYWALL
HAS BEEN INSTALLED,
WE KIND OF SAVED ONE SHEET
SO THAT WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT.
AND WE'RE IN THE THIRD BEDROOM,
WHICH REALLY HAS
THE CAPACITY OF BEING USED
AS A HOME OFFICE,
AS WELL.
LET'S SAY HIGH
TO THAD GOODMAN
AND WATCH HOW THIS
LAST PIECE GOES IN PLACE.
THAD, THIS IS
A 4x10 SHEET?
4x10 SHEET.
THAT'S CORRECT.
THAT MAKES IT
QUICK, DOESN'T IT?
NOW THIS IS
GEORGIA PACIFIC'S
DENSARMOR,
AND--ACTUALLY,
BEFORE YOU NAIL IT IN,
LET ME SEE IF WE CAN
TAKE A LOOK BECAUSE
IT REALLY LOOKS
LIKE ANY CONVENTIONAL
GYPSUM WALLBOARD, RIGHT?
YES, IT DOES.
THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.
YEAH. AND DOES IT
INSTALL TRADITIONALLY.
IT INSTALLS
TRADITIONALLY LIKE
REGULAR DRYWALL.
IT'S GOT A TAPER
ON IT JUST LIKE IT WOULD,
EVEN THOUGH IT'S
ALL FIBERGLASS FACE.
ANY OTHER DRYWALL,
AND WE WOULD SCREW IT
IN THE SAME KIND
OF A MANNER
AND PUT IT UP
IN THE SAME AREA.
RIGHT. SO HE'S GETTING
READY TO DO THAT
RIGHT OVER HERE,
AND HE'S GOT HIS
LITTLE LIFT DOWN THERE
SO THAT HE CAN GET
THE WHOLE SHEET UP
TIGHT, AND...
AND OF COURSE,
WE ARE IN A SOLID
CONCRETE HOUSE,
SO WE HAVE FURRING STRIPS
EVERY 16 INCHES ON CENTER,
AND THAT'S WHAT
THEY GET ATTACHED
TO, RIGHT?
NOW ONE OF THE BIG
CHALLENGES IN ANY KIND
OF HUMID ENVIRONMENT,
BUT ESPECIALLY
IN FLORIDA,
IS PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT
HAVE WITH MOLD AND MILDEW,
AND I GUESS THAT'S
THE MAIN THING THAT
WE'RE ADDRESSING
WITH THIS PARTICULAR
PRODUCT, RIGHT?
RIGHT. WHEN YOU THINK
ABOUT THE WAY
TRADITIONAL DRYWALL
HAS BEEN MADE
SINCE THE SIXTIES,
IT'S BEEN MADE
WITH PAPER, ROCK, PAPER.
WE HAVE STARCHES
AND SUGARS THAT WE
PUT TO ATTRACT
THE PAPER
INTO THE GYPSUM
SO THAT THOSE
BOND TOGETHER.
OH, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT'S
WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN IT GETS WET.
STARCHES AND SUGAR,
MY GOSH!
STARCHES AND SUGARS,
AND THEN WE START
TO HAVE THINGS
FALL APART WHEN
IT GETS WET.
IT ALSO IS A GOOD
FOOD SOURCE
FOR MOLD.
SO THE THEORY
WITH DENSARMOR PLUS
IS THAT WE'VE TAKEN
THAT FOOD SOURCE AWAY
BY WRAPPING IT
IN FIBERGLASS MATS.
WE ALSO CLEAN
OUR SYSTEM
FOR A COUPLE DAYS
BEFORE WE RUN
THIS PRODUCT
SO THAT WE CAN TAKE
ALL THE RECYCLED
CONTENT
OUT OF OUR BOARD,
SO ALL THE THINGS
THAT COULD GROW
IN THAT CAVITY
THEORETICALLY
ARE GONE.
OK. NO, I DIDN'T
REALIZE THAT
ABOUT THE SUGARS
AND THE STARCHES.
I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST
A QUESTION OF THE PAPER
BEING ORGANIC MATERIAL
THAT WOULD BE A HOST
FOR THE MILDEWS
AND THE MOLDS.
YEAH. NO. WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT THE WAY
A GYPSUM CRYSTAL
REHYDRATES
OR REGROWS,
TYPICALLY, IT GOES
EVERY WHICH DIRECTION,
AND WHAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO IS
GET IT TO ADHERE
TO THAT PAPER,
SO AS WE GET IT TO
ADHERE TO THAT PAPER,
WE USE THE STARCHES
AND SUGARS TO BIND IT.
SO THOSE ARE
OUR BINDERS.
THAD, WHAT'S THE RULE
IN TERMS OF SPACING.
TYPICALLY, WHEN YOU'VE
GOT A CONCRETE WALL
LIKE THIS,
WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR IS,
YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR TWO SETS LESS
THAN 8 INCHES APART.
OK. SO THAT'S WHY
YOU'RE ATTACHING THEM
IN PAIRS LIKE THAT.
EXACTLY.
AND THEN AT THE BOTTOM,
YOU USUALLY HAVE
FURRING STRIP ACROSS
HORIZONTALLY.
RIGHT. EXACTLY.
RIGHT.
OK. NOW LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE TAPE
BECAUSE IF YOU'VE GONE
TO ALL THIS TROUBLE
TO NOT HAVE ANY
FOOD SOURCE FOR MILDEW,
IF YOU HAVE PAPER TAPE,
THAT WOULD BE
THE SAME THING, RIGHT?
RIGHT. EXACTLY.
WE WANT TO ELIMINATE
AS MUCH OF THE FOOD SOURCE
AS POSSIBLE,
SO WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR IS,
WE'RE LOOKING TO USE
A FIBERGLASS MESH TAPE.
ALL RIGHT. AND THEN
ONCE YOU'VE PUT
THE TAPE UP
ALL OVER THE PLACE,
IS IT A TRADITIONAL
JOINT COMPOUND?
WELL, THERE'S
TWO WAYS TO DO IT.
TRADITIONALLY, YOU
COULD USE JOINT COMPOUND,
BUT THE BETTER WAY
TO DO IT WOULD BE TO USE
A SETTING COMPOUND.
IT'S GOT ACCELERATORS
AND RETARDERS IN IT
SO THAT IT DRIES FASTER
AND YOU HAVE LESS
OPPORTUNITY
FOR MOISTURE INTRUSION
LATER.
TERRIFIC.
AND IN THIS CLIMATE,
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED
BECAUSE IT'S SO
HOT AND HUMID.
GREAT. THANKS, THAD.
CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY...
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
NEXT TIME, OUR PUNTA GORDA,
FLORIDA, STORM-READY HOUSE
IS GETTING A LOT
OF ITS FINISHING TOUCHES.
INSIDE, WE'RE STILL
PUTTING UP DRYWALL
WITH A NEW TYPE OF PRODUCT
THAT'S MILDEW-RESISTANT.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT SOME
OF THE FINISHING TOUCHES
LIKE INSTALLING THE FRONT DOOR
AND SOME OF THE SLIDERS,
AND WE'LL BE PUTTING IN
A GENERATOR.
THAT'S NEXT TIME.
DON'T MISS IT.
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
NEXT TIME, OUR PUNTA GORDA,
FLORIDA, STORM-READY HOUSE
IS GETTING A LOT
OF ITS FINISHING TOUCHES.
INSIDE, WE'RE STILL
PUTTING UP DRYWALL
WITH A NEW TYPE OF PRODUCT
THAT'S MILDEW-RESISTANT,
AND WE'LL BE PUTTING IN
A GENERATOR.
THAT'S NEXT TIME.
DON'T MISS IT.
HI. I'M BOB VILA.
NEXT TIME, OUR PUNTA GORDA,
FLORIDA, STORM-READY HOUSE
GETS A GENERATOR
AND SOME FINISHING TOUCHES.
DON'T MISS IT.
WE HAVE A GENERATOR ON THE JOB,
AND RIGHT NOW,
HARRY CUNNINGHAM IS HERE,
OUR ELECTRICIAN,
TO EXPLAIN
THE HOOKUP TO US,
AND KIM HANSEN IS HERE
FROM SQUARE D.
HARRY, LET ME
ASK YOU FIRST.
HOW IS AN ELECTRICAL
CONNECTION--
THIS IS THE SERVICE
BASICALLY--
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT
WHEN YOU HAVE A GENERATOR?
WELL, YOU HAVE
TWO INPUTS OF POWER,
ONE OBVIOUSLY
THE UTILITY POWER.
THE SECOND ONE IN HERE
IS THE FEED
FROM THE GENERATOR
ITSELF.
OK. AND WE DON'T HAVE
TOO MANY SWITCHES
TO WORRY ABOUT.
WHAT HAPPENS HERE?
WELL, BASICALLY,
WE HAVE A SAFETY
MECHANISM HERE
THAT DOES NOT
ALLOW US TO BRING
THE GENERATOR POWER
INTO THE UTILITY
CIRCUIT SIMPLY
BY THE FACT
THAT WE MUST
TURN OFF
THE UTILITY FIRST
BEFORE WE CAN LIFT
THIS MECHANISM,
AND AT THAT TIME,
WE CAN BRING
THE GENERATOR
POWER ON.
NOW IT'S FED
TO THE LOAD CENTER
IN THE HOUSE
AS IT NORMALLY
WOULD BE,
EVEN ON
THE UTILITY POWER.
ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE EVEN IF
THE POWER IS DOWN
FROM THE UTILITY
ON THE STREET
AFTER A TERRIBLE HURRICANE,
YOU STILL--YOUR GENERATOR
DOESN'T WANT TO TRY
TO BE FEEDING POWER OUT
TO THE WHOLE
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS MECHANISM
SERVES TWO PURPOSES.
ONE OBVIOUSLY IS
SAFETY OF LIFE
AND PERSONNEL
SO THAT WE ARE NOT
FEEDING ELECTRICITY
BACK INTO ANOTHER
CIRCUIT
WHERE SOMEONE MIGHT
BE WORKING ON IT.
THEN THE SECOND
ADVANTAGE OF IT IS
THAT WE CAN CONTROL
THE AMOUNT OF POWER
IF WE ALLOW
THE UTILITY--
OR THE GENERATOR
TO FEED INTO
THE UTILITY,
YOU COULDN'T CARRY
ALL OF THESE OTHER
HOUSES WITH IT,
SO CONSEQUENTLY,
WE HAVE A LIMITED
AMOUNT OF POWER
FROM THE GENERATOR,
AND THIS WAY,
WE CONDUCT IT
STRAIGHT INTO
THE LOAD CENTER HERE
AT THIS HOUSE
AND NOWHERE ELSE.
GOT YOU.
OK. NOW, KIM, WHAT
ARE SOME OF THE FEATURES
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
IN TERMS
OF THE SWITCHING MECHANISMS
THAT ARE REQUIRED
FOR A GENERATOR?
WELL, YOU DEFINITELY
WANT TO HAVE
THE FLEXIBILITY
TO RUN MULTIPLE
CIRCUITS
AND RUN
DIFFERENT CIRCUITS
AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST
WANT TO PUT THE POWER ON
IN THE WHOLE HOUSE
SO THE KIDS CAN GO
WATCH TV?
ACTUALLY, THIS
GENERATOR DOESN'T
RUN THE WHOLE HOUSE.
IT'S NOT LARGE
ENOUGH TO DO THAT.
SO THIS DEVICE GIVES
YOU THE FLEXIBILITY
TO TURN SOME
CIRCUITS ON
AND OTHERS OFF
AND THEN SWITCH
THAT AROUND
AS YOU NEED TO.
SO YOU CAN RUN YOUR
AIR CONDITIONING.
IT IS LARGE
ENOUGH TO RUN
THE AIR CONDITIONING.
AND PERHAPS AS
THE HOUSE COOLS DOWN
IN THE EVENING,
YOU DECIDE THAT YOU
DON'T WANT TO RUN
THE AIR CONDITIONING
FOR A COUPLE HOURS,
BUT YOU WANT TO DO
A LOAD OF LAUNDRY.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD
AND FLIP THAT SWITCH
AND TURN YOUR
WASHER ON.
SURE. IN A STORM EMERGENCY,
SOMETIMES, PEOPLE MIGHT
BE WITHOUT POWER
FOR 3 OR 4 DAYS
OR EVEN LONGER,
AND IF YOU'VE GOT
THOSE CAPABILITIES
AND YOU'VE GOT
A GENERATOR,
THEN YOU AT LEAST
CAN KEEP YOUR FOOD
FROM SPOILING.
YOU CAN KEEP
THE TEMPERATURES
UNDER CONTROL
BECAUSE ONE
OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS
IS WHEN YOU'VE GOT
THE HIGH HUMIDITY
AND HIGH TEMPERATURES
AND YOU'VE HAD SOME
WATER INFILTRATION,
YOU CAN HAVE A LOT
OF MOLD AND MILDEW DAMAGE.
THAT'S CORRECT.
GREAT.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE
WE'RE ALL SET.
WE'VE GOT A GENERATOR
GOING IN,
AND RON FORD IS HERE
FROM KOHLER GENERATORS
TO TELL US
ALL ABOUT IT,
AND IT SURE IS
NICE AND SMALL.
IT IS, BOB. THAT'S ONE
OF THE NICE FEATURES OF THIS
IS THAT AS COMPARED
TO SOME OF THE OLDER MODELS
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM
IN A SMALLER PACKAGE
AND MAKE THEM QUIETER, TOO.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT
IT WEIGHS ABOUT
400 POUNDS,
WHICH IS WHY JUST
ABOUT A HALF
AN HOUR AGO
WE TOOK ADVANTAGE
OF THE BIG MACHINE
THAT'S HERE,
AND WE KIND OF
HOOKED IT UP
ON THE PALLET
AND MOVED IT
OVER HERE.
YEAH. NOW--
IT CAN BE
A WRESTLING MATCH
THAT WAY.
YEAH. NOW I KNOW THAT
THESE HAVE BECOME
VERY POPULAR
SINCE THE HURRICANE
SEASON LAST YEAR
HERE IN FLORIDA.
HOW MANY OF THEM
ARE YOU SELLING?
OUR BUSINESS IS UP
ABOUT 600% FROM LAST YEAR
JUST IN THE FLORIDA AREA
ITSELF.
HARD TO BELIEVE.
NOW, TELL ME ABOUT
THIS PARTICULAR
GENERATOR.
I ASSUME I CAN JUST
OPEN UP AND LOOK
AT WHAT'S IN THERE.
THIS IS A 12 KW MODEL,
OR 12,000-WATT--
12 KILOWATTS. OK.
KILOWATTS.
HAS A RECIPROCATING
GAS ENGINE HERE
THAT RUNS EITHER
ON L.P. OR NATURAL GAS.
SO YOU HAVE
THE OPTION
OF RUNNING IT
OF OF YOUR GAS TANK
OR OFF OF REGULAR
GASOLINE.
CORRECT. YES.
DIGITAL CONTROLLER,
WHICH IS BRAND-NEW.
WE'VE JUST COME OUT
WITH IN THE LAST
YEAR AND A HALF OR SO.
IT'S A ABSOLUTELY
CONTROLLER.
IF YOU'VE GOT SENSITIVE
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
IN THE HOUSE,
SUCH AS
A PLASMA SCREEN TV
OR YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM
AND THAT,
THIS REALLY PUTS OUT
CLEAN POWER
THAT MOST
EQUIPMENT LIKES.
OK. AND THEN WHAT
ABOUT THE ACTUAL LOAD
THAT IT CAN HANDLE?
I MEAN, THIS IS
A 2,400-SQUARE-FOOT
HOUSE.
I THINK THE AIR
CONDITIONING UNIT'S
PROBABLY 4 TON.
THIS UNIT IS ACTUALLY
VERY POWERFUL FOR ITS SIZE.
IT'S A 12 KW,
BUT IT WILL RUN
A 4-TON AIR CONDITIONER,
AGAIN, BECAUSE
OF SOME OF THE ADVANCES
IN TECHNOLOGY.
THIS WILL START AND RUN
THAT 4-TON AIR CONDITIONER
AND A BUNCH
OF YOUR OTHER APPLIANCES
AND YOUR LIGHTING.
YOU CAN SIT HERE
AND PRETTY MUCH
LIVE LIFE NORMAL.
AND WHAT'S THE COST?
ABOUT 7,500 BUCKS
INSTALLED.
7,500 INSTALLED.
THAT'S NOT BAD
AT ALL.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, RON.
THANK YOU, BOB.
WE'RE RUNNING
SHORT ON TIME.
NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GONNA
BE PUTTING IN
SOME OF THE CREATURE COMFORTS
LIKE A WONDERFUL SPA
IN THE MASTER BATHROOM
AND START BUILDING
THE SWIMMING POOL.
TILL THEN, I'M BOB VILA.
Additional Bob Vila Showrooms • TOTO USA - Elegant, technologically-advanced plumbing fixtures that perform! • Sears - Vinyl Siding, Eaves and Overhangs • eFaucets - Find all the best names in kitchen and bath fixtures • ETO Doors - Shop for Interior & Exterior Doors - Lowest Price Guaranteed • Bellacor.com - The Online Leader for Quality Lighting and more. • Sears - Custom-Fit Replacement Windows and Entry Doors
Carpentry, Construction & Materials • Georgia-Pacific - DensArmor® paperless interior wallboard Lighting & Electrical • Kohler Power Systems - 12Kw backup power generator • Square D / Schneider Electric - Electrical panel, surge protection and Arc-D-Tect arc fault circuit interruptors Real Estate • FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes) - non-profit, organization dedicated to promoting disaster safety and property loss mitigation • Mercedes Homes - Developer - homes designed and built for comfort, elegance, efficiency, and safety in Florida, Texas, and the Carolinas.
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